No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

There is an intense interest in the availability of radioactive isotopes that could be developed into nuclear batteries. Promethium-147 is one of the isotopes of interest for use in nuclear batteries as well as in other compact low power applications. Pm-147 is a pure beta (β-) emitter with a half-life of 2.62 years. For this research, Pm-147 was produced from enriched Nd-146 via the neutron capture method in the Hydraulic Tube facility of HFIR at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Radioisotopic impurities produced via the neutron capture method have significant effects on its potential final use for nuclear battery applications. This research provides information on the co-production levels of the radioisotopic impurities in the samples containing Pm-147 and their effects on the required shielding. Gamma spectroscopy analysis served as the primary method in the evaluation of the impurities. Previous research had identified the presence of these impurities but it had not studied them in detail.

There is an intense interest in the availability of radioactive isotopes that could be developed into nuclear batteries. Promethium-147 is one of the isotopes of interest for use in nuclear batteries as well as in other compact low power applications. Pm-147 is a pure beta (β-) emitter with a half-life of 2.62 years. For this research, Pm-147 was produced from enriched Nd-146 via the neutron capture method in the Hydraulic Tube facility of HFIR at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Radioisotopic impurities produced via the neutron capture method have significant effects on its potential final use for nuclear battery applications. This research provides information on the co-production levels of the radioisotopic impurities in the samples containing Pm-147 and their effects on the required shielding. Gamma spectroscopy analysis served as the primary method in the evaluation of the impurities. Previous research had identified the presence of these impurities but it had not studied them in detail.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / This research investigates the effects of sub-10 MeV protons on coatings obtained from the pulsed laser ablation of W2B5/B4C. This is in an attempt to extend the bullet proof applications of W2B5/B4C to space radiation shielding applications, offering low cost and low mass protection against radiation including X-rays, neutrons, gamma rays and protons in low Earth orbit. The focus in this research, however, is on low energy protons. The associated problems addressed in this work are solar cell degradation and Single Event Upsets in high density semiconductor devices caused by low energy protons. The relevant constraints considered are the necessity for low cost, low mass and high efficiency solutions. The work starts with a literature review of the space environment, the interaction of radiation with matter, and on pulsed laser deposition as a technique of choice for the coating synthesis. This paves the way for the pulsed laser ablation of W2B5/B4C. The resulting coating is a solid solution of the form WC1-xBx which contains crystalline and amorphous forms. Two proton irradiation experiments are carried out on this coating, and the resulting effects are analysed. The effects of 900 keV proton irradiation were the melting and subsequent growing of nanorods on the surface of the coating, the lateral transfer of the proton energy across the coating surface, and the lateral displacement of matter along the coating surface. These effects show that the coating is a promising cost effective and low mass radiation shield against low energy protons. The effects of 1 MeV protons on this coating are the three-stage melting of rods formed on the coating surface, and further evidence of lateral transfer of energy across the coating surface. Optical measurements of this coating show that it is about 73% transparent in the Ultraviolet, Visible and near Infrared range. This allows it to be used as radiation shielding for solar cells, in addition to high density semiconductor devices, against low energy protons in low Earth orbit. Simulations show that based on coulombic interactions alone, the same level of protection coverglass offers to solar cells can be achieved with about half the thickness of WC1-xBx or less.

