• 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.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.101-105
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• 2018

In this paper, a neutron moderation system for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) based on a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source is proposed. Different materials have been studied in order to produce a high percentage of epithermal neutrons. A moderator with a construction mixture of $AlF_3$ and Al, three reflectors of $Al_2O_3$, BeO, graphite, and seven filters (Bi, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ti, a two-layer filter of Ti+Bi, and a two-layer filter of Ti+Pb) is considered. The MCNPX simulation code has been used to calculate the neutron and gamma flux at the output window of the neutronic system. The results show that the epithermal neutron flux is relatively high for four filters: Ti+Pb, Ti+Bi, Bi, and Ti. However, a layer of Ti cannot reduce the contribution of ${\gamma}$-rays at the output window. Although the neutron spectra filtered by the Ti+Bi and Ti+Pb overlap, a large fraction of neutrons (74.95%) has epithermal energy when the Ti+Pb is used as a filter. However, the percentages of the fast and thermal neutrons are 25% and 0.5%, respectively. The Bi layer provides a relatively low epithermal neutron flux. Moreover, an assembly configuration of 30% $AlF_3+70%$ Al moderator/$Al_2O_3$ reflector/a two-layer filter of Ti+Pb reduces the fast neutron flux at the output port much more than other assembly combinations. In comparison with a recent model suggested by Ghassoun et al., the proposed neutron moderation system provides a higher epithermal flux with a relatively low contamination of gamma rays.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.121-126
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• 2019

원자력발전소 해체과정에서 방사화 재고량에 대한 평가는 방사선 환경에 정보를 제공함으로써 해체 계획을 수립하는데 중요한 정보를 제공한다. 원자로 운전 정지 후 원자로 및 관계시설에서의 축적된 방사능은 노심 구조물, 반사체 및 차폐체 등의 구조재가 중성자 조사에 의해 방사화된것이다. 방사화생성물 중 $^{36}Cl$ 과 $^{41}Ca$ 은 반감기와 화학적 물리학적 특성에 의해 해체 처분 관점에서 매우 중요한 핵종이며 이에 따라 본 연구에서는 차폐 콘크리트 내 생성량을 평가하였다. MCNPX 코드를 사용하여 중성자속과 반응단면적을 계산하였으며 이 결과를 토대로 ORIGEN2 코드를 사용하여 방사화생성물의 양을 평가하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권7호
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• pp.2748-2754
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• 2022

Because existing reactant coolant system (RCS) leakage detection mechanisms are insensitive to small leaks, a real-time, direct detection system with a detection threshold below 0.5 gpm·hr^-1 was studied. A beta-ray detection system using a silicon detector with good energy resolution for beta rays and a low gamma-ray response was proposed. The detection performance in the leakage condition was evaluated through experiments and simulations. The concentration of ¹⁶N in the coolant corresponding to a coolant leakage of 0.5 gpm was calculated using the analytic method and ORIGEN-ARP. Based on the concentration of ¹⁶N and the measurement of the silicon detector with ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y, the beta-ray count rate was estimated using MCNPX. To evaluate the effect of gamma rays inside the containment building, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated. To evaluate the count rate ratio, the radiation field inside the containment building was simulated using MCNPX, and response evaluation experiments were performed using beta and gamma rays on the silicon detector. The expected beta-ray count rate at 0.5 gpm leakage was 7.26 × 10⁵ counts/sec, and the signal-to-background count rate ratio exceeded 88 for a transport time of 10 s, demonstrating its suitability for operation inside a reactor containment building.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권7호
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• pp.2334-2340
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• 2021

