Abstract:
The Fluka Monte Carlo code was utilized in a study to estimate the total activation of air in an accelerator vault. Various targets such as tungsten, lead, copper, and iron were irradiated with a 1mA proton beam at an energy of 600MeV for a duration of up to 24 hours. The range of protons in the different targets was determined using the SRIM code, and the targets' dimensions were adjusted accordingly. Theresulting total activity in the air was measured for each target and plotted against a cooling time difference of 2 hours. It was found that the lead target had the highest activity, while iron exhibited the lowest. The neutron yield was also measured for the mentioned targets, and it was observed that as the mass number of the targets increased, so did the neutron yield. Furthermore, the study assessed the activity of different isotopes at various cooling rates within the targets. 41Ar was identified as the major isotope with the highest activity in the activated air, while isotopes such as 15O, 16N, 13N, and 11C had higher activity levels but shorter half-lives, making them less of a concern. However, isotopes like 39Ar, 14C, 10Be, 7Be, and 3H, among others, possessed long half-lives and could be hazardous for workers directly involved with accelerators.
Page(s):
288-288
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on International Conference on Food and Applied Sciences (ICFAS-23) 3-5 August 23, Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023
Keywords:
FLUKA simulations
,
neutron yield
,
air activation
,
proton accelerator
,
radioactivity