Simulation Experiments at the Heavy Ion Accelerator HIPr

The resource of nuclear facilities is largely limited by the degradation of structural or functional materials. Under the action of high-energy neutrons, defects in the crystal lattice appear in the material and the accumulation of transmutation products (helium and hydrogen) occurs in the structure of the material. Qualification of structural materials using reactor irradiation takes several years, and the samples of materials themselves become activated, which makes subsequent post-reactor tests difficult. Simulation experiments on a beam of heavy ions making it possible to analyze the radiation resistance of structural materials of nuclear and fusion reactors have been carried out at the Kurchatov Complex of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (National Research Center Kurchatov Institute) since 2009. Simulation experiments at an accelerator make it possible to carry out high-dose tests in no more than a few days with control over the conditions of the irradiation (temperature of target samples, ion flux, radiation dose). The paper presents a description of the simulation irradiations carried out at the HIPr heavy ion accelerator.