Design of A Multipurpose Composite Radiation Shield Using Evolutionary Algorithm

sonu gupta

sonu gupta

Keywords: Oxide glass, numerical optimization, radiation shield q, borate glasses, heavy metal oxide glass

Abstract

B2O3-SiO2-Bi2O3-BaO glasses are considered as radiation shielding materials based on the
gamma ray half value layer and the neutron removal cross-section. Theoretical data for the Half
Value Layer was obtained from the NIST XCOM software by analyzing the glass as a mixture.
These values showed good correspondence to the experimentally determined mass attenuation
coefficient. The neutron removal cross-section and the half value layer of the Glass system was
optimized using the genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm was used alongside regression
analysis to determine the relative concentration of each oxide to obtain the best radiation
shielding material. The use of numerical methods was employed to ascertain simple functions
that could be used instead of traditional analytical functions in modeling the behavior of glass.
This approach had fast convergence due to reduced complexity in equations. The optimal
solution was shown to be equal to Barite concrete in gamma ray shielding and limonite
concrete in neutron shielding. The auto-Zeff software was used to generate a plot of the
effective atomic number over a spectrum of photon energies. While spectroscopic techniques
were used to determine the structure of the glass and the optical properties to justify its use as
an alternative to either concrete or water.

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