• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4039-4047
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• 2023

This contribution describes the application of HPGe detector for the airborne quantitative analysis. The hardware of the airborne HPGe system was designed from the commercial components with only exception of the newly designed AirHPGeSpec special software to control, measure and process the data. The system was calibrated for the local air kerma rates measured on helicopter board and its conversion to the air kerma rates at 1 m above the ground was proposed. Two examples of the air kerma rates measured over the former uranium mining areas are presented and compared with the results of other airborne system on the board. This airborne HPGe system could be also used for measuring the surface activities in a radiation event. The nuclides of ¹³¹I, ¹³²Te - ¹³²I, ¹³³I, ¹³⁴I, ¹³⁵I, ¹³⁷Cs, ¹³⁴Cs, ⁸⁸Rb and ¹⁰³Ru were selected from possible nuclear power plant emergency scenarios. The Monte Carlo simulation was used to calculate HPGe detector efficiencies for the flight altitudes from 25 to 300 m for the energies from 300 keV to 3 MeV of the nuclides in question. Also, the detection limits according to the Currie method as well as ISO 11929-2010 for selected nuclides are presented.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.33-47
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• 1998

Using a combination of an X-ray generator Installed in radiation calibration laboratory of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and a series of 8 radiators and filters described in ISO-4037, monoenergetic fluorescent X-rays from 8.6 keV to 75 keV were produced. This fluorescent X-rays generated by primary X-rays from radiator were discriminated $K_{\beta}$ lines with the aid of filter material and the only $K_{\alpha}$ X-rays were analyzed with the high purity Ge detector and portable MCA. The air kerma rates were measured with the 35 co ionization chamber and compared with the calculational results, and the beam uniformity and the scattered effects of radiation fields were also measured. The beam purities were more than 90 % for the energy range of 8.6 keV to 75 keV and the air kerma rates were from 1.91 mGy/h (radiator : Au, filter : W) to 54.2 mGy (radiator : Mo, filter : Zr) at 43 cm from center of the radiator. The effective area of beam at the measurement point of air kerma rates was 12 cm ${\times}$ 12 cm and the influence of scattered radiation was less than 3 %. The fluorescent X-rays established in this study could be used for the determination of energy response of the radiation measurement devices and the personal dosemeters in low photon energy regions.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2019

Background: In the calibration and testing laboratory of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the old X-ray generator used for the production of reference X-ray fields was replaced with a new one. For this newly installed X-ray irradiation system, beam alignment as well as the verification of beam qualities was conducted. Materials and Methods: The existing X-ray generator, Phillips MG325, was replaced with YXLON Y.TU 320-D03 in order to generate reference X-ray fields. Theoretical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations were used to determine initial filter thickness. Beam alignment was performed in three steps to deliver a homogeneous radiation dosage to the target at different distances. Finally, the half-value layers were measured for different X-ray fields to verify beam qualities by using an ion chamber. Results and Discussion: Beam alignment was performed in three steps, and collimators and other components were arranged to maintain the uniformity of the mean air kerma rate within ${\pm}2.5%$ at the effective beam diameter of 28 cm. The beam quality was verified by using half-value layer measurement methods specified by American National Standard Institute (ANSI) N13.11-2009 and International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-4037. For each of the nine beams than can be generated by the new X-ray irradiation system, air kerma rates for X-ray fields of different beam qualifies were measured. The results showed that each air kerma rate and homogeneity coefficient of the first and second half-value layers were within ${\pm}5%$ of the recommended values in the standard documents. Conclusion: The results showed that the new X-ray irradiation system provides beam qualities that are as high as moderate beam qualities offered by National Institute of Standards and Technology in ANSI N13.11-2009 and those for narrow-spectrum series of ISO-4037.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.755-760
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• 2021

In this study, the shielding rate of major X-ray protective equipment used in the medical environment was calculated using X-ray spectrum data emitted from the diagnostic X-ray generator of The Institute of Physics and Engineering(IPEM) Report-78, and the applicability of radiation protection was investigated. Radiation shielding rates were calculated through reduction rates of air-kerma and total intensity for lead apron (0.3 mmPb), thyroid shield (0.5 mmPb), lead goggles (0.5 mmPb), and lead glass (1.8, 2.7, 3.3 mmPb) used for diagnostic X-ray protection. As a result, the shielding rate calculated as the air kerma reduction rate ranged from 96.31 to 100% at 80 kV, and 90.35 to 100% at 120 kV. In addition, the results of this calculation were well matched with the results of previous studies measuring the actual shielding rate, and it is expected that the X-ray spectrum data of IPEM Report-78 can be used for radiation protection.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

A model for radiological dose assessment in an urban environment, METRO-K has been developed. Characteristics of the model are as follows ; 1) mathematical structures are simple (i.e. simplified input parameters) and easy to understand due to get the results by analytical methods using experimental and empirical data, 2) complex urban environment can easily be made up using only 5 types of basic surfaces, 3) various remediation measures can be applied to different surfaces by evaluating the exposure doses contributing from each contamination surface. Exposure doses contributing from each contamination surface at a particular location of a receptor were evaluated using the data library of kerma values as a function of gamma energy and contamination surface. A kerma data library was prepared fur 7 representative types of Korean urban buildings by extending those data given for 4 representative types of European urban buildings. Initial input data are daily radionuclide concentration in air and precipitation, and fraction of chemical type. Final outputs are absorbed dose rate in air contributing from the basic surfaces as a function of time following a radionuclide deposition, and exposure dose rate contributing from various surfaces constituting the urban environment at a particular location of a receptor. As the result of a contaminative scenario for an apartment built-up area, exposure dose rates show a distinct difference for surrounding environment as well as locations of a receptor.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.255-262
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• 1996

This paper describes the results of intercomparison measurements of KAERI reference photon and beta radiation fields between the KAERI and the PNNL(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), recently performed at KAERI radiation calibration and dosimetry laboratory on the basis of the ANSI N13.11 criteria for personal dosimeter performance test. Each laboratory used her own radiation detectors or measurement devices traceable to her national primary standard in measuring the exposure rates for photon fields, the absorbed dose rates for beta radiation fields. The agreements in reference radiation measurements between two laboratories were found to be less than ${\pm}2.0%$ for photon fields, ${\pm}1.0%$ for beta radiation fields. Therefore, it could be concluded that KAERI reference radiation fields comply well with the international standard and thus can further serve as a national basis for the researches and developments in radiation protection dosimetry in Korea.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1987

Central axis percentage depth-doses, P(%), were measured at the points from the 2.5cm depth of reference point to 20 cm depth with 2.5 cm interval. Distance from the X-ray target to the water phantom($30{\times}30{\times}30cm^3$) surface was 1 m, and at this point three different beam sizes of $5cm{\phi},\;10cm{\phi},\;and\;15cm{\phi}$ were used. While the X-ray tube voltage varied from 150 to 250 kV, the tube current remained constant at 5 mA. Absorbed dose rate in water, $\dot{D}_w$, was determined using the air kerma calibration factor, $N_k$, which was derived from the exposure calibration factor, $N_x$, of the NE 2571 ion chamber. The reference exposure rate, $\dot{X}_c$, was measured using the Exradin A-2 ion chamber calibrated at ETL, Japan. The half value layers of the X-rays determined to meet ETL calibration qualities. The absorbed dose rates determined at the calibration point were compared to the values obtained from Burlin's general cavity theory, and the percentage depth-dose values determined from $N_k$ showed a good agreement with the values of the published depth dose data(BJR Suppl. 17).