Design calculation of an epithermal neutronic beam for BNCT at the Syrian MNSR using the MCNP4C code

•Design calculation of an epithermal neutron beam for the BNCT at the Syrian MNSR.•Calculation of the dose components and the total dose in the phantom brain.•Evaluating the reactor safety after installation the epithermal neutron facility.

This article describes the design calculation of an epithermal neutronic beam for the boron neutron capture therapy at the Syrian MNSR by using the MCNP4C code and ENDF/B-V cross-section library. To produce a high flux of epithermal neutrons at the beam exit, the moderator/filter from Al, Cd, Fluental and Bi was used with Pb as reflector for neutrons along the beam. In addition, the Bi lined collimator with Li2CO3-PE and Pb at the end. The calculated beam parameters under 30.0 kW of reactor power at the beam exit are Фepi = 2.83 × 108 n/cm2 s, Df/Фepi = 7.98 × 10−11 cGy cm2/n, Dγ/Фepi = 1.70 × 10−11 cGy cm2/n, Φepi/Φthe = 0.05 and Jn+/Фn = 0.77. As well as, the calculated values of the advantage depth and advantage ratio are 7.51 cm and 3.49, respectively. If such beam was built into the Syrian MNSR the scientific applications of the reactor would increase.