A system for the calculation and visualisation of radiation field for maintenance support in nuclear power plants

A system has been developed to improve the efficiency of maintenance work while decreasing the radiation exposure of maintenance personnel in nuclear power plants. The input data for dose rate calculation are automatically generated by using computer-aided design data. Changes for the input data corresponding to the progress of maintenance work, such as installation of a radiation shield and removal of a component, are easily input interactively on a graphical user interface (GUI). A new method was proposed which searches the sets of source and detector points between which gamma-ray attenuation is changed by the component movement. The calculation is performed only for the changed sets, so that the change of the three-dimensional dose rate distribution is calculated rapidly according to the work progress. The dose rate distribution and the radiation exposure of maintenance personnel are displayed three-dimensionally in colour with plant components and pipes on the GUI. (authors)