Proton therapy uses proton beams with energies of 70 – 230 MeV to treat cancerous tumours very effectively, while preserving surrounding healthy tissues as much as possible. During nuclear interactions of these protons with matter, secondary neutrons can be produced. These neutrons can have energies ranging up to the maximum energy of the protons and can thus be particularly difficult to attenuate. In fact, the rooms of a proton therapy facility are generally surrounded by concrete walls of at least ~2 m in thickness, in order to protect the members of the staff and the public from the stray radiation. Today, the design of the shielding walls is generally based on Monte Carlo simulations. Amongst the numerous parameters on which these simulations depend, some are difficult to control and are therefore selected in a conservative manner. Despite these conservative choices, it remains important to carry out accurate neutron dose measurements inside proton therapy facilities, in order to assess the effectiveness of the shielding and the conservativeness of the simulations. There are, however, very few studies in literature which focus on the comparison of such simulations with neutron measurements performed outside the shielding in proton therapy facilities. Moreover, the published measurements were not necessarily acquired with detectors that possess a good sensitivity to neutrons with energies above 20 MeV, while these neutrons actually give an important contribution to the total dose outside the shielding. A first part of this work was dedicated to the study of the energy response function of the WENDI-2, a rem meter that possesses a good sensitivity to neutrons of more than 20 MeV. The WENDI-2 response function was simulated using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX and validation measurements were carried out with 252Cf and AmBe sources as well as high-energy quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams. Then, WENDI-2 measurements were acquired inside and outside four rooms of the proton therapy facility of Essen (Germany). MCNPX simulations, based on the same conservative choices as the original shielding design simulations, were carried out to calculate the neutron spectra and WENDI-2 responses in the measurement positions. A relatively good agreement between the simulations and the measurements was obtained in front of the shielding, whereas overestimates by at least a factor of 2 were obtained for the simulated responses outside the shielding. This confirmed the conservativeness of the simulations with respect to the neutron fluxes transmitted through the walls. Two studies were then carried out to assess the sensitivity of the MCNPX simulations to the defined concrete composition and the selected physics models for proton and neutron interactions above 150 MeV. Both aspects were found to have a significant impact on the simulated neutron doses outside the shielding. Finally, the WENDI-2 responses measured outside the fixed-beam treatment room were also compared to measurements acquired with an extended-range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer and a tissue-equivalent proportional counter. A satisfactory agreement was obtained between the results of the three measurement techniques. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Radiation is defined as ionizing if it has enough energy to remove electrons from atoms or molecules when it passes through or collides with matter. This ability implies potentially detrimental effects on living tissue. Ionizing radiation shielding is therefore a discipline of great practical importance. The thesis builds upon the author's previous work on the topic and widens the scope of discussion with theoretical and practical issues of advanced shielding calculations. The theoretical part of the thesis describes several approaches to calculating fluence or absorbed dose at an arbitrary point in space. Point-kernel methods provide sufficiently accurate results for simpler shielding problems. In many practical cases, however, calculations based on the transport theory are necessary. There are two basic types of transport calculations: deterministic transport calculations in which the linear Boltzmann equation is solved numerically, and Monte Carlo calculations in which a simulation is made of how particles migrate stochastically through the problem geometry. Advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed. In the practical part are the results of radiation shielding calculations performed with a major Monte Carlo code - MCNP6, compared with those obtained in the experiments, which were carried out at the Ionizing Radiation Laboratory at Department of Electrical Power Engeneering, FEEC BUT. The experiments consisted of placing a cobalt-60 radioisotope source at three different positions inside a lead collimator, and counting pulses with two different scintillation detectors positioned in front of the opening of the collimator, alternately with or without lead shield located between the source and the used detector. Agreement of the calculations and the data from the measurements is reasonable, given the inherent uncertainties of the experimental set-up. Performed sensitivity analysis shows relative importances of different parameters used as inputs in simulations, such as densities of materials, or dimensions of the scintillation crystals. Annotated MCNP input files used for simulation are also part of the thesis.

As space technologies continue to develop rapidly, there is a common desire to launch astronauts beyond the ISS to return to the Moon and put human footsteps on Mars. One of the largest hurdles that still needs to be addressed is the protection of astronauts from the radiation environment seen in deep space. The most effective way to defend against radiation is increasing the thickness of the shield, however this is limited by strict mass requirements. In order to increase the thickness of the shield, it is beneficial to make mission critical items double as shielding material. The human rated Orion spacecraft has procedures in place for astronauts to create an emergency bunker using food and water in the event of a forewarned radiation storm. This can provide substantial support to defend against radiation storms when there is an adequate amount of warning time, however, fails to protect against Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCR) or Solar Particle Events (SPE) without sufficient warning. Utilizing these materials as a permanent shielding method throughout the mission could be a beneficial alternative to the Orion programs current protection plan to provide constant safety to the crew. This thesis analyzes the effect in the radiation dosage seen by astronauts in the Orion Crew Module through use of on-board water as a permanent shielding fixture. The primary method used to analyze radiation is NASA’s OLTARIS (On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation In Space) program, which enables users to input thickness distributions to determine a mission dosage profile. In addition this thesis further develops a ray tracing code which enables users to import male and female models into the vehicle model to produce gender specific radiation dosage results. The data suggests the permanent inclusion of water as a shielding material provides added support for GCR as well as SPE radiation that can extend the mission lifetime of humans in space.