Radiation Shielding

 

 

Radiation shielding for applications including X-ray shielding, MRI shielding, Nuclear shielding and Neutron shielding can provide significant radiation protection for workers in the medical and nuclear industries.

 

The radiation getting through falls exponentially with the thickness of the shield. In x-ray facilities, the rooms are lined with lead sheetrock, operators stay behind a leaded glass and wear lead aprons.

 

In MRI Machines custom shaped lead shielding is built into the design of the machine. Nuclead has the capability to specially fabricate custom shielding to your specifications depending on your needs. Materials for neutron shielding and nuclear shielding are also available

 

 

Almost any material can act as a shield from gamma or x-rays if used in sufficient amounts. Shielding reduces the intensity of radiation exponentially depending on the thickness. As can be seen from the table below Lead shielding is the most effective and practical method of providing Protection

 

Material	Halving Thickness, inches	Halving Thickness, cm	Density, g/cm³	Halving Weight, g/cm²
lead	0.4	1.0	11.3	12
concrete	2.4	6.1	3.33	20
steel	0.99	2.5	7.86	20
packed soil	3.6	9.1	1.99	18
water	7.2	18	1.00	18
lumber or other wood	11	29	0.56	16
depleted uranium	0.08	0.2	19.1	3.9
air	6000	15000	0.0012	18

Column Halving Weight in the chart above indicates mass of material, required to cut radiation by 50%, in grams per square centimeter of protected area.

The effectiveness of a shielding material in general increases with its density.

 

For more information on Lead Shields for protection click here.

 

For more information on Nuclead's radiation shielding expertise click here and for some examples of Nuclead's specific experience with radiation shielding please click here and with x-ray shielding click here

 

For a complete listing of products available on this site, go to the products and services index page.