Bremsstrahlung doses from natural uranium ingots.
In the past, some privately owned commercial facilities in the United States were involved in producing or processing radioactive materials used in the production of atomic weapons. Seven different geometrical objects, representative of the configurations of natural uranium metal potentially encountered by workers at these facilities, are modelled to determine gamma ray and bremsstrahlung dose rates. The dose rates are calculated using the MCNP5 code and also by using the MICROSHIELD point-kernel code. Both gamma ray and bremsstrahlung dose rates are calculated and combined to obtain a total dose rate. The two methods were found to be in good agreement despite differences in modelling assumptions and method differences. Computed total dose rates on the surface of these objects ranged from approximately 51-84 microSv h(-1) and 17-95 microSv h(-1) using the MCNP5 and the MICROSHIELD modeling, respectively. The partitioning of the computed dose rates between gamma rays and bremsstrahlung were the same order of magnitude for each object.
Anderson
Jeri L
JL
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA. JLAnderson@cdc.gov
Hertel
Nolan E
NE
D003198:Computer Simulation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D017785:Photons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*
D014501:Uranium