Radiation shielding arrangement

• US 20040217307A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GSI Helmholtzzentrum FüR Schwerionenforschung GmbH (Government of Germany)
• Original Assignee: Gessellschaft Fur Schwerionenforschung MbH
• Inventors: Bruchle, Willi, Fehrenbacher, Georg, Radon, Torsten, Gutermuth, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 6,927,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/518.1
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 1/04 Concretes; Other hydraulic hardening materials
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 1/12 Laminated shielding materials

Abstract

A radiation shielding arrangement for shielding high-energy neutron radiation and gamma radiation from high-energy particle accelerators or storage rings includes a shielding element made of water-containing material, for example with chemically bound water or water of crystallization, in particular gypsum. The water component of the material preferably makes up at least 5, 10 or 20 percent by weight. The hydrogen nuclei or protons contained therein moderate neutrons in a virtually ideal manner because of the almost identical mass and the maximum pulse transformation associated with this.

Claims

1. A radiation shielding arrangement for shielding neutron radiation and gamma radiation from particle accelerators, storage rings, target, experimental or analytical devices, comprising at least one shielding element made of a first material including bound water.

2. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said first material includes gypsum in a bound state in a chemical composition CaSO₄*2H₂O.

3. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said shielding element includes a gypsum wall.

4. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said gypsum wall has a thickness that is matched to a radiation spectra of a high-energy particle accelerator.

5. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said gypsum wall has a thickness greater than or equal to secondary radiation equilibrium thickness.

6. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shielding element has a form of a multilayer construction.

7. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shielding element has a form of a modular construction.

8. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shielding element includes a loadbearing layer arranged on a first side of said shielding element and has at least a minimum thickness dimensioned such that said at least one shielding element and said loadbearing layer are self-supporting.

9. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said loadbearing layer includes concrete formwork.

10. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said shielding element has two sides with said concrete formwork is on said sides.

11. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a neutron absorber layer having a neutron-absorbing material.

12. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a neutron absorber layer having boron, cadmium and gadolinium.

13. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a neutron absorber layer having boron-paraffin.

14. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 10, wherein a neutron absorber layer is arranged within said concrete formwork or between said concrete formwork and said gypsum wall.

15. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said loadbearing layer includes a neutron-absorbing material.

20. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said gypsum wall has a thickness that is matched to a radiation spectra of a high-energy particle storage ring for a particle selected from the group consisting of electrons, positrons and ions.

21. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said secondary radiation equilibrium thickness is selected from the group consisting of at least 2 m, at least 5 m and at least 7 m.

16. A radiation shielding arrangement, for shielding neutron radiation and gamma radiation from particle accelerators, storage rings, target, experimental or analytical devices, comprising at least one spallation layer including a material wherein spallation reactions are triggered by means of neutron irradiation.

17. The radiation shielding arrangement according to claim 16, wherein said material is a metal.

18. A use of gypsum from flue gas desulphurization plants for producing a radiation shielding arrangement for shielding neutron radiation and gamma radiation from high-energy particle accelerators, storage rings, target, experimental or analytical devices.

19. A use of a shielding element which contains gypsum for shielding radiation from a device selected from the group consisting of a particle accelerator, a particle storage ring, a target device, an experimental device and an analytical device.