Kotb NA, Solieman AHM, El-Zakla T, Amer TZ, Elmeniawi S, Comsan MNH. Multi-source irradiation facility with improved space configuration for neutron activation analysis: Design optimization.
Appl Radiat Isot 2018;
135:135-141. [PMID:
29413828 DOI:
10.1016/j.apradiso.2018.01.032]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
A neutron irradiation facility consisting of six 241Am-Be neutron sources of 30 Ci total activity and 6.6 × 107 n/s total neutron yield is designed. The sources are embedded in a cubic paraffin wax, which plays a dual role as both moderator and reflector. The sample passage and irradiation channel are represented by a cylindrical path of 5 cm diameter passing through the facility core. The proposed design yields a high degree of space symmetry and thermal neutron homogeneity within 98% of flux distribution throughout the irradiated spherical sample of 5 cm diameter. The obtained thermal neutron flux is 8.0 × 104 n/cm2.s over the sample volume, with thermal-to-fast and thermal-to-epithermal ratios of 1.20 and 3.35, respectively. The design is optimized for maximizing the thermal neutron flux at sample position using the MCNP-5 code. The irradiation facility is supposed to be employed principally for neutron activation analysis.
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