Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Nuclear designing of a portable two-chamber gamma irradiator facility for irradiation of grains containing 100 kCi cobalt-60 line sources

Document Type : Scientific Note

Authors

R. Bagheri
A. Souri
N. Sheikh-Moghaddasi
M.H. Salamatbakhsh
I. Moradi-Gharatloo
M. Yeganeh
S.P. Shirmardi

Radiation Application Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.Box: 11365-8486, Tehran – Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2024.1645
Abstract
In this research using the MCNPX code, calculations were done for nuclear designing of portable two-chamber gamma irradiator facility for irradiation of grains and legumes according to international standards. Calculations were made in two parts of dose uniformity ratio and mass flow rate of the irradiated product, as well as gamma-ray shielding using 100 kCi Cobalt-60 line sources, model GIK-A6m of Mayak Co., Russia. The dose uniformity ratios of internal and external irradiation chambers were found to be about 1.77 and 2.18, respectively. Also, the mass flow rate of an irradiated typical grain with a bulk density of 800 kg m-3 was calculated to be about 3.2 ton h-1. A typical grain will receive a dose between 300-656 Gy, which is less than the maximum recommended limit of absorbed dose for grains and legumes (1 kGy) in purpose of shelf-life extension and insect disinfestation by the IAEA. According to ANSI/HPS N43.7, the leakage dose rate at a distance of 5 cm far from the surface of the irradiator in the irradiate mode and for restricted areas, was calculated to be less than 200 µSv/h (maximum permissible radiation level). The results showed that the lead shield of irradiator facility with maximum thickness of 29 cm, easily blocks the emitted gamma rays and working with such a facility would not pose any radiation risk to the employees. Finally, the energy efficiency of the facility was estimated to be about 25% with an increase of about 10.5% due to the addition of external chamber.

Highlights

  1. Huq T, Dang Vu K, Riedl B, Bouchard J, Lacroix M. Synergistic effect of gamma (γ)-irradiation and microencapsulated antimicrobials against Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat (RTE) meat. Food Microbiol. 2015;46:507-514.

 

  1. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Dosimetry for Food Irradiation. IAEA- Technical Reports Series No. 409, 2002.

 

  1. Palumbo R, Crisci A, Venâncio A, Abrahantes J.C, Dorne J.L, Battilani P, Toscano P. Occurrence and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in cereal-based feed and food. Microorganisms. 2020;8:1-17.

 

  1. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Manual on self-contained gamma irradiators (Categories I and III). IAEA-PRSM-7 (Rev.1), 1996.

 

  1. Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, Rome (Italy). Codex general standard for irradiated foods and recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): FAO. Codex Alimentarius, Vol. 15, FAO/WHO, 1984.

 

  1. Calado T, Abrunhosa L, Cabo Verde S, Alté L, Venâncio A. Effect of gamma-radiation on Zearalenone - Degradation, cytotoxicity and estrogenicity. Foods. 2020;9:1-16.

 

  1. Rafiee S.R, Eftekhari-Zadeh E, Gholami Y. A review on the status and future trends of radiation processing in Iran. J. Radiat. Res. Appl. Sci. 2017;10:331-337.

 

  1. Bagheri R, Adeli R. Gamma-ray shielding properties of phosphate glasses containing Bi2O3, PbO, and BaO in different rates. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 2020;174:108918.

 

  1. Production association, MAYAK. Ionizing sources and bulk isotopes, State atomic energy corporation, 31 Lenin St., Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, Russia. 2020.

 

  1. Bagheri R, Moghaddam A.K, Yousefi A. Gamma-ray shielding study of light to heavy weight concretes using MCNP-4C code. Nucl. Sci. Tech. 2017;28:1–8.

 

  1. Pelowitz D.B. MCNPXTM User’s Manual. Version 2.6.0, Report LA-CP-07-1473. Los Alamos, NM: Los Alamos National Laboratory. 2008.

 

  1. https:/ /www.nordin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GT_ Presentation_Risk _mitigation.pdf.

 

  1. American National Standards Institute Inc. (ANSI). Safe design and use of self-contained, dry source storage irradiators (Category I). Health Physics Society, ANSI/HPS N43.7,2018.

 

  1. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/foods-materials-bulk-density-d_1819.html.

