Electronic dosimeter and thermoluminescent dosimeter correlation study at Catawba Nuclear Station
Date
2014
Authors
Edquist, Britt Alyssa, author
Johnson, Thomas, advisor
Brandl, Alexander, committee member
Biedron, Sandra, committee member
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Abstract
Duke Energy's nuclear fleet is comprised of seven nuclear plants. The dosimetry program at every plant includes a comparison of the dose recorded by the TLDs and EPDs at the end of each quarter. EPD over-response is desirable to a degree because the over-response offers a higher dose estimate; however, too great of an over estimate obscures the actual dose a worker receives. An EPD/TLD correlation study was conducted to quantify and identify factors contributing to excess EPD over-response and offer recommendations to improve the EPD/TLD correlation. The EPD/TLD correlations at Catawba Nuclear Station (CNS) (York, SC) were markedly higher than the EPD/TLD correlations at other Duke Energy nuclear plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the EPD/TLD correlation experienced at CNS. Assemblies, comprised of a phantom (a one gallon plastic jug filled with water) with a V2/V3 Mirion 2000S EPD, V4 Mirion 2000S EPD and TLD inside of a plastic bag that was zip tied to the phantom, were placed in strategic locations within the CNS auxiliary building. Dose rates in the CNS auxiliary building ranged from approximately 10 μSv/h (1 mrem/h) to 350 μSv/h (35 mrem/h). Assemblies were removed after seven days and the dose from the EPDs and TLDs were determined and recorded. Both the V2/V3 and V4 EPDs over-responded compared to the TLD. The V4 over-response was found to be greater than the V2/V3 over-response. Reducing the V4 EPD bias from 15% to 7% would improve the correlation between EPD and TLD doses while still permitting some over-response, allowing for more meaningful EPD dose estimates.
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Subject
dosimetry
thermoluminescent dosimeter
nuclear power
health physics
electronic dosimeter