Certification of a Specialized Source of Gamma Radiation Spatially Combined with a Model Reference Neutron Radiation Field

Abstract

Results are presented from a metrological study of the field of the experimental channel of the OR research reactor (an experimental facility at the NRC Kurchatov Institute) with a power of 0.1–300 kW. Empirical dependences are obtained for the contribution of the absorbed dose of gamma radiation to the absorbed dose rate over the entire irradiation time as the OR reactor power is raised and lowered in the steady state. Based on these results, a preliminary calculation can be made of the absorbed dose and absorbed dose rate of the gamma radiation. The experimental channel of the OR reactor was certified on the basis of the metrological studies in terms of the absorbed dose rate of gamma radiation as a specialized source of gamma radiation combined spatially with a model reference neutron field in this channel. The specialized source is intended for calibration of special-purpose measurement instrumentation and for testing the radiation resistance of products operating in the mixed gamma-neutron radiation fields of nuclear reactors.