JSI TRIGA neutron and gamma field characterization by TLD measurements

Abstract

A well characterized radiation field inside a research nuclear reactor irradiation facilities enables precise qualification of radiation effects to the irradiated samples such as nuclear heating or changes in their electrical or material properties. To support the increased utilization of the JSI TRIGA reactor irradiation facilities in the past few years mainly on account of testing novel detector designs, electronic components and material samples, we are working on increasing the neutron and gamma field characterization accuracy using various modeling and measurement techniques. In this paper we present the dose field measurements using thermo-luminescent detectors (TLD’s) with different sensitivities neutron and gamma sensitivities, along with multiple ionization and fission chamber. Experiment was performed in several steps from reactor start-up, steady operation and a rapid shutdown, during which the ionization and fission chamber signals were acquires continuously, while the TLD’s were being irradiated at different stages during reactor operation and after shutdown, to also capture response to delayed neutron and gamma field. The results presented in this paper serve for validation of JSI designed JSIR2S code for delayed radiation field determination, initial results of its application on the JSI TRIGA TLD measurements will also be presented.