• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.2564-2569
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• 2021

The neutronic analysis of Helium Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) breeding blankets has been performed using the 3D Monte Carlo code MCNPX and ENDF nuclear data library. This study aims to reduce ⁶Li percentage in the breeder zones as much as possible ensuring tritium self-sufficiency. This work is devoted to investigating the effect of ⁶Li percentage on the HCCR breeding blanket's neutronic parameters, such as neutron flux and spectrum, Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR), nuclear power density, and energy multiplication factor. In the ceramic breeders at the saturated thickness, increasing the enrichment of ⁶Li reduces its share in the tritium production. Therefore, ceramic breeders typically use lower enriched Li from 30% to 60%. The investigation of neutronic analysis in the suggested geometry shows that using 60% ⁶Li in Li₂TiO₃ can yield acceptable TBR and energy deposition results, which would be economically feasible.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.3390-3397
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• 2022

Among the different techniques available, nuclear methods, including gamma-gamma logging tools, are of special importance. Though the real environment which surrounds the drilled borehole is a complex fractured medium which the fluid can flow through the porosities, simulation studies generally use the traditional model of a homogeneous mixture of formation and the liquid. Considering a previously published study, which shows that modeling of fluid flow in fractured reservoirs and simulating the formation as an inhomogeneous fractured medium leads to different results compared with those of homogeneous mixture, here we study the effect of the presence of drilling fluid (mudcake) on the response of the detectors in both the models. To study this effect, a typical gamma-gamma logging tool was modeled by using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code. The results show that the responses of the detectors in the mixture model in the presence of various thicknesses of mudcake are sensitive to the density of the formation material. However, this effect is not notable in the inhomogeneous fractured medium. These results emphasize the importance of the model employed for simulation of the medium in gamma-gamma well-logging.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.150-158
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• 2014

Radiation-related practitioners and radiation-treated patients at medical institutions are inevitably exposed to radiation for diagnosis and treatment. Although standards for maximum doses are recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICPR) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), more direct and available measurement and analytical methods are necessary for optimal exposure management for potential exposure subjects such as practitioners and patients. Thus, in this study we developed a system for real-time radiation monitoring at a distance that works with existing portable device. The monitoring system comprises three parts for detection, imaging, and transmission. For miniaturization of the detection part, a scintillation detector was designed based on a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). The imaging part uses a wireless charge-coupled device (CCD) camera module along with the detection part to transmit a radiation image and measured data through the transmission part using a Bluetooth-enabled portable device. To evaluate the performance of the developed system, diagnostic X-ray generators and sources of $^{137}Cs$, $^{22}Na$, $^{60}Co$, $^{204}Tl$, and $^{90}Sr$ were used. We checked the results for reactivity to gamma, beta, and X-ray radiation and determined that the error range in the response linearity is less than 3% with regard to radiation strength and in the detection accuracy evaluation with regard to measured distance using MCNPX Code. We hope that the results of this study will contribute to cost savings for radiation detection system configuration and to individual exposure management.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.595-600
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• 2016

The diagnostic multileaf collimator(MLC) was designed for patient dose reduction in diagnostic radiography We used monte carlo simulation code (MCNPX, LANL, USA) to evaluate efficiency of shielding material for making diagnostic MLC as preliminary study. The diagnostic radiography unit was designed using SRS-78 program according to tube voltage (80,100,120 kVp) and acquired energy spectrums. The shielding material was SKD11 alloy tool steel that is composed of 1.6% carbon(C), 0.4% silicon(Si), 0.6% manganese (Mn), 5% chromium (Cr), 1% molybdenum(Mo) and vanadium(V). The density of it was $7.89g/cm^3$.Using tally card 6, we calculated the shielding efficiency of MLC according to tube voltage. The results was that 98.3% (80 kVp), 95.7 %(100 kVp), 93.6% (120 kVp). We certified efficiency of diagnostic MLC fabricated from SKD11 alloy steel by monte calro simulation. Based on the results, we designed the diagnostic MLC and will develop the diagnostic MLC for reduction of patient dose in diagnostic radiography.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.159-167
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• 2014

In Korea, July 2012, the law as called 'Act on Safety Control of Radioactive Rays Around Living Environment' was implemented to control the consumer product containing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), but, there are no appropriate database and effective dose calculation system. The aim of this study was to develop evaluation technique of the exposure dose with the use of the consumer products containing NORM and to understand the characteristics of the exposed dose according to the radiation type and energy. For the evaluate of exposure dose, the ICRP reference phantom was simulated by the MCNPX code based on Monte Carlo method, and the minimum, medium, maximum energy of alphas, betas, gammas from the representative NORM of Uranium decay series were used as the source term in the simulation. The annual effective doses were calculated by the exposure scenario of the consumer product usage time and position. Short range of the alpha and beta rays are mostly delivered the dose to the skin. On the other hand, the gamma rays mostly delivered the similar dose to all of the organs. The results of the annual effective dose with $1Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ radioactive stone-bed and 10% radioactive concentration were employed with the usage time of 7 hours 50 minute per day, the maximum annual effective dose of alphas, betas, gammas were calculated 0.0222, 0.0836, $0.0101mSv{\cdot}y^{-1}$, respectively.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2016

