Polyethylene-reflected plutonium metal sphere: subcritical neutron and gamma measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattingly, John K.

2009-01-01

Numerous benchmark measurements have been performed to enable developers of neutron transport models and codes to evaluate the accuracy of their calculations. In particular, for criticality safety applications, the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiment Program (ICSBEP) annually publishes a handbook of critical and subcritical benchmarks. Relatively fewer benchmark measurements have been performed to validate photon transport models and codes, and unlike the ICSBEP, there is no program dedicated to the evaluation and publication of photon benchmarks. Even fewer coupled neutron-photon benchmarks have been performed. This report documents a coupled neutron-photon benchmark for plutonium metal reflected by polyethylene. A 4.5-kg sphere of ?-phase, weapons-grade plutonium metal was measured in six reflected configurations: (1) Bare; (2) Reflected by 0.5 inch of high density polyethylene (HDPE); (3) Reflected by 1.0 inch of HDPE; (4) Reflected by 1.5 inches of HDPE; (5) Reflected by 3.0 inches of HDPE; and (6) Reflected by 6.0 inches of HDPE. Neutron and photon emissions from the plutonium sphere were measured using three instruments: (1) A gross neutron counter; (2) A neutron multiplicity counter; and (3) A high-resolution gamma spectrometer. This report documents the experimental conditions and results in detail sufficient to permit developers of radiation transport models and codes to construct models of the experiments and to compare their calculations to the measurements. All of the data acquired during this series of experiments are available upon request.

Orion, a high efficiency 4π neutron detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crema, E.; Piasecki, E.; Wang, X.M.; Doubre, H.; Galin, J.; Guerreau, D.; Pouthas, J.; Saint-Laurent, F.

1990-01-01

In intermediate energy heavy ion collisions the multiplicity of emitted neutrons is strongly connected to energy dissipation and to impact parameter. We present the 4π detector ORION, a high efficiency liquid scintillator detector which permits to get information on the multiplicity of neutrons measured event-wise and on the spatial distribution of these neutrons [fr

Single-sphere multiple-detector neutron spectrometer. Final report on Phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinclair, F.; Stern, I.; Hahn, R.W.; Entine, G.

1987-07-01

To address the problem of accurate, timely estimates of the neutron spectral flux, researchers are developing a monitoring instrument based on a single moderating sphere with a large number of independent sensors. Such a single-sphere spectrometer would allow easy measurement of quality factors. This is made possible by the recent development of a novel digital sensor which detects radiation induced errors in a dynamic random-access memory. During Phase I of the SBIR program, researchers constructed a first prototype of the single-sphere spectrometer, measured its response in a neutron flux from an isotopic Am-Be source in several geometries, and compared these with the results of Monte Carlo simulations of neutron transport. The preliminary results show that the approach is feasible and relatively straightforward

Neutron spectrometry using LNL bonner spheres and FLUKA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarchiapone, L.; Zafiropoulos, D. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (Italy)

2013-07-18

The characterization of neutron fields has been made with a system based on a scintillation detector and multiple moderating spheres. The system, together with the unfolding procedure, have been tested in quasi-monochromatic neutron energy fields and in complex, mixed, cyclotron based environments. FLUKA simulations have been used to produce response functions and reference energy spectra.

Neutron spectra unfolding in Bonner spheres spectrometry using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kardan, M.R.; Setayeshi, S.; Koohi-Fayegh, R.; Ghiassi-Nejad, M.

2003-01-01

The neural network method has been used for the unfolding of neutron spectra in neutron spectrometry by Bonner spheres. A back propagation algorithm was used for training of neural networks 4mm x 4 mm bare LiI(Eu) and in a polyethylene sphere set: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 18 inch diameter have been used for unfolding of neutron spectra. Neural networks were trained by 199 sets of neutron spectra, which were subdivided into 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 20 energy bins and for each of them an appropriate neural network was designed and trained. The validation was performed by the 21 sets of neutron spectra. A neural network with 10 energy bins which had a mean value of error of 6% for dose equivalent estimation of spectra in the validation set showed the best results. The obtained results show that neural networks can be applied as an effective method for unfolding neutron spectra especially when the main target is neutron dosimetry. (author)

Thin film CdTe based neutron detectors with high thermal neutron efficiency and gamma rejection for security applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, L.; Murphy, J.W. [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 (United States); Kim, J. [Korean Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Rozhdestvenskyy, S.; Mejia, I. [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 (United States); Park, H. [Korean Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Allee, D.R. [Flexible Display Center, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 85284 (United States); Quevedo-Lopez, M. [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 (United States); Gnade, B., E-mail: beg031000@utdallas.edu [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 (United States)

2016-12-01

Solid-state neutron detectors offer an alternative to {sup 3}He based detectors, but suffer from limited neutron efficiencies that make their use in security applications impractical. Solid-state neutron detectors based on single crystal silicon also have relatively high gamma-ray efficiencies that lead to false positives. Thin film polycrystalline CdTe based detectors require less complex processing with significantly lower gamma-ray efficiencies. Advanced geometries can also be implemented to achieve high thermal neutron efficiencies competitive with silicon based technology. This study evaluates these strategies by simulation and experimentation and demonstrates an approach to achieve >10% intrinsic efficiency with <10{sup −6} gamma-ray efficiency.

