A Monte Carlo simulation and setup optimization of output ef f iciency to PGNAA thermal neutron using ~(252)Cf neutrons

We present the design and optimization of a prompt γ-ray neutron activation analysis(PGNAA) thermal neutron output setup based on Monte Carlo simulations using MCNP5 computer code. In these simulations, the moderator materials, reflective materials, and structure of the PGNAA252 Cf neutrons of thermal neutron output setup are optimized. The simulation results reveal that the thin layer paraffin and the thick layer of heavy water moderating effect work best for the252 Cf neutron spectrum. Our new design shows a significantly improved performance of the thermal neutron flux and flux rate, that are increased by 3.02 times and 3.27 times, respectively,compared with the conventional neutron source design.     

面向空间高能重离子与辐射屏蔽材料的反应截面地基研究

空间辐射尤其是高能重离子辐射可造成生物机体的严重损伤, 所以对高能重离子进行恰当的辐射屏蔽, 成为实现载人航天的关键性因素之一。 研究表明, 由于高能重离子与不同屏蔽材料发生相互作用, 所产生的核碎片等次级粒子, 直接影响空间辐射屏蔽材料的屏蔽性能研究和屏蔽结构设计。 介绍了太空辐射的分类与组成, 综述了国际地基辐射屏蔽材料与实验现状。 根据文献中的地基实验数据, 重点描述了被动式屏蔽方法: 以相近能量多种重离子, 不同能量的56Fe和28Si重离子分别与C, H, Al和Cu材料相互作用的总反应截面和碎片产生截面, 并结合510 MeV/u 56Fe与不同厚度CH2相互作用产生的碎片通量分布、 碎片平均LET分布和不同厚度CH2的单位入射离子剂量减少量等方面, 系统讨论分析了C, H, Al, Cu和CH2等常用空间辐射屏蔽材料的屏蔽性能。 Cosmic radiation, particularly the high energy heavy ion radiation, may cause serious injury on living organism. Therefore, it is one of critical restriction factor in Manned Spaceflight. Studies show that high energy heavy ions interacting with the shielding materials can produce numerous kinds of fragments and secondaries. These particles have a direct impact on evaluation of shielding properties of different shielding materials, the optimal shielding structure design and low dose evaluation after shielding materials. From perspectives of divisions of cosmic rays and passive shielding methods, this paper introduces the ground based research of shielding materials. The passive shielding method was discussed, based on the experimental data of the total cross sections and fragment（production） cross sections of the aspects of different heavy ions with approximately same energy and 56Fe, 28Si heavy ions with different energies on H, C, CH2, Al and Cu radiation shielding materials. In addition, the fragment fluency distribution, the average LET distribution and the dose reduction per particle of 510 MeV/u 56Fe in different depth of CH2 material were also discussed.     

D-D 中子发生器n-γ 密度测井的蒙特卡罗模拟研究

根据D-D 反应中子的能谱和角分布数据,建立了中子源模型;根据石灰岩地层标准刻度井群数据,建立了井模型。采用MCNP 程序模拟了井中中子和γ 射线的输运,得到了不同地层密度和不同源距处NaI 探测器中的混合γ 射线能谱和非弹γ 射线能谱。在混合γ 射线能谱2.5~5.0 MeV 能区开窗,研究了开窗区混合γ 射线相对计数随源距的变化关系,确定源距应选择在30~80 cm 范围,给出了密度与混合γ 射线计数之间的非线性关系。研究表明,可以利用D-D中子源的混合γ 射线能谱来实现n-γ 密度测井。A D-D neutron source model was developed according to the neutron spectrum and the neutron angular distribution of D-D reaction. A standard calibration well model was built. The transports of the D-D neutrons and γ-rays in the well were simulated using MCNP code. The mixed γ-spectra and inelastic γ-spectra in the NaI detector were obtained for both different distances from a neutron source and different densities. Mixed γ count in the energy range of 2.5 to 5.0 MeV as a function of distance shows that the NaI detector should be located at a distance of 3080 cm from the neutron source. The nonlinear relationships between the density and the mixed γ count were presented in this paper.It was demonstrated that the energy spectrum of mixed γ rays can realize the n-γ density logging.     

