Neutrons flux distribution in a 252Cf irradiation cell for neutron activation analysis

A 100 microgram Californium-252 (252Cf) neutron source was embedded in a pure paraffin moderator surrounded by neutron and gamma ray shields to be used as an irradiation cell facility for NAA experiments. The cell is provided with a direct horizontal channel and a Vertical Tangential Irradiation Channel (VTIC) that are parallel to the source axis. The cadmium difference method was used in determining the thermal and epithermal neutron flux distributions along the axis of the (VTIC). For this purpose, 10 pairs of bare and cadmium covered pure gold foils were irradiated at the same positions along the axis of the (VTIC) in two separate runs. The absolute efficiency of the HPGe detector at the gamma ray energy 411.8 keV of 198 Au, was found to be 0.0318 ± 0.0025.The obtained distributions of thermal and epithermal neutron fluxes were tabulated and graphically presented. An evidence for contributions from 252Cf fission by epithermal neutrons was noticed. As an application on this facility the concentration of gold in an ore sample from gold - bearing ivory vein of wady Allaqui (at south west of eastern desert) was determined. It was found to be 612 ± 6 ppm