Use of polyethylene pellets in the design and construction of a storage safe, a transport vessel and a portable shield for californium-252

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6806527

Sharma, S

A storage and shielding facility for 300 ..mu..g of Californium-252 sources was designed and constructed. Though the safe was in a permanent location, the fact that it consisted of a lead bucket surrounded by polyethylene pellets made it simple, movable and inexpensive. If need be, more quantities of Cf-252 could be added without altering the basic design and sacrificing the radiation protection guidelines. The measured radiation levels from 300 ..mu..g of stored Cf-252 in and around the storage vault were lower than the expected dose rates by a factor of 5. The measured radiation levels around the occupied environs of the facility were below the maximum permissible yearly dose of 500mrem for non-occupational workers. A transport vessel was designed and constructed to carry up to 50 ..mu..g of Californium-252 sources. It consisted of a standard 55 gallon steel drum on casters containing cylindrical lead shield surrounded by polyethylene pellets. The measured maximum surface dose rates on the drum and at one meter away were within the radiation protection guidelines and were less than the expected dose rates. A portable shield was designed and constructed to protect the body in afterloading operations and handling of the sources. It consisted of polyethylene pellets in an aluminum box and an attached 10 cm thick plexiglass eye shield. The simple design, with the ease of using polyethylene pellets can be extended to construct bedside shields.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Louisville, Dept. of Therapeutic Radiology, School of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, 529, South Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202
• OSTI ID: 6806527
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Appl.; (United States) Vol. 2:3; ISSN NSAPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CONSTRUCTION
CONTAINERS
COST
DESIGN
DOSES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LEAD
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE DOSE
METALS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PELLETS
POLYETHYLENES
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
PORTABLE EQUIPMENT
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RECOMMENDATIONS
SAFETY STANDARDS
SHIELDING
SHIELDS
STANDARDS
STORAGE
STORAGE FACILITIES
TRANSPORT
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES