Journal of Radiation Industry (방사선산업학회지)

Korean Society of Radiation Industry (한국방사선산업학회)
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Development of an Efficiency Calibration Model Optimization Method for Improving In-Situ Gamma-Ray Measurement for Non-Standard NORM Residues

비정형 공정부산물 In-Situ 감마선 측정 정확도 향상을 위한 효율교정 모델 최적화 방법 개발

  • WooCheol Choi (Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Tae-Hoon Jeon (BNRC) ;
  • Jung-Ho Song (BNRC) ;
  • KwangPyo Kim (Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University)
  • 최우철 (경희대학교 원자력공학과) ;
  • 전태훈 ;
  • 송정호 ;
  • 김광표 (경희대학교 원자력공학과)
  • Received : 2023.12.06
  • Accepted : 2023.12.19
  • Published : 2023.12.31
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Abstract

In In-situ radioactivity measurement techniques, efficiency calibration models use predefined models to simulate a sample's geometry and radioactivity distribution. However, simplified efficiency calibration models lead to uncertainties in the efficiency curves, which in turn affect the radioactivity concentration results. This study aims to develop an efficiency calibration optimization methodology to improve the accuracy of in-situ gamma radiation measurements for byproducts from industrial facilities. To accomplish the objective, a drive mechanism for rotational measurement of an byproduct simulator and a sample was constructed. Using ISOCS, an efficiency calibration model of the designed object was generated. Then, the sensitivity analysis of the efficiency calibration model was performed, and the efficiency curve of the efficiency calibration model was optimized using the sensitivity analysis results. Finally, the radiation concentration of the simulated subject was estimated, compared, and evaluated with the designed certification value. For the sensitivity assessment of the influencing factors of the efficiency calibration model, the ISOCS Uncertainty Estimator was used for the horizontal and vertical size and density of the measured object. The standard deviation of the measurement efficiency as a function of the longitudinal size and density of the efficiency calibration model decreased with increasing energy region. When using the optimized efficiency calibration model, the measurement efficiency using IUE was improved compared to the measurement efficiency using ISOCS at the energy of 228Ac (911 keV) for the nuclide under analysis. Using the ISOCS efficiency calibration method, the difference between the measured radiation concentration and the design value for each simulated subject measurement direction was 4.1% (1% to 10%) on average. The difference between the estimated radioactivity concentration and the design value was 3.6% (1~8%) on average when using the ISOCS IUE efficiency calibration method, which was closer to the design value than the efficiency calibration method using ISOCS. In other words, the estimated radioactivity concentration using the optimized efficiency curve was similar to the designed radioactivity concentration. The results of this study can be utilized as the main basis for the development of regulatory technologies for the treatment and disposal of waste generated during the operation, maintenance, and facility replacement of domestic byproduct generation facilities.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 원자력안전위원회의 재원으로 한국원자력안전재단의 지원을 받아 수행한 원자력안전규제기술개발 사업의 연구결과입니다(No. 2004025).

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