(n,γ)反应实验研究中的中子屏蔽设计

用射线全吸收型装置(Gamma-ray Total Absorption Facility,GTAF),可以对中子俘获反应截面进行高精度测量。为了降低实验本底,实验中需要对源中子进行准直和屏蔽,还要对被样品散射的中子进行吸收以减少它们进入探测器后所形成的干扰。采用MCNP对中子的准直器、屏蔽体和中子吸收体进行了模拟设计,中子准直屏蔽体材料选用含硼聚乙烯(BC4 的质量分数为3%) 和铅。准直孔直径为13 mm,长度为500mm,经准直后样品处中子束斑坪顶直径为21 mm。中子吸收体材料选用聚乙烯和碳化硼,吸收体球壳内腔半径30 mm,聚乙烯壳层厚度60 mm,碳化硼壳层厚度10 mm,被样品散射的中子经吸收体后衰减93.7%。Neutron capture cross section can be measured by Gamma-ray Total Absorption Facility (GTAF) with high precision. To reduce the background of experiments, the neutron source must be collimated and shielded, and the neutrons scattered from the sample must be absorbed to minimise interference after they go into the detector. The shield, collimator and absorber were simulated and designed with MCNP code. Boron-ontainingpolyethylene with 3% BC4 and lead are used as the materials for the neutron collimator and shield. The diameter of the collimating aperture is 13 mm, and the length of the collimator is 500 mm. After being collimated, the diameter of neutron beam plateau at the sample position is 21 mm. The neutron absorber is made of polyethylene and BC4, and the thickness of polyethylene shell and BC4 shell are 60 and 10 mm, respectively. The simulated result shows that neutrons scattered from the sample can decay 93.7% through the neutron absorber.     

强中子本底辐射屏蔽体优化设计技术研究

在国内首次采用高强度窄脉冲DPF中子源,采用直照法测量零功率堆瞬发中子时间常数α。由于外中子源本底太强,导致直照中子和散射中子产生的干扰信号比测量信号高三个量级。为有效地抑制外本底,针对不同能量的干扰中子,采用不同材料进行屏蔽。通过数值模拟的方法优化辐射屏蔽体设计,在屏蔽中子的同时也对散射γ 进行了有效屏蔽,使测量信噪比达到了7.5:1,并与实验结果相符合,实验中所采用的新型无机晶体也有效抑制了中子本底。The value of prompt neutron multiplication, α, is measured under the condition of using a denser plasma focus(DPF) neutron-source irradiating zero power assembly for the first time in China. The acquired signal is lower three orders of magnitudes than that of the noise caused by direct and scattered neutrons from the extra-high-intensity neutron-source. Using different kinds of material to decrease the noise caused by neutron with different kinds of energies, an optimized design for radiation shielding is developed by the method of numerical simulation to suppress noise signal. Both neutron and γ-ray are shielded simultaneously. The Signal/Noise Ratio (SNR) with the optimal design was up to 7.5:1 and was consistent with the experimental results. The noise of neutron is decreased effectively by the new kind of unorganic crystals used.     

冷中子三轴谱仪屏蔽体的蒙特卡罗模拟

冷中子三轴谱仪( CTAS ) 的屏蔽体对于保障工作人员安全、降低散射大厅本底及提高信噪比具有重要的意义。采用蒙特卡罗程序MCNP5 对谱仪各部分屏蔽体进行了计算,并结合Mcstas 程序确定了CTAS 入口处的中子源,大大提高了计算效率。经过模拟计算和优化表明:单色器后端使用厚350mm、密度4.6 g/cm3 的重混凝土,衔接屏蔽体使用厚300 mm、密度3.6 g/cm3的重混凝土,生物屏蔽采用厚150 mm、密度3.6 g/cm3 的重混凝土可保证屏蔽体外表面的剂量率满足散射大厅的剂量要求。The shielding of Cold neutron Triple-Axis Spectrometer( CTAS ) is important for radiation safety of workers, and reduce the background of scattering hall as well as enhancing the ratio of signal-to-noise. In this study,Monte-Carlo simulation was performed to conduct the calculation on the shielding of CTAS. To increase the calculation efficiency, neutron source was obtained by using Mcstas code. The results indicate that, in the case of heavy concrete ( density 4.6 g/cm3 ) with thickness of 350 mm for the shielding behind the monochromater, and heavy concrete ( density 3.6 g/cm3 ) with thickness of 300 mm for the other monochromater shielding, as well as the heavy concrete ( density 3.6 g/cm3 ) with thickness of 150 mm for biological shielding, the dose rate outside shielding may meet the requirement of national standard of China.     

Electric and Magnetic Properties of a New Ferrite—Ceramic Composite Material

We have investigated a new ferrite-ceramic composite material with inductive and capacitive properties fabricated by a solid-state reaction method.We analyse the effects of the composite mechanism and microstructure on the magnetic and electric properties.The results show that the new materials can be used not only as inductor materials,but also as capacitor materials in the wide frequency range of 1kHz-1.8GHz.The real part of permeability of the composite material is between 10 and 5.6,the imaginary part of permeability is between 1.2 and 0.5,and the dielectric constant is about ten times larger than that of ordinary ferrite materials.It is suggested that the new composite materials will be widely used in anti-electromagnetic interference fields and radio frequency communication fields.     

