Design calculation of a horizontal thermal neutronic beam for neutron radiography at the Syrian MNSR

The computer code MCNP4C and the ENDF/B-V cross-section library were used to design calculation of a horizontal thermal beam for neutron radiography (NR) at Syrian MNSR and to evaluate the safety of the reactor after installation of the NR facility (NRF). Thermal, epithermal and fast neutron energy ranges were selected as <0.30 eV, 0.30 eV–10.0 keV and >10.0 keV, respectively. To produce a good neutron beam in terms of intensity and quality, bismuth (Bi) and silicon (Si) were used as photon and neutron filters, respectively. The ratio of L/D of the NRF ranges between 90 and 125. The thermal neutron flux at the beam exit plane can be varied from 1.836 × 10⁵ to 3.057 × 10⁵ n/cm² s. If such thermal neutron beam would be built into the Syrian MNSR, many scientific applications of the NR would be available.