Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Evaluation of neutron attenuation properties using helium-4 scintillation detector for dry cask inspection

  • Jihun Moon (The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission) ;
  • Jisu Kim (Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control) ;
  • Heejun Chung (Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control) ;
  • Sung-Woo Kwak (Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control) ;
  • Kyung Taek Lim (Quantum and Nuclear Engineering, Sejong University)
  • Received : 2022.09.26
  • Accepted : 2023.06.22
  • Published : 2023.09.25
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Abstract

In this paper, we demonstrate the neutron attenuation of dry cask shielding materials using the S670e helium-4 detector manufactured by Arktis Radiation Ltd. In particular, two materials expected to be applied to the TN-32 dry cask manufactured by ORANO Korea and KORAD-21 by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) were utilized. The measured neutron attenuation was compared with our Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport simulation results, and the difference is given as the root mean square (RMS). For the fast neutron case, a rapid decline in neutron counts was observed as a function of increasing material thickness, exhibiting an exponential relationship. The discrepancy between the experimentally acquired data and simulation results for the fast neutron was maintained within a 2.3% RMS. In contrast, the observed thermal neutron count demonstrated an initial rise, attained a maximum value, and exhibited an exponential decline as a function of increasing thickness. In particular, the discrepancy between the measured and simulated peak locations for thermal neutrons displayed an RMS deviation of approximately 17.3-22.4%. Finally, the results suggest that a minimum thickness of 5 cm for Li-6 is necessary to achieve a sufficiently significant cross-section, effectively capturing incoming thermal neutrons within the dry cask.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Nuclear Safety Research Program through the Korea Foundation Of Nuclear Safety (KoFONS) using financial resources granted by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of the Republic of Korea (No. 2106016) and by the faculty research fund of Sejong University in 2022 of the Republic of Korea.

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