Technique for comparative economical estimation of radioizotope neutron sources

The main points of the methods of comparative economical estimation of neutron sources taking into account peculiarities of their production and utilization are considered on the base of the conventional technique. As a criterion for different neutron sources comparison the reduced costs per one effective neutron are taken. The volume of work performed by a neutron source is shown to be characterized by the amount of produced and utilized neutrons. The specificity of calculation of annual operation and capital costs and also annual amount of utilized neutrons is obtained for one neutron source. This technique allows to make comparative economical estimation on the stages of developing and using neutron sources when solving the following problems: selection of one type of sources from several types; determination of the efficiency of application of a neutron source as compared with traditional methods of fulfilment of works; selection of the unity power and number of sources used simultaneously; determination of the expediency of the increase of the work volume performed by a neutron source due to the utilization of multiplying systems; determination of the expediency of the spent sources regeneration, etc