Lecture 15-1

Shielding of Broad Beam,

Point and Line Sources

Radiation Shielding
Type of shields
Biological shields
Thermal shields
Apparatus shields

Biological Shields
Shielding for reducing the radiation exposure to
persons in the vicinity of radiation sources is
called biological shielding

Biological Shields
Shielding for reducing the radiation
exposure to persons in the vicinity of
radiation sources is called biological
shielding

Apparatus Shields
The shields used to protect the delicate
apparatus (electronic components) against
gamma rays and neutrons.

GAMMA RAY SHIELDING

BROAD BEAM
Let, o = flux (intensity of mono-directional
ray [s/cm2-s]
Eo = energy of gamma rays [MeV]
a air = mass attenuation coefficient of air
The exposure rate (without shield) at point P is
given by

X&o 0.0659 o Eo

air

mR
h

X o 0.01694 E o

air

X o Co
a
C 0.0659 Eo

air

or

a
C 0.01694 Eo

air

C/kg
h

Monodirectional beam of rays incident on slab shield

Energy spectrum of incident ray beam

Thin shield (Uncollided flux)

With the shield in place

where

u o e

o = flux without shield [s/cm2-s]

u = attenuated un-scatted flux
a = thickness of the shield [cm]
= total attenuation coefficient at the energy E o
[cm-1]

The relation for u is valid for thin shields

(i.e. when a 1/ or a 1 mfp)

Thick Shields (Buildup flux)

Unscattered and Compton scattered rays
both reach the detector. There is increase in
flux
air

X 0.0659 E E
o

Eo

dE

The increased flux is called buildup

X X o Bm a e a

Energy spectrum of ray emerging from shield

where

X o = exposure rate in the absence of the shield

= total attenuation coefficient at energy Eo

a = shield thickness
a = Number of mean free paths
Bm a = exposure buildup factor for mono-direction
beam

Significance of buildup factor

At higher values of a, the magnitude of Bm
increases many folds, therefore it can not be
ignored in calculation of flux

The values of Bm are

tabulated and given as
a function of energy for
several materials.

As

X o o and X o C o ,
by same analogy

X b b and X b C b
where

b Bm a u Bm a
o e

Problem

A monodirectional beam of 2 MeV rays of intensity 106

rays/ cm2-sec upon a shield 10 cm thick. Calculate at the
rear side of the shield: (a) the uncollided flux; (b) the build
up flux; (c) exposure rate [Example 10.1; Lamarsh]

Solution
Eo = 2 MeV

o = 106 rays/ cm2-sec

a)

b)u o e a

c)

X o 0.0659 o Eo

a = 10 cm

b Bm a u
mR
h

POINT SOURCE
Two cases
Point source is surrounded by a shield i.e. no space
between source and shield
Point source followed by a shield and point of
measurement is away from shield

Case 1
Point source is surrounded by a shield of radius R
X& X& B R e R
b

where

X o C o

 Uncollided flux

u o e

Collided flux

S R

e
2
4 R

R
b B p R u B p R
e

2
4 R

Case 2
Point source is followed by a shield and
point of measurement is away from the
shield

S a
b B p a
e
2
4 r

The computed value of Bp are tabulated as a

function of energy for different materials

Determination of Shield Thickness

a

X 0.0659 Ei b i

air

mR

X 0.0659 Ei B pi ( R) ui

X 0.0659 Ei B pi ( R) oi

X 0.0659 Ei B pi ( R )

Si
4R 2

air

i R

air

air

e i R
i

mR

h
mR

h
mR

X 0.0659 Ei B pi ( R )

yi Ai
4R 2

air

mR

e i R
i

a
0.0659

1
E B pi ( R) yi Ai
i

4R 2 X

air

e i R
i

Among the various activities, yields and energies;

maximum source strength and maximum energy
are chosen
Radius is calculated for that set of energy and
source strengths using the following relation

 0.0659 S E

4 X

B p ( R) a

2
R

air

e R

A graph is plotted RHS versus R

From R corresponding to the RHS = 1, the value of
R is estimated

Problem
An isotropic point source emits 108 rays/s with an energy
of 1 MeV. The source is to be shielded with a spherical iron
shield. What must the shield radius be if the exposure rate
at its surface is to be 1 mR/hr? [Example 10.2; Lamarsh]

