Fabrication and characterization of an irradiation facility for large-sample geometry

An irradiation facility consisting of a modified beam port shielding plug has been designed, fabricated built and characterized for use in irradiating non-standard sample geometries. The shielding plug features a graphite moderator at the core end with a hole, or “well” drilled of sufficient diameter and depth to accommodate an eight ounce (227 gram) sample bottle. Added shielding behind the graphite consists of castable neutron- and -gamma-ray shielding. The modified shielding plug can be removed relatively quickly from its irradiation position to minimize personnel exposures. It is mounted in close proximity to the Ohio State University Research Reactor reactor core to allow performance of high-sensitivity neutron activation analysis studies. Using the SAND-II unfolding code, the energy-dependent neutron flux has been measured in the sample irradiation position. When operating at 100 % power, the total flux is 3.9 × 10¹² n/cm²/s. Of this, 55 % is thermal (<0.5 eV), 23 % is epithermal (>0.5 eV, <0.5 MeV), and 22 % is “fast” (>0.5 MeV). This makes the facility suitable for neutron activation studies. Recently it has been used for irradiation of filter papers collected in a study of particulate air pollution in the form of atmospheric particulate matter in an urban environment.