Estimation of scattering contribution in the calibration of neutron devices with radionuclide sources in rooms of different sizes

Abstract

Calibrations of neutron devices used in area monitoring are often performed by radionuclide neutron sources. Device readings increase due to neutrons scattered by the surroundings and the air. The influence of said scattering effects have been investigated in this paper by performing Monte Carlo simulations for ten different radionuclide neutron sources inside several sizes of concrete wall spherical rooms (Rsp = 200 to 1500 cm). In order to obtain the parameters that relate the additional contribution from scattered neutrons, calculations using a polynomial fit model were evaluated. Obtained results show that the contribution of scattering is roughly independent of the geometric shape of the calibration room. The parameter that relates the room-return scattering has been fitted in terms of the spherical room radius, so as to reasonably accurately estimate the scattering value for each radionuclide neutron source in any geometry of the calibration room.