IGSHIELD: A new interactive point kernel gamma ray shielding code

IGSHIELD is an interactive gamma ray shielding code (stand alone) developed in Visual Basic Version 6.0 for windows operating system. The computational methodology is based on the point kernel technique employed in QADCGPIC (and hence QADCGGP) code. In IGSHIELD, all the features of QADCGPIC code written in FORTRAN and its user interface GUI2QAD-3D written in visual basic have been incorporated and several additional improvements have been made. The new improvements made in the code are (i) handling of multiple source shapes with accompanying energy distributions, (ii) incorporation of hexagonal cylinder as a shield body in the combinatorial geometry routine, (iii) provision to declare hexagonal cylinder and truncated right circular cone as source bodies, (iv) provision to declare point, line and plane as source bodies and (v) arbitrary orientation of sources such as cylinder, hexagonal cylinder and truncated cone. The newly introduced source bodies will be of immense use for calculations involving hexagonal shaped cylindrical sub-assemblies of fast reactors and cone shaped radioactive plume release from stack. The source array option will be of use for calculations involving stacked radioactive drums in vast storage areas. The code is validated by comparing the results with (i) simple source-shield configurations that can be solved using analytical equations and MCNP code, (ii) a point source in an infinite shield medium configuration that is solved using simple analytical equation and (iii) a standard problem in which an irradiated fuel is surrounded by various shielding materials and the problem is solved using MCNP. Several sample problems encountered in nuclear industry and other useful information required for shield designers and analysts are the other highlights of the code. The input for any kind of situations can be prepared easily using the forms that flash with appropriate prompts. Since entry of data is the important part of the input, its validity is checked immediately and the user is cautioned against incorrect data. The input module accepts only the correct data. If the data happens to be an object, the code instantaneously display the 3D view of all the objects built so far. Thus, the Interactive Gamma Ray Shielding Code will cater the needs of a shield designer as well as serve as an excellent educational tool.