IRRADIATOR SYSTEM FOR MANGANESE SULFATE BATH EFFICIENCY MEASUREMENTS USING A PLUTONIUM-BERYLLIUM NEUTRON SOURCE

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Metrology
• Radiation Detection and Measurement
• Neutron Activation Analysis

Background:

• Metrology laboratories require efficient methods for calibrating systems like the manganese sulfate bath (MSB).
• Traditional methods using nuclear reactors or particle accelerators can be costly and complex.
• Neutron activation offers a potential alternative for solution irradiation in metrology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a cost-efficient neutron irradiator system for MnSO4 solution activation.
• To determine the efficiency of the manganese sulfate bath (MSB) system using the developed irradiator.
• To compare the performance of the new method with existing techniques.

Main Methods:

• Design and simulation of a neutron irradiator system utilizing a plutonium-beryllium neutron source.
• Optimization of MnSO4 solution geometry (84.5 cm3, semi-cylindrical) using Monte Carlo simulations.
• Activity measurements using a high-purity germanium detector for system validation.

Main Results:

• The optimized MnSO4 solution geometry yielded an average MSB system efficiency of 5.742 × 10-4 ± 0.036 × 10-4 (k=1).
• The obtained efficiency shows excellent agreement with published data, with a relative difference of 0.07%.
• The developed neutron irradiator system proved effective for solution irradiation in metrology.

Conclusions:

• A plutonium-beryllium neutron source-based irradiator is a viable and cost-efficient tool for MnSO4 solution activation.
• This method provides a reliable alternative for determining MSB system efficiency in metrology laboratories.
• The study highlights the utility of neutron sources for metrological applications, complementing existing technologies.