• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.1266-1276
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• 2021

The mask parameters of a coded aperture are critical design features when optimizing the performance of a gamma-ray camera. In this paper, experiments and Monte Carlo simulations were performed to derive the minimum detectable activity (MDA) when one seeks a real-time imaging capability. First, the impact of the thickness of the modified uniformly redundant array (MURA) mask on the image quality is quantified, and the imaging of point, line, and surface radiation sources is demonstrated using both cross-correlation (CC) and maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) methods. Second, the minimum detectable activity is also derived for real-time imaging by altering the factors used in the image quality assessment, consisting of the peak-to-noise ratio (PSNR), the normalized mean square error (NMSE), the spatial resolution (full width at half maximum; FWHM), and the structural similarity (SSIM), all evaluated as a function of energy and mask thickness. Sufficiently sharp images were reconstructed when the mask thickness was approximately 2 cm for a source energy between 30 keV and 1.5 MeV and the minimum detectable activity for real-time imaging was 23.7 MBq at 1 m distance for a 1 s collection time.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권11호
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• pp.4077-4082
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• 2023

Large areas must be rapidly screened to monitor radiation in marine environments. For this purpose, this study developed a mobile real-time gamma-ray measurement system for shipboard use and evaluated its performance. The system was developed to measure engine or generator cooling water by installing a canister inside the ship. The minimum detectable activity of the system is about 0.8 Bq/L for a 60 s measurement period, and real-time data transmission and remote control are possible. The system was tested in the field and is currently being installed and operated on ships in service. Such a ship-based real-time gamma-radiation measurement system is suitable for a wide range of marine radiation surveillance applications and is expected to be rapidly deployed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권1호
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• pp.164-169
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• 2020

Use of SiPM has been considered as an alternative to PMT, because of its compact size, low-operating voltage, non-sensitive to electromagnetic, low costs and so on. The main limitation for the use of SiPM is due to its small sensitive area compared to PMT that limits the light collection, and therefore the sensor energy resolution. In this article we studied the effect of increasing the number of SiPM by connecting them in parallel to increase the active detection area. This allowed us to compare the different energy resolution measurements. ¹³⁷Cs has been selected as reference to study the energy resolution for 662 keV gamma-rays. Another investigation was to compare the minimum detectable gamma energy under various SiPM configurations. It has been found that the use of 4 SiPM arrays can greatly improve the energy resolution up to 4% than only one SiPM array, meanwhile use of more than 2 SiPM arrays does not increase the energy resolution significantly. Thus we can conclude that for a large area of cylindrical scintillator (3 × 3 inches), the use of SiPMs are limited to a certain number or certai active area depending on the commercial SiPMs, and its cost should be less than traditional PMT for the cost-effective and compact size considerations. It is well known that the gain of SiPM varies with temperature. In this article, we also calibrated gain to guarantee the same position of photoelectric peak in response of different temperatures.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.171-184
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• 1999

본 논문에서는 저준위 환경방사능 측정시 이용되는 검출한계에 대한 기본개념 및 수식을 통계학적 이론을 기초로 서술하였다. 방사능을 정확하게 검출할 신뢰도를 95%로 설정하여 알파 베타 및 감마선 측정기에 대한 검출한계치값을 계산하였다. 또한 환경 방사능 계측에 많이 사용되는 방사능 핵종에 대해 최소 검출 방사능 농도값을 검출한계치 개념을 근거로 계산하여 저준위 환경 방사능 분석시 환경방사능 측정결과에 대한 신뢰도 평가에 활용 가능 하도록 하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.1259-1265
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• 2021

In the present study, a large-area hybrid gamma imaging system was designed by adopting coded aperture imaging on the basis of a large-area Compton camera to achieve high imaging performance throughout a broad energy range (100-2000 keV). The system consisting of a tungsten coded aperture mask and monolithic NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors was designed through a series of Geant4 Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations, in consideration of both imaging sensitivity and imaging resolution. Then, the performance of the system was predicted by Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations for point sources under various conditions. Our simulation results show that the system provides very high imaging sensitivity (i.e., low values for minimum detectable activity, MDA), thus allowing for imaging of low-activity sources at distances impossible with coded aperture imaging or Compton imaging alone. In addition, the imaging resolution of the system was found to be high (i.e., around 6°) over the broad energy range of 59.5-1330 keV.