Chemical composition of the lunar surface from neutron leakage fluxes

The neutron leakage fluxes from the lunar surface are calculated by Monte Carlo transport code based on Geant4. The integral fluxes of fast neutrons, epi-thermal neutrons and thermal neutrons are analyzed. Numerical results for 20 kinds of lunar soils and 7 minerals show that the fast neutron fluxes are linearly related to the average atomic mass numbers of the lunar materials used in simulations. Meanwhile, the average atomic mass numbers are strongly modulated by the abundances of iron (Fe) and titanium (Ti), and a linear relationship between the average atomic mass numbers and the abundances of Fe and Ti is found. Furthermore, the results show that the ratios of epi-thermal to thermal fluxes for lunar soils are linearly related to the macroscopic absorption cross sections of lunar materials, and that the macroscopic absorption cross sections monotonically increase with the abundances of Fe and Ti by a simple function. Then we reach the conclusion that the neutron fluxes can provide the information about the Fe and Ti contents.     

A Monte Carlo study for the shielding of γ backgrounds induced by radionuclides for CDEX

The CDEX (China Dark matter EXperiment) Collaboration will carry out a direct search for WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) using an Ultra-Low Energy Threshold High Purity Germanium (ULE-HPGe) detector at the CJPL (China JinPing deep underground Laboratory). A complex shielding system was designed to reduce backgrounds and a detailed GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation was performed to study the achievable reduction of γ rays induced by radionuclides and neutron backgrounds by D(γ,n)p reaction. Furthermore, the upper level of allowed radiopurity of shielding materials was estimated under the constraint of the expected goal. Compared with the radiopurity reported by other low-background rare-event experiments, it indicates that the shielding used in the CDEX can be made out of materials with obtainable radiopurity.     

基于D-T紧凑型中子源的快中子照相准直屏蔽体设计及中子束特性模拟研究

中子照相是一种重要的无损检测技术,它能用于火工产品、毒品和核燃料元件等的检测。基于紧凑型D-T中子发生器,完成了一个用于快中子照相的准直屏蔽体系统（BSA）的物理设计。根据D-T中子源的能谱和角分布建立了中子源模型,采用MCNP4C蒙特卡罗程序,模拟了准直屏蔽体系统中中子和γ射线的输运,准直中子束相对于单位源中子的中子注量可以达到9.30×10-6 cm-2,准直中子束中主要是能量大于10 MeV的快中子;在设置的样品平面直径14 cm的照射视野范围,准直束中子注量的不均匀度为4.30%,准直束中中子注量与γ注量的比值为17.20,中子通量和中子注量比值J/Φ为0.992,说明准直中子束有好的平行性;准直屏蔽体外的泄露中子注量率与准直束中子注量率相比降低了2个量级。所设计的准直屏蔽体能满足快中子照相的要求。Neutron radiography is an important nondestructive testing technique. It can be used to detect the explosive devices, drug and the nuclear fuel element, etc. A beam-shaping-assembly (BSA) based on a compact D-T neutron generator is designed for fast neutron radiography in this paper. D-T neutron source model is constructed based on the neutron energy spectrum and angular distribution data. The transportation of neutron and γ-ray in the BSA is simulated using MCNP4C code. The neutron fluence of the collimated neutron beam with respect to the neutron source of the unit source is 9.30×10-6 cm-2. The collimated neutron beams is mainly fast neutrons with energies greater than 10 MeV. In the irradiation field range with a diameter of 14 cm, the neutron fluence uniformity of the collimated beam is 4.3%, the ratio of the neutron fluence to the gamma fluence in the collimated beam is 17.20, and the neutron flux and the neutron fluence ratio (J/Φ) is 0.992 which indicates that the collimated neutron beam has good parallelism. The leakage neutron fluence in outside of BSA is two orders of magnitude lower than that of the collimated neutron beam. The designed BSA can meet the need of fast neutron radiography.     

Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Polymer Systems Doped with Rare-Earth Metal Ions and Their Complexes

Abstract

There has been an increased attention to explore the possibility of using polymer materials with rare-earth (RE) metal ions and their complexes as potential optical materials due to their capability of exhibiting novel and unusual properties. The fluorescence characteristics of polymer systems doped with RE metal ions and/or their complexes were analyzed and the effects of the doping metal ion/metal complexes as well as nature of the material were discussed. Electron transitions of REs can be manipulated by efficient ligand designs and proper doping into the polymer matrix. Emphasis was especially focused on the accommodation of the metal ion/metal complex in polymer matrix as well as its role in fluorescence. The photochemistry of the fluorescent polymer matrices with RE complexes is expected to open up frontier fields that lie between photophysics and materials science. Recent developments on a new aspect of these technologies related to the fluorescence dynamics in polymer analysis will also be discussed in this present review.     

