Shielding analysis and design of the KIPT experimental neutron source facility of Ukraine.

Abstract

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) of USA and Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) of Ukraine have been collaborating on the conceptual design development of an experimental neutron source facility based on the use of an electron accelerator driven subcritical (ADS) facility [1]. The facility uses the existing electron accelerators of KIPT in Ukraine. The neutron source of the sub-critical assembly is generated from the interaction of 100 KW electron beam with a natural uranium target. The electron beam has a uniform spatial distribution and the electron energy in the range of 100 to 200 MeV, [2]. The main functions of the facility are the production of medical isotopes and the support of the Ukraine nuclear power industry. Reactor physics experiments and material performance characterization will also be carried out. The subcritical assembly is driven by neutrons generated by the electron beam interactions with the target material. A fraction of these neutrons has an energy above 50 MeV generated through the photo nuclear interactions. This neutron fraction is very small and it has an insignificant contribution to the subcritical assembly performance. However, these high energy neutrons are difficult to shield and they can be slowed down only through the inelastic scattering with heavy isotopes. Therefore the shielding design of this facility is more challenging relative to fission reactors. To attenuate these high energy neutrons, heavy metals (tungsten, iron, etc.) should be used. To reduce the construction cost, heavy concrete with 4.8 g/cm{sup 3} density is selected as a shielding material. The iron weight fraction in this concrete is about 0.6. The shape and thickness of the heavy concrete shield are defined to reduce the biological dose equivalent outside the shield to an acceptable level during operation. At the same time, special attention was give to reduce the total shield mass to reduce the construction cost. The shield design is configured to maintain the biological dose equivalent during operation {le} 0.5 mrem/h inside the subcritical hall, which is five times less than the allowable dose for working forty hours per week for 50 weeks per year. This study analyzed and designed the thickness and the shape of the radial and top shields of the neutron source based on the biological dose equivalent requirements inside the subcritical hall during operation. The Monte Carlo code MCNPX is selected because of its capabilities for transporting electrons, photons, and neutrons. Mesh based weight windows variance reduction technique is utilized to estimate the biological dose outside the shield with good statistics. A significant effort dedicated to the accurate prediction of the biological dose equivalent outside the shield boundary as a function of the shield thickness without geometrical approximations or material homogenization. The building wall was designed with ordinary concrete to reduce the biological dose equivalent to the public with a safety factor in the range of 5 to 20.