Neutron features at the UPM neutronics hall

The neutronics hall of the Nuclear Engineering Department at the Polytechnical University of Madrid has been characterized. The neutron spectra and the ambient dose equivalent produced by an 241AmBe source were measured at various source-to-detector distances on the new bench. Using Monte Carlo methods a detailed model of the neutronics hall was designed, and neutron spectra and the ambient dose equivalent were calculated at the same locations where measurements were carried out. A good agreement between measured and calculated values was found.

► Neutron spectra and ambient dose equivalent, of a neutronics hall has been estimated. ► Using Monte Carlo methods a detailed model of the hall and the new Al-made measuring bench were used to estimate neutron spectra and H⁎(10). ► Neutron spectra were measured using a Bonner sphere spectrometer along the measuring bench, neutron spectra were used to estimate the H*(10) and to calculate the total fluence rate. ► H*(10) was also measured using the neutron area monitor LB 6411 and compared with values obtained in the Monte Carlo calculations. ► Total fluence rate was fitted to the semiempirical model.