Shielding alternatives

[zapkitty]

One factor in adapting FF power sources to various forms of transportation is the volume required by the use of water as shielding. In some applications the volume of the water has a greater effect on design than the mass of the water.

Before proceeding to speculation on the joys of lead-doped borated high-density polyethylene sheeting with depleted uranium backing… let’s make sure I have something that vaguely resembles a clue as to where we’re actually starting from… 🙂

As I understand it the formula is 0.8 to 1 meter of water for neutron and other radiation, 10 or 20 cm of a boron compound to handle the remaining neutrons, and ~5 cm of lead to handle the secondary gammas from the neutron captures.

Any primary gammas from pB&j would be handled by all these layers as well, right?

[vansig]

the water moderates neutrons, so even the odd fast-neutron will be slowed through it; the boron captures neutrons; the lead captures gammas.
all this brings it down to background level.

[kiwistudent]

ok silly thought but if you made your x-ray capture device with alternating layers of graphene, gold and lithium hydride to a reasonable thickness wouldn’t that capture most of the stray radiation waves.
then if you added boric acid to the water couldn’t you dramatically reduce the volume of water and overall mass and size of a unit?

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