Monte Carlo Calculations for Neutron and Gamma Radiation Fields on a Fast Neutron Irradiation Device

Abstract

We used the Monte Carlo program MCNP to calculate the neutron and gamma fluxes on a fast neutron irradiation facility being installed on the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI). The purpose of this facility is to provide a fast neutron beam for irradiation of electronic circuits. The gamma dose should be minimized. This is achieved by placing a lead shield preceded by a thin layer of boral. A fast neutron flux of the order of 10⁹ n/cm²s is expected at the exit of the tube, while the gamma radiation is kept below 20 Gy/h. We will present results of the neutron and gamma doses for several locations along the tube and different thickness of the lead shield. We found that the neutron beam is very collimated at the end of the tube with a dominant component on the fast region.