Evaluation of the secondary radiation impact on personnel during the dismantling of contaminated nuclear equipment

Abstract

The article contains a numerical analysis of the secondary radiation contribution to the total radiation affecting the operational personnel during the dismantling activities of the contaminated equipment at a nuclear power plant. This study considers a widely applicable Monte Carlo particle transport code MCNPX and real Ignalina nuclear power plant records. A simplified albedo method is investigated in order to analyze the selected geometrical design cases. Additionally, the impact of the secondary radiation on the personnel dose was analyzed. The numerical MCNPX simulation allowed ascertaining the optimal distance between the source and the wall for the working personnel in closed rooms with contaminated equipment. The developed dose rate maps of the secondary radiation showed cross-sectional distribution of the dose rate inside the enclosed area.

Keywords

• radiation
• albedo
• dose
• dismantling
• Monte Carlo method