• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권9호
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• pp.3051-3057
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• 2021

The concrete is considered as an important radiation shielding material employed widely in nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, laboratory hot cells and other different radiation sources. The present research is dedicated to the shielding properties study of the ordinary concrete reinforced with different weight fractions of lead oxide micro/nano particles. Lead oxide particles were fabricated by chemical synthesis method and their properties including the average size, morphological structure, functional groups and thermal properties were characterized by XRD, FESEM-EDS, FTIR and TGA analysis. The gamma ray mass attenuation coefficient of concrete composites has been calculated and measured by means of the Monte Carlo simulation and experimental methods. The simulation process was based on the use of MCNP Monte Carlo code where the mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) has been calculated as a function of different particle sizes and filler weight fractions. The simulation results showed that the employment of the lead oxide filler particles enhances the mass attenuation coefficient of the ordinary concrete, drastically. On the other hand, there are approximately no differences between micro and nano sized particles. The mass attenuation coefficient was increased by increasing the weight fraction of nanoparticles. However, a semi-saturation effect was observed at concentrations more than 10 wt%. The experimental process was based on the fabrication of concrete slabs filled by different weight fractions of nano lead oxide particles. The mass attenuation coefficients of these slabs were determined at different gamma ray energies using ²²Na, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co sources and NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. The experimental results showed that the HVL parameter of the ordinary concrete reinforced with 5 wt% of nano PbO particles was reduced by 64% at 511 keV and 48% at 1332 keV. Reasonable agreement was obtained between simulation and experimental results and showed that the employment of nano PbO particles is more efficient at low gamma energies up to 1Mev. The proposed concrete is less toxic and could be prepared in block form instead of toxic lead blocks.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제15권7호
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• pp.282-288
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• 2015

몬테카를로 기법을 기반으로 한 모의실험을 통해 방사성 핵종별 주사기 차폐기구의 재질 및 두께에 대한 차폐분석 결과, 텅스텐, 납, 비스무스와 같이 상대적으로 원자번호가 높은 재질의 경우 거의 모든 핵종에서 가장 높은 차폐효과를 보였다. 그러나 $^{18}F$, $^{67}Ga$, $^{111}In$ 선원의 경우, 차폐두께가 낮은 영역에서 저 원자번호 재질보다 더 높은 에너지를 나타냈으나, 이후 증가된 차폐두께에서는 투과되어 도달하는 감마선이 감소하여 더 낮은 에너지 분포를 나타냈다. 그 외 상대적으로 원자번호가 낮은 재질의 경우 구리, 철, 스테인리스강, 황산바륨의 순서로 에너지가 낮은 분포를 나타냈고, 알루미늄, 플라스틱, 콘크리트, 물의 경우 핵종별로 각기 다른 양상을 나타냈으며, 상대적으로 투과된 감마선의 증가로 전체적으로 높은 에너지 분포를 보여 차폐효과가 떨어지는 것으로 나타냈다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.949-959
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• 2021

The current study aims to explore the shielding properties of multi-component borate-based glass series. Seven glass-samples with composition of (80-y)H₃BO₃-10ZnO-10Na₂O-yBaO where (y = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mol.%) were synthesized by melt-quench method. Various shielding features for photons, neutrons, and protons were determined for all prepared samples. XCOM, Phy-X program, and SRIM code were performed to determine and explain several shielding properties such as equivalent atomic number, exposure build-up factor, specific gamma-ray constants, effective removal cross-section (Σ_R), neutron scattering and absorption, Mass Stopping Power (MSP) and projected range. The energy ranges for photons and protons were 0.015-15 MeV and 0.01-10 MeV, respectively. The mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) was also determined experimentally by utilizing two radioactive sources (¹⁶⁶Ho and ¹³⁷Cs). Consistent results were obtained between experimental and XCOM values in determining μ/ρ of the new glasses. The addition of BaO to the glass matrix led to enhance the μ/ρ and specific gamma-ray constants of glasses. Whereas the remarkable reductions in Σ_R, MSP, and projected range values were reported with increasing BaO concentrations. The acquired results nominate the use of these glasses in different radiation shielding purposes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권9호
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• pp.3441-3449
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• 2023

