• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.182-189
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• 2018

A neutron generation system was developed to induce fissile fission in a lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS) system. The source neutron is one of the key factors for LSDS system work. The LSDS was developed to quantify the isotopic contents of fissile materials in spent nuclear fuel and recycled fuel. The source neutron is produced at a multilayered target by the (e,${\gamma}$)(${\gamma}$,n) reaction and slowed down at the lead medium. Activation analysis of the target materials is necessary to estimate the lifetime, durability, and safety of the target system. The CINDER90 code was used for the activation analysis, and it can involve three-dimensional geometry, position dependent neutron flux, and multigroup cross-section libraries. Several sensitivity calculations for a metal target with different geometries, materials, and coolants were done to achieve a high neutron generation rate and a low activation characteristic. Based on the results of the activation analysis, tantalum was chosen as a target material due to its better activation characteristics, and helium gas was suggested as a coolant. In addition, activation in a lead medium was performed. After a distance of 55 cm from the lead surface to the neutron incidence, the neutron intensity dramatically decreased; this result indicates very low activation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3012-3017
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• 2021

The spatial distribution and the energy spectrum of the neutron yield were investigated with the neutron activation analysis and MCNP simulation was carried out to verify the analysis results and to extend the results to a 3D mapping of the neutron yield distribution in the KSTAR. High purity Ni specimen was selected in the neutron activation analysis. Total neutron yields turned out to be 3.76 × 10¹² n/s - 7.56 × 10¹² n/s at the outer vessel of the KSTAR, two orders of magnitude lower than those at the inner vessel of the KSTAR, which demonstrates the attenuation of neutron yield while passing through the different structural materials of the reactor. Based on the fully expanded 3D simulation results, 2D cross-sectional distributions of the neutron yield on XY and ZX planes of KSTAR were examined. The results reveal that the neutron yield has its maximum concentration near the center of blanket and decreases with increasing proximity to the vacuum vessel wall.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.4226-4230
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• 2022

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has designed a Hybrid-Low Power Research Reactor (H-LPRR) which can be used for critical assembly and conventional research reactor as well. It is an open tank-in-pool type research reactor (Thermal Power: 50 kW_th) of which the most important applications are Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), Radioisotope (RI) production, education and training. There are eight irradiation holes on the edge of the reactor core: IR (6 holes for RI production) and NA (2 holes for NAA) holes. In order to quantify the elemental concentration in target samples through the Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), it is necessary to measure neutron spectrum parameters such as thermal neutron flux, the deviation from the ideal 1/E epithermal neutron flux distribution (α), and the thermal-to-epithermal neutron flux ratio (f) for the irradiation holes. In this study, the MCNP6.1 code and FORTRAN 90 language are applied to determine the parameters for the two irradiation holes (NA-SW and NA-NW) in H-LPRR, and in particular its α and f parameters are compared to values of other research reactors. The results confirmed that the neutron irradiation holes in H-LPRR are designed to be sufficiently applied to neutron activation analysis, and its performance is comparable to that of foreign research reactors including the TRIGA MARK II.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.2061-2063
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• 2006

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 1993

Principles and advantages of neutron actiation analysis which is one of widely using nuclear techniques are introduced. The importance of neutron activation analysis in occupational health study is discussed. The indusrial hygienic study of the samples like human hair, blood, urine, organs, tissues and airborne contamination of the working environment can be enhanced by the technique. Statistical treatments of the acquired data are also emphasized.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.813-820
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• 2009

A rapid pneumatic transfer system (PTS) for an instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is developed as an automatic irradiation facility involving the measurement of a short half-life nuclide and a delayed neutron counting system. Three new PTS designs with improved functions were constructed at the HANARO research reactor in 2006. The new system is composed of a manual system and an automatic system for both an INAA and a delayed neutron activation analysis (DNAA). The design and basic conception of a modified PTS are described, and the functions of system operation and control, radiation protection and emissions of radioactive gas are improved. In addition, a form of capsule transportation of these systems is tested. The experimental results pertaining to the irradiation characteristics with variation of the neutron flux and the temperature of the irradiation position with the irradiation time are presented, as is an analysis of the reference material for analytical quality control and uncertainty assessments.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.2581-2584
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• 2020

Boron has been considered to play a nutritionally important role in humans and animals, but its biochemical functions are not clearly understood. Though there are signs that boron affects the mineral and hormone metabolisms, there is no comprehensive epidemiological evidence establishing a relationship between a boron intake and osteoporosis due to the excretion of calcium in the bones. In this study, we investigated the influence of boron intake on the calcium excretion of old female mice in the menopause. The concentrations of calcium in backbone, thigh bone, blood, kidney, liver, and spleen were investigated by using instrumental neutron activation analysis.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.787-791
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• 2017

Americium-beryllium (Am-Be; n, ${\gamma}$) is a neutron emitting source used in various research fields such as chemistry, physics, geology, archaeology, medicine, and environmental monitoring, as well as in the forensic sciences. It is a mobile source of neutron activity (20 Ci), yielding a small thermal neutron flux that is water moderated. The aim of this study is to develop a model to increase the neutron thermal flux of a source such as Am-Be. This study achieved multiple advantageous results: primarily, it will help us perform neutron activation analysis. Next, it will give us the opportunity to produce radio-elements with short half-lives. Am-Be single and multisource (5 sources) experiments were performed within an irradiation facility with a paraffin moderator. The resulting models mainly increase the thermal neutron flux compared to the traditional method with water moderator.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.299-303
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• 2016

Prompt gamma activation analysis using a thermal neutron-guided beam at Japan Atomic Energy Agency JRR-3M was applied for the precise determination of Si in silicon nitride ceramic reference materials [Japan Ceramic Reference Material (JCRM) R 003]. In this study, the standard addition method coupled with internal standard was used for the nondestructive determination of Si in the sample. Cadmium was used as internal standard to obtain the linear calibration curves and to compensate for the neutron beam variability. The analytical result of determining Si in JCRM R 003 silicon nitride fine powder ceramic reference materials using prompt gamma activation analysis was in good agreement with that obtained by classical gravimetric analysis. The relative expanded measurement uncertainty (k = 2) associated with the determined value was 2.4%.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.30-41
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• 2002

The neutron beam is fully characterized for the prompt gamma activation analysis facility at Hanaro in the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI). The facility uses thermal neutrons which are diffracted vertically from a horizontal beam port by a set of pyrolytic graphite(PG) crystals positioned at the Bragg angle of 45" Neutron spectra, neutron flux and Cd-ratio are determined for the three extraction modes of diffracted beam by means of the theoretical and experimental efforts. To obtain theoretical result, the reflectivity of pyrolytic graphite is calculated in the diffraction model for mosaic crystal and the angular divergence after diffraction by mosaic crystal is estimated from Monte Carlo simulation. The time-of-flight spectrometer and gold activation wire are used for measuring the neutron spectra. Both the calculated and measured spectra have proven that the unique feature of polychromatic beam obtained by PG crystals are useful for PGAA. The thermal neutron flux of 7.9$\times$107 n/cm$^2$s and the Cd-ratio of 266 for gold have been achieved at the sample position while the reactor operates at 24 MW The uniformity of beam flux is 12% in the central 1$\times$1 cm$^2$ area. Finally, the beam is briefly characterized by the effective velocity and temperature which are determined by measuring the prompt Y-ray spectra for thin and thick boron samples.ples.