The development, characterization, and performance evaluation of a new combination type personnel neutron dosimeter

Abstract

A new combination type personnel neutron dosimeter has been designed and developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The combination personnel neutron dosimeter (CPND) consists of a Harshaw albedo neutron thermoluminescent dosimeter (two pairs of TLD-600/TLD- 700) and two bubble detectors (one BD-100R and one BDS-1500 from Bubble Technology Industries, Canada). The CPND was developed with the aim of having crude neutron spectrometric capability, universal applicability, better angular response, and an improved lower limit of detection (LLD). The CPND has been well characterized in the following areas: reusability, linearity, lower limit of detection (LLD), detection capability in mixed neutron-gamma fields, angular dependence, and neutron energy dependence. the characterization was accomplished with irradiations using a {sup 238}Pu-Be source, a {sup 252}Cf(D{sub 2}O) source, a {sup 252}Cf source, a {sup 252}Cf(PE) source, monoenergetic neutrons from accelerator and reactor filtered beams, {sup 137}Cs, and X-rays. Optimum signal readout procedures, signal processing techniques, routine operational usage, and neutron dose equivalent evaluation algorithms for the CPND were developed with the goals of having the best precision and accuracy as well as being convenient to use. 97 refs., 43 figs., 22 tabs.