Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Ensuring safe operation of university neutron generators

9/16/2020 2020 - #03 Application of nuclear tech

Yurkov D.I. Mikerov V.I. Ryabeva E.V. Idalov V.A. Ibragimov R.F. Urupa I.V.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2020.3.16

UDC: 539.1 378.165.15

A package of organizational and engineering arrangements has been considered to ensure safe operation of portable neutron generators in a university environment. The dose rate from the fast neutron generator’s neutron radiation in rooms permanently or temporarily occupied by personnel or the public was mathematically simulated using the GEANT4 code. Dedicated biological shielding has been developed and built, and measures have been put in place for the radiation dose monitoring using state-of-the-art health physics equipment and for remote control of the fast neutron generator’s neutron yield, as well as to limit the neutron yield and the neutron generator operating time, to prevent access into rooms with operating generators, and to monitor the radiation dose values using special-purpose devices (dosimeters, radiometers, etc.).

It has been shown that the biological shielding built and the fast neutron generator’s yield of up to 5⋅106 n/s provide for the equivalent dose rate in permanently occupied rooms not exceeding 0.3 μ Sv/h, which is an order of magnitude as low as the university dose rate limit of 3 μSv/h.

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neutron generator mathematical simulation GEANT4 fast neutrons dose rate

Link for citing the article: Yurkov D.I., Mikerov V.I., Ryabeva E.V., Idalov V.A., Ibragimov R.F., Urupa I.V. Ensuring safe operation of university neutron generators. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2020, no. 3, pp. 160-167; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2020.3.16 (in Russian).

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