NPTS-PK: A new point kernel code for fast calculation of 3D gamma radiation field

Abstract

The point kernel integration method is commonly utilized for the analytical calculation of gamma radiation fields in the field of radiation protection and shielding design. This study introduces NPTS-PK, a program developed for rapid calculation of 3D gamma radiation fields based on the NPTS program and the point kernel integration method. Based on the geometric construction and input method of the NPTS program, NPTS-PK supports point kernel calculations for radiation sources and shielding structures of various complex shapes and materials. By calculating material attenuation coefficients using continuous energy cross-section parameters, combined with a more precise buildup factor calculation method, the accuracy of calculation results has been enhanced. Improvements in ray tracing processes and the implementation of the probability neighbor list method have accelerated geometric processing. To address the challenge of excessive computation time associated with large-scale grid counting in point kernel programs, NPTS-PK integrates several efficient acceleration techniques, elevating the speed of radiation field calculation by an order of magnitude. Tests on typical model and engineering scenario demonstrate that the deviation between NPTS-PK results and the reference values is within a few tens of percent, and the computational efficiency and accuracy are improved compared to the standard point kernel programs.