Technical Guidance
Here you will find data and articles on radiation shielding, frequently asked questions (FAQ), monitor performance, specific gamma ray constants, mathematical derivations - indeed everything we have personally found useful from our tool kit. The resource will be gradually uploaded here from time to time. Have anything suitable that you would like to see featured here?
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Radioactive source holders - Dose rate through an aperture
Published: Apr 23, 2024
Source: Dr Chris Robbins, Grallator / Ionactive radiation protection resource
Read moreThis article, and our discussions with Dr Chris Robbins of Grallator, was born from a consideration of when a radioactive source holder (such as that fitted as part of a nuclear gauge) might become detached during a radiation accident, such that the radiation from the source is exposed directly through a small aperture. This is reasonably foreseeable compared to a radioactive source which might be completely exposed (unshielded). What would the dose rates be at a certain distance from the source holder, and what % of the trunk of the body would be exposed? This article considers the maths / physics behind this situation which has been developed for Ionactive by Chris. Ionactive has then taken the results of this analysis and shown how it would apply to a real world radiation accident.
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Gamma dose rate (D=AE/6r2) - or is it? A widget to calculate the validity of this formula.
Published: Apr 02, 2024
Source: Design & implementation by Dr Chris Robbins (Grallator) / Facilitated by Ionactive radiation protection resource
Read moreThis resource uses a radiation protection widget to explore the validity of a popular gamma dose rate formula of the form:
\[ \begin{align} D_{\mu Sv hr^{-1}} &= \frac{AE}{6 r^2 } \end{align} \]
where D is dose rate in µSv/h, A is activity in (MBq), E is gamma ray energy in MeV, and r is the distance in m.
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Shielding gamma rays with thick water shielding - what if you fall in?
Published: Mar 31, 2024
Source: Design & implementation by Dr Chris Robbins (Grallator) / Facilitated by Ionactive radiation protection resource
Read moreLarge volumes of water (in pools / ponds) are often used for radiation shielding, particularly for spent nuclear fuel and high activity Co-60 sources in industrial irradiation facilities. The water provides shielding and cooling whilst allowing remote movement of highly radioactive items where operators stand safely outside the pool. Imagine falling in - how would you fair? Very well if you can swim as illustrated in this radiation protection widget.
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Radiation time, distance & shielding interactive ALARP widget
Published: Mar 29, 2024
Source: Design & implementation by Dr Chris Robbins (Grallator) / Facilitated by Ionactive radiation protection resource
Read moreUse this interactive ALARP / ALARA calculator widget to investigate the effect of time, distance and shielding on radiation dose rate and accumulated exposure. A great radiation protection training / educational aid - learn the concepts first, then investigate them interactively! Explore how best to optimise exposure by using a combination of all three protection methods.
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X-ray Tube Dose Rate Calculator Widget
Published: Mar 28, 2024
Source: Design & implementation by Dr Chris Robbins (Grallator) / Facilitated by Ionactive radiation protection resource
Read moreA radiation protection widget which calculates dose rates from an x-ray tube for a given kV, mA and filter (Al). This resource is strictly for training / educational use - that said, as a ballpark resource it gets pretty close to what you might expect from a typical x-ray tube.
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Calculate an estimate of x-ray dose rate from an x-ray tube given kV and mA
Published: Mar 24, 2024
Source: Dr Chris Robbins, Grallator/ Ionactive Radiation Protection Resource
Read moreHow do you calculate an estimate of dose rate from an X-ray tube give kV and mA? In this resource we consider a 'ballpark' estimate of radiation dose rate using some physics principles, including an estimate of % bremsstrahlung from an anode target, combined with a calculation of power density and consideration of average energy absorption rate.
Imagination is more important than knowledge