ALARA Review of the Spallation Neutron Source Accumulator Ring and Transfer Lines

Abstract

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is designed to meet the growing need for new tools that will deepen our understanding in materials science, life science, chemistry, fundamental and nuclear physics, earth and environmental sciences, and engineering sciences. The SNS is an accelerator-based neutron-scattering facility that when operational will produce an average beam power of 2 MW at a repetition rate of 60 Hz. The accelerator complex consists of the front-end systems, which will include an ion source; a 1-GeV full-energy linear accelerator; a single accumulator ring and its transfer lines; and a liquid mercury target. This report documents an as-low-as-reasonably-achievable (ALARA) review of the accumulator ring and transfer lines at their early design stage. An ALARA working group was formed and conducted a review of the SNS ring and transfer lines at the {approx}25% complete design stage to help ensure that ALARA principles are being incorporated into the design. The radiological aspects of the SNS design criteria were reviewed against regulatory requirements and ALARA principles. Proposed features and measures were then reviewed against the SNS design criteria. As part of the overall review, the working group reviewed the design manual; design drawings and process and instrumentation diagrams; the environment, safety, and health manual; and other related reports and literature. The group also talked with SNS design engineers to obtain explanations of pertinent subject matter. The ALARA group found that ALARA principles are indeed being incorporated into the early design stage. Radiation fields have been characterized, and shielding calculations have been performed. Radiological issues are being adequately addressed with regard to equipment selection, access control, confinement structure and ventilation, and contamination control. Radiation monitoring instrumentation for worker and environment protection are also being considered--a good practice at this early design stage. The ring and transfer lines are being designed for hands-on maintenance. The SNS beam loss criteria, which determine radiation dose design, are a factor of {approx}30 lower than the lowest that has been achieved at any existing proton synchrotron and accumulator rings. This demonstrates that ALARA considerations are an important part of SNS design. A noteworthy example of the ALARA principal being incorporated into the SNS is the hybrid ring lattice design recently approved by the SNS change control process. The new lattice design increases calculated acceptance by about 50% and improves the expected collimator efficiency from 80 to 95%. As a result, the expected calculated beam loss rate, and resulting radiation dose rates, are significantly improved. Another major design change with ALARA implications was the change from an alpha to an omega configuration for the high-energy beam transport (HEBT) system, ring, and ring-to-target beam transport (RTBT) system. Because of this change, the ring and transfer lines will have crane coverage, eliminating the need for personnel to be near activated equipment for repair and removal. By using the crane, extensive shielding can be placed around highly radioactive equipment (e.g., collimators), and the equipment can be moved by remote control. As part of the change from an alpha to omega configuration, the tunnel width was increased by 2 ft. This increased width will allow easier access to failed equipment, reducing radiation exposure time to workers during maintenance and repair. In addition, a personnel entrance was added to the ring between the HEBT and RTBT so that personnel will not have to enter this area directly through the HEBT or RTBT. This addition will shorten the travel distance, and therefore the time, that personnel performing maintenance work on radioactive equipment will need to be in the area, reducing potential dose. In the RTBT beam line, a hatchway will be placed above the collimators and quad doublet magnets near the target to facilitate their removal. This design was chosen in lieu of a track system that would require removal of all equipment near the target when replacing collimators or quads. This report describes many other examples where ALARA principals have been applied to the SNS design. The strongest, clearest indication that ALARA principles are being incorporated into the design is that knowledgeable, experienced individuals who are conscious of ALARA issues participate at every design review and at all levels of design.