• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4002-4018
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• 2023

An integrated neutron interrogation system has been developed for non-destructive assay of highly-radioactive special nuclear materials, to accumulate knowledge of the method through developing and using it. The system combines a differential die-away (DDA) measurement system for the quantification of nuclear materials and a prompt gamma-ray analysis (PGA) system for the detection of neutron poisons which disturb the DDA measurements; a common D-T neutron generator is used. A special care has been taken for the selection of materials to reduce the background gamma rays produced by the interrogation neutrons. A series of measurements were performed to test the basic performance of the system. The results show that the DDA system can quantify plutonium of as small as 20 mg and it is not affected by intense neutron background up to 1.57 × 10⁷ s^-1 and gamma ray of 4.43 × 10¹⁰ s^-1. The gamma-ray background counting rate at the PGA detector was reduced down to 3.9 × 10³ s^-1 even with the use of the D-T neutron generator. The test measurements show that the PGA system is capable of detecting 0.783 g of boron and about 86.8 g of gadolinium in 30 min.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4057-4065
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• 2023

Organic scintillators are widely used for neutron/gamma detection. Pulse shape discrimination algorithms have been commonly used to discriminate the detected radiations. These algorithms have several limits, in particular with plastic scintillator which has lower discrimination ability, compared to liquid scintillator. Recently, machine learning (ML) models have been explored to enhance discrimination performance. Nevertheless, obtaining an accurate ML model or evaluating any discrimination approach requires a reference neutron dataset. The preparation of this is challenging because neutron sources are also gamma-ray emitters. Therefore, this paper proposes a pipeline to prepare clean labeled neutron/gamma datasets acquired by an organic scintillator. The method is mainly based on a Time of Flight setup and Tail-to-Total integral ratio (TTT_ratio) discrimination algorithm. In the presented case, EJ276 plastic scintillator and ²⁵²Cf source were used to implement the acquisition chain. The results showed that this process can identify and remove mislabeled samples in the entire ToF spectrum, including those that contribute to peak values. Furthermore, the process cleans ToF dataset from pile-up events, which can significantly impact experimental results and the conclusions extracted from them.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4246-4251
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• 2023

The optimized design of a Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) system, including Delayed Gamma NAA (DGNAA) and Prompt Gamma NAA (PGNAA), has been proposed in this research based on Mevex Linac with 5 MeV electron energy and 50 kW power as a neutron source. Based on the MCNPX 2.6 simulation, the optimized configuration contains; tungsten as an electron-photon converter, BeO as a photoneutron target, BeD₂ and plexiglass as moderators, and graphite as a reflector and collimator, as well as lead as a gamma shield. The obtained thermal neutron flux at the beam port is equal to 2.06 × 10⁹ (# /cm².s). In addition, using the optimized neutron beam, the detection limit has been calculated for some elements such as H-1, B-10, Na-23, Al-27, and Ti-48. The HPGe Coaxial detector has been used to measure gamma rays emitted by nuclides in the sample. By the results, the proposed system can be an appropriate solution to measure the concentration and toxicity of elements in different samples such as food, soil, and plant samples.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.2306-2312
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• 2020

Here we report on the first results of sensitivity evaluation of the gadolinium-aluminum-gallium- garnet (GAGG) scintillation detector with SiPM readout to fast and slow neutrons and, to the natural background and Co-60 γ-radiation as well. Data on sensitivity were obtained using certified dosimetry benches, so it can be utilized in the calculation of detection limits of neutron flux with such type of detectors. It was concluded that use of GAGG scintillator has a good prospect for neutron monitoring in different parts of nuclear research reactors and power plants.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1677-1686
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• 2023

As the demand for the detection of special nuclear materials (SNMs) increases, the use of imaging instruments that can sensitively image both gamma-ray and neutron signatures has become necessary. This study compared the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) performance of gamma/neutron events when employing either a pixelated stilbene or a plastic (EJ-276) scintillator array coupled to a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array in a dual-particle imager. The stilbene array allowed a lower energy threshold above which neutron and gamma-ray events can be clearly distinguished. A greater number of events can, therefore, be used when forming both gamma-ray and neutron images, which shortens the time required to acquire the images by nearly seven times.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.549-555
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• 2017

A lead slowing-down spectrometer (LSDS) system is under development to analyze isotopic fissile content that is applicable to spent fuel and recycled material. The source neutron mechanism for efficient and effective generation was also determined. The source neutron interacts with a lead medium and produces continuous neutron energy, and this energy generates dominant fission at each fissile, below the unresolved resonance region. From the relationship between the induced fissile fission and the fast fission neutron detection, a mathematical assay model for an isotopic fissile material was set up. The assay model can be expanded for all fissile materials. The correction factor for self-shielding was defined in the fuel assay area. The corrected fission signature provides well-defined fission properties with an increase in the fissile content. The assay procedure was also established. The assay energy range is very important to take into account the prominent fission structure of each fissile material. Fission detection occurred according to the change of the Pu239 weight percent (wt%), but the content of U235 and Pu241 was fixed at 1 wt%. The assay result was obtained with 2~3% uncertainty for Pu239, depending on the amount of Pu239 in the fuel. The results show that LSDS is a very powerful technique to assay the isotopic fissile content in spent fuel and recycled materials for the reuse of fissile materials. Additionally, a LSDS is applicable during the optimum design of spent fuel storage facilities and their management. The isotopic fissile content assay will increase the transparency and credibility of spent fuel storage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.2614-2624
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• 2022