Facile synthesis and microwave absorbability of C@Ni–NiO core–shell hybrid solid sphere and multi-shelled NiO hollow sphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Hongjing; Wu, Guanglei; Wu, Qiaofeng; Wang, Liuding

2014-01-01

We reported the preparation of C@Ni–NiO core–shell hybrid solid spheres or multi-shelled NiO hollow spheres by combining a facile hydrothermal route with a calcination process in H 2 or air atmosphere, respectively. The synthesized C@Ni–NiO core–shell solid spheres with diameters of approximately 2–6 μm were in fact built from dense NiO nanoparticles coated by random two-dimensional metal Ni nanosheets without any visible pores. The multi-shelled NiO hollow spheres were built from particle-like ligaments and there are a lot of pores with size of several nanometers on the surface. Combined Raman spectra with X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), it suggested that the defects in the samples play a limited role in the dielectric loss. Compared with the other samples, the permeability of the samples calcined in H 2 and air was increased slightly and the natural resonance frequency shifted to higher frequency (7, 11 and 14 GHz, respectively), leading to an enhancement of microwave absorption property. For the sample calcined in H 2 , an optimal reflection loss less than − 10 was obtained at 7 GHz with a matching thickness of 5.0 mm. Our study demonstrated the potential application of C@Ni–NiO core–shell hybrid solid sphere or multi-shelled NiO hollow sphere as a more efficient electromagnetic (EM) wave absorber. - Highlights: • C@Ni–NiO core–shell hybrid solid sphere was synthesized by a facile method. • Multi-shelled NiO hollow sphere was synthesized by a facile method. • It suggested that the defects in the samples play a limited role in dielectric loss. • The permeability of the samples calcined in H 2 and air was increased. • Microwave absorbability of C@Ni–NiO core–shell hybrid solid sphere was investigated

NSDUAZ unfolding package for neutron spectrometry and dosimetry with Bonner spheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vega C, H. R.; Martinez B, M. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Calle Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico); Ortiz R, J. M., E-mail: fermineutron@yahoo.com [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Ingenieria Electrica, Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2011-10-15

NSDUAZ (Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry for the Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas) is a user friendly neutron unfolding package for Bonner sphere spectrometer with {sup 6}Lil(Eu) developed under Lab View environment. Unfolding is carried out using a recursive iterative procedure with the SPUNIT algorithm, where the starting spectrum is obtained from a library initial guess spectrum to start the iterations, the package include a statistical procedure based on the count rates relative to the count rate in the 8 inches-diameter sphere to select the initial spectrum. Neutron spectrum is unfolded in 32 energy groups ranging from 10{sup -8} up to 231.2 MeV. (Author)

Benchmarks on neutron leakage from iron and beryllium slabs and spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belousov, S.; Ilieva, K.; Popova, I.; Antonov, S.

1998-01-01

Five benchmarks, recommended by the IAEA for nuclear power engineering have been calculated for assessment of Iron and Beryllium neutron data from the recent FENDL version. The FENDL multigroup data processed in IAEA by NJOY code are in VITAMIN-J energy structure in MATXS format. These data have been converted to ANISN format by TRANSX code, ported to PC version and collected to binary library by LIBFENDL code, that we have created especially for this purpose. Neutron transport calculations have been carried out by the codes ANISN, GRTUNCL and DORT. The benchmark for neutron leakage from 25 cm radius Iron sphere with 252 Cf source posses to test FENDL Iron data for LWRs application. Other two benchmarks important for fusion application correspond to the 14 MeV neutron transmission through Iron sphere shell (Simakov S.P. et al., IPPE, Obninsk) and Iron slabs (Y. Oyama, H. Maekawa, FNS/ JAERI). The comparison of measured and calculation results demonstrates discouraged inconsistency when material thickness exceeds 20 cm. Modelling of the angular neutron leakage from 14 MeV source transmitted through Beryllium slabs (H. Maekawa and Y. Oyama at FNS/JAERI) and scalar neutron leakage spectra through sphere shell (Simakov S.P. at al in IPPE, Obninsk) is important for studding the multiplication properties of Beryllium as a fusion blanket material. The measured and calculated results are in relatively good consistency

A parametric model to describe neutron spectra around high-energy electron accelerators and its application in neutron spectrometry with Bonner Spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Bedogni, Roberto; Pelliccioni, Maurizio; Esposito, Adolfo

2010-03-01

Due to the increased interest of the scientific community in the applications of synchrotron light, there is an increasing demand of high-energy electron facilities, testified by the construction of several new facilities worldwide. The radiation protection around such facilities requires accurate experimental methods to determine the dose due to prompt radiation fields. Neutron fields, in particular, are the most complex to measure, because they extend in energy from thermal (10 -8 MeV) up to hundreds MeV and because the responses of dosemeters and survey meters usually have large energy dependence. The Bonner Spheres Spectrometer (BSS) is in practice the only instrument able to respond over the whole energy range of interest, and for this reason it is frequently used to derive neutron spectra and dosimetric quantities in accelerator workplaces. Nevertheless, complex unfolding algorithms are needed to derive the neutron spectra from the experimental BSS data. This paper presents a parametric model specially developed for the unfolding of the experimental data measured with BSS around high-energy electron accelerators. The work consists of the following stages: (1) Generation with the FLUKA code, of a set of neutron spectra representing the radiation environment around accelerators with different electron energies; (2) formulation of a parametric model able to describe these spectra, with particular attention to the high-energy component (>10 MeV), which may be responsible for a large part of the dose in workplaces; and (3) implementation of this model in an existing unfolding code.

