Food Irradiation Shielding Calculation for MPD

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the shielding calculations necessary for food irradiation, specifically focusing on determining the appropriate thickness of water needed to shield against gamma radiation from a gamma source. Participants are seeking specific parameters related to the gamma source to support these calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Homework-related, Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks to establish that 6 m of water is sufficient for shielding against a gamma source to keep worker exposure below the maximum permissible dose (MPD).
  • Another participant notes that the type of irradiation machine affects the gamma source, mentioning Co-60 and Cs-137 as examples, and suggests that the activity of a Co-60 machine may vary based on its application.
  • A request is made for specific parameters related to a Co-60 facility.
  • One participant recommends consulting John Lamarsh's book, "Introduction to Nuclear Engineering," for basic information and formulas relevant to the topic.
  • A later reply indicates that while the book is available, it does not contain information specifically about food irradiation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants have not reached a consensus on the specific parameters needed for the shielding calculations, and multiple viewpoints regarding the type of gamma source and its activity remain present.

Contextual Notes

There is an absence of specific data regarding the average total activity of the gamma source array and its dimensions, which are critical for the calculations. The discussion also highlights a potential limitation in available resources for food irradiation information.

The Prince
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Hey ,

My classmates and I were asked to give a presntatoin about "food irradiation" and I'm the one who 's responsible about shielding calculations. I want to show that 6 m (19.69 ft) of water is enough to shield gamma source so that the exposure dose for workers doesn't exceed the maximum permissible dose(MPD) . For solving this I need to know :

1-The average total activity of gamma source array in curie.
2- The diminsion of the of gamma source array.

Hopefully someone can help me to get these parameters.
 
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It depends on the type of irradiation machine. Some use Co-60, some use Cs-137, and others use electron beams. Not my specialty, but I imagine the activities of a Co-60 machine varies from machine to machine depending on what is being irradiated.
 
I'd like to know these prameters for Co-60 facility
 
If you can get your hands on a copy of John Lamarsh's book Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, you'll find all the basic information and formulas you need in a very easy format.
 
Actually I have this book ,but unfortunately there's nothing about food irradiation in this book
 

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