DOSIMETRIC MEASUREMENTS IN SIMULATED PRACTICAL NEUTRON FIELDS USING SEVERAL DOSIMETER SYSTEMS

A series of measurements was performed to determine the response chara cteristics of dosimetric systems in two neutron fields produced by a n eutron source that was designed to provide neutron energy spectra simi lar to typical spectra that may be encountered in many nuclear facilit ies. This neutron source is located at the Service de Dosimetrie/Labor atoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Dosimetrie Externe (SDOS/LRDE) lab oratory, in the Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires (CEN)-Cadarache, and it is used to calibrate personal dosemeters and radiation protection instrum ents. Two different neutron spectra were produced by using the source with and without additional water moderation. The detectors used for t he measurements included a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEP C), thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLD) and plastic track etch dosemet ers (TED). Comparisons were made to previous Bonner sphere (BS) and pr oton recoil (PR) spectrometer measurements and Monte Carlo calculation s. It was found that there was reasonable agreement between the TEPC, Monte Carlo calculations and (BS+PR) results for the spectrum produced without additional water moderation. The (LiF)-Li-6 TLD albedo doseme ters over-responded and the TEDs under-responded to both of the neutro n spectra that were studied.