Evaluation of an alternative shielding materials for F-127 transport package

Lead is used as radiation shielding material for the Nordion's F-127 source shipping container is used for transport and storage of the GammaBeam -127's cobalt-60 source of the Nuclear Technology Development Center (CDTN) located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. As an alternative, Th, Tl and WC have been evaluated as radiation shielding material. The goal is to check their behavior regarding shielding and dosing. Monte Carlo MCNPX code is used for the simulations. In the MCNPX calculation was used one cylinder as exclusion surface instead one sphere. Validation of MCNPX gamma doses calculations was carried out through comparison with experimental measurements. The results show that tungsten carbide WC is better shielding material for γ-ray than lead shielding.