Neutron beam design for both medical neutron capture therapy and industrial neutron radiography for TRIGA reactor

Neutron beam designs were studied for TRIGA reactor with a view to generating thermal, epithermal and fast neutron beams for both medical neutron capture therapy (NCT) and industrial neutron radiography (NR). The beams are delivered from thermal and thermalizing columns, and also horizontal beam hole. Several prospective neutron filters thigh-density graphite (G), bismuth (Bi), single-crystal silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), aluminum fluoride (AlF3) and lead fluoride (PbF2)) were examined for obtaining sufficiently intense neutron beam for various applications. Monte Carlo calculations indicated that with a suitable neutron filter arrangement, thermal and epithermal neutron beams attaining 2x10(9) and 7 x10(8) n cm(-2) s(-1), respectively, could be obtainable from thermal and thermalizing columns with the reactor operating at 100 kW. These neutron beams could be adopted for boron neutron capture therapy. Compared with these columns, horizontal beam port would deliver neutron fluxes of 10(-2) similar to 10(-3) lower intensity, but produced thermal and fast neutron beams would be adequate for different application of nondestructive inspection by neutron radiography. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.