Radioactive particle tracking (RPT) is a minimally invasive nuclear technique that tracks a radioactive particle inside a volume of interest by means of a mathematical location algorithm. During the past decades, many algorithms have been developed including ones based on artificial intelligence techniques. In this study, RPT technique is applied in a simulated test section that employs a simplified mixer filled with concrete, six scintillator detectors and a¹³⁷Cs radioactive particle emitting gamma rays of 662 keV. The test section was developed using MCNPX code, which is a mathematical code based on Monte Carlo simulation, and 3516 different radioactive particle positions (x,y,z) were simulated. Novelty of this paper is the use of a location algorithm based on a deep learning model, more specifically a 6-layers deep rectifier neural network (DRNN), in which hyperparameters were defined using a Bayesian optimization method. DRNN is a type of deep feedforward neural network that substitutes the usual sigmoid based activation functions, traditionally used in vanilla Multilayer Perceptron Networks, for rectified activation functions. Results show the great accuracy of the DRNN in a RPT tracking system. Root mean squared error for x, y and coordinates of the radioactive particle is, respectively, 0.03064, 0.02523 and 0.07653.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.1747-1753
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• 2024

The accurate determination of formation density and the physical properties of rocks is the most critical logging tasks which can be obtained using gamma-ray transport and detection tools. Though the simulation works published so far have considerably improved the knowledge of the parameters that govern the responses of the detectors in these tools, recent studies have found considerable differences between the results of using a conventional model of a homogeneous mixture of formation and fluid and an inhomogeneous fractured medium. It has increased concerns about the importance of the complexity of the model used for the medium in simulation works. In the present study, we have suggested two various models for the flow of the fluid in porous media and fractured rock to be used for logging purposes. For a typical gamma-gamma logging tool containing a ¹³⁷Cs source and two NaI detectors, simulated by using the MCNPX code, a simplified porous (SP) model in which the formation is filled with elongated rectangular cubes loaded with either mineral material or oil was investigated. In this model, the oil directly reaches the top of the medium and the connection between the pores is not guaranteed. In the other model, the medium is a large 3-D matrix of 1 cm³ randomly filled cubes. The designed algorithm to fill the matrix sites is so that this realistic random (RR) model provides the continuum growth of oil flow in various disordered directions and, therefore, fulfills the concerns about modeling the rock textures consist of extremely complex pore structures. For an arbitrary set of oil concentrations and various formation materials, the response of the detectors in the logging tool has been considered as a criterion to assess the effect of modeling for the distribution of pores in the formation on simulation studies. The results show that defining a RR model for describing heterogeneities of a porous medium does not effectively improve the prediction of the responses of logging tools. Taking into account the computational cost of the particle transport in the complex geometries in the Monte Carlo method, the SP model can be satisfactory for gamma-gamma logging purposes.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.151-156
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• 2014

본 연구의 목적은 붕소 중성자 포획 치료 시 집적된 붕소 영역에서 중성자 선속의 변화와 그에 따른 방출된 즉발 감마선의 검출 시뮬레이션을 통하여 치료 영역에 대한 영상화의 가능성을 확인하고자 함이다. 전산 모사를 통하여 (1) 붕소 유무에 따른 중성자의 영향, (2) 내부와 외부에서의 즉발 감마선량 검출, (3) 즉발 감마선에 대한 에너지 스펙트럼 검출을 수행하였다. 모든 전산 모사는 Monte Carlo n-particle extended (MCNPX, Ver.2.6.0, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA)를 이용하여 가상의 물 팬텀과 열중성자(thermal neutron) 소스, 붕소 영역을 지정하였다. 열중성자의 에너지는 1 eV 이하의 에너지였으며 선속은 2,000,000 n/sec.로 설정하였다. 이 때, 발생된 즉발 감마선의 검출은 물 팬텀과 수직 방향으로 위치시키고 납으로 둘러싸인 lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (Lu0,6Y1,4Si0,5:Ce; LYSO) 섬광체 검출기를 이용하였다. 붕소가 존재하는 영역인 5 cm 깊이에서의 28 분할로서 대략 0.18 cm의 bin을 도출하여 붕소 영역의 얕은 깊이에서부터 급격하게 저하되는 것을 확인하였다. 또한 붕소 영역이 시작되는 지점인 9 cm 깊이에서 감마선의 피크 레벨을 확인하였다. 그리고 478 keV 지점에서 정확한 즉발 감마선 피크가 관찰되는 것을 확인하였다. 478 keV의 즉발 감마선 피크는 41 keV의 반치폭으로 에너지 분해능 값은 8.5%로 측정되었다. 결론적으로 붕소 중성자 포획 치료 시 발생되는 즉발 감마선의 계측으로 치료가 행해지는 부위를 감마 카메라 또는 단일 광자 방출 단층 촬영 기기에서 영상화할 수 있는 가능성을 확인하였다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제11권7호
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• pp.671-677
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• 2017

