Shielding and Activation Analyses in Support of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) ES and H Requirements

Shielding and activation analyses play an important part in determining how to meet the Environmental, Safety and Health (ES and H) requirements of an intense high-energy accelerator facility like the proposed Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). The shielding and activation analyses described in this paper were performed primarily using the CALOR code system coupled with MCNP for radiation transport, the ORIHET95 isotope generation and depletion code for activation analysis, and the DOORS multi-dimensional discrete ordinates transport code system for shielding analyses. Additionally, a portion of the shielding calculations were performed with the semi-empirical code - CASL. This paper gives an overview of relevant ES and H policies and requirements, and provides detailed discussions of the shielding and activation analyses completed in support of those policies and requirements

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) conceptual design shielding analysis

The shielding design is important for the construction of an intense high-energy accelerator facility like the proposed Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) due to its impact on conventional facility design, maintenance operations, and since the cost for the radiation shielding shares a considerable part of the total facility costs. A calculational strategy utilizing coupled high energy Monte Carlo calculations and multi-dimensional discrete ordinates calculations, along with semi-empirical calculations, was implemented to perform the conceptual design shielding assessment of the proposed SNS. Biological shields have been designed and assessed for the proton beam transport system and associated beam dumps, the target station, and the target service cell and general remote maintenance cell. Shielding requirements have been assessed with respect to weight, space, and dose-rate constraints for operating, shutdown, and accident conditions. A discussion of the proposed facility design, conceptual design shielding requirements calculational strategy, source terms, preliminary results and conclusions, and recommendations for additional analyses are presented

Development of the activation analysis calculational methodology for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)

For the design of the proposed Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), activation analyses are required to determine the radioactive waste streams, on-line material processing requirements remote handling/maintenance requirements, potential site contamination and background radiation levels. For the conceptual design of the SNS, the activation analyses were carried out using the high-energy transport code HETC96 coupled with MCNP to generate the required nuclide production rates for the ORIHET95 isotope generation code. ORIHET95 utilizes a matrix-exponential method to study the buildup and decay of activities for any system for which the nuclide production rates are known. In this paper, details of the developed methodology adopted for the activation analyses in the conceptual design of the SNS are presented along with some typical results of the analyses

Distribution of local 137Cs anomalies on the seafloor near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant

An estimated 3.5 ± 0.7 × 1015 Bq of 137Cs is thought to have been discharged into the ocean following the melt down at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1NPP). While efforts have been made to monitor seafloor radiation levels, the sampling techniques used cannot capture the continuous distribution of radionuclides. In this work, we apply in situ measurement techniques using a towed gamma ray spectrometer to map the continuous distribution of 137Cs on the seafloor within 20 km of the F1NPP. The results reveal the existence of local 137Cs anomalies, with levels of 137Cs an order of magnitude higher than the surrounding seafloors. The sizes of the anomalies mapped in this work range from a few meters to a few hundreds of meters in length, and it is demonstrated that the distribution of these anomalies is strongly influenced by meter scale features of the terrain