title: Selection of neutron-absorbing materials to improve the low-energy response of a Zr-based extended neutron monitor using Monte Carlo simulations.
abstract: Monte Carlo simulations have been carried out using the FLUKA code to improve the neutron ambient dose equivalent [H*(10)] response of the ZReC (zirconium-lined portable neutron counter responding satisfactorily to neutrons up to 1 GeV) by introducing various neutron absorbers in the system such as cadmium, gadolinium, natural boron, enriched (10)B and borated polythene. It was found that ZReC can be effectively used as a portable neutron monitor by introducing any one of the following perforated layers: 5 mm thick natural boron, 0.5 mm thick enriched (10)B or 1 cm high-density polythene mixed with 50 % boron by weight. The integral response of the instrument was also calculated for some typical reference neutron fields. The relative ambient dose equivalent response of the said system is also found comparable with that of the existing LINUS neutron monitor.
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India bijusivolli@gmail.com bijuk@barc.gov.in.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Biju
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sunil
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bandyopadhyay
authors.affiliation: Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka 576104, India.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sarkar
mesh_terms: D065638:Absorption, Radiation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008422:Materials Testing; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009502:Neutrons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D015040:Zirconium