Solution
S = 108 rays/s

Eo = 1 MeV

0.0659 S E B p ( R )
o
1

2
R

4 X

X = 1 mR/hr

air

e R

Problem
A 3.7x104 MBq (1 Ci) source of 137Cs is to be stored in a
spherical lead container when not in use. How thick must
the lead be it the dose equivalent rate at a distance of 1 m
from the source is not to exceed 25 Sv/h (2.5 mrem/h)?
Assume the source to be sufficiently small to be considered
as a point source. [Example 10.4; Cember 1997]

Solution

S = 3.7x104 MBq, Eo = 0.662 MeV, x = 1 m, H = 25

air
a
S

R
&
X

0.01694

b B p a
e
b
b

H 34 wR X b

Sv/h
C/kg

Problem
Design a spherical lead storage container that will
attenuate the exposure rate from 1 Ci of 24Na to 10 mR/h at
a distance of 1m from the source [Example 10.5; Cember
1997]

Solution

Lecture 15-2
Shielding of Line source

LINE SOURCE
Assuming that
L = length of the source
R= radius of cylindrical shield around the source
SL= rays emitted isotropically per unit length
(s/cm-sec)

Let the point of observation is at point P

Uncollided Flux
r

S L dz e
du
4 r 2

SL
u
4

l2

e r
l r 2 dz
1

Line Source

conti.

Isotropic line source imbedded in a cylindrical source

Line Source

conti.

Changing integration variables from z to

r = R sec , z = r tan , dz = R sec2 d
2

SL
R sec
u
e
d

4 R 1
The integral can not be evaluated analytically, it can
be expressed in terms of Sievert Integral function
which is defined as follows:

F , x e
o

x sec

d , where
2

Line Source

conti.

Graphs of F (,x) vs are available in literature

For large values of and x, F(,x) can be computed
from the formula

F , x ~

x
5
e 1
2x
8x

It should be noted that

F , x F , x

The un-collided flux is therefore given as

SL
u
F 1 , R F 2 , R
4 R

The function f(,b)

Line Source

conti.

Buildup Flux
Using the Taylors form of buildup factor
B p A1e 1 r A2 e 2 r An e n r
A1 A2 1 A2 1 A1

2
SL
1 n R sec
b
A
e
d

n
4 R
1

SL
b
An F 1 , 1 n R F 2 , 1 n R

4 R

Line Source

conti.

When observation point is beyond the

surface of shield
Let
a = Shield thickness
x = Distance between source and point of observation
UNCOLLIDED FLUX

SL
F 1 , a F 2 , a
u
4 x

BUILDUP FLUX

SL
2 , 1 n
a
b
An F 1 1 n a F

4 x

Line Source

conti.

Shield

P
Line
Source

a
a

Line Source

conti.

Shield Located at Bottom of

Source
Uncollided flux at Point P

SL
b
4 R

l a

e rs
dz
2
r

Changing integration variable from z to

r = R sec , rs = a sec, dz = - R cosec2 d
Introducing in the Eq. of u

SL
a sec
u
e
d

4 R 1

Shield at end of line source

Line Source

conti.

Which yields the uncollided flux

SL
F 2 , a F 1 , a
u
4 R

Buildup Flux at point P

SL
b
An F 2 , 1 n a F 1 , 1 n a

4 R

Limiting case
As P P/, 1 and 2 0, then

F , a e a

Line Source

conti.

For small value of , u behaves as

S L a 2 1
u R
o
e

4
R

R
tan 2 2
a

R 0

Similarly

R 0

R
tan 1 1
la

S L l e a
4 a l a

S L l e a
Bp a
4 a l a

Line Source

conti.

Formulas derived are used to design

Cylindrical fuel casks
Fuel coffins

The calculations done for line source are

used for calculation of thickness of
Cylindrical sides
End sides

Line Source
Problem:

conti.

Cobalt source is frequently used to

measure neutron flux in a nuclear reactor. Calculate
exposure rate at a distance 1 foot from the mid point of a
60.96 cm section No. 22 gauge wire (diameter 0.0253 in)
which has been exposed for 100 h to a neutron flux of
1014 n/cm2.s. How much would the exposure rate be
reduced if a 5 cm thick sheet of lead is interposed
between the cobalt wire and the point of observation.
The wire may be assumed vertically suspended.
Data:
(1) Cross section for reaction 59Co(n,)60Co, th = 19 b
(2) T1/2 of 60Co = 5.26 y
(3) Pb for E 1.17 MeV = 0.72 cm-1
(4) Pb for E 1.33 MeV = 0.65 cm-1