A parametric model to describe neutron spectra around high-energy electron accelerators and its application in neutron spectrometry with Bonner Spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedogni, Roberto; Pelliccioni, Maurizio; Esposito, Adolfo

2010-01-01

Due to the increased interest of the scientific community in the applications of synchrotron light, there is an increasing demand of high-energy electron facilities, testified by the construction of several new facilities worldwide. The radiation protection around such facilities requires accurate experimental methods to determine the dose due to prompt radiation fields. Neutron fields, in particular, are the most complex to measure, because they extend in energy from thermal (10 -8 MeV) up to hundreds MeV and because the responses of dosemeters and survey meters usually have large energy dependence. The Bonner Spheres Spectrometer (BSS) is in practice the only instrument able to respond over the whole energy range of interest, and for this reason it is frequently used to derive neutron spectra and dosimetric quantities in accelerator workplaces. Nevertheless, complex unfolding algorithms are needed to derive the neutron spectra from the experimental BSS data. This paper presents a parametric model specially developed for the unfolding of the experimental data measured with BSS around high-energy electron accelerators. The work consists of the following stages: (1) Generation with the FLUKA code, of a set of neutron spectra representing the radiation environment around accelerators with different electron energies; (2) formulation of a parametric model able to describe these spectra, with particular attention to the high-energy component (>10 MeV), which may be responsible for a large part of the dose in workplaces; and (3) implementation of this model in an existing unfolding code.

Hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors with high detection efficiencies

Science.gov (United States)

Maity, A.; Grenadier, S. J.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.; Jiang, H. X.

2018-01-01

Neutron detectors fabricated from 10B enriched hexagonal boron nitride (h-10BN or h-BN) epilayers have demonstrated the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency among solid-state neutron detectors to date at about 53%. In this work, photoconductive-like vertical detectors with a detection area of 1 × 1 mm2 were fabricated from 50 μm thick free-standing h-BN epilayers using Ni/Au and Ti/Al bilayers as ohmic contacts. Leakage currents, mobility-lifetime (μτ) products under UV photoexcitation, and neutron detection efficiencies have been measured for a total of 16 different device configurations. The results have unambiguously identified that detectors incorporating the Ni/Au bilayer on both surfaces as ohmic contacts and using the negatively biased top surface for neutron irradiation are the most desired device configurations. It was noted that high growth temperatures of h-10BN epilayers on sapphire substrates tend to yield a higher concentration of oxygen impurities near the bottom surface, leading to a better device performance by the chosen top surface for irradiation than by the bottom. Preferential scattering of oxygen donors tends to reduce the mobility of holes more than that of electrons, making the biasing scheme with the ability of rapidly extracting holes at the irradiated surface while leaving the electrons to travel a large average distance inside the detector at a preferred choice. When measured against a calibrated 6LiF filled micro-structured semiconductor neutron detector, it was shown that the optimized configuration has pushed the detection efficiency of h-BN neutron detectors to 58%. These detailed studies also provided a better understanding of growth-mediated impurities in h-BN epilayers and their effects on the charge collection and neutron detection efficiencies.

Spectrum of neutrons leaking from an iron sphere with a central 14 MeV neutron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borisov, A.A.; Zagryadskij, V.A.; Chuvilin, D.Yu.; Kralik, M.; Pulpan, J.; Tichy, M.

1991-01-01

Following a review of the present state of nuclear data requisite for the calculation of the transport of 14 MeV neutrons through iron of natural isotopic composition, the results are given of the calculation of the energy spectrum of such neutrons after their passage through an iron sphere 240 mm o.d. and 90 mm i.d., the neutron source being accommodated in the centre of the sphere. The calculations were made using the one-dimensional code BLANK working with the nuclear data libraries ENDL-75, ENDL-83, ENDL/B-IV, JENDL-2 and BROND, and using the three-dimensional code BRAND with the library ENDL-78. The calculated spectra were compared with the experimental spectrum measured at a distance of 3 m from the sphere by means of an NE-213 scintillator, which records reflected protons. The reflected proton spectrum was processed by the matrix method (program FORIST), and the result was normalized to one neutron emitted by the source, as were the calculated spectra. The comparison demonstrates that the experiment is best fitted by the spectrum calculated by using the library JENDL-2, where the integrals of the observed and calculated spectra over the 1-15 MeV range differ as little as approximately 10%. (author). 3 figs., 5 tabs., 16 refs

Neutron Dose Measurement Using a Cubic Moderator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheinfeld, M.; Mazor, T.; Cohen, Y.; Kadmon, Y.; Orion, I.

2014-01-01

The Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS), introduced In July 1960 by a research group from Rice University, Texas, is a major approach to neutron spectrum estimation. The BSS, also known as multi-sphere spectrometer, consists of a set of a different diameters polyethylene spheres, carrying a small LiI(Eu) scintillator in their center. What makes this spectrometry method such widely used, is its almost isotropic response, covering an extraordinary wide range of energies, from thermal up to even hundreds of MeVs. One of the most interesting and useful consequences of the above study is the 12'' sphere characteristics, as it turned out that the response curve of its energy dependence, have a similar shape compared with the neutron's dose equivalent as a function of energy. This inexplicable and happy circumstance makes it virtually the only monitoring device capable providing realistic neutron dose estimates over such a wide energy range. However, since the detection mechanism is not strictly related to radiation dose, one can expect substantial errors when applied to widely different source conditions. Although the original design of the BSS included a small 4mmx4mmO 6LiI(Eu) scintillator, other thermal neutron detectors has been used over the years: track detectors, activation foils, BF3 filled proportional counters, etc. In this study we chose a Boron loaded scintillator, EJ-254, as the thermal neutron detector. The neutron capture reaction on the boron has a Q value of 2.78 MeV of which 2.34 MeV is shared by the alpha and lithium particles. The high manufacturing costs, the encasement issue, the installation efficiency and the fabrication complexity, led us to the idea of replacing the sphere with a cubic moderator. This article describes the considerations, as well as the Monte-Carlo simulations done in order to examine the applicability of this idea

High-efficiency transmision neutron polarizer for high-resolution double crystal diffractometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioffe, A.; Krist, T.; Mezei, F.; Gordeev, G.; Ibrayev, B.

