Title: Experimental study of ⁴¹Ar activity release rate from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission TRIGA research reactor

Authors: Md. Ajijul Hoq; Md. Abdul Malek Soner; Md. Abdus Salam; Md. Mizanur Rahman; Nusrat Jahan

Addresses: Institute of Energy Science, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh ' Centre for Research Reactor, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh ' Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Agargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh ' Institute of Energy Science, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh ' Institute of Energy Science, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract: The present study focused on the monthly or annual ⁴¹Ar activity release rate and ground level activity concentration measurement including the estimation of public dose level at the ground and stack positions of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission TRIGA Research. During the experimental work, a Geiger-Muller (G-M) counter was used for the air sample count rate study. The experimental results demonstrated that the obtained maximum monthly or annual ⁴¹Ar activity release rate (2.48 × 10¹⁰ Bq/month or 6.25 × 10¹¹ Bq/year) and monthly maximum ground level ⁴¹Ar activity concentration (6.40 × 10¹ Bq/m³) were within the permissible limits set by the regulatory body. This report also confirmed that the estimated public dose levels (0.29 mSv/yr and 0.0002 mSv/yr) at the stack and ground positions were far below the IAEA acceptable limit (1.0 mSv/yr) which was significant for the research reactor safety.

Keywords: TRIGA research reactor; ⁴¹Ar; release rate; activity concentration; G-M counter and dose rate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2020.108806

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2020 Vol.14 No.1, pp.71 - 81

Accepted: 21 May 2020
Published online: 03 Aug 2020 *

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