Radiation Safety Systems at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Low-Energy Accelerators

Abstract

Brookhaven National Laboratory has several low-energy accelerators in use at the present time. I intend to discuss the radiation safety systems installed at five of these accelerators. The accelerators included are a Dynamitron, 3.5 MeV Van de Graaff, 60'' Cyclotron, 41'' Cyclotron and Tandem Van de Graaff facility. All of these accelerators are capable of producing radiation levels in excess of 100 rem/h and the radiation safety systems are designed to prevent personnel from being exposed to high levels of radiation. For the purposes of this talk I would like to place the accelerators in two different categories. In the first category are the accelerators which have safety systems that prevent operation unless the radiation facilities are completely enclosed and interlocked, thus preventing any personnel access. Included are the Dynamitron, the 60'' Cyclotron, and the 41'' Cyclotron. In the second category are the accelerators with safety systems which allow access to any part of the accelerator facility when the radiation levels are low, but require complete personnel restrictions when the radiation levels are high. Included are the 3.5 MeV Van de Graaff and the Tandem Van de Graaff.