• 분석과학
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.414-420
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• 2011

본 연구에서는 알파선, 베타선 및 감마선 방출 핵종에 대한 검출기를 선정하여, 방사성 시료의 핵종분석을 위한 방사선 측정 시스템을 연구하고 구성하였다. 그리고 알파, 베타 및 감마 측정 시스템에 대한 검출효율을 교정하였다. 방사선 검출기에 대한 안정도를 확보하기 위해 품질관리 프로그램이 확립되었다. 또한 분석결과에 대한 신뢰도를 확보하기 위해 시료유형에 따른 최소검출방사능을 구하였다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.111-117
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• 1997

최근 포괄적 핵실험금지조약 (Comprehensive Test Ban Traety : CTBT)의 체결은 전세계적으로 핵활동 감시 네트워크를 구축하는 것이다. 핵실험금지 위원회의 전문가들은 대기 방사성핵종의 측정을 핵실험 감시에 필수적인 요소로 제안하였으며, 이에 따른 기술적 요구사항을 제시하였다. 본 연구는 이를 근거로 핵활동으로부터 생성된 핵분열생성물을 검출하기 위하여 고성능 공기채집장치(High Volume Air Sampler: HVAS)와 여과지 압축기 그리고 고순도 게르마늄 반도체검출기(HPGe)로 대기 입자 방사성핵종 측정시스템을 구성하였다. 조속한 시일 내에 탐지와 최적의 측정 조건으로 본 시스템을 운영하기 위하여 CTBT 감시 전략에서 주요 핵종들에 대한 최소검출 방사능 농도(Minimum Detectable Concentration : MDC)를 decay time, counting time 그리고 sampler volumetric flow rate 등을 고려하여 결정하였다. 그 결과 각각 $10{\pm}$2h, $20{\pm}$2h, $850{\pm}50m^3$//h 정도로 선정하였다. 감마선 스펙트럼 분석에서 $^{212}Pb$ 방사능 농도의 변화는 Compton continuum의 baseline에 영향을 미치게 되므로 이에 기인한 MDC 관계식을 도출하였다. 이들 결과는 CTBT 감시 전략에 실제적인 도구로 사용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.321-328
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• 2019

본 연구에서는 원자력 사고 또는 방사선 비상 시 지표면에 침적될 수 있는 감마선방출 핵종의 방사능을 신속하게 평가하기 위해 이용될 수 있는 NaI(Tl), $LaBr_3$(Ce) 및 $CeBr_3$ 섬광검출기의 성능을 비교 평가하였다. 검출성능은 최소검출가능방사능(MDA, Minimum Detectable Activity)을 통해 평가하였으며, 각 검출기의 지표면 침적 감마선방출 핵종에 대한 검출효율은 수학적 모델링과 점선원을 이용하여 반실험적으로 산출하였다. MDA 평가를 위한 백그라운드 감마선에너지스펙트럼은 비교적 넓고 평탄한 초지에서 측정되었으며, 원자력 사고 시 방출될 수 있는 주요 핵종에 대한 각 검출기의 MDA를 산출하였다. 그 결과 일반 환경방사능 준위에서 지표면 침적 감마핵종에 대한 각 검출기의 MDA 크기는 대체로"NaI(Tl)> $LaBr_3$(Ce)> $CeBr_3$"로 평가되었으며, 백그라운드 준위가 유사한 에너지 영역에서는 분해능이 가장 우수한 $LaBr_3$(Ce)에서 최소 값을 보였다. 이는 관심 핵종의 감마선에너지 영역에 대한 각 검출기의 자체 및 측정 환경 백그라운드, 측정 효율, 그리고 에너지 분해능 특성을 바탕으로 비교 분석되었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.249-253
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• 2001

Neutron dose assessment in criticality accidents using Whole Body Counter (WBC) was proved to be an effective method as rapid neutron dose estimation at the JCO criticality accident in Tokai-mura. The 1.36MeV gamma-ray of $^{24}Na$ in a body can be detected easily by a germanium detector. The Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) of $^{24}Na$ is approximately 50Bq for 10miniute measurement by the germanium-type whole body counter at JNC Tokai Works. Neutron energy spectra at the typical shielding conditions in criticality accidents were calculated and the conversion factor, whole body activity-to-organ mass weighted neutron absorbed dose, corresponding to each condition were determined. The conversion factor for uncollied fission spectrum is 7.7 $[(Bq^{24}Na/g^{23}Na)/mGy]$.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.88-94
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• 2020

Background: The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recently published report series on the occupational intakes of radionuclides (OIR) for internal dosimetry of radiation workers. In this study, the optimized monitoring program including the monitoring interval and the minimum detectable activity (MDA) of major radionuclides was suggested to perform the routine individual monitoring of internal exposure based on the ICRP OIR. Materials and Methods: The derived recording levels and the critical monitoring quantities were reviewed from international standards or guidelines by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS). The OIR data viewer provided by ICRP was used to evaluate the monitoring intervals and the MDA, which are derived from the reference bioassay functions and the dose coefficients. Results and Discussion: The optimal monitoring intervals were determined taking account of two requirement conditions on the potential intake underestimation and the MDA values. The MDA requirement values of the selected radionuclides were calculated based on the committed effective dose from 0.1 mSv to 5 mSv. The optimized routine individual monitoring program was suggested including the optimal monitoring intervals and the MDA requirements. The optimal MDA values were evaluated based on the committed effective dose of 0.1 mSv. However, the MDA can be adjusted considering the practical operation of the routine individual monitoring program in the nuclear facilities. Conclusion: The monitoring intervals and the MDA as crucial factors for the routine monitoring were described to suggest the optimized routine individual monitoring program of the occupational intakes. Further study on the alpha/beta-emitting radionuclides as well as short lived gamma-emitting nuclides will be necessary in the future.