• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.129-135
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• 2022

Purpose: A full-energy-peak (FEP) efficiency correction is required through a Monte Carlo simulation for accurate radioactivity measurement, considering the geometrical characteristics of the detector and the sample. However, a relative deviation (RD) occurs between the measurement and calculation efficiencies when modeling using the data provided by the manufacturers due to the randomly generated dead layer. This study aims to optimize the structure of the detector by determining the dead layer thickness based on Monte Carlo simulation. Methods: The high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector used in this study was a coaxial p-type GC2518 model, and a certified reference material (CRM) was used to measure the FEP efficiency. Using the MC N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) code, the FEP efficiency was calculated by increasing the thickness of the outer and inner dead layer in proportion to the thickness of the electrode. Results: As the thickness of the outer and inner dead layer increased by 0.1 mm and 0.1 ㎛, the efficiency difference decreased by 2.43% on average up to 1.0 mm and 1.0 ㎛ and increased by 1.86% thereafter. Therefore, the structure of the detector was optimized by determining 1.0 mm and 1.0 ㎛ as thickness of the dead layer. Conclusions: The effect of the dead layer on the FEP efficiency was evaluated, and an excellent agreement between the measured and calculated efficiencies was confirmed with RDs of less than 4%. It suggests that the optimized HPGe detector can be used to measure the accurate radioactivity using in dismantling and disposing medical linear accelerators.

• 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.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.3073-3084
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• 2022

The propagation of radiation source uncertainties in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) cask shielding calculations is presented in this paper. The uncertainty propagation employs the depletion and source term outputs of the deterministic code STREAM as input to the transport simulation of the Monte Carlo (MC) codes MCS and MCNP6. The uncertainties of dose rate coming from two sources: nuclear data and modeling parameters, are quantified. The nuclear data uncertainties are obtained from the stochastic sampling of the cross-section covariance and perturbed fission product yields. Uncertainties induced by perturbed modeling parameters consider the design parameters and operating conditions. Uncertainties coming from the two sources result in perturbed depleted nuclide inventories and radiation source terms which are then propagated to the dose rate on the cask surface. The uncertainty analysis results show that the neutron and secondary photon dose have uncertainties which are dominated by the cross section and modeling parameters, while the fission yields have relatively insignificant effect. Besides, the primary photon dose is mostly influenced by the fission yield and modeling parameters, while the cross-section data have a relatively negligible effect. Moreover, the neutron, secondary photon, and primary photon dose can have uncertainties up to about 13%, 14%, and 6%, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3943-3948
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• 2022

Single-photon emission computed tomography is one of the reliable pin-by-pin verification techniques for spent-fuel assemblies. One of the challenges with this technique is to increase the total fuel assembly verification speed while maintaining high verification accuracy. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm-based tomographic image analysis technique for partial-defect verification of fuel assemblies. With the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation technique, a tomographic image dataset consisting of 511 fuel-rod patterns of a 3 × 3 fuel assembly was generated, and with these images, the VGG16, GoogLeNet, and ResNet models were trained. According to an evaluation of these models for different training dataset sizes, the ResNet model showed 100% pattern estimation accuracy. And, based on the different tomographic image qualities, all of the models showed almost 100% pattern estimation accuracy, even for low-quality images with unrecognizable fuel patterns. This study verified that an AI model can be effectively employed for accurate and fast partial-defect verification of fuel assemblies.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2021.06a
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• pp.127-127
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• 2021

In order to estimate parameter uncertainty of hydrological models, the consideration of the likelihood functions which provide reliable parameters of model is necessary. In this study, the Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method with informal likelihood functions is used to analyze the uncertainty of parameters of the SURR model for estimating the hourly streamflow of Gunnam station of Imjin basin, Korea. Three events were used to calibrate and one event was used to validate the posterior distributions of parameters. Moreover, the performance of four informal likelihood functions (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, Normalized absolute error, Index of agreement, and Chiew-McMahon efficiency) on uncertainty of parameter is assessed. The indicators used to assess the uncertainty of the streamflow simulation were P-factor (percentage of observed streamflow included in the uncertainty interval) and R-factor (the average width of the uncertainty interval). The results showed that the sensitivities of parameters strongly depend on the likelihood functions and vary for different likelihood functions. The uncertainty bounds illustrated the slight differences from various likelihood functions. This study confirms the importance of the likelihood function selection in the application of Bayesian MCMC to the uncertainty assessment of the SURR model.

