Calculation and analysis of neutron and gamma shielding performance based on boron-containing stainless steel materials

[Background] The simulation calculation of shielding performance of radiation protection materials at home and abroad is usually limited to one simulation of the Monte Carlo method, while the fine-grained calculation of gamma ray shielding of secondary products is less. [Purpose] This study aims to analyze shielding performance and activation products of boron-containing stainless steel materials. [Methods] Monte Carlo particle transport program combined with fuel consumption calculation and analysis program (MCNP5/ORIGEN2.1) was employed to calculate and analyze the shielding properties and activation products of stainless steel materials for radiation protection. Combined with the specific requirements of radiation shielding design, evaluation method of neutron/ gamma integrated shielding performance was proposed. Based on the simplified model of three-layer shielding structure of single-layer external irradiation of nuclear reactor, the shielding effect of neutron in the neutron/γ mixed radiation field, photon, (n, γ) reaction photons and secondary activation product photons inside the material were simulated by boron stainless steel and ordinary stainless steel, and the overall shielding performance of the protective material was evaluated. [Results and Conclusions] The actual average photon transmittance of boron stainless steel is slightly lower than that of ordinary stainless steel, both of them have the same gamma-ray shielding performance, but boron stainless steel has advantages over ordinary stainless steel in weight reduction. (authors)