1997-01-01

An efficient transmission geometry neutron polarizer for the high-resolution double crystal diffractometer at HMI (λ=4.8 A) is described. A polarization of about 94% was achieved and the polarized neutron beam intensity amounts to 40% of the nonpolarized beam intensity. This opens up wide possibilities for the study of magnetic small-angle scattering for extremely small momentum transfer (Q∝10 -5 A -1 ). (orig.)

Unfolding neutron spectra from simulated response of thermoluminescence dosimeters inside a polyethylene sphere using GRNN neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Lotfalizadeh, F.; Faghihi, R.; Bahadorzadeh, B.; Sina, S.

2017-07-01

Neutron spectrometry using a single-sphere containing dosimeters has been developed recently, as an effective replacement for Bonner sphere spectrometry. The aim of this study is unfolding the neutron energy spectra using GRNN artificial neural network, from the response of thermoluminescence dosimeters, TLDs, located inside a polyethylene sphere. The spectrometer was simulated using MCNP5. TLD-600 and TLD-700 dosimeters were simulated at different positions in all directions. Then the GRNN was used for neutron spectra prediction, using the TLDs' readings. Comparison of spectra predicted by the network with the real spectra, show that the single-sphere dosimeter is an effective instrument in unfolding neutron spectra.

Simulation and prototyping of 2 m long resistive plate chambers for detection of fast neutrons and multi-neutron event identification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elekes, Z., E-mail: z.elekes@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Aumann, T. [GSI Helmholtzzentrumfür Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Bemmerer, D. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Boretzky, K. [GSI Helmholtzzentrumfür Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Caesar, C. [GSI Helmholtzzentrumfür Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Cowan, T.C. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden (Germany); Hehner, J.; Heil, M. [GSI Helmholtzzentrumfür Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Kempe, M. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Rossi, D. [GSI Helmholtzzentrumfür Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Röder, M. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden (Germany); Simon, H. [GSI Helmholtzzentrumfür Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Sobiella, M.; Stach, D. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Reinhardt, T. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden (Germany); Wagner, A.; Yakorev, D. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Zilges, A. [Universität zu Köln, Köln (Germany); Zuber, K. [Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden (Germany)

2013-02-11

Resistive plate chamber (RPC) prototypes of 2 m length were simulated and built. The experimental tests using a 31 MeV electron beam, discussed in details, showed an efficiency higher than 90% and an excellent time resolution of around σ=100ps. Furthermore, comprehensive simulations were performed by GEANT4 toolkit in order to study the possible use of these RPCs for fast neutron (200 MeV–1 GeV) detection and multi-neutron event identification. The validation of simulation parameters was carried out via a comparison to experimental data. A possible setup for invariant mass spectroscopy of multi-neutron emission is presented and the characteristics are discussed. The results show that the setup has a high detection efficiency. Its capability of determining the momentum of the outgoing neutrons and reconstructing the relative energy between the fragments from nuclear reactions is demonstrated for different scenarios.

High energy neutron dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rai, K.S.F.

1994-01-01

A device for measuring dose equivalents in neutron radiation fields is described. The device includes nested symmetrical hemispheres (forming spheres) of different neutron moderating materials that allow the measurement of dose equivalents from 0.025 eV to past 1 GeV. The layers of moderating material surround a spherical neutron counter. The neutron counter is connected by an electrical cable to an electrical sensing means which interprets the signal from the neutron counter in the center of the moderating spheres. The spherical shape of the device allows for accurate measurement of dose equivalents regardless of its positioning. 2 figures

High efficiency focus neutron generator

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, H.; Amrollahi, R.; Zare, M.; Fazelpour, S.

2017-12-01

In the present paper, the new idea to increase the neutron yield of plasma focus devices is investigated and the results are presented. Based on many studies, more than 90% of neutrons in plasma focus devices were produced by beam target interactions and only 10% of them were due to thermonuclear reactions. While propounding the new idea, the number of collisions between deuteron ions and deuterium gas atoms were increased remarkably well. The COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2 was used to study the given idea in the known 28 plasma focus devices. In this circumstance, the neutron yield of this system was also obtained and reported. Finally, it was found that in the ENEA device with 1 Hz working frequency, 1.1 × 109 and 1.1 × 1011 neutrons per second were produced by D-D and D-T reactions, respectively. In addition, in the NX2 device with 16 Hz working frequency, 1.34 × 1010 and 1.34 × 1012 neutrons per second were produced by D-D and D-T reactions, respectively. The results show that with regards to the sizes and energy of these devices, they can be used as the efficient neutron generators.

Intercomparison of radiation protection devices in a high-energy stray neutron field, Part II: Bonner sphere spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiegel, B.; Agosteo, S.; Bedogni, R.; Caresana, M.; Esposito, A.; Fehrenbacher, G.; Ferrarini, M.; Hohmann, E.; Hranitzky, C.; Kasper, A.; Khurana, S.; Mares, V.; Reginatto, M.; Rollet, S.; Ruehm, W.; Schardt, D.; Silari, M.; Simmer, G.; Weitzenegger, E.

