Theoretical neutron damage calculations in industrial robotic manipulators used for non-destructive imaging applications

This paper describes how to use MCNP to evaluate the rate of material damage in a robot incurred by exposure to a neutron flux. The example used in this work is that of a robotic manipulator installed in a high intensity, fast, and collimated neutron radiography beam port at the University of Texas at Austin's TRIGA Mark II research reactor. This effort includes taking robotic technologies and using them to automate non-destructive imaging tasks in nuclear facilities where the robotic manipulator acts as the motion control system for neutron imaging tasks. Simulated radiation tests are used to analyze the radiation damage to the robot. Once the neutron damage is calculated using MCNP, several possible shielding materials are analyzed to determine the most effective way of minimizing the neutron damage. Neutron damage predictions provide users the means to simulate geometrical and material changes, thus saving time, money, and energy in determining the optimal setup for a robotic system installed in a radiation environment.