Monte Carlo studies for irradiation process planning at the Portuguese gamma irradiation facility

The paper describes a Monte Carlo study for planning the irradiation of tes t samples for microbiological validation of distinct products in the Portug uese Gamma Irradiation Facility. Three different irradiation geometries hav e been used. Simulated and experimental results are compared and good agree ment is observed. It is shown that Monte Carlo simulation improves process understanding, predicts absorbed dose distributions and calculates dose uni formity in different products. Based on these results, irradiation planning of the product can be performed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.