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Dosimetry − Poster presentation

Becker and Harrendorf


Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a


fast neutron calibration facility

Becker, Frank1; Harrendorf, Marco A.1


1
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) – Institute for Radiation Research (ISF), Germany

Abstract
At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (formerly: Forschungszentrum
Karlsruhe (FZK)) exists a calibration laboratory for dosimetry and radiation protection
purposes. The laboratory provides different radiation fields such as photons stemming
from Cs-137 sources and X-ray devices as well as fast neutrons from a Cf-252 source.
The reference fields, which are mainly used for calibrations of active and passive
radiation protection monitoring instruments, are characterized according to ISO
calibration procedures. In order to verify that radiation field qualities are according to
international standards not only measurements but also simulations were performed. In
this way suitable conditions for research and calibration purposes are guaranteed.
Additionally the variability of the fields (including backscattering) which is difficult to
impossible to measure can be determined by simulations.
The simulations were carried out with the Monte Carlo Codes MCNP5 and
PENELOPE2008.

Introduction
In the field of radiation protection dosimeters and dose rate meters are used in many
areas such as individual monitoring or environmental monitoring. The corresponding
measuring instruments are calibrated in reference radiation fields defined by a national
or international standard. The proof that the fields comply with the regulations of ISO
standards can be provided by measurements and/or radiation transport simulations. But
measurements are often too complex and laborious so that simulations are used which
can be verified by few relevant measurements.
The calibration laboratory at KIT provides different photon and neutron radiation
fields for dosimetry and calibration purposes. Among other things the calibration
laboratory possess a Cs-137 radiation facility consisting of four Cs-137 sources with
different source strengths and an X-ray irradiation facility consisting of a low and a
high energy X-ray tube. The photon irradiation devices are installed in a concrete
bunker, while a Cf-252 neutron radiation facility is located in a wooden hall.
For research and quality management purposes simulation models of the different
calibration facilities were created and first simulations to investigate the properties of
the radiation fields of these facilities were performed.

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Examples of investigations are:


• The determination of the influence of backscattering on the dose
conversion for the Cs-137 irradiation facility
• The determination of X-ray spectra for the X-ray irradiation facility and
the comparison with reference spectra
• A dose estimation at and around the Cf-252 neutron irradiation facility

The determination of the influence of backscattering on the dose conversion for the
Cs-137 irradiation facility
Dosimeters for individual and environment monitoring indicate the dose (or dose rate)
in personal dose equivalent or ambient dose equivalent. However, air kerma is the
radiation quantity often used for calibrated ionization chambers (secondary standards)
to determine the reference photon dose at a calibration point. Therefore conversion
coefficients from e.g. air kerma to ambient dose equivalent are needed.
For a proper characterization of the Cs-137 irradiation field it is essential to know
the uncertainty of the dose conversion. The uncertainty is mainly caused by
backscattered photons who lead to a difference between the real Cs-137 energy
spectrum at the point of calibration and the theoretical ideal energy spectrum defined in
the international standard ISO 4037-1 (ISO 4037-1 1996). This difference could lead to
non-negligible uncertainties when applying a dose conversion calculation.
The ISO 4037-1 requires an uncertainty of 2 % for the dose conversion, when no
better estimation is known. An irradiation place specific estimation for the dose
conversion uncertainty was obtained from simulations with the radiation transport
program MCNP5 (X-5 Monte Carlo Team 2003).

The determination of X-ray spectra for the X-ray radiation facility and the comparison
with reference fields
The energy distribution of X-ray radiation fields is dependent on the construction of the
X-ray tube and the surrounding area. Variations of the energy distribution can lead to
fundamental dose variations and therefore wrong calibrations. For that reason one has
to prove that the energy distribution of the calibration fields conforms to the reference
energy distribution given by ISO 4037-1.
Simulations with the radiation transport program PENELOPE2008 (Salvat et al.
2008) were performed to determine the theoretical energy spectra produced by the two
X-ray tubes of the calibration facility. The simulation model is based on the technical
drawings of the X-ray tubes. The simulated energy spectra were compared to energy
spectra which were measured at the reference radiation fields of the Physikalisch-
Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). Mean energies as well as the full-width-at-half-
maxima (FWHM) of the spectra were determined.

The dose estimation for fundamental measuring points of the Cf-252 neutron radiation
facility
The calibration laboratory possesses a Cf-252 neutron irradiation facility. The neutron
source is now 7 years old and according to the half-life of 2.7 years the source activity
becomes quite low. Therefore it is aimed to buy a new Cf-252 source with a higher

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

activity. Due to the short life-time it is advantageous to order the highest possible
source activity with respect to the given dose limits at and around the facility.
Simulations with the radiation transport program MCNP5 were performed to
estimate the neutron dose at different measuring points inside and outside of the
calibration laboratory. By comparison of the calculated doses with measured ones the
used simulation model could be verified and the highest tolerable activity for a new
source could be estimated.

