Development of a hand-held fast neutron survey meter

Area of Science:

• Nuclear instrumentation
• Radiation detection and measurement

Background:

• Traditional neutron survey meters often lack portability and can be inconvenient for certain monitoring tasks.
• Accurate neutron dosimetry is crucial in environments with potential radiation exposure, such as nuclear fuel facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a portable neutron survey meter for enhanced neutron dosimetry.
• To assess the performance of the new survey meter in various neutron fields and work environments.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a neutron survey meter utilizing a ZnS(Ag) scintillator to detect recoil protons.
• Performance testing of the ~2 kg detection probe in unmoderated/lightly moderated fission neutron fields.
• Evaluation in specific work environments at a mixed oxide fuel facility.

Main Results:

• The developed neutron survey meter demonstrated true portability due to its lightweight design (~2 kg).
• Satisfactory neutron dosimetry characteristics were observed in tested fission neutron fields.
• The meter proved effective in the mixed oxide fuel facility environment.

Conclusions:

• The new portable neutron survey meter provides a viable alternative to cumbersome moderator-based instruments.
• It enhances routine neutron monitoring, particularly in specialized work environments.
• The device offers satisfactory performance for neutron dosimetry applications.