We determined the radiation shielding properties for 10CaO-xPbO-(90-x) deteriorated silica gel (DSG) glass system (x = 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 mol.%). The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) has been estimated at photon energies of 74.23, 97.12, 122, 662, 1173, and 1332 keV using a narrow beam X-ray attenuation and transmission experiment, the XCOM program, and a PHITS simulation. The obtained MAC values were applied to estimate the half value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number, and effective electron density. Results show that the MAC value of the studied glasses ranges between 0.0549 and 1.4415 cm²/g, increases with the amount of PbO, and decreases with increasing photon energy. The HVL and MFP values decrease with increasing PbO content and increase with increasing photon energy. The recycled glass, with the addition of PbO content (20-45 mol.%), exhibited excellent radiation shielding capabilities compared to standard barite and ferrite concretes and some glass systems. Moreover, the experimental radiation shielding parameters agree with the XCOM and PHITS values. This study suggests that this new waste-recycled glass is an effective and cost-saving candidate for X-ray and gamma-ray shielding applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1210-1217
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• 2023

The assessment of radiation fields in the lithium loop pipes and dump tank during the operation were performed for International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility - DEMO-Oriented NEutron Source (IFMIF-DONES) in order to obtain the radiation dose-rate maps in the component surroundings. Variance reduction techniques such as weight window mesh (produced with the ADVANTG code) were applied to bring the statistical uncertainty down to a reasonable level. The biological dose was given in the study, and potential shielding optimization is suggested and more thoroughly evaluated. The MCNP Monte Carlo was used to simulate a gamma particle transport for radiation shielding purposes for the current Li Systems' design. In addition, the shielding efficiency was identified for the Impurity Control System components and the dump tank. The analysis reported in this paper takes into account the radiation decay source from and activated corrosion products (ACPs), which is created by d-Li interaction. As a consequence, the radiation (resulting from ACPs and Be-7) shielding calculations have been carried out for safety considerations.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.561-567
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• 1996

원자력산업이 발전함에 따라 우리나라에서도 방사성동위원소 및 방사선발생장치를 사용하는 시설이 매년 증가하고 있으며 그에 따라 방사선 차폐시설에 대한 방사선 안전성 문제도 크게 대두되기 시작하였다. 그러므로 안전성 확보의 일환으로 방사선 차폐체 건전성검사는 매우 중요하다고 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 방사선 차폐체 건전성검사를 위한 비파괴검사방법중의 하나인 감마스케닝검사법 (gamma scanning test, GST)의 검사 방법에 대한 평가와 실제 현장에서의 적용 예를 비교 고찰하였다. 또한 본 연구에서는 사용된 감마스케닝검사방법에서 정확성을 위해 검사시 갖추어야 할 기본 장치와 개선해야 할 사항 등을 제시하였다. 이러한 기술을 국내 관련기관 및 산업체에서 널리 보급하여 보다 효율적이고 정확한 검사 방법을 수행한다면 앞으로 구조물의 건전성검사시 비파괴검사방법의 한 수단으로 정착하여 유용하게 사용될 수 있을 것이다.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.477-482
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• 2015

핵의학과에 근무하는 방사선작업종사자들은 방사성동위원소의 생산, 분배, 조제, 주입 등의 업무를 진행하며, 이러한 과정에서 손에 대한 방사선 피폭이 높게 발생한다. 이에 본 연구에서는 핵의학과에서 이용되는 방사성동위원소의 에너지로서 140 keV와 511 keV의 ${\gamma}$선에 대한 차폐효과를 몬테카를로 모의 모사를 통해 분석하였다. 모의실험 결과 140 keV ${\gamma}$선은 차폐체에 두께와 상관없이 모두 방사선에 대한 차폐효과가 발생되었으며, 511 keV의 ${\gamma}$선에서는 1.1 mm 이상에서 차폐효과가 발생되었다. 그러나 1.1 mm 미만에서는 2차적으로 발생된 산란선으로 인하여 차폐효과가 없었으며, 오히려 방사성동위원소의 피폭선량이 증가되었다. 따라서 효율적인 방사선 방어를 위해서는 핵종별 에너지에 따른 납 차폐체의 두께를 고려하여야 할 것이다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.154-159
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• 2018