본 연구에서는 피사체 두께 증가에 따른 산란선 발생이 의료 영상화질에 미치는 영향을 정량적으로 분석하기 위한 연구를 수행하였다. 기존 병원에서 검사빈도가 높은 흉부를 조직등가물질로 제작한 미국표준협회(ANSI; American National Standards Institute) 팬텀을 이용하여 피사체 두께가 증가함에 따라 발생하는 산란선 비율을 MCNPX 전산모사 하였으며, 실제 측정값과의 비교 분석을 수행하였다. 또한 피사체 두께 증가에 따라 획득된 X선 영상을 이용하여 RMS 입상성 평가, RSD 및 NPS 분석을 통해 산란선 발생 증가에 따른 화질 영향을 평가하였다. 흉부 팬텀위에 두께 1 인치의 아크릴 팬텀을 추가적으로 증가시키면서 분석한 결과, 표준 두께인 6.1 inch에서 산란선 비율은 48.9 %를 기준으로 1 인치 증가시마다 57.2 %, 62.4 %, 66.8 %로 증가하는 것으로 나타났으며, 이는 MCNPX 모의실험과 실제 측정한 산란선량은 유사한 결과를 보였다. 획득한 영상의 RMS 측정 결과, 피사체 두께가 증가함에 따라 표준편차가 낮아지는 값으로 도출되었다. 하지만 이를 평균 입사선량을 고려한 RDS 분석에서는 6.1 inch에서 0.028, 7.1 inch의 경우 0.039, 8.1 inch 경우 0.051 및 9.1 inch에서 0.062으로 증가하는 결과를 나타났다. 이는 피사체 두께 증가에 따른 산란선 발생 증가가 신호대 잡음비를 감소시킨다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한 검출기에 입사한 산란선 분포만 이용하여 측정한 NPS 결과에서도 피사체 두께가 증가할수록 노이즈가 증가하는 결과로 도출되었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권7호
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• pp.1489-1494
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• 2017

The use of a room-temperature gamma spectrometer is an issue in environmental radiation monitoring. To monitor radionuclides released around a nuclear power plant, suitable instruments giving fast and reliable information are required. High-pressure xenon (HPXe) chambers have range of resolution and efficiency equivalent to those of other medium resolution detectors such as those using NaI(Tl), CdZnTe, and $LaBr_3:Ce$. An HPXe chamber could be a cost-effective alternative, assuming temperature stability and reliability. The CEA LIST actively studied and developed HPXe-based technology applied for environmental monitoring. Xenon purification and conditioning was performed. The design of a 4-L HPXe detector was performed to minimize the detector capacitance and the required power supply. Simulations were done with the MCNPX2.7 particle transport code to estimate the intrinsic efficiency of the HPXe detector. A behavioral study dealing with ballistic deficits and electronic noise will be utilized to provide perspective for further analysis.

• 한국우주과학회:학술대회논문집(한국우주과학회보)
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• 한국우주과학회 2011년도 한국우주과학회보 제20권1호
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• pp.28.1-28.1
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• 2011

Radiation-induced displacement damage which has caused the increase of the dark current in the focal plane adopted in the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) was studied in regards of the primary protons and the secondaries generated by the protons in the orbit. By using the Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code System (MCNPX) version 2.4.0 along with the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter version 2010 (SRIM2010), effects of the primary protons as well as secondary particles including neutron, electron, and photon were investigated. After their doses and fluxes that reached onto the charge-coupled device (CCD) were examined, displacement damage induced by major sources was presented.