• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.243-248
• /
• 2001

Neutron reference fields of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) for calibrating neutron measuring devices to be used in radiation workplace monitoring consist of two kinds of neutron spectra, the direct and the scattered neutron fields, which are produced by using radionuclide neutron sources, 252Cf and 241AmBe sources. Necessary parameters for calibration such as the anisotropy factor of each neutron source and the room-scattered fraction of some neutron surveymeters in the KAERI calibration facility were determined by calculation or measurement. Spectral measurement of scattered neutron fields were performed at each reference calibration point using a Bonner Multi-sphere Spectrometer (BMS) and the dosimetric quantities for calibration also estimated from the neutron energy spectra which were unfolded using the BUNKI code.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.59-63
• /
• 2011

It is important to reduce indirect scattered neutron beside direct neutron of chosen energy for designing a neutron-reference-field laboratory with neutron produced from a nuclear reaction by a accelerator. Therefore MCNPX simulation was performed with various conditions for obtaining such condition. At first in the original laboratory condition we calculated the direct neutron flux which was inserted in chamber (virtual chamber composed of air) of 0 degree (proton moving direction) for neutron flux measurement and the scattered neutron flux which is inserted in the chamber after scattering wall or bottom. In the result, the scattered neutron which was inserted after scattering bottom is more than that which was inserted after scattering the others. Therefore MCNPX simulation was again performed with removing the concrete bottom and with removing the concrete bottom and digging 1 m in the ground. In the result of removing concrete bottom and digging 1 m in the ground, scattered neutron which was inserted after scattering bottom became less than that which was inserted after scattering the others.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.7
• /
• pp.939-944
• /
• 2015

The calibration methods of neutron-measuring devices such as the neutron survey meter have advantages and disadvantages. To compare the calibration factors obtained by the shadow cone method and semi-empirical method, 10 neutron survey meters of five different types were used in this study. This experiment was performed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI; Daejeon, South Korea), and the calibration neutron fields were constructed using a $^{252}Californium$ ($^{252}Cf$) neutron source, which was positioned in the center of the neutron irradiation room. The neutron spectra of the calibration neutron fields were measured by a europium-activated lithium iodide scintillator in combination with KAERI's Bonner sphere system. When the shadow cone method was used, 10 single moderator-based survey meters exhibited a smaller calibration factor by as much as 3.1-9.3% than that of the semi-empirical method. This finding indicates that neutron survey meters underestimated the scattered neutrons and attenuated neutrons (i.e., the total scatter corrections). This underestimation of the calibration factor was attributed to the fact that single moderator-based survey meters have an under-ambient dose equivalent response in the thermal or thermal-dominant neutron field. As a result, when the shadow cone method is used for a single moderator-based survey meter, an additional correction and the International Organization for Standardization standard 8529-2 for room-scattered neutrons should be considered.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.327-335
• /
• 2003

The commercially available neutron survey meter, the REM500, which uses a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) and the self-constructed TEPC were used to determine the microdosimetric quantities of several neutron calibration fields at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Microdosimetric spectra, absorbed dose, dose equivalent as well as quality factor were derived and compared with several neutron fields which were produced by using the shadow objects to make neutron scattered and being used as a kind of realistic neutron calibration fields at KAERI. The response of REM500 as a function of mean energy was evaluated with these neutron fields using the counts measured and the predetermined reference value. The response of the self-made TEPC and the REM500 was compared using one of the neutron calibration filelds of a $^{252}Cf$ source. The reference quantities of scattered neutron calibration fields were determined using a Bonner Sphere (BS). The value of frequency-mean lineal energy, dose-mean lineal energy and quality factor of two $^{252}Cf$ sources (unmoderated and $D_2O$ moderated) were determined to check the differences in the reference neutron fields between KAERI and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL, USA) and the results were in good agreement within 1%. It means that there is no big difference in dosimetric quantifies of neutron calibration fields of two laboratories.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.8
• /
• pp.2999-3005
• /
• 2022

The new experimental setup has been built at the 11b channel of the IBR-2 research reactor at FLNP, JINR, to study the elemental composition of samples by registration of prompt gamma emission during thermal neutron capture. The setup consists of a curved mirror neutron guide and a radiation-resistant HPGe high-purity germanium detector. The detector is surrounded by lead shielding to suppress the natural background gamma level. The sample is placed in a vacuum channel and surrounded by a LiF shield to suppress the gamma background generated by scattered neutrons. This work presents characteristics of the experimental setup. An example of hydrogen concentration determining in a diamond powder made by detonation synthesis is given and on its basis, the sensitivity of the setup is calculated being ~4 ㎍.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.277-284
• /
• 2017

