Boron-Lined Neutron Detector Measurements (original) (raw)

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This research presents an evaluation of a boron-lined proportional counter designed as an alternative neutron detector to address the declining availability of 3 He in radiation portal monitors (RPMs). Testing was performed on a GE Reuter Stokes prototype to assess its neutron detection efficiency and gamma ray rejection capabilities. Results showed the boron-lined detector achieved 72% efficiency compared to a single 3 He tube and an intrinsic gamma rejection factor of approximately 10^-6, indicating its potential for meeting detection requirements in homeland security applications.

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Boron-Lined Straw-Tube Neutron Detector Test

2010

Radiation portal monitors used for interdiction of illicit materials at borders include highly sensitive neutron detection systems. The main reason for having neutron detection capability is to detect fission neutrons from plutonium. The currently deployed radiation portal monitors (RPMs) from Ludlum and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) use neutron detectors based upon 3 He-filled gas proportional counters, which are the most common large neutron detector. There is a declining supply of 3 He in the world, and thus, methods to reduce the use of this gas in RPMs with minimal changes to the current system designs and sensitivity to cargo-borne neutrons are being investigated. Four technologies have been identified as being currently commercially available, potential alternative neutron detectors to replace the use of 3 He in RPMs. These technologies are: 1) Boron trifluoride (BF 3)-filled proportional counters, 2) Boron-lined proportional counters, 3) Lithium-loaded glass fibers, and 4) Coated non-scintillating plastic fibers. Reported here are the results of tests of a boron-lined proportional counter design variation. In the testing described here, the neutron detection efficiency and gamma ray rejection capabilities of a system manufactured by Proportional Technologies, Inc, was tested.

Développement de détecteurs de neutron pour l'utilisation en radioprotection

2019

La premiere partie de cette etude a consiste a tester les performances de plusieurs detecteurs de neutrons habituellement utilises pour la radioprotection des accelerateurs de particules a haute energie. La comparaison a ete realisee au CERF, un champ unique qui simule le spectre neutronique rencontre a proximite d'accelerateurs a haute energie et a des altitudes de vols commerciaux. Avant d'etre utilises a la CERF, les detecteurs ont ete caracterises et etalonnes dans le laboratoire du CERN. Une attention particuliere a ete accordee au detecteur de reference, le LINUS, qui a ete teste pour la premiere fois lors d'une campagne aerienne a Prague. La campagne a permis de comprendre le comportement des differents detecteurs et de quantifier leurs sur/sous-estimations par rapport a la fonction d'equivalent de dose ambiante de reference. Ces donnees experimentales ont servi de reference a la nouvelle simulation FLUKA realisee en 2017. Ce travail visait a caracteriser corr...

3He replacement for nuclear safeguards applications - an integrated test program to compare alternative neutron detectors

OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information), 2011

During the past several years, the demand for 3He gas has far exceeded the gas supply. This shortage of 3He gas is projected to continue into the foreseeable future. There is a need for alternative neutron detectors that do not require 3He gas. For more than four decades, neutron detection has played a fundamental role in the safeguarding and control of nuclear materials at production facilities, fabrication plants and storage sites worldwide. Neutron measurements for safeguards applications have requirements that are unique to the quantitative assay of special nuclear materials. These neutron systems measure the neutron multiplicity distributions from each spontaneous fission and/or induced fission event. The neutron time correlation counting requires that two or more neutrons from a single fission event be detected. The doubles and triples neutron counting rate depends on the detector efficiency to the 'L'd and :jd power, respectively, so low efficiency systems will not work for the coincidence measurements, and any detector instabilities are greatly amplified. In the current test program, we will measure the alternative detector properties including efficiency, die-away time, multiplicity precision, gamma sensitivity, dead-time, and we will also consider the detector properties that would allow commercial production to safeguards scale assay systems. This last step needs to be accomplished before the proposed technologies can reduce the demand on 3He gas in the safeguards world. This paper will present the methodology that includes MCNPX simulations for comparing divergent detector types such as 10B lined proportional counters with 3He gas based systems where the performance metrics focus on safeguards applications.

GAMBE: GAMma Blind neutron Efficient detector

Gamma Blind neutron Efficient detector, 2018

Thermal neutron detectors, which are based on semiconductor material such as silicon coated with neutron reactive material like 10B and 6Li have been discussed for many decades. The performance of the thermal neutron detector system, GAMBE, which is based on two silicon sensors in a sandwich configuration is investigated. The results show that a single sandwich design with 6LiF film of (1.5 ± 0.6) mg/cm2 thick can achieve a total ("tn) and a coincidence ("cn) detection efficiency of 4% and 1% respectively. While, 6Li foil of (40 ± 10) μm thick is able to attain a ("cn) of (1.5 ± 0.9)% and a ("tn) of (9.2 ± 1.4)%. The coincidence that defines a true neutron hit is the simultaneous signal recorded by the two sensors facing the conversion layer. These coincidences provide a very good method for rejecting spurious hits coming from gamma-rays, which are usually present in the neutron field under measurement. This methodology results in a high gamma-ray rejection factor of 108. However, the price to pay is a reduction of the detection efficiency of the single sandwich detector. The thermal neutron detection efficiency of the detector is enhanced by using a stacked detector configuration and highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) sheets, as neutron moderators and reflectors. The GAMBE detector is positioned inside a box of HDPE with a lead window in the direction of the neutron flux for neutron moderation and a reduction of the effect of gamma-rays on the detector. The experimental layout was modeled in MCNP4C to investigate the contribution of HDPE to the thermal neutron flux (n/s/cm2). In this research a stack of 4 silicon semiconductor sensors with two 6LiF films of an average thickness of (2.8 ± 0.6) mg/cm2 in a configuration of two sandwiches is shown to achieve a total and a coincidence detection efficiency of (27 ± 3)% and (4 ± 1)% respectively. This represents a significant improvement compared to a single detector. The effect of these stacked detectors for the development of a handheld thermal neutron detector, using 4 coated Si detectors is shown to have a 22% efficiency. Finally, this information is used to inform the optimised design of the handheld detector. The results based on GEANT4 and MCNP4C simulations indicate that the total detection efficiency of this portable detector with a stack of 7 sandwich detectors will increase up to 52% by using an optimal thickness of a 6LiF film of 17 μm (3.95 mg/cm2). This handheld detector has a highest total detection efficiency of 69% when using a 6Li foil of 36 μm thick.

Lithium and Zinc Sulfide Coated Plastic Neutron Detector Test

2010

Radiation portal monitors used for interdiction of illicit materials at borders include highly sensitive neutron detection systems. The main reason for having neutron detection capability is to detect fission neutrons from plutonium. The currently deployed radiation portal monitors (RPMs) from Ludlum and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) use neutron detectors based upon 3 He-filled gas proportional counters, which are the most common large neutron detector. There is a declining supply of 3 He in the world, and thus, methods to reduce the use of this gas in RPMs with minimal changes to the current system designs and sensitivity to cargo-borne neutrons are being investigated.

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