Radiation Protection Issues During the TI8 and Sector Tests (original) (raw)

The radiation assurance test facility at INFN-LNS Catania

This paper describes the beam monitoring system that has been developed at the Superconducting Cyclotron at INFN-LNS (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania, Italy) in order to monitor the beam parameters such as energy, flux, beam profile, for SEE (Single Event Effects) cross-sections determination and DD (Displacement Damage) studies.

Radiation protection issues after 20 years of LHC operation

arXiv: Accelerator Physics, 2011

Since November 2009, the LHC commissioning progresses very well, both with proton and lead beams. It will continue in 2011 and nominal LHC operation is expected to be attained in 2013. In parallel, plans for various LHC upgrades are under discussion, suggesting a High-Luminosity (HL) upgrade first and a High-Energy (HE) upgrade in a later state. Whereas the upgrade in luminosity would require the modification of only some few key accelerator components like the inner triplets, the upgrade in beam energy from 7 TeV to 16.5 TeV would require the exchange of all dipoles and of numerous other accelerator components. The paper gives an overview of the radiation protection issues related to the dismantling of LHC components prior to the installation of the HE-LHC components, i.e. after about 20 years of LHC operation. Two main topics will be discussed: (i) the exposure of workers to ionizing radiation during the dismantling of dipoles, inner triplets or collimators and experiments and (ii...

Radiation hardness assurance through system-level testing: risk acceptance, facility requirements, test methodology and data exploitation

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

Functional verification schemes at a level different than component-level testing are emerging as a cost-effective tool for those space systems for which the risk associated with a lower level of assurance can be accepted. Despite the promising potential, system-level radiation testing can be applied to the functional verification of systems under restricting intrinsic boundaries. Most of them are related to the use of hadrons as opposed to heavy ions. Hadrons are preferred for the irradiation of any bulky system in general because of their deeper penetration capabilities. General guidelines about the test preparation and procedure for a high-level radiation test are provided to allow understanding which information can be extracted from these kinds of functional verification schemes in order to compare them with the reliability and availability requirements. The use of a general scaling factor for the observed high-level cross-sections allows converting test cross-sections into orbit rates.

Radiation shielding for the ITER neutral beam test facility

The NB system for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) consists of two heating and current drive (H&CD) NB injectors and a diagnostic neutral beam (DNB) injector. The NB accelerates negative deuterium ions with maximum energy of 1 MeV and maximum beam current of 40 A. The ITER (H&CD) NB will be tested in the Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) that will be located in Italy, near Padua. The performance test will be based on different operation phases starting with low energy hydrogen beam. In the initial testing phase for many months the machine will operate with hydrogen only and with deuteron at a reduced intensity suggesting the possibility of hosting the device in a light shielding room/area. In the paper the study performed to evaluate the minimum shielding needed in connection with the different operation phases is shown. The source terms were calculated starting from neutron source characterisation and then assessing particle transport in the ITER NB struc...

Radiation Protection Aspects

2015

The paper describes CERN’s approach to radiation protection during LS1. It addresses the regulatory and operational landscape before and during LS1. The lessons learnt from LS1 will be used to define the roadmap towards LS2. Despite the large amount of maintenance and repair work in all radiation areas, CERN succeeded in keeping the collective dose to personnel at a reasonable level. Moreover, CERN’s objective of keeping individual doses below 3 mSv in 2013 was largely achieved; only two experts slightly exceeded the dose objective. In addition, no radiological incident or accident had to be reported.

Performance Tests of Survey Instruments used in Radiation Fields Around High-Energy Accelerators

Proceedings of the 2005 Particle Accelerator Conference, 2005

Measurements of ambient dose equivalent in stray radiation fields behind the shielding of high-energy accelerators are a challenging task. Several radiation components (photons, neutrons, charged particles), spanning a wide range of energies, contribute to the total dose equivalent. Usually for measurements of the total dose equivalent, a set of radiation detectors consisting of ionisation chambers and so-called REM counters is employed. Ionisation chambers are sensitive to all radiation components, whereas REM counters are used to determine separately the neutron component. In this study measurements were carried out in a high-energy reference field at CERN to investigate the responses of the different detectors to a mixed radiation field under controlled conditions. In addition, the field and the corresponding ambient dose equivalents were simulated with FLUKA Monte Carlo calculations. The outcome of these studies determines the choice of radiation detectors for LHC and serves as a basis for a future certification of these instruments. In addition, the results will contribute to a global quality assurance system for CERN's radiation protection instrumentation.

Radiation Protection Group: Annual Report 2003

The RP Annual Report summarises the activities carried out by CERN’s Radiation Protection Group in the year 2003. It includes contribution from the EN section of the TIS/IE Group on environmental monitoring. Chapter 1 reports on the measurements and estimations of the impact on the environment and public exposure due to the Organisation’s activities. Chapter 2 provides the results of the monitoring of CERN’s staff, users and contractors to occupational exposure. Chapter 3 deals with operational radiation protection around the accelerators and in the experimental areas. Chapter 4 reports on RP design studies for the LHC and CNGS projects. Chapter 5 addresses the various services provided by the RP Group to other Groups and Divisions at CERN, which include managing radioactive waste, high-level dosimetry, lending radioactive test sources and shipping radioactive materials. Chapter 6 describes activities other than the routine and service tasks, i.e. development work in the field of in...