Dose distributions in phantoms irradiated in thermal columns of two different nuclear reactors.

In-phantom dosimetry studies have been carried out at the thermal columns of a thermal- and a fast-nuclear reactor for investigating: (a) the spatial distribution of the gamma dose and the thermal neutron fluence and (b) the accuracy at which the boron concentration should be estimated in an explanted organ of a boron neutron capture therapy patient. The phantom was a cylinder (11 cm in diameter and 12 cm in height) of tissue-equivalent gel. Dose images were acquired with gel dosemeters across the axial section of the phantom.

Monte Carlo optimisation of a BNCT facility for treating brain gliomas at the TAPIRO reactor.

An epithermal boron neutron capture therapy facility for treating brain gliomas is currently under construction at the 5 kW fast-flux reactor TAPIRO located at ENEA, Casaccia, near Rome. In this work, the sensitivity of the results to the boron concentrations in healthy tissue and tumour is investigated and the change in beam quality on modifying the moderator thickness (within design limits) is studied. The Monte Carlo codes MCNP and MCNPX were used together with the DSA in-house variance reduction patch.

Shielding calculations for a 100 MeV 30 mA proton beam.

The Study and Production of Exotic Species (SPES) project employs a 100 MeV, 30 mA proton beam that strikes a primary target. The resulting high-energy neutron flux impinges on a secondary target of depleted uranium to produce, through fission, beams of short-lived, neutron-rich nuclei. This paper deals with some of the preliminary shielding calculations for the bunker.

The TRADE experiment: shielding calculations for the building hosting the subcritical system.

The TRADE project (TRiga Accelerator Driven Experiment), to be performed at the existing TRIGA reactor at ENEA Casaccia, has been proposed as a validation of the accelerator-driven system (ADS) concept. TRADE will be the first experiment in which the three main components of an ADS--the accelerator, spallation target and sub-critical blanket--are coupled at a power level sufficient to encounter reactivity feedback effects. As such, TRADE represents the necessary intermediate step in the development of hybrid transmutation systems, its expected outcomes being considered crucial--in terms of proof of stability of operation, dynamic behaviour and licensing issues--for the subsequent realisation of an ADS Transmutation Demonstrator.

An epithermal facility for treating brain gliomas at the TAPIRO reactor.

An epithermal facility for treating patients with brain gliomas has been designed and is under construction at the fast reactor TAPIRO at ENEA Casaccia (Italy). The calculational design tools employed were the Monte Carlo codes MCNP/MCNPX together with the DSA in-house variance reduction patch. A realistic anthropomorphic phantom ("ADAM") was included to optimise dose profiles and in-phantom treatment-planning figures-of-merit.