2009-01-01

The European Commission has funded within its 6th Framework Programme a three-year project (2005-2007) called CONRAD, COordinated Network for RAdiation Dosimetry. A major task of the CONRAD Work Package 'complex mixed radiation fields at workplaces' was to organise a benchmark exercise in a workplace field at a high-energy particle accelerator where neutrons are the dominant radiation component. The CONRAD benchmark exercise took place at the Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany in July 2006. In this paper, the results of the spectrometry using four extended -range Bonner sphere spectrometers of four different institutes are reported. Outside Cave A the neutron spectra were measured with three spectrometers at six selected positions and ambient dose equivalent values were derived for use in the intercomparison with other area monitors and dosemeters. At a common position all three spectrometers were used to allow a direct comparison of their results which acts as an internal quality assurance. The comparison of the neutron spectra measured by the different groups shows very good agreement. A detailed analysis presents some differences between the shapes of the spectra and possible sources of these differences are discussed. However, the ability of Bonner sphere spectrometers to provide reliable integral quantities like fluence and ambient dose equivalent is well demonstrated in this exercise. The fluence and dose results derived by the three groups agree very well within the given uncertainties, not only with respect to the total energy region present in this environment but also for selected energy regions which contribute in certain strength to the total values. In addition to the positions outside Cave A one spectrometer was used to measure the neutron spectrum at one position in the entry maze of Cave A. In this case a comparison was possible to earlier measurements.

Design and validation of a single sphere multi-detector neutron spectrometer based on LiF: Mg,Cu,P thermoluminescent dosemeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Ros, Jose Maria; Bedogni, Roberto; Moraleda, Montserrat; Romero, Ana; Delgado, Antonio; Esposito, Adolfo

2010-01-01

This communication describes a new neutron spectrometer consisting of pairs of 7 Li and 6 Li based thermoluminescent dosemeters (MCP-6, MCP-7) located at selected positions within a single moderating polyethylene sphere. The spatial arrangement of the dosemeters has been designed using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code to calculate the response matrix in order to obtain a nearly isotropic response for neutrons in the energy range up to 20 MeV. A partial validation of the calculated response matrix has been performed with the calibrated 241 Am-Be neutron source at the INFN-LNF Laboratory, using the shadow cone technique.

Workplace testing of the new single sphere neutron spectrometer based on Dysprosium activation foils (Dy-SSS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedogni, R.; Gómez-Ros, J.M.; Esposito, A.; Gentile, A.; Chiti, M.; Palacios-Pérez, L.; Angelone, M.; Tana, L.

2012-01-01

A photon insensitive passive neutron spectrometer consisting of a single moderating polyethylene sphere with Dysprosium activation foils arranged along three perpendicular axes was designed by CIEMAT and INFN. The device is called Dy-SSS (Dy foil-based Single Sphere Spectrometer). It shows nearly isotropic response in terms of neutron fluence up to 20 MeV. The first prototype, previously calibrated with 14 MeV neutrons, has been recently tested in workplaces having different energy and directional distributions. These are a 2.5 MeV nearly mono-chromatic and mono-directional beam available at the ENEA Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG) and the photo-neutron field produced in a 15 MV Varian CLINAC DHX medical accelerator, located in the Ospedale S. Chiara (Pisa). Both neutron spectra are known through measurements with a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. In both cases the experimental response of the Dy-SSS agrees with the reference data. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the spectrometric capability of the new device are independent from the directional distribution of the neutron field. This opens the way to a new generation of moderation-based neutron instruments, presenting all advantages of the Bonner sphere spectrometer without the disadvantage of the repeated exposures. This concept is being developed within the NESCOFI@BTF project of INFN (Commissione Scientifica Nazionale 5).

Workplace testing of the new single sphere neutron spectrometer based on Dysprosium activation foils (Dy-SSS)

Science.gov (United States)

Bedogni, R.; Gómez-Ros, J. M.; Esposito, A.; Gentile, A.; Chiti, M.; Palacios-Pérez, L.; Angelone, M.; Tana, L.

2012-08-01

A photon insensitive passive neutron spectrometer consisting of a single moderating polyethylene sphere with Dysprosium activation foils arranged along three perpendicular axes was designed by CIEMAT and INFN. The device is called Dy-SSS (Dy foil-based Single Sphere Spectrometer). It shows nearly isotropic response in terms of neutron fluence up to 20 MeV. The first prototype, previously calibrated with 14 MeV neutrons, has been recently tested in workplaces having different energy and directional distributions. These are a 2.5 MeV nearly mono-chromatic and mono-directional beam available at the ENEA Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG) and the photo-neutron field produced in a 15 MV Varian CLINAC DHX medical accelerator, located in the Ospedale S. Chiara (Pisa). Both neutron spectra are known through measurements with a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. In both cases the experimental response of the Dy-SSS agrees with the reference data. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the spectrometric capability of the new device are independent from the directional distribution of the neutron field. This opens the way to a new generation of moderation-based neutron instruments, presenting all advantages of the Bonner sphere spectrometer without the disadvantage of the repeated exposures. This concept is being developed within the NESCOFI@BTF project of INFN (Commissione Scientifica Nazionale 5).