The paper discusses radiation dose of dual energy CT on which copper modulation layer, is mounted in order to improve diagnostic performance of the dual energy CT. The radiation dose is estimated using MCNPX and its results are compared with that of the conventional dual energy CT system. CT X-ray spectra of 80 and 120 kVp, which are usually used for thorax, abdominal, head, and neck CT scans, were generated by the SPEC78 code and were used for the source specification 'SDEF' card for MCNPX dose modeling. The copper modulation layer was located 20 cm away from a source covering half of the X-ray window. The radiation dose was measured as changing its thickness from 0.5 to 2.0 mm at intervals of 0.5 mm. Since the MCNPX tally provides only normalized values to a single particle, the dose conversion coefficients of F6 tally for the modulation layer-based dual energy CBCT should be calculated for matching the modeling results into the actual dose. The dose conversion coefficient is $7.2*10^4cGy/output$ that is obtained from dose calibration curve between F6 tally and experimental results in which GAFCHORMIC EBT3 films were exposed by an already known source. Consequently, the dose of the modulation layer-based dual energy cone beam CT is 33~40% less than that of the single energy CT system. On the basis of the results, it is considered that scattered dose produced by the copper modulation layer is very small. It shows that the modulation layer-based dual energy CBCT system can effectively reduce radiation dose, which is the major disadvantage of established dual energy CT.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 2006

A target for a high-brightness microfocus x-ray tube, which is based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) as electron source, is designed. The x-ray tube has the following specifications: brightness of $1\times10^{11}phs/s.mm^2. mrad^2$, spot size $\~5{\mu}m$, and average x-ray energy of $20\~40 keV$. In order to meet the specifications, the design parameters of the target, such as configuration, material, thickness of the target as well as the required beam current, were optimized using computer code MCNPX. The design parameters were determined from the calculation of both x-ray spectrum and intensity distribution for a transmission type configuration. For the thin transmission type target to withstand vacuum pressure and localized thermal loading, the structural stability and temperature distribution were also considered. The material of the target was selected as molybdenum(Mo) and the optimized thickness was $7.2{\mu}m$ to be backed by $150{\mu}m$ beryllium (Be). In addition, the calculations revealed that the maximum temperature of the transmission target can be maintained within the limits of stable operation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2017

Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess dose enhancement effects for 60-, 90-, 120-, and 150-kV X-rays, and for 6- and 15-MV X-rays. The MCNPX code was used for a computer simulation of the ICRU slab phantom, and gold, gadolinium, and iron oxide (Fe2O3) were employed as dose enhancement agents. In consideration of the buildup region of the incident energy, agent concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/g were inserted on the surface of the phantom at a depth of 5 cm. Based on baseline values obtained in the absence of dose enhancement agents, a quantitative analysis was performed by evaluating depth-dependent changes in the absorbed energy and the dose enhancement factor (DEF). A higher concentration of dose enhancement agents led to a greater dose enhancement effect with iron oxide, gadolinium, and gold in descending order. For kilovoltage (kV) X-rays, as the incident energy was decreased and as the energy became closer to the ionization potential of the atoms in the enhancement agent, the dose enhancement effect increased. In the megavoltage (MV) X-ray range, dose enhancement was higher at 6 MV compared with 15 MV. However, the overall dose enhancements were significantly lower compared to the results obtained with kV X-rays.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.224-230
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• 2010

Purpose: We designed the aft-multiple-slit (AMS) system to reduce scatter in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). As a preliminary study, we performed a Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) simulation to verify the effectiveness of this system. Materials and Methods: The MCNPX code was used to build the AMS geometry. An AMS is an equi-angled arc to consider beam divergence. The scatter-reduced projection images were compared with the primary images only and the primary plus scatter radiation images with and without AMS to evaluate the effectiveness of scatter reduction. To obtain the full 2 dimensional (2D) projection image, the whole AMS system was moved to obtain closed septa of the AMS after the first image acquisition. Results: The primary radiation with and without AMS is identical to all the slit widths, but the profiles of the primary plus scattered radiation varied according to the slit widths in the 2D projection image. The average scatter reduction factors were 29%, 15%, 9%, and 8% when the slit widths were 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, and 20 mm, respectively. Conclusion: We have evaluated the scatter reduction effect of the AMS in CBCT imaging using the Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. A preliminary study based on the MCNP simulations showed a mount of scatter reduction with the proposed system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.153-159
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• 2016

This study investigated relationship between secondary electrons produced from single gold nanoparticle as a result of its interaction with radiation and particle size and incidence energy, provided basic data related to the dose enhancement effect based on gold nanoparticles. Monte Carlo simulation was applied by using MCNPX MC code, 50, 100, 150 kV and 6, 15 MV x-ray energy was used. In a water phantom, single gold nanoparticles that are 30, 50, 70, 90, and 110 nm in diameter were placed and the tally volume was designated at every 10 nm. Difference in electrons produced from gold nanoparticles was normalized based on absence of nanoparticle. When the X ray energy decreased and the diameter of gold particles increased, more electrons were produced. When the energy was lower, in the linear formula related to nanoparticle size and electron production, the gradient was higher. And, in comparison to the MV X-ray, at kV X-ray, significantly more electrons were produced. This study can be used as data to understand the dose enhancement effect based on gold nanoparticles, and further research related to various materials that dose enhancement including gold nanoparticles needs to be conducted.