NEUTRON SPECTROMETRY AND DOSIMETRY IN SPECIFIC LOCATIONS AT 2 CANDU(R) POWER-PLANTS

Neutron monitoring was carried out in locations of interest to the hea lth physics staff at two CANDU(R) power plants in Ontario, Canada. Spe ctrometry and dosimetry were performed using Bonner sphere and TEPC sy stems, a moderator-type dose equivalent meter (a SNOOPY) and a damage track dosemeter (CR-39). The purposes of this investigation were to co mpare dose equivalent estimates from different measuring systems and t o determine neutron fluence spectra for evaluation of instrument dose equivalent response. The fluence spectra were found to be fairly soft in general, with at least 50% of the total fluence falling below 200 k eV. Relative to ambient dose equivalents derived from the Bonner spher e system, SNOOPY readings were typically 1 to 2 times larger, measured CR-39 values were within a factor of around 2 and measured TEPC data were 0.4 to 0.8 times as large.