Radiation protection basis of design for the South African isotope facility - SAIF

Abstract

To expand on its research agenda and meet the growing demand for nuclear medicine products, the South African Isotope Facility (SAIF) was launched. This study focuses on Radiation Protection aspects for SAIF Phase 1, specifically the verification of existing- and basis of design for supplementary engineering controls for the retrofitted accelerator complex, housing an IBA C70 Cyclone 70 MeV H-minus cyclotron and four in-house designed high intensity particle beam target stations. For the dosimetric assessment, a selection of calibrated instruments were used to determine the ambient dose equivalent rate H*(10) at points of interest. Physical dose rate measurements were performed for various source terms (66 MeV p+ on Cu, Al, Mg, Ga and Li) and beam intensities up to tens of micro Amperes, beyond in-situ bulk shielding material, for compound shielded target stations and streaming through existing labyrinths. Comparisons are drawn between actual measurements and the FLUKA code. Primarily to determine the in-situ shielding characteristics of unverified bulk shielding material cast in the 1980s, as core drill samples yielded vastly divergent aggregate types and material densities.