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Title: Dosimetry of Criticality Accidents Using Activations of the Blood and Hair

Conference ·
 [1]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

The evaluation of the dose that a person received in a criticality accident can be difficult. Most accidents have occurred when the person was not wearing nuclear accident dosimetry and since the NRC no longer requires these dosimeters, future dose evaluations may have to be based on body activations and gamma-to-neutron dose ratios. To aid in a dose evaluation we have compiled in a table the results from numerous criticality accident studies using 10 different critical assemblies, each with different neutron leakage spectra. There are several problems involved in applying these results accurately, the most significant problem being the determination of the configuration of the fissile material at the time of the accident. Other problems include a lack of information concerning the location, orientation, and possible shielding between the person and the accident assembly.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
5638822
Report Number(s):
UCRL-82679; CONF-800304-5; TRN: 80-003546
Resource Relation:
Conference: 5. International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA), Jerusalem (Israel), 9-14 Mar 1980
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English