基于蒙特卡罗方法的中子屏蔽材料设计

基于蒙特卡罗粒子输运程序MCNP,设计了一种强度高、密度低、具有优异中子屏蔽性能的新型玻璃纤维/B4C/环氧树脂复合材料,模拟计算了镅-铍（Am-Be）中子源产生中子对该材料的透射率;研究了该材料的中子屏蔽性能与传统屏蔽材料的差异以及不同B4C质量分数对该材料的屏蔽性能影响;根据模拟结果分析了该材料对不同能区中子（慢中子、中能中子、快中子）具有的不同屏蔽性能。研究发现:B4C质量分数为10%的该种新型玻璃纤维/B4C/环氧树脂复合材料的中子屏蔽性能,尤其是慢中子屏蔽性能较传统的含硼聚乙烯和Al-B4C合金材料更为优异;但随着B4C质量分数的增大,屏蔽性能提升不明显。结果验证了蒙特卡罗方法用于中子屏蔽材料优化设计的可行性。     

SSRF前端区锯齿墙束流孔洞中子屏蔽的蒙特卡罗估算

主要关于上海同步辐射装置(SSRF)储存环电子引发产生的韧致辐射和中子辐射的研究. 中子和光子经多种组合材 料(厚度在5cm～115cm之间)屏蔽后的剂量特征由蒙特卡罗代码MCNP和EGSnrc估算得到; 蒙特卡罗计算表明, 单一的材料如铅, 铁和聚乙烯对高能中子是无效的生物屏蔽材料, 而组合材料如铅或者铁加聚乙烯和铅或者铁加混凝土被认为是屏蔽高能中子很好的组合材料. 铅铁等高Z材料加点包含有氢的低Z材料如聚乙烯是同时屏蔽高能中子和韧致辐射的一种比较好的组合材料选择.     

Spectroscopy of composite scintillators

The spectral and temporal characteristics of X-ray luminescence of composites consisting of microparticles of “heavy” components (oxides, fluorides, sulfates) and an organic polymer binder containing optically active impurities have been investigated. It has been found that, in the case of pulsed X-ray excitation of the composites with a photon energy of 130–150 keV, the fast component (τ < 10 ns) of the luminescence arises whether or not the “heavy” component of the composite is doped with an optically active impurity. A mechanism has been proposed for the formation of the fast component of the luminescence: electrons and low-energy X-ray photons generated during the interaction of high-energy X-ray photons with the “heavy” component of the composite are effectively absorbed by the polymer binder and, thus, induce its luminescence. It has been shown that, in order to produce a composite-based fast scintillator with a high light yield, it is necessary to use a binder prepared from an organic material with a short scintillation decay time and another component prepared from a compound whose composition includes an element of a large atomic number Z.     

Nuclear radiation shielding and mechanical properties of colemanite mineral doped concretes

ABSTRACT

The present research focused on the investigation of photon and fast neutron shielding parameters of colemanite mineral doped and undoped concretes. The fabricated concretes have been exposed to gamma rays at 59.5 and 81?keV energies and the measurements have been carried out with NaI(Tl) detector. The parameters of effective atomic number (Z_eff) and electron density (N_el) have been determined experimentally and theoretically. The exposure buildup factor (EBF) and energy absorption buildup factor (EBF) have been computed utilizing the Geometric progression (G–P) fitting method. In addition to the photon shielding parameters, the macroscopic effective removal cross-section calculations for fast neutron (Σ_R) were performed. As a result, it was observed that the concretes doped with colemanite mineral are not very effective in gamma radiation shielding. On the contrary, it was observed that concretes with colemanite were more effective in shielding fast neutrons and the fast neutron removal cross-section values increased with increasing colemanite concentration in the concrete. Additionally, compressive strength values (MPa) of concretes were tested using ALFA TESTING (B001-PC) 200 tons capacity device.     