Workplace testing of the new single sphere neutron spectrometer based on Dysprosium activation foils (Dy-SSS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedogni, R., E-mail: roberto.bedogni@lnf.infn.it [INFN-LNF (Frascati National Laboratories), Via E. Fermi n. 40-00044 Frascati (Italy); Gomez-Ros, J.M. [INFN-LNF (Frascati National Laboratories), Via E. Fermi n. 40-00044 Frascati (Italy); CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Esposito, A.; Gentile, A.; Chiti, M.; Palacios-Perez, L. [INFN-LNF (Frascati National Laboratories), Via E. Fermi n. 40-00044 Frascati (Italy); Angelone, M. [ENEA C.R. Frascati, C.P. 65, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Tana, L. [A.O. Universitaria Pisana-Ospedale S. Chiara, Via Bonanno Pisano, Pisa (Italy)

2012-08-21

A photon insensitive passive neutron spectrometer consisting of a single moderating polyethylene sphere with Dysprosium activation foils arranged along three perpendicular axes was designed by CIEMAT and INFN. The device is called Dy-SSS (Dy foil-based Single Sphere Spectrometer). It shows nearly isotropic response in terms of neutron fluence up to 20 MeV. The first prototype, previously calibrated with 14 MeV neutrons, has been recently tested in workplaces having different energy and directional distributions. These are a 2.5 MeV nearly mono-chromatic and mono-directional beam available at the ENEA Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG) and the photo-neutron field produced in a 15 MV Varian CLINAC DHX medical accelerator, located in the Ospedale S. Chiara (Pisa). Both neutron spectra are known through measurements with a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. In both cases the experimental response of the Dy-SSS agrees with the reference data. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the spectrometric capability of the new device are independent from the directional distribution of the neutron field. This opens the way to a new generation of moderation-based neutron instruments, presenting all advantages of the Bonner sphere spectrometer without the disadvantage of the repeated exposures. This concept is being developed within the NESCOFI@BTF project of INFN (Commissione Scientifica Nazionale 5).

A neutron detector for measurement of total neutron production cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekharan, K.K.; Laumer, H.; Kern, B.D.; Gabbard, F.

1976-01-01

A neutron detector has been constructed and calibrated for the accurate measurement of total neutron production cross sections. The detector consists of a polyethylene sphere of 60 cm diameter in which eight 10 BF 3 counters have been installed radially. The relative efficiency of this detector has been determined for average neutron energies from 30 keV to 1.5 MeV by counting neutrons from 7 Li(p, n) 7 Be. By adjusting the radial positions of the BF 3 counters in the polyethylene sphere the efficiency for neutron detection was made nearly constant for this energy range. Measurement of absolute efficiency for the same neutron energy range has been done by counting the neutrons from 51 V(p, n) 51 Cr and 57 Fe(p, n) 57 Co reactions and determining the absolute number of residual nuclei produced during the measurement of neutron yield. Details of absolute efficiency measurements and the use of the detector for determination of neutron production cross sections are given. (Auth.)

Using neutrons to measure keV temperatures in highly compressed plastic at multi-Gbar pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsen, J.; Bachmann, B.; Zimmerman, G. B.; Hatarik, R.; Döppner, T.; Swift, D.; Hawreliak, J.; Collins, G. W.; Falcone, R. W.; Glenzer, S. H.; Kraus, D.; Landen, O. L.; Kritcher, A. L.

2016-12-01

We have designed an experiment for the National Ignition Facility to measure the Hugoniot of materials such as plastic at extreme pressures. The design employs a strong spherically converging shock launched through a solid ball of material using a hohlraum radiation drive. The shock front conditions can be characterized using X-ray radiography until background from shock coalescence overtakes the backlit signal. Shock coalescence at the center is predicted to reach tens of Gbars and can be further characterized by measuring the X-ray self-emission and 2.45 MeV neutrons emitted from the shock flash region. In this simulation design work the standard plastic sphere is replaced with a deuterated polyethylene sphere, CD2, that reaches sufficiently high densities and temperatures in the central hot spot to produce neutrons from Deuterium-Deuterium (DD) fusion reactions that can be measured by a neutron time of flight spectrometer (nTOF) and act as a temperature diagnostic. This paper focuses on the design of these experiments, based on an extensive suite of radiation-hydrodynamics simulations, and the interpretation of the predicted DD neutron signals. The simulations predict mean temperatures of 1 keV in the central hot spot with mean densities of 33 g/cc and mean pressures of 25 Gbar. A preliminary comparison with early experimental results looks promising with an average ion temperature of 1.06 ± 0.15 keV in the central hot spot estimated from the nTOF spectral width and measured neutron yield of 7.0 (±0.5) × 109 DD neutrons.

Development of a high-count-rate neutron detector with position sensitivity and high efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, R.; Sandoval, J.

1996-01-01

While the neutron scattering community is bombarded with hints of new technologies that may deliver detectors with high-count-rate capability, high efficiency, gamma-ray insensitivity, and high resolution across large areas, only the time-tested, gas-filled 3 He and scintillation detectors are in widespread use. Future spallation sources with higher fluxes simply must exploit some of the advanced detector schemes that are as yet unproved as production systems. Technologies indicating promise as neutron detectors include pixel arrays of amorphous silicon, silicon microstrips, microstrips with gas, and new scintillation materials. This project sought to study the competing neutron detector technologies and determine which or what combination will lead to a production detector system well suited for use at a high-intensity neutron scattering source

Altitude variation of cosmic-ray neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, T.; Uwamino, Y.; Ohkubo, T.; Hara, A.

1987-01-01

The altitude variation of the cosmic-ray neutron energy spectrum and the dose equivalent rate was measured at an average geomagnetic latitude of 24 degrees N by using the high-efficiency multi-sphere neutron spectrometer and neutron dose-equivalent counter developed by the authors. The data were obtained from a 2-h flight over Japan on 27 February 1985. The neutron energy spectra measured at sea level and at altitudes of 4880 m and at 11,280 m were compared with the calculated spectra of O'Brien and with other experimental spectra, and they are in moderately good agreement with them. The dose equivalent rate increases according to a quadratic curve up to about 6000 m and then increases linearly between 6000 m and 11,280 m. The dependence of dose equivalent rates at sea level and at an altitude of 12,500 m on geomagnetic latitude also is given by referring to other experimental results

Development of high efficiency neutron detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickrell, M.M.; Menlove, H.O.