Material and methods


Simulation models for the radiation facilities were created and simulations were
performed either by using the radiation transport program PENELOPE2008 or MCNP5.
MCNP5 was used for the Cs-137 photon source and the Cf-252 neutron source.
PENELOPE2008 was used for the X-ray irradiation facility, because it is optimized for
simulating electrons and photons in the low energy range of X-rays. While MCNP5
uses class I algorithms, PENELOPE2008 allows to apply a class II algorithm.

Cs-137 source

Figure 1: Drawing of the photon irradiation facility inside the concrete bunker (Liedtke 2008):
Shown are the shielded storage place for the Cs-137 sources (1), the slide system to place
dosimeters/devices at different distances on the central axis of the photon beam (2), in green an
example for a collimated Cs-137 beam, and the two X-ray tubes which can be moved to the central
beam axis instead of the Cs-137 sources (3).

A simplified model of the photon irradiation facility was created. Figure 1 shows the
drawing on the facility inside the concrete bunker. Four Cs-137 sources with different
source strengths are located in a shielded storage place and can be moved out in a
system which provides a collimated beam. A slide system provides the possibility to
place dosimeters/devices at different distances on the central axis of the Cs-137 beam.
For the simulations the surrounding concrete walls and floors were also considered.

X-ray device
Models of the two different tubes were realized according to their construction
specifications (see fig. 1 for the location of the devices). The simulation of the X-Ray

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

fields originates in the process of electrons impinging on the anode of the X-ray tube.
The simulations include the influence of self-absorption and the effect of the exit
window as well as the individual absorbers required for N-Series standards after ISO-
4037-1. In figure 2 a ”model”-tube is displayed.
To determine the spectra of the fields, a „virtual“ detector was placed on the
central beam axis at one meter distance from the anode. This geometry complies with
the measured reference spectra from PTB (Böttcher Büermann 2009).

Figure 2: Simulation model of the low energy X-ray tube in top (left) and side view (right)
(Harendorf II 2009): Shown is the tilted anode (1), the vacuum (2) in the steel cylinder (3), the exit
window (4) and the surrounding air space (5).

Cf-252 source
The Cf-252 source is stored in a shielded place in the ground and can be moved out in a
flexible tube to the irradiation place. Driven out in irradiation position, the source is
placed in a thin aluminium cylinder. This cylinder together with the source inside has a
PTB-reference calibration for the neutron flux. To realize almost free-in-air conditions
the device is installed in a wooden irradiation hall and usually mounted 3-4 m above the
ground.

Figure 3: The irradiation device in the wooden irradiation hall: The red arrow indicates the position
of the moved out Cf-252 source in a thin aluminium cylinder. The source can be moved to this
place in a flexible tube from a shielded storage place (black arrow). The black frame of a
provisional hoist system and parts of the wooden hall are visible too.

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Results

Cs-137 source
Simulations were performed to investigate the uncertainties of the conversion from the
photon fluence into air kerma and into ambient dose equivalent, respectively. Scattered
photons in the irradiation facility yield the main contribution to the uncertainty of this
conversion procedure. From both conversions finally an uncertainty of the conversion
from air kerma into the ambient dose equivalent was deduced. The result for this
uncertainty amounts to 1.34 % (Harrendorf I 09).
However this value for the uncertainty is mainly limited by the statistics of the
simulations. To obtain the result 7.5 x 108 source photons were simulated with MCNP5.
With the used complex geometry of the irradiation device including walls and floors the
simulation took almost a week to finish.

X-ray source
In figure 4 a comparison of simulated and measured X-ray spectra is exemplary shown
for a tube potential of 40 kV (Harrendorf II 2009). Plotted is the “PENELOPE” named
spectrum of the simulation and the two spectra measured at PTB (PTB 150 kV, PTB
300 kV). The simulated and measured spectra agree quite well.

Figure 4: X-ray spectra for an X-ray tube potential of 40 kV (Harrendorf II 2009, Böttcher Büermann
2009). The error bars belong to the simulation.

Table 1 shows the mean energy ESIM of the simulated spectra and the mean energy EISO
for the specific tube potential according to ISO 4037-1. ∆E represents their percent
difference.
According to ISO 4037-1 a calibration laboratory has to prove that the deviation
is less than 3 % for tube potential ≥ 30 kV and 5% for tube potential < 30 kV. For all
tube potentials shown in table 1 the difference is less than 3 % and therefore the
requirements of the ISO 4037-1 are fulfilled.

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Furthermore the resolution RSIM (FWHM) of the simulated spectra is shown in


table 1. For comparison the specified resolution RISO of ISO 4037-1 is listed together
with the difference of both resolutions ∆R. The ISO 4037-1 requires that the resolution
of the spectra differs less than 15 % for a tube potential below 30 kV and 10 % for a
potential ≥ 30 kV. This is fulfilled for all tube potentials shown in table 1.