• 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.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.150-157
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• 2022

Purpose: Elekta synergy^® was commissioned in the Seoul National University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Recently, Chung-Ang University Gwang Myeong Hospital commissioned Elekta Versa HD^TM. The beam characteristics of both machines are similar because of the same Agility^TM MLC Model. We compared measured beam data calculated using the Elekta treatment planning system, Monaco^®, for each institute. Methods: Beam of the commissioning Elekta linear accelerator were measured in two independent institutes. After installing the beam model based on the measured beam data into the Monaco^®, Monte Carlo (MC) simulation data were generated, mimicking the beam data in a virtual water phantom. Measured beam data were compared with the calculated data, and their similarity was quantitatively evaluated by the gamma analysis. Results: We compared the percent depth dose (PDD) and off-axis profiles of 6 MV photon and 6 MeV electron beams with MC calculation. With a 3%/3 mm gamma criterion, the photon PDD and profiles showed 100% gamma passing rates except for one inplane profile at 10 cm depth from VMTH. Gamma analysis of the measured photon beam off-axis profiles between the two institutes showed 100% agreement. The electron beams also indicated 100% agreement in PDD distributions. However, the gamma passing rates of the off-axis profiles were 91%-100% with a 3%/3 mm gamma criterion. Conclusions: The beam and their comparison with MC calculation for each institute showed good performance. Although the measuring tools were orthogonal, no significant difference was found.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.31-36
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• 2010

An alternative method is presented for predicting failure probability of pipelines with corrosion defects in this paper. The failure of corroded pipeline occurs when the operating pressure is grater than the remaining strength of the pipeline, and a limit state function can be defined as the differences between the remaining strength and the operating pressure. Then, based on structural reliability theory, we can estimate the failure probability of corroded pipeline, which is dependent on elapsed time of the pipeline with active corrosion defects. In this study, a root finding (RF) method has been adopted to solve the limit state function instead of Monte-Carlo simulation (MCS) method which traditionally has been employed to solve those kinds of problems. The calculation results shows that there are only small differences between the RF and the MCS method but the RF has higher efficiency in calculation than the MCS.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.301-308
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• 2024

Ceramic materials are being explored as alternatives to toxic lead sheets for radiation shielding due to their favorable properties like durability, thermal stability, and aesthetic appeal. However, crafting effective ceramics for radiation shielding entails complex processes, raising production costs. To investigate local viability, this study evaluated Malaysian ceramic tiles for shielding in diagnostic X-ray rooms. Different ceramics in terms of density and thickness were selected from local manufacturers. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) characterized ceramic compositions, while Monte Carlo Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (MC PHITS) simulations determined Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC), Half-value Layer (HVL), Mass Attenuation Coefficient (MAC), and Mean Free Path (MFP) within the 40-150 kV energy range. Comparative analysis between MC PHITS simulations and real setups was conducted. The C3-S9 ceramic sample, known for homogeneous full-color structure, showcased superior shielding attributes, attributed to its high density and iron content. Notably, energy levels considerably impacted radiation penetration. Overall, C3-S9 demonstrated strong shielding performance, underlining Malaysia's potential ceramic tile resources for X-ray room radiation shielding.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.421-424
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• 1998

In this paper are presented a newly proposed 3D monte carlo (MC) damage model for the dynamic simulation in order to more accurately and consistently predict the implant-induced point defect distributions of the various ions in crystalline silicon. This model was applied to phosphorus implants for the ULSI CMOS technology developement. In additon, a newly applied 3D-trajectory split method has been implemented into our model to reduce the statistical fluctuations of the implanted impurity and the defect profiles in the relatively large implanted area as compared to 1D or 2D simulations. Also, an empirical electronic energy loss model is proposed for phosphorus and silicon implants. The 3D formations of the amorphous region and the ultra-shallow junction around the implanted region could be predicted by using our model, TRICSI(Transport ions into crystal-silicon).