1993-01-01

The authors have designed a novel neutron detector system using conventional 3 He detector tubes and composites of polyethylene and graphite. At this time the design consists entirely of MCNP simulations of different detector configurations and materials. These detectors are applicable to low-level passive and active neutron assay systems such as the passive add-a-source and the 252 Cf shuffler. Monte Carlo simulations of these neutron detector designs achieved efficiencies of over 35% for assay chambers that can accommodate 55-gal. drums. Only slight increases in the number of detector tubes and helium pressure are required. The detectors also have reduced die-away times. Potential applications are coincident and multiplicity neutron counting for waste disposal and safeguards. The authors will present the general design philosophy, underlying physics, calculation mechanics, and results

Applicability of the two-angle differential method to response measurement of neutron-sensitive devices at the RCNP high-energy neutron facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masuda, Akihiko, E-mail: aki-masuda@aist.go.jp [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Matsumoto, Tetsuro [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Iwamoto, Yosuke [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Hagiwara, Masayuki [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); Satoh, Daiki; Sato, Tatsuhiko [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Iwase, Hiroshi [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); Yashima, Hiroshi [Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, 2-1010 Asashiro-nishi, Kumatori, Sennan, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan); Nakane, Yoshihiro [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Nishiyama, Jun [Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 (Japan); Shima, Tatsushi; Tamii, Atsushi; Hatanaka, Kichiji [Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University, 10-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Harano, Hideki [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Nakamura, Takashi [Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, 6-3 Aramaki, Aoba, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578 (Japan)

2017-03-21

Quasi-monoenergetic high-energy neutron fields induced by {sup 7}Li(p,n) reactions are used for the response evaluation of neutron-sensitive devices. The quasi-monoenergetic high-energy field consists of high-energy monoenergetic peak neutrons and unwanted continuum neutrons down to the low-energy region. A two-angle differential method has been developed to compensate for the effect of the continuum neutrons in the response measurements. In this study, the two-angle differential method was demonstrated for Bonner sphere detectors, which are typical examples of moderator-based neutron-sensitive detectors, to investigate the method's applicability and its dependence on detector characteristics. Experiments were performed under 96–387 MeV quasi-monoenergetic high-energy neutron fields at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. The measurement results for large high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sphere detectors agreed well with Monte Carlo calculations, which verified the adequacy of the two-angle differential method. By contrast, discrepancies were observed in the results for small HDPE sphere detectors and metal-induced sphere detectors. The former indicated that detectors that are particularly sensitive to low-energy neutrons may be affected by penetrating neutrons owing to the geometrical features of the RCNP facility. The latter discrepancy could be consistently explained by a problem in the evaluated cross-section data for the metals used in the calculation. Through those discussions, the adequacy of the two-angle differential method was experimentally verified, and practical suggestions were made pertaining to this method.

Six-axis multi-anvil press for high-pressure, high-temperature neutron diffraction experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sano-Furukawa, A., E-mail: sano.asami@jaea.go.jp; Hattori, T. [Quantum Beam Science Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Arima, H. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Yamada, A. [The University of Shiga Prefecture, Shiga 522-8533 (Japan); Tabata, S.; Kondo, M.; Nakamura, A. [Sumitomo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Ehime 792-0001 (Japan); Kagi, H.; Yagi, T. [Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2014-11-15

We developed a six-axis multi-anvil press, ATSUHIME, for high-pressure and high-temperature in situ time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction experiments. The press has six orthogonally oriented hydraulic rams that operate individually to compress a cubic sample assembly. Experiments indicate that the press can generate pressures up to 9.3 GPa and temperatures up to 2000 K using a 6-6-type cell assembly, with available sample volume of about 50 mm{sup 3}. Using a 6-8-type cell assembly, the available conditions expand to 16 GPa and 1273 K. Because the six-axis press has no guide blocks, there is sufficient space around the sample to use the aperture for diffraction and place an incident slit, radial collimators, and a neutron imaging camera close to the sample. Combination of the six-axis press and the collimation devices realized high-quality diffraction pattern with no contamination from the heater or the sample container surrounding the sample. This press constitutes a new tool for using neutron diffraction to study the structures of crystals and liquids under high pressures and temperatures.

A neutron detector for measurement of total neutron production cross sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekharan, K K; Laumer, H; Kern, B D; Gabbard, F [Kentucky Univ., Lexington (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

1976-03-01

A neutron detector has been constructed and calibrated for the accurate measurement of total neutron production cross sections. The detector consists of a polyethylene sphere of 60 cm diameter in which eight /sup 10/BF/sub 3/ counters have been installed radially. The relative efficiency of this detector has been determined for average neutron energies from 30 keV to 1.5 MeV by counting neutrons from /sup 7/Li(p, n)/sup 7/Be. By adjusting the radial positions of the BF/sub 3/ counters in the polyethylene sphere the efficiency for neutron detection was made nearly constant for this energy range. Measurement of absolute efficiency for the same neutron energy range has been done by counting the neutrons from /sup 51/V(p, n)/sup 51/Cr and /sup 57/Fe(p, n)/sup 57/Co reactions and determining the absolute number of residual nuclei produced during the measurement of neutron yield. Details of absolute efficiency measurements and the use of the detector for determination of neutron production cross sections are given.

