Characterization of the Neutron Fields in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Radiation Calibration Laboratory Low Scatter Calibration Facility

Abstract

In June 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE) revised its rule on Occupational Radiation Protection, Part 10 CFR 835. A significant aspect of the revision was the adoption of the recommendations outlined in International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Report 60 (ICRP-60), including new radiation weighting factors for neutrons, updated internal dosimetric models, and dose terms consistent with the newer ICRP recommendations. ICRP-60 uses the quantities defined by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) for personnel and area monitoring including the ambient dose equivalent H*(d). A Joint Task Group of ICRU and ICRP has developed various fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients which are published in ICRP-74 for both protection and operational quantities. In February 2008, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) replaced its old pneumatic transport neutron irradiation system in the Radiation Calibration Laboratory (RCL) Low Scatter Calibration Facility (B255, Room 183A) with a Hopewell Designs irradiator model N40. The exposure tube for the Hopewell system is located close to, but not in exactly the same position as the exposure tube for the pneumatic system. Additionally, the sources for the Hopewell system are stored in Room 183A where, prior to the change, they were stored in a separate room (Roommore » 183C). The new source configuration and revision of the 10 CFR 835 radiation weighting factors necessitate a re-evaluation of the neutron dose rates in B255 Room 183A. This report deals only with the changes in the operational quantities ambient dose equivalent and ambient dose rate equivalent for neutrons as a result of the implementation of the revised 10 CFR 835. In the report, the terms 'neutron dose' and 'neutron dose rate' will be used for convenience for ambient neutron dose equivalent and ambient neutron dose rate equivalent unless otherwise stated.« less