• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1252-1258
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• 2020

This study explores the ability of non-destructive assay techniques to detect a partial material defect in which 100 g of plutonium are diverted from the center of a 1000 g can of PuO₂ powder. Four safeguards measurements techniques: neutron multiplicity counting, calorimetry, gravimetry, and gamma ray spectroscopy are used in an attempt to detect the defect. Several materials are added to the partial defect PuO₂ can to replicate signatures of the diverted material. ²⁵²Cf is used to compensate for the doubles neutron counts, ²⁴¹Am is used to compensate for the decay heat, and aluminum is used to compensate for the weight. Although, the doubles and triples difference before and after diversion are statistically indistinguishable with the AWCC in fast and thermal mode, the difference in the singles counts are statistically detectable in both modes. The relatively short half-life of ²⁵²Cf leads to a decrease (three sigma uncertainty) in the doubles neutron counts after 161 days. Combining this with the precise quantity of ²⁴¹Am needed (10.7 g) to mimic the heat signature and the extreme precision in ²⁵²Cf mass needed to defeat neutron multiplicity measurements gives reassurance in the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to detect partial material defects.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.277-284
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• 2017

This paper presents the establishment and characterization of a neutron calibration field using a bare $^{252}Cf$ source of low neutron source strength in Vietnam. The characterization of the field in terms of neutron flux spectra and neutron ambient dose equivalent rates were performed by Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP5 code. The anisotropy effect of the source was also investigated. The neutron ambient dose equivalent rates at three reference distances of 75, 125, and 150 cm from the source were calculated and compared with the measurements using the Aloka TPS-451C neutron survey meters. The discrepancy between the calculated and measured values is found to be about 10%. To separate the scattered and the direct components from the total neutron flux spectra, an in-house shadow cone of 10% borated polyethylene was used. The shielding efficiency of the shadow cone was estimated using the MCNP5 code. The results confirmed that the shielding efficiency of the shadow cone is acceptable.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.3151-3157
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• 2021

Copper is an important structural material in various nuclear energy applications, therefore the correct knowledge of copper cross sections is crucial. The presented paper deals with a validation of different copper transport libraries by means of activation of selected samples. An intense ²⁵²Cf(sf) source with a reference neutron spectrum was used as a neutron source. After irradiation, the samples were measured using a high purity germanium detector and the dosimeter reaction rates were inferred. These experimental data were compared with MCNP6 calculations using CENDL-3.1, JENDL-4.0, ENDF/B-VII.1, ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.2 and JEFF-3.3 evaluated Cu transport libraries. The experiment specifically focuses on ⁵⁸Ni(n,p)⁵⁸Co, ⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb, ¹⁹⁷Au(n,g)¹⁹⁸Au and ⁵⁵Mn(n,g)⁵⁶Mn dosimetry reactions. Evaluated activation cross sections of these dosimetric reactions were taken from the IRDFF-II library. The best library performance depends on the energy region of interest.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.937-942
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• 1995

Great interest has prompted Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) as a new treatment for brain tumors. The use of $^{252}$Cf as a neutron source for BNn makes the in-hospital treatments of tumors to be possible. Newly proposed subcritical multiplying assemblies (SMA) are explored to improve relatively tow neutron fluxes of the source and construct the feasibilities of $^{252}$Cf as a neutron source. The MCNP code has been used to evaluate the effective multiplication factor of the entire system and the intensities and percentages of epithermal neutron flux at the patient-end surface of the system. The neutron beam using SMA shows the epithermal neutron flux enhancement of about 13 times as large as the beam without using SMA. It is expected that the neutron beam proposed in this research will be more effective for treatment of tumors due to the increased therapeutic neutron fluxes.

• Journal of The Korean Radiological Technologist Association
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.86-86
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• 2003

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 1985

The manganous sulfate bath method for neutron source calibrations at the K-SRI is described together with the measurement of neutron emission rate of a source and the corrections applied for capture by competing nuclei of neutrons, and thermal neutron leakage, neutron absorption in the source itself. The commercially available neutron sources (Am-Be, $^{252}Cf$) for the calibration checks of neutron radiation instruments in the MeV range are considered in this paper.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.42-54
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• 1988

Overall reviews of papers presented at the seventh IRPA International Congress (Aprill 10-17, 1988) held in Sydney, Australia have been done in order to grasp the trends of radiation research. In this report, the changing and increasing matters in the field of ionizing radiation safety as well as non-ionizing radiation application are introduced to the KARP. In addition, a research paper, 'Emission Rate Measurement of a Cf-252 Neutron Source by Manganous Sulfate Bath Method', presented at the IRPA 7 Poster Session is followed.

• 대한방사선방어학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.222-223
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• 2011

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.959-964
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• 2022

Lead is an important material, both for fusion or fission reactors. The cross sections of natural lead should be validated because lead is a main component of lithium-lead modules suggested for fusion power plants and it directly affects the crucial variable, tritium breeding ratio. The presented study discusses a validation of the lead transport libraries by dint of the activation of carefully selected activation samples. The high emission standard ²⁵²Cf neutron source was used as a neutron source for the presented validation experiment. In the irradiation setup, the samples were placed behind 5 and 10 cm of the lead material. Samples were measured using a gamma spectrometry to infer the reaction rate and compared with MCNP6 calculations using ENDF/B-VIII.0 lead cross sections. The experiment used validated IRDFF-II dosimetric reactions to validate lead cross sections, namely ¹⁹⁷Au(n, 2n)¹⁹⁶Au, ⁵⁸Ni(n,p)⁵⁸Co, ⁹³Nb(n, 2n)^92mNb, ¹¹⁵In(n,n')^115mIn, ¹¹⁵In(n,γ)^116mIn, ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au and ⁶³Cu(n,γ)⁶⁴Cu reactions. The threshold reactions agree reasonably with calculations; however, the experimental data suggests a higher thermal neutron flux behind lead bricks. The paper also suggests ²⁵²Cf isotropic source as a valuable tool for validation of some cross-sections important for fusion applications, i.e. reactions on structural materials, e.g. Cu, Pb, etc.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.51-57
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• 2003

Mitigation of fast neutron irradiation damage on reactor vessel and improvement of mechanical integrity are desired for the successful plant life-time extension. In this study, the performance of metallic hydride for this application is reviewed and compared. First, selected prospective metallic hydrides are evaluated by MCNP code and put into the attenuation test using Cf-252 neutron source. Since for the reactor application high moderation and reflection with no absorption are favored, Z factor is introduced for the evaluation. According to the Z value estimation $ZrD_2$ and $TiD_2$ are turned out to be the most favorable fast neutron shielding materials. More thorough evaluation by computer simulation and experimentally, will be followed.