IEC 60544-1:2013

IEC 60544-1 ®
Edition 3.0 2013-06
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Electrical insulating materials – Determination of the effects of ionizing
radiation –
Part 1: Radiation interaction and dosimetry

Matériaux isolants électriques – Détermination des effets des rayonnements
ionisants –
Partie 1: Interaction des rayonnements et dosimétrie

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IEC 60544-1 ®
Edition 3.0 2013-06
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Electrical insulating materials – Determination of the effects of ionizing

radiation –
Part 1: Radiation interaction and dosimetry

Matériaux isolants électriques – Détermination des effets des rayonnements

ionisants –
Partie 1: Interaction des rayonnements et dosimétrie

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX V
ICS 17.240; 29.035.01 ISBN 978-2-83220-894-6

– 2 – 60544-1 © IEC:2013
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Radiation-induced changes and their evaluation . 9
4.1 General . 9
4.2 Permanent changes . 9
4.3 Environmental conditions and material geometry . 9
4.4 Post-irradiation effects . 9
4.5 Temporary effects . 9
5 Facilities for irradiation of material samples for evaluation of properties . 10
5.1 General . 10
5.2 Gamma-ray irradiators . 10
5.3 Electron-beam irradiators . 10
5.4 X-ray (Bremsstrahlung) irradiators . 11
6 Dosimetry methods . 11
6.1 General . 11
6.2 Absolute dosimetry methods . 12
6.2.1 Gamma-rays . 12
6.2.2 Electron beams . 12
6.3 Dosimetry systems . 12
6.3.1 Reference standard dosimetry systems . 12
6.3.2 Routine dosimetry systems . 13
6.3.3 Measurement uncertainty . 14
6.3.4 Dosimeter calibration . 15
6.3.5 Dosimeter selection . 15
7 Characterization of irradiation facilities . 16
8 Dose mapping of samples for test . 16
8.1 Charged particle equilibrium . 16
8.2 Depth-dose distribution (limitations) . 16
9 Monitoring of the irradiation . 17
Annex A (informative) Radiation chemical aspects in interaction and dosimetry . 18
Bibliography . 31

Figure A.1 – Absorbed dose as a function of thickness . 19
Figure A.2 – Absorber thickness for charged-particle equilibrium as a function of
23 -3
energy for a material with an electron density of 3,3 × 10 cm (water). 20
Figure A.3 – Thickness of water (1 g/cm ) as a function of photon energy for a given
attenuation of unidirectional X-ray or γ-ray radiation . 21
Figure A.4 – Typical depth-dose distribution in a homogeneous material obtained with
electron accelerators for radiation processing . 25
Figure A.5 – Example of calculated results of energy deposition function, I(z′), for a
slab layer of polyethylene exposed to 1 MeV electron . 25
Figure A.6 – Example of calculated results of energy deposition function, I(z′), for
typical organic insulators exposed to 1 MeV electron . 26

60544-1 © IEC:2013 – 3 –
Figure A.7 – Two methods of arranging the irradiation samples in order to take into
account the typical depth-dose distributions . 27
Figure A.8 – Methods of arranging the irradiation samples for measuring electron
depth-dose distributions with a stack of slab insulating materials and wedge-shape
insulating materials . 28
Figure A.9 – Scheme of radiation effects of polymers. 29

Table 1 – Examples of reference standard dosimeters . 13
Table 2 – Examples of routine dosimeter systems . 14
Table A.1 – Electron mass collision stopping powers, S/ρ (MeV cm /g) . 23
Table A.2 – Photon mass energy absorption coefficients, µ /ρ (cm /g) . 24
en
– 4 – 60544-1 © IEC:2013
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTRICAL INSULATING MATERIALS –
DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION –

Part 1: Radiation interaction and dosimetry

FOREWORD
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