Table 1: Results for the mean energy and resolution of the X-ray spectra (Harrendorf II 2009):
Shown is the mean energy for the simulated spectra Esim, the mean energy given by ISO 4037-1
EISO as well as their percent difference ∆E. Furthermore the resolution (FWHM) of the simulated
spectra RSIM, the required resolution RISO after ISO 4037-1 and the their difference ∆R is given.

Cf-252 source
Measurements and simulations were performed in and outside the wooden calibration
hall. The position of the measurements and simulations of a dose distribution are
displayed in figure 5. The simulated dose distribution inside the hall is indicated by
different colours from red (high dose) to dark blue (low dose). The simulations and
measurements were performed for positions below the source. Therefore the
simulations show a reduced dose close to the source position due to shielding effects of
the holding structure and flexible tube.
Figure 6 shows the comparison of the dose rate for both the measurements and
simulations for the positions shown in fig. 5. There is a good agreement between the
measured and simulated results. The differences of ≤ 20% are covered by the
uncertainty of the LB 6411 neutron dose rate detector (Berthold Technologies 1995).

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Figure 5. Left: Location of the measuring points for the determination of the neutron dose rate: the
outline of the wooden hall is shown in blue, the source (S) in red and the different measuring
positions are labelled with (A-N). Right: simulated dose distribution inside the hall.

Figure 6: Comparison of the neutron dose rate of the simulations and measurements (Harrendorf
2008): shown is the ambient neutron dose rate in pSv/s normalized to one neutron emitted by the
simulated source. The position of the different points are indicated in figure 5.

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Discussion
The first simulations for radiation fields of the three different devices in the KIT
calibration laboratory show good results. All simulation data contribute to the goal to
describe the radiation fields in a suitable way. Usually simulations have to verified by
measurements to be reliable.
For the Cs-137 irradiation facility a smaller uncertainty than given by ISO 4037-1
could be estimated. The uncertainty is mainly influenced by the amount of
backscattered photons in the radiation field. For the simulations also the uncertainty of
the statistics plays an important role. May be our simulation results could be improved
with an increased number of source photons.
For the X-ray radiation facility the investigated spectra (Narrow-spectrum series)
fulfil the following requirements of ISO 4037-1:
• Within an uncertainty of 5% the simulated X-ray spectra agree with those
of the PTB reference fields
• The deviation of the mean energy of the simulated spectra are within the
ISO limits
• The resolution of the spectra is conform to the ISO specifications
The Cf-252 irradiation facility can be well described by simulations. Hence
detailed dose estimations e.g. for radiation protection purposes can be obtained in this
way.

Conclusions
A future goal is to employ simulations for quality management purposes. To determine
or verify the properties of a radiation field with measurements alone is often too time-
consuming and complicated. The measurement of the X-ray spectra and to measure the
amount of backscattered photons in a radiation field are examples. Once a verified
simulation model for a specific irradiation device exists, simulations should be able to
describe the radiation fields properly. Therefore reliable simulations could limit
measurements to a few key-measurements verifying the simulations and at the same
time the device properties. For example the half-value layer for an X-ray irradiation
device could be measured only for one or two radiation qualities indicating the correct
working of the device. Moreover, the simulations could indicate the most sensitive
measurements for this purpose.
For quality assurance regular repeated controls of the radiation fields are
mandatory. The employment of simulations as quoted above would help to reduce the
effort for this procedure.

References

Berthold Technologies GmbH & Co. KG. LB6411 Neutron Dose Rate Detector, Bad
Wildbad, Germany; 1995

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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Dosimetry − Poster presentation
Becker and Harrendorf
Simulations of radiation fields of a photon and a fast neutron calibration facility

Böttcher R., Büermann L. Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig,


Germany, private communication; 2009.

Harrendorf MA. Eine neue Cf-252 Quelle für das HS-KES Kalibrierlabor. Student
research project. Karlsruhe: Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Standort
Karlsruhe and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; 2008.

Harrendorf MA. I. Simulationen der Cs-137 Strahlenfelder im Betonbunker einer


Photonenbestrahlungsanlage. Student research project. Karlsruhe: Duale
Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Standort Karlsruhe and Karlsruhe Institute of
Technology; 2009.

Harrendorf MA. II. Simulationen der Röntgenstrahlenfelder im Betonbunker einer


Photonenbestrahlungsanlage. Bachelor thesis. Karlsruhe: Duale Hochschule
Baden-Württemberg Standort Karlsruhe and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology;
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ISO 4037-1. X and gamma reference radiation for calibrating dosemeters and doserate
meters and for determining their response as a function of photon energy.
PART 1: Radiation characteristics and production methods. Geneve: International
Organization for Standardization; 1996.

Liedtke T., Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany), private communication;


2008.

Salvat F, Fernandez-Varea JM, Sempau J. PENELOPE-2008: A Code System for


Monte Carlo Simulation of Electron and Photon Transport. Workshop
Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, 30 June-3 July 2008, NEA#06416, ISBN: 978-92-
64-99066-1

X-5 Monte Carlo Team, MCNP - A general Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code,
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Alamos National Laboratory; 2003

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−16, Helsinki, Finland

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