Monte Carlo simulations were used to model a portable Neutron backscattering (NBT) sensor suitable for detecting plastic anti-personnel mines (APMs) buried in dry and moist soils. The model consists of a 100 MBq ²⁵²Cf source encapsulated in a neutron reflector/shield assembly and centered between two ³He detectors. Multi-parameter optimization was performed to investigate the efficiency of Be/Zr(BH₄)₄ and Be/Be(BH₄)₂ assemblies in terms of increasing the signal-to-background (S/B) ratio and reducing the total dose equivalent rate. The MCNP results showed that 2 cm Be/3 cm Zr(BH₄)₄ and 2 cm Be/3 cm Be(BH₄)₂ are the optimal configurations. However, due to portability requirements and abundance of Be, the ²⁵²Cf-2 cm Be/3 cm Be(BH₄)₂ NBT model was selected to scan the center of APM buried 3 cm deep in dry and moist soils. The selected NBT model has positively identified the APM with a S/B ratio of 886 for dry soils of 1 wt% hydrogen content and with S/B ratios of 615, 398, 86, and 12 for the moist soils containing 4, 6, 10, and 14 wt% hydrogen, respectively. The total dose equivalent rate reached 0.0031 mSv/h, suggesting a work load of 8 h/day for 806 days within the permissible annual dose limit of 20 mSv.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.41-53
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• 2011

Background and Objectives: Iodine is an essential constituent of the thyroid hormones associated with the growth and development of humans and animals as an inorganic nutrition. This element may be accumulated in human blood, tissues and body through the intake of foodstuffs, a beverage, a nutritional supplement and a medicine, among others. The aim of the research is to find out a better medicinal stuff for the thyroid cancer patient who required a low level of iodine diet. Methods: Neutron activation analysis (NAA) used for the iodine analysis is one of nuclear analytical techniques using radiation and radioisotopes and very useful as sensitive analytical technique for performing both qualitative and quantitative multi-elemental non-destructive analysis of major, minor and trace components in variety of environmental and biological materials. In this study, iodine contents in ten kinds of oriental herb medicinal products, which is frequently used to cancer patients are determined by using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) at the HANARO research reactor. The samples prescribed are manufactured as powdered form for taking medicine easily. The analytical quality control is performed to assure an uncertainty of the measurement and to compensate the measured data using a biological certified reference material, NIST SRM 1572, Citrus Leaves. The measured value is $1.89{\pm}0.35mg/kg$, and the relative error is 2.88%, and relative standard deviation is 19 % due to high counting error by small counts of gamma ray spectrum. The standard deviations for other elements such as Cl, K, Mn and Na were in the range of 2 to 8%. Result: The level of iodine contents of Biki-huan, Chungryong-huan and Chungcho-huan, samples detected is less than 6 mg/kg except Hangam Plus sample (more than 210 mg/kg) and six samples were not detected. Iodine in the samples of Shoxiho-tang, Shopunghualhyl-tang, Shocungryong-tang, Banhasaxim-tang, Insampaedox-san and Myunyuk Plus were not measured, but possible level of content can be estimated from the detection limits. In addition, the concentrations of some major elements like Cl, K, Mn, Na, in the samples were determined with the detection limits. Conclusions: Most of samples showed low iodine contents of less than 6 mg/kg but it turned out that most of testing samples can be used to classify the level of iodine diet samples considering the recommended low level of iodine diet 50 ${\mu}g$/day, and a better medicinal stuff for the thyroid cancer patient can be found.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.302-307
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• 2004

Determination of actinides in the environmental sample requires separation of each element. This procedure is tedious and time consuming. And also, the detection limits of some nuclides using alpha spectrometry are rather higher. To overcome the lower detection limit and complicated separation procedure, a simple analytical technique for the determination of actinide isotopes in the environmental samples was developed and applied to IAEA and NIST reference sediment samples. For the separation of actinides from matrix, anion exchange resin and TRU-spec extraction chromatography resin were used and chemical yields were obtained using natural uranium, thorium, $^{242}Pu$ and $^{243}Am$ tracers. For overcoming the higher detection limits of U and Th in alpha spectrometry, neutron activation analysis was applied. Using combined method, the detection limit was increased about 10 times. The activity values of each isotope were consistent with the reference values reported by IAEA and NIST.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2016

Background: In order to measure neutron energy spectra, the conventional Bonner Sphere Spectrometers (BSS) are widely used. In this spectrometer, several measurements with different size Bonner spheres are required. Operators should, therefore, place these spheres in several times to a measurement point where radiation dose might be relatively high. In order to reduce this effort, novel neutron energy spectrometer using an onion-like single Bonner sphere was proposed in our group. This Bonner sphere has multiple sensitive spherical shell layers in the single sphere. In this spectrometer, a band-shaped thermal neutron detection medium, which consists of a LiF-ZnS mixed powder scintillator sheet and a wavelength-shifting (WLS) fiber readout, was looped to each sphere at equal angular intervals. Amount of LiF neutron converter is reduced near polar region, where the band-shaped detectors are concentrated, in order to uniform the directional sensitivity. The LiF-ZnS mixed powder has an advantage of extremely high light yield. However, since it is opaque, scintillation photons cannot be collect uniformly. This type of detector shows no characteristic shape in the pulse height spectrum. Subsequently, it is difficult to set the pulse height discrimination level. This issue causes sensitivity fluctuation due to gain instability of photodetectors and/or electric modules. Materials and Methods: In order to solve this problem, we propose to replace the LiF-ZnS mixed powder into a flexible and Transparent RUbber SheeT type $LiCaAlF_6$ (TRUST LiCAF) scintillator. TRUST LiCAF scintillator can show a peak shape corresponding to neutron absorption events in the pulse height spectrum. Results and Discussion: We fabricated the prototype detector with five sensitive layers using TRUST LiCAF scintillator and conducted basic experiments to evaluate the directional uniformity of the sensitivity. Conclusion: The fabricated detector shows excellent directional uniformity of the neutron sensitivity.