 

  1. Kalantari N, Ghaffarpur M. National Report of: The Comprehensive study on household food consumption patterns and nutritional status of I.R.Iran, 2001–2003. National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences; Tehran, Iran: 2005.

 

  1. Zhu M, Xiao H, Sun P, Jiang J, Cui Z, Zhao J, Zhang Z, Peng L.M. Radiation-hardened and repairable integrated circuits based on carbon nanotube transistors with ion gel gates. Nat. Electron. 2020;3:622-629.

 

  1. https://www.allectra.com/news/radiation-resistant-kapton-wires-from-allectra-2/.

 

  1. Meyerhof W.E. Elements of nuclear physics. McGrraw-Hill, New York. 1989.

 

  1. Knoll G.F. Radiation detectibn and measurement. 3rd Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York. 2000.

Keywords

Grain irradiation
Cobalt-60
Shielding
Dose uniformity ratio
MCNPX
  1. Huq T, Dang Vu K, Riedl B, Bouchard J, Lacroix M. Synergistic effect of gamma (γ)-irradiation and microencapsulated antimicrobials against Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat (RTE) meat. Food Microbiol. 2015;46:507-514.

 

  1. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Dosimetry for Food Irradiation. IAEA- Technical Reports Series No. 409, 2002.

 

  1. Palumbo R, Crisci A, Venâncio A, Abrahantes J.C, Dorne J.L, Battilani P, Toscano P. Occurrence and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in cereal-based feed and food. Microorganisms. 2020;8:1-17.

 

  1. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Manual on self-contained gamma irradiators (Categories I and III). IAEA-PRSM-7 (Rev.1), 1996.

 

  1. Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, Rome (Italy). Codex general standard for irradiated foods and recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): FAO. Codex Alimentarius, Vol. 15, FAO/WHO, 1984.

 

  1. Calado T, Abrunhosa L, Cabo Verde S, Alté L, Venâncio A. Effect of gamma-radiation on Zearalenone - Degradation, cytotoxicity and estrogenicity. Foods. 2020;9:1-16.

 

  1. Rafiee S.R, Eftekhari-Zadeh E, Gholami Y. A review on the status and future trends of radiation processing in Iran. J. Radiat. Res. Appl. Sci. 2017;10:331-337.

 

  1. Bagheri R, Adeli R. Gamma-ray shielding properties of phosphate glasses containing Bi2O3, PbO, and BaO in different rates. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 2020;174:108918.

 

  1. Production association, MAYAK. Ionizing sources and bulk isotopes, State atomic energy corporation, 31 Lenin St., Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, Russia. 2020.

 

  1. Bagheri R, Moghaddam A.K, Yousefi A. Gamma-ray shielding study of light to heavy weight concretes using MCNP-4C code. Nucl. Sci. Tech. 2017;28:1–8.

 

  1. Pelowitz D.B. MCNPXTM User’s Manual. Version 2.6.0, Report LA-CP-07-1473. Los Alamos, NM: Los Alamos National Laboratory. 2008.

 

  1. https:/ /www.nordin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GT_ Presentation_Risk _mitigation.pdf.

 

  1. American National Standards Institute Inc. (ANSI). Safe design and use of self-contained, dry source storage irradiators (Category I). Health Physics Society, ANSI/HPS N43.7,2018.

 

  1. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/foods-materials-bulk-density-d_1819.html.

 

  1. Kalantari N, Ghaffarpur M. National Report of: The Comprehensive study on household food consumption patterns and nutritional status of I.R.Iran, 2001–2003. National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences; Tehran, Iran: 2005.

 

  1. Zhu M, Xiao H, Sun P, Jiang J, Cui Z, Zhao J, Zhang Z, Peng L.M. Radiation-hardened and repairable integrated circuits based on carbon nanotube transistors with ion gel gates. Nat. Electron. 2020;3:622-629.

 

  1. https://www.allectra.com/news/radiation-resistant-kapton-wires-from-allectra-2/.

 

  1. Meyerhof W.E. Elements of nuclear physics. McGrraw-Hill, New York. 1989.

 

  1. Knoll G.F. Radiation detectibn and measurement. 3rd Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York. 2000.
Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
Volume 45, Issue 4 - Serial Number 110
January 2025
Pages 190-201

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