Intercomparison of the response of different photon and neutron detectors around a spent fuel cask

Study of the neutron field around ENSA-DPT spent fuel transport and storage casks

Neutron field measurements around individual DPT type spent fuel transport and storage casks were performed at the storage installation of Trillo Nuclear Power Plant. Neutron spectra were determined at five different positions using a Bonner sphere system. These measurements were used to validate the dosimetry measurements of two neutron monitors. Axial and angular measurements were used to determine the ambient dose equivalent. The results are consistent with the cask design and no field correction is needed when using these monitors.

Measurement of neutron spectra generated from bombardment of 4 to 24 MeV protons on a thick ⁹Be target and estimation of neutron yields

A systematic study on the measurement of neutron spectra emitted from the interaction of protons of various energies with a thick beryllium target has been carried out. The measurements were carried out in the forward direction (at 0° with respect to the direction of protons) using CR-39 detectors. The doses were estimated using the in-house image analyzing program autoTRAK_n, which works on the principle of luminosity variation in and around the track boundaries. A total of six different proton energies starting from 4 MeV to 24 MeV with an energy gap of 4 MeV were chosen for the study of the neutron yields and the estimation of doses. Nearly, 92% of the recoil tracks developed after chemical etching were circular in nature, but the size distributions of the recoil tracks were not found to be linearly dependent on the projectile energy. The neutron yield and dose values were found to be increasing linearly with increasing projectile energies. The response of CR-39 detector was also investigated at different beam currents at two different proton energies. A linear increase of neutron yield with beam current was observed.