Background: To prevent small leakage accidents, a real-time and direct detection system for small leaks with a detection limit below that of existing systems, e.g. $0.5gpm{\cdot}hr^{-1}$, is required. In this study, a small-size beta detector, which can be installed inside the reactor containment (CT) building and detect small leaks directly, was suggested and its feasibility was evaluated using MCNPX simulation. Materials and Methods: A target nuclide was selected through analysis of radiation from radionuclides in the reactor coolant system (RCS) and the spectrum was obtained via a silicon detector simulated in MCNPX. A window was designed to reduce the background signal caused by other nuclides. The sensitivity of the detector was also estimated, and its shielding designed for installation inside the reactor CT. Results and Discussion: The beta and gamma spectrum of the silicon detector showed a negligible gamma signal but it also contained an undesired peak at 0.22 MeV due to other nuclides, not the $^{16}N$ target nuclide. Window to remove the peak was derived as 0.4 mm for beryllium. The sensitivity of silicon beta detector with a beryllium window of 1.7 mm thickness was derived as $5.172{\times}10^{-6}{\mu}Ci{\cdot}cc^{-1}$. In addition, the specification of the shielding was evaluated through simulations, and the results showed that the integrity of the silicon detector can be maintained with lead shielding of 3 cm (<15 kg). This is a very small amount compared to the specifications of the lead shielding (600 kg) required for installation of $^{16}N$ gamma detector in inside reactor CT, it was determined that beta detector would have a distinct advantage in terms of miniaturization. Conclusion: The feasibility of the beta detector was evaluated for installation inside the reactor CT to detect small leaks below $0.5gpm{\cdot}hr^{-1}$. In future, the design will be optimized on specific data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.2253-2261
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• 2022

In this study, nano-scaled shielding materials were assembled and fabricated by doping different weight percentages of Nano-mercuric oxide (N-HgO) into Nano-Bentonite (N-Bent) based on using (100-x% N-Bent + x% N-HgO, x = 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt %). The fabricated N-HgO/N-Bent nanocomposites were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, and SEM and evaluated to evaluate their shielding properties toward gamma radiation by using four different γ-ray energies form three point sources; 356 keV from ¹³³Ba, 662 keV from ¹³⁷Cs as well as 1173, and 1332 keV from ⁶⁰Co. The γ-rays mass attenuation coefficients were plotted as a function of the doped N-HgO concentrations into N-HgO/N-Bent nanocomposites. The computed values of mass attenuation coefficients (µ_m), effective atomic number (Z_eff) and electron density (N_el) by the as-prepared samples were found to increase, while the half value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP) were identified to decrease upon increasing the N-HgO contents. It was concluded also that the increase in N-HgO concentration led to a direct increase in the mass attenuation coefficient from 0.10 to 0.17 cm²/g at 356 keV and from 0.08 to 0.09 cm²/g at 662 keV. However, a slight increase was observed in the identified mass attenuation coefficients at (1172 and 1332 keV).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.1734-1741
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• 2023

This work presents the synthesis and preparation of a new glass system described by the equation of (70-x) B₂O₃-5TeO₂ -20SrCO₃-5ZnO -xBi₂O₃, x = 0, 1, 5, 10, and 15 mol. %, using the melt quenching technique at a melting temperature of 1100 ℃. The photon-shielding characteristics mainly the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) of the prepared glass samples were evaluated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation N-particle transport code (MCNP-5) at gamma-ray energy extended from 59 keV to 1408 keV emitted by the radioisotopes Am-241, Ba-133, Cs-137, Co-60, Na-22, and Eu-152. Furthermore, we observed that the Bi₂O₃ content of the glasses had a significantly stronger impact on the LAC at 59 and 356 keV. The study of the lead equivalent thickness shows that the performance of fabricated glass sample with 15 mol.% of Bi₂O₃ is four times less than the performance of pure lead at low gamma photon energy while it is enhanced and became two times lower the perforce of pure lead at high energy. Therefore, the fabricated glasses special sample with 15 mol.% of Bi₂O₃ has good shielding properties in low, intermediate, and high energy intervals.