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Title: 238PuO2 Fuel and Dosimetry

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1257078· OSTI ID:1257078

238Pu is an ideal material for use as a heat source with its half-life of 87.7 years and copious particle emissions. 238Pu radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) have found use for pacemakers, Apollo Space missions, Mars rovers, and Voyager spacecraft. In evaluating the dose to personnel and components near a 238Pu-based RTG, a number of additional nuclides and their daughter products must be considered to get an accurate estimate for γ-dose, and the amount of 17O and 18O for the neutron-dose must be considered. This paper looks at the contributing nuclides and their daughter products that add the most to the dose rates.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Programs (DP)
DOE Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1257078
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-16-23836; TRN: US1601480
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English