Neutron dose measurements with the GSI ball at high energy accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fehrenbacher, G.; Gutermuth, F.; Radon, T.; Kozlova, E.

2005-01-01

Full text: At high energy particle accelerators the production of neutron radiation dominates radiation protection. For the radiation survey at accelerators there is a need for reliable detection systems (passive radiation monitors), which can measure the dose for a wide range of neutron energies independently on the beam pulse structure of the produced radiation. In this work a passive neutron dosemeter for the measurement of the ambient dose equivalent is presented. The dosemeter is suitable for measurements of the emerging neutron radiation at accelerators for the whole energy range up to about 10 GeV. The dosemeter consists of a polyethylene sphere, TL elements (pairs of TLD600/700) and an additional lead layer (PE/Pb) in neutron fields at high energy accelerators is investigated in this work. Results of dose measurements which were performed in realistic neutron fields at the high energy accelerator SPS at CERN (CERF facility) and in Cave A at the heavy ion synchrotron SIS at GSI are presented. The results of these measurements are compared with the expected dose values from the neutron spectra determined for the measurement positions at CERF and in Cave A (FLUKA) and with the dosemeter response derived by the calculated response functions (FLUKA) folded with the neutron spectra. The comparisons show that the additional lead layer in the PE/Pb-sphere improves significantly the response of the dosemeter. The response of the PE/Pb-sphere is 40 to 50 % higher at CERF and Cave A in comparison to the bare PE-sphere. At CERF the dose values of the PE/Pb-sphere is about 25 % lower than the expected dose value, whilst for Cave A, a rather good agreement was found (2 % deviation). (author)

Neutron reference spectra measurements with the Bonner multi-spheres spectrometer; Medidas de espectros de referencia de neutrons com o espectrometro de multiesferas de Bonner

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lemos Junior, Roberto Mendonca de

2004-07-01

This paper aims to define a procedure to use the Bonner Multisphere Spectrometer with a {sup 6}LiI(Eu) detector in order to determine of neutron spectra. It was measured {sup 238}PuBe spectra and same of reference ({sup 241}AmBe, {sup 252}Cf e {sup 252}Cf+D{sub 2}O) published in ISO 8529-1 (2001) Norm. The data were processed by a computer program (BUNKI), which presents the results in neutrons energy fluency. Each input parameter of the program was studied in order to establish their influence in the adjustment result. The environment dose equivalent rate obtained placing the detector 1 m from the {sup 241}AmBe source was 122 {+-} 4 {mu}Sv/h with 7% of uncertainty and 95% of confidence level. The procedure established in this work was tested with the {sup 238}PuBe spectrum, obtaining an environment dose equivalent rate of 286 {+-} 9 {mu}Sv/h, 8% lower than the value measured experimentally used as reference. Through this procedure will be possible to measure neutron spectra in different work places where neutrons sources are used. Knowing these spectra, it will be possible to evaluate which area monitors, are more suitable, as well as, to study better the response of individual neutron monitors, as for instance, to obtain a conversion coefficient more appropriate to the albedo dosimeter used in different work places. As the measurements need a long time to be accomplished, the work optimization is fundamental to reduce the exposing time of the Bonner spectrometer operator. For this reason, an important parameter examined in this paper was the possibility of reducing the number of spheres used during the measurement without changing the final result. Considering the radiation protection standards, this parameter has a huge importance when the measurements are performed in work places where the neutron fluency and gamma rate offer risks to the operator's health, as for instance, in nuclear centrals. Studying this parameter, it was possible to conclude that

High neutronic efficiency, low current targets for accelerator-based BNCT applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, J.R.; Ludewig, H.; Todosow, M.

1998-01-01

The neutronic efficiency of target/filters for accelerator-based BNCT applications is measured by the proton current required to achieve a desirable neutron current at the treatment port (10 9 n/cm 2 /s). In this paper the authors describe two possible targeyt/filter concepts wihch minimize the required current. Both concepts are based on the Li-7 (p,n)Be-7 reaction. Targets that operate near the threshold energy generate neutrons that are close tothe desired energy for BNCT treatment. Thus, the filter can be extremely thin (∼ 5 cm iron). However, this approach has an extremely low neutron yield (n/p ∼ 1.0(-6)), thus requiring a high proton current. The proposed solutino is to design a target consisting of multiple extremely thin targets (proton energy loss per target ∼ 10 keV), and re-accelerate the protons between each target. Targets operating at ihgher proton energies (∼ 2.5 MeV) have a much higher yield (n/p ∼ 1.0(-4)). However, at these energies the maximum neutron energy is approximately 800 keV, and thus a neutron filter is required to degrade the average neutron energy to the range of interest for BNCT (10--20 keV). A neutron filter consisting of fluorine compounds and iron has been investigated for this case. Typically a proton current of approximately 5 mA is required to generate the desired neutron current at the treatment port. The efficiency of these filter designs can be further increased by incorporating neutron reflectors that are co-axial with the neutron source. These reflectors are made of materials which have high scattering cross sections in the range 0.1--1.0 MeV

Measurements and Monte Carlo calculations with the extended-range Bonner sphere spectrometer at high-energy mixed fields

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00406842; Bay, Aurelio; Silari, Marco; Aroua, Abbas

The use of spectrometry to provide information for neutron radiation protection has become an increasingly important activity over recent years. The need for spectral data arises because neither area survey instruments nor personal dosimeters give the correct dose equivalent results at all neutron energies. It is important therefore to know the spectra of the fields in which these devices are used. One of the systems most commonly employed in neutron spectrometry and dosimetry is the Bonner Sphere