• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.185-190
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• 2016

Background: In order to measure neutron energy spectra, the conventional Bonner Sphere Spectrometers (BSS) are widely used. In this spectrometer, several measurements with different size Bonner spheres are required. Operators should, therefore, place these spheres in several times to a measurement point where radiation dose might be relatively high. In order to reduce this effort, novel neutron energy spectrometer using an onion-like single Bonner sphere was proposed in our group. This Bonner sphere has multiple sensitive spherical shell layers in the single sphere. In this spectrometer, a band-shaped thermal neutron detection medium, which consists of a LiF-ZnS mixed powder scintillator sheet and a wavelength-shifting (WLS) fiber readout, was looped to each sphere at equal angular intervals. Amount of LiF neutron converter is reduced near polar region, where the band-shaped detectors are concentrated, in order to uniform the directional sensitivity. The LiF-ZnS mixed powder has an advantage of extremely high light yield. However, since it is opaque, scintillation photons cannot be collect uniformly. This type of detector shows no characteristic shape in the pulse height spectrum. Subsequently, it is difficult to set the pulse height discrimination level. This issue causes sensitivity fluctuation due to gain instability of photodetectors and/or electric modules. Materials and Methods: In order to solve this problem, we propose to replace the LiF-ZnS mixed powder into a flexible and Transparent RUbber SheeT type $LiCaAlF_6$ (TRUST LiCAF) scintillator. TRUST LiCAF scintillator can show a peak shape corresponding to neutron absorption events in the pulse height spectrum. Results and Discussion: We fabricated the prototype detector with five sensitive layers using TRUST LiCAF scintillator and conducted basic experiments to evaluate the directional uniformity of the sensitivity. Conclusion: The fabricated detector shows excellent directional uniformity of the neutron sensitivity.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.143-148
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• 2013

원자력발전소 및 입자 가속기 등 상용화된 원자력관계시설에서는 해당 시설 내부의 구조 및 위치 등에 따라 다양한 에너지를 가진 중성자스펙트럼을 나타내며 이에 대한 중성자선량 평가 및 작업자의 방사선방호 조치에 대한 수요는 점차 증가하고 있다. 중성자스펙트럼을 측정하기 위해서 일반적으로 보너구 스펙트로메터가 많이 이용된다. 보너구 스펙트로메터를 이용한 중성자 스펙트럼 측정의 경우 중성자검출기의 반응함수, 초기추정 스펙트럼, 계수율 측정값을 사용하여 중성자스펙트럼 언폴딩을 수행하게 된다. 본 연구에서는 MC50 사이클로트론에서 발생하는 중성자스펙트럼을 LiI 섬광검출기 기반의 보너구 스펙트로메터를 이용하여 측정하였으며 표적에 입사되는 양성자 에너지와 위치에 따른 중성자선속, 중성자 평균에너지 및 선량률 자료를 정량적으로 평가하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권10호
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• pp.3591-3598
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• 2023

Photoneutron background spectroscopy observations at linac are essential for directing accelerator shielding and subtracting background signals. Therefore, we constructed a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) system based on an array of BF₃ gas proportional counter tubes. Initially, the response of the BSS system was simulated using the MCNP5 code. Next, the response of the system was calibrated by using neutrons with energies of 2.86 MeV and 14.84 MeV. Then, the system was employed to measure the spectrum of the ²⁴¹Am-Be neutron source, and the results were unfolded by using the Gravel and EM algorithms. Using the validated system, the undesirable neutron spectrum of the 120 MeV electron linac was finally measured and acquired. In addition, it is demonstrated that the equivalent undesirable neutron dose at a distance of 3.2 m from the linac is 19.7 mSv/h. The results measured by the above methods could provide guidance for linac-related research.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.243-248
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• 2001

Neutron reference fields of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) for calibrating neutron measuring devices to be used in radiation workplace monitoring consist of two kinds of neutron spectra, the direct and the scattered neutron fields, which are produced by using radionuclide neutron sources, 252Cf and 241AmBe sources. Necessary parameters for calibration such as the anisotropy factor of each neutron source and the room-scattered fraction of some neutron surveymeters in the KAERI calibration facility were determined by calculation or measurement. Spectral measurement of scattered neutron fields were performed at each reference calibration point using a Bonner Multi-sphere Spectrometer (BMS) and the dosimetric quantities for calibration also estimated from the neutron energy spectra which were unfolded using the BUNKI code.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.211-215
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• 2016

Background: The moderated neutron calibration fields using $^{241}Am$-Be sources and a graphite moderator have been constructed at the Facility of Radiation Standard (FRS) in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Materials and Methods: The neutron spectra of the fields were evaluated by the Monte-Carlo calculations and measurements using the Bonner Multi-sphere Spectrometer. Results and Discussion: The fields have continuous neutron spectra from several MeV to thermal neutron energy, with fluence-averaged energies of 0.84 MeV and 0.60 MeV. Reference values of fluence rates and ambient/personal dose equivalent rates were determined from neutron spectra by measurements. Conclusion: Currently, the fields are available for calibration or performance test of neutron measuring instruments.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.61-70
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• 1992

국내 원전의 주종인 가압경수로를 대상으로 스펙트로메트리 기법에 의한 감마, 중성자 그리고 베타 방사선장에 대한 특성조사를 수행하였다. 감마선장의 경우, HPGe 반도체 검출기로 구성된 휴대용 감마 스펙트로메타를 사용하여 측정한 결과, 평균 에너지 값의 분포는 가동정지중일 때 원전의 격납용기내에서 $440{\sim}780keV$, 가동중일 때 원전의 보조건물내에서 $280{\sim}760 keV$로 나타났다. 가동중인 원전의 격납용기내 operation deck를 중심으로 5개 지점에 대하여 BMSS (Bonner Multiple Spectrometry System)을 사용하여 중성자선장을 조사하였다. BUNKI 코드를 사용하여 측정스펙트럼을 분해하였으며, 측정 장소에서의 평균 에너지 값의 분포는 $20{\sim}210 keV$이었다. 베타피폭원인 오염에 대하여 가동정지 상태인 원전의 격납용기내와 보조건물의 총 14개 지점의 고방사성 오염지역에서 smearing 시료를 채취하여 표면장벽형 Si 반도체검출기를 사용하여 에너지 스펙트럼을 측정하였다. 그 결과 부식생성물 $^{60}Co$에 의한 베타 에너지가 지배적인 것으로 나타났다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.273-280
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• 2014

The spectrum weighted responses of various detectors were calculated to provide guidance on the proper selection and use of survey instruments on the basis of their energy response characteristics on the neutron fields. To yield the spectrum weighted response, the detector response functions of 17 neutron-measuring devices were numerically folded with each of the produced calibration neutron spectra through the in-house developed software 'K-SWR'. The detectors' response functions were taken from the IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 403 (TRS-403). The reference neutron fields of 21 kinds with 2 spectra groups with different proportions of thermal and fast neutrons have been produced using neutrons from the $^{241}Am$-Be sources held in a graphite pile, a bare $^{241}Am$-Be source, and a DT neutron generator. Fluence-average energy ($E_{ave}$) varied from 3.8 MeV to 16.9 MeV, and the ambient-dose-equivalent rate [$H^*(10)/h$] varied from 0.99 to 16.5 mSv/h.