This paper presents the establishment and characterization of a neutron calibration field using a bare $^{252}Cf$ source of low neutron source strength in Vietnam. The characterization of the field in terms of neutron flux spectra and neutron ambient dose equivalent rates were performed by Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP5 code. The anisotropy effect of the source was also investigated. The neutron ambient dose equivalent rates at three reference distances of 75, 125, and 150 cm from the source were calculated and compared with the measurements using the Aloka TPS-451C neutron survey meters. The discrepancy between the calculated and measured values is found to be about 10%. To separate the scattered and the direct components from the total neutron flux spectra, an in-house shadow cone of 10% borated polyethylene was used. The shielding efficiency of the shadow cone was estimated using the MCNP5 code. The results confirmed that the shielding efficiency of the shadow cone is acceptable.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.384-388
• /
• 2016

Background: For a verification of newly-developed neutron absorbers, one of guidelines on the qualification and acceptance of neutron absorbers is the neutron attenuation test. However, this approach can cause a problem for the qualifications that it cannot distinguish how the neutron attenuates from materials. Materials and Methods: In this study, an estimation method of neutron absorption performances for materials is proposed to detect both direct penetration and back-scattering neutrons. For the verification of the proposed method, MCNP simulations with the experimental system designed in this study were pursued using the polyethylene, iron, normal glass and the vitrified form. Results and Discussion: The results show that it can easily test neutron absorption ability using single absorber model. Also, from simulation results of single absorber and double absorbers model, it is verified that the proposed method can evaluate not only the direct thermal neutrons passing through materials, but also the scattered neutrons reflected to the materials. Therefore, the neutron absorption performances can be accurately estimated using the proposed method comparing with the conventional neutron attenuation test. Conclusion: It is expected that the proposed method can contribute to increase the reliability of the performance of neutron absorbers.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.147-154
• /
• 2015

The scatter photons and photoneutrons from high energy photon beams (more than 10 MV) will increase the undesired dose to the patient and the staff working in linear accelerator room. This undesired dose which is found at out-of-field area can increase the probability of secondary malignancy. The purpose of this study is to determine the equivalent dose of scatter photons and neutrons generated by 3 different treatment techniques: 3D-conformal, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The measurement was performed using two types of the optically stimulation luminescence detectors (OSL and OSLN) in the Alderson Rando phantom that was irradiated by 3 different treatment techniques following the actual prostate cancer treatment plans. The scatter photon and neutron equivalent dose were compared among the 3 treatments techniques at the surface in the out-of-field area and the critical organs. Maximum equivalent dose of scatter photons and neutrons was found when using the IMRT technique. The scatter neutrons showed average equivalent doses of 0.26, 0.63 and $0.31mSv{\cdot}Gy^{-1}$ at abdominal surface region which was 20 cm from isocenter for 3D, IMRT and VMAT, respectively. The scattered photons equivalent doses were 6.94, 10.17 and $6.56mSv{\cdot}Gy^{-1}$ for 3D, IMRT and VMAT, respectively. For the 5 organ dose measurements, the scattered neutron and photon equivalent doses in out of field from the IMRT plan were highest. The result revealed that the scatter equivalent doses for neutron and photon were higher for IMRT. So the suitable treatment techniques should be selected to benefit the patient and the treatment room staff.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 1972

In neutron shielding, the scattering effect is equally important as the attenuations in shielding materials. In the present study, the scattered dose equivalent was measured using a Rem counter for water, paraffin, borated paraffin, ordinary and heavy concrete, lead, iron, and tissue equivalent material in three different angles: 45$^{\circ}$, 90$^{\circ}$, and 135$^{\circ}$, respectively. The measurements were performed for the neutron, having the energies of 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 18 MeV, which are produced from the Van do Graaff accelerator. The scattered dose equivalent ratios were increased with increasing the thickness of scattering materials and saturated at a certain thickness although they were different from one to other materials under study. The ratios were large for lead and iron while they were small for the hydrogen containing materials such as water and paraffin etc.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.20-24
• /
• 2007

Lithium ion secondary battery has been applied widely to portable devices, and has been studied for application to high power electric cell system such as power tool or hybrid electronic vehicle. The structure change of the electrodes materials occur when lithium ions move between electrodes. Neutron or X-rays can analyze the structure of electrode. The advantage of X-rays is convenient in test. However X-rays is scattered by electron cloud in atoms. Therefore, The elucidation for correct position of lithium is difficult with X-rays because lithium has small atomic weight. Neutron analysis techniques could solve this problem. In this review, We wish to discuss about structure analysis and the principle of structural characterization method using neutron beam source.