Method for weight optimization of a two-material shield for reactor radiation

Abstract

Method of analysis of the problem of designing a homogeneous two-material spherical reactor shield of minimum weight, treating radiation attenuation in plane geometry. The optimization procedure is illustrated by the outline of an example calculation for a reactor shield consisting of a hydrogeneous material (organic plastic) loaded with lead where the space-variable volume fraction of lead is optimized to give a shield of minimum overall weight.