title: Neutron measurements in the Vandellòs II nuclear power plant with a Bonner sphere system.
abstract: In some Spanish nuclear power plants of pressurised water reactor (PWR) type, albedo thermoluminescence dosemeters are used for personal dosimetry while survey meters, based on a thermal-neutron detector inside a cylindrical or spherical moderator, are used for dose rate assessment in routine monitoring. The response of both systems is highly dependent on the energy of the existing neutron fields. They are usually calibrated by means of ISO neutron sources with energy distributions quite different from those encountered at these installations. Spectrometric measurements with a Bonner sphere system (BSS) allow us to determine the reference dosimetric values. The UAB group, under request from the National Coordinated Research Action, was in charge of characterising the neutron fields and evaluating the response of personal dosemeters at several measurement points inside the containment building of the Catalan Nuclear Power Plant Vandellòs II. The neutron fields were characterised at five places using the UAB-BSS and a home made unfolding code called MITOM. The results obtained confirm the presence of low-energy components in the neutron field in most of the selected points. Moreover, we have found no influence of the nuclear fuel burning on the shape of the spectrum.
authors.affiliation: Grup de Física de les Radiacions, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Edifici Cc E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain. Francisco.Fernandez@uab.es
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakali
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomás
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pochat
mesh_terms: D001822:Body Burden; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D009502:Neutrons; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D011210:Power Plants; D011522:Protons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012015:Reference Standards; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011522:Protons