Optimizing design for the maze exit of a 10-MeV electron irradiation accelerator

Background: Irradiation accelerator is being used more and more widely, but the optimizing of radiation shielding is always a problem to be solved. Purpose: To make the dose rates of the maze exit lower and the cost to achieve it less, it is of great significance to design a shielding which is cheap and effective. Methods: The radiation dose rates at different maze exits of a 10-MeV industrial electron linear accelerator were compared by formula and Monte Carlo (Fluka) method. A real-time measurement system composed of Mini Digital Data Logging (Mini-DDL) and Gamma detectors was also used. Results: With one comer added to the exit, another scattering would be generated. The dose rate of exit before changing was 3-4 μGy·h^-1 while it was 200 nGy·h^-1 after that. Conclusion: The radiation dose rate at the exit will be reduced by one order of magnitude because of another scattering generated by the added turn to the maze exit. All of these do not increase any additional cost and conform to the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle. It provides a good reference for the future design of shielding for industrial electron linear accelerator. (authors)