PANTHERE V2: multipurpose simulation software for 3D dose rate calculations

PANTHERE is a multipurpose radiation protection software developed by EDF to calculate gamma dose rates in complex 3D environments. PANTHERE takes a key role in the EDF ALARA process, enabling to predict dose rates and to organize and optimize operations in high radiation environments. PANTHERE is also used for nuclear waste characterization, transport of nuclear materials, shield design and zoning. It is used in most of the EDF engineering units and their design service providers and industrial partners. The method used in PANTHERE is the point-kernel integration method with build-up factors. It is a macroscopic approach for gamma dose rate calculation, taking into account the interaction with matter. The build-up factors are used to estimate the scattered radiation in matter. These factors are tabulated for all simple elements (from Z=1 to 98) and for 195 energy groups between 15 keV and 10 MeV. PANTHERE is composed of 3 main components: a computation kernel, a MySQL database for models management and sharing, and a 3D graphical user interface to define the studies and both geometrical and radiological environment. PANTHERE runs on a Linux operating system. PANTHERE has been verified and validated by comparison with the reference Monte Carlo code TRIPOLI-4 of the CEA and with gamma dose rates experimental measurements