5. Analytical Solution of 1-D S-S Heat Conduction Equation, Slab 457
L
x
dx
x
q
dxx
q
+
x
q
′′′
0
q
′′′
x
eqxq
µ
−
′′′
=
′′′
0
)(
φ
x
φ
x+dx
φ
0
Figure IVa.5.7. Bombardment of a slab by high-energy radiation
The interaction of the high-energy radiation with the atoms of the medium at-
tenuates the radiation intensity. Since the rate of interaction at any location in the
medium is directly proportional to the number of particles in that location, it can
be easily shown that the rate of interaction decreases exponentially. To demon-
strate, let’s say that
φ
represents the number of particles of the high energy radia-
tion that have penetrated the medium to depth x per unit time and per unit surface
area of the medium. We call this quantity, flux. If the particles are photons,
φ
represents the flux of gamma radiation and if the particles are neutrons,
φ
is neu-
tron flux. We now consider the elemental control volume located at x and ex-
tended to dx. Particles that enter this control volume interact with the atoms of the
material comprising the control volume. Since in each interaction a particle is re-
moved, the number of particles leaving this control volume (at x + dx) has de-
creased by
φ
lost
. A particle balance yields
φ
x
=
φ
x+dx
+
φ
lost
. To find the rate of par-
ticles which have had interaction (i.e., dropped out
φ
lost
) we introduce the
absorption coefficient,
µ
. This coefficient represents the likelihood that a particle
would have an interaction with an atom of the medium per unit distance of travel
in the medium. Hence, in traveling dx, there is a chance equal to
φ
(
µ
dx) that a
particle would have an interaction in the medium. Substituting for
φ
lost
=
φ
(
µ
dx)
and for
φ
x+dx
≅
φ
x
+ (d
φ
x
/dx)dx in the particle balance, we find:
φ
x
= [
φ
x
+ (d
φ
x
/dx)dx] +
φ
x
(
µ
dx) IVa.5.13
Equation IVa.5.13 simplifies to d
φ
/dx = –
µφ
. Upon integration from x = 0 where
particle flux is
φ
o
to any x, the radiation flux in the medium is obtained as:
φ
(x) =
φ
o
e
–
µ
x
IVa.5.14
The absorption coefficient (
µ
) introduced above is the probability of interaction
per unit distance of travel. This is usually expressed in cm
–1
. Values of
µ
for vari-
ous shielding materials are given in Table A.V.1(SI)
*
.
*
The type of interaction of the incident radiation with the atoms of the medium depends on
the nature and the energy of the incident radiation as well as the material of the medium.
If the radiation consists of neutrons, then the type of interaction may be absorption or scat-