反应堆235U裂变源辐射防护材料的优化设计

以热中子反应堆²³⁵U裂变源为辐射源,利用MCNP程序对其能谱进行模拟并研究其辐射防护,结果表明对²³⁵U裂变源所发射的能量高于3MeV的瞬发中子,重金属具有良好的屏蔽效果,而对于能量低于1MeV的中子,轻氢材料的防护效果更好;W/LiH,W/B₄C,TiH₂/W三种复合材料当质量比满足：W：LiH=19：1,W：B₄C=9：1,W：TiH₂=3：1时材料的屏蔽效果最佳;通过遗传算法结合MCNP模拟,得到W/TiH₂/B₄C,TiH₂/Cu/Gd,TiH₂/B₄C/Gd三种复合材料的最优组分配比,源每次裂变产生的粒子穿过这三种材料后在等效组织中造成的剂量当量率（10^-11Sv·h^-1）与材料厚度呈指数下降关系,三种材料分别可近似为1.071exp（-0.187 8x）,1.077exp（-0.166 2x）和1.608exp（-0.171 9x）,x为材料厚度（cm）.     

基于VENUS-III国际基准模型的JMCT程序验证

基于自主研制的三维中子-光子耦合输运蒙特卡罗通用程序JMCT（J Monte Carlo Transport Code）,采用连续点截面,对国际基准屏蔽VENUS-III模型开展精细建模和中子输运临界及屏蔽计算.临界计算得到系统k_eff、重要区域的通量及能谱.结果表明,JMCT和MCNP程序的重要区域体通量计数吻合较好,偏差均在1%以内.深穿透屏蔽计算采用外源模式,点探测器计数,JMCT计算值与实验测量值偏差在15%以内,满足屏蔽设计对误差的要求.初步验证了JMCT程序临界及屏蔽计算的可用性.     

铝基碳化硼材料中子屏蔽性能的蒙特卡罗模拟

采用蒙特卡罗方法, 运用MCNP4C程序研究了碳化硼含量20%–40%、中子能量200 eV–15 keV、材料厚度0.3–2 cm对B₄C/Al复合材料中子屏蔽性能的影响. 结果表明: 碳化硼含量与中子透射系数呈一次线性下降关系; 同含量的碳化硼, B₄C/Al材料的中子屏蔽效果要大大优于聚乙烯碳化硼材料; 在等厚度条件下, 模拟试样B20等的中子屏蔽效果要优于水、铜、混凝土等常规屏蔽材料; 材料厚度与中子透射系数呈指数下降关系, 且单位厚度的增加对中子透射系数改变很大; 含硼量对热中子透射系数影响很大; 在热中子能区, 中子每单位能量的变化对中子透射系数改变较大; 在慢中子能区, 中子每单位能量的变化对中子透射系数改变很小. 关键词： 中子透射系数 蒙特卡罗 铝基复合材料 碳化硼     

乏燃料贮运用铝基碳化硼复合材料的屏蔽性能计算

采用蒙特卡罗方法, 利用MCNP程序计算了在中子能量为0.5–20 MeV, ²³⁵U核热中子裂变源条件下, 厚度为3–9 cm、碳化硼含量5%–15%的铝基碳化硼复合材料在空气、水、200–1400 ppm (1 ppm=10^-6) 硼酸溶液介质中的中子透射系数. 结果表明: B₄C/Al复合材料的透射系数随碳化硼含量和材料厚度的增加而减少, 随中子能量的升高而增大, 而硼酸浓度的改变对中子透射系数影响不大. B₄C/Al复合材料在水中比硼酸中更能发挥其屏蔽效果, 在空气中屏蔽特性显现出“反转”现象, 中子能量高于5 MeV时透射系数几乎没有变化. 在裂变源条件下的B₄C/Al复合材料中子透射系数均比稳定源20 MeV 低. 介质的中子屏蔽效果是硼酸溶液>水> 空气, 水介质的中子透射系数与介质厚度呈指数下降关系, 裂变源和稳定源条件下分别近似为e^-0.71x和e^-0.669x, x为厚度(cm). 关键词： 蒙特卡罗 乏燃料设备 中子吸收材料 4C/Al')" href="#">B₄C/Al     

Comparison of graphite,aluminum, and TransHab shielding material characteristics in a high-energy neutron field

Space radiation transport models clearly show that low atomic weight materials provide a better shielding protection for interplanetary human missions than high atomic weight materials. These model studies have concentrated on shielding properties against charged particles. A light-weight, inflatable habitat module called TransHab was built and shown to provide adequate protection against micrometeoroid impacts and good shielding properties against charged particle radiation in the International Space Station orbits. An experiment using a tissue equivalent proportional counter, to study the changes in dose and lineal energy spectra with graphite, aluminum, and a TransHab build-up as shielding, was carried out at the Los Alamos Nuclear Science Center neutron facility. It is a continuation of a previous study using regolith and doped polyethylene materials. This paper describes the results and their comparison with the previous study.