A COMPARISON OF THE NEUTRON DOSE RATES OBTAINED WITH THE SINGLE-SPHERE INSTRUMENT, MULTISPHERE METHOD, AND HURST PROPORTIONAL COUNTER

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963

OSTI ID:4066694

Hankins, D E; Pederson, R A

S>A comparison is made of the neutron dose rates obtained with the single-sphere neutron instrument, multisphere method, and Hurst proportional neutron counter, using PuBe and reactor-leaknge neutrons. The PuBe source was placed inside metal shells of various materials and thicknesses, in paraffin, and at different depths in a tank of water about 2 ft square. Reactor-leakage neutrons from a shielded reactor and air-scattered neutrons from two unshielded assemblies were also used. The results were in good agreement for fast-neutron spectra; but for spectra consisting of low- and intermediateenergy neutrons, the Hurst proportional counter reported dose rates lower than the multisphere method by approximates 35 per cent, and the single-sphere instrument reported dose rates higher than the multisphere method by approximates 60 per cent. The results indicate that about 30 per cent of the total dose rate would be missed by using a Hurst proportional counter for reactor survey work, and that the singlesphere instrument can be used for all types of survey work by applying a correction factor to the indicated dose rate. (auth)

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N. Mex.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• NSA Number: NSA-18-016299
• OSTI ID: 4066694
• Report Number(s): LAMS-2977
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AIR
BERYLLIUM
FAST NEUTRONS
INSTRUMENTATION
LEAKS
METALS
NEUTRON DETECTION
PARAFFIN
PLUTONIUM
PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS
RADIATION DOSES
REACTORS
SCATTERING
SHELLS
SHIELDING
SPECTRA
SPHERES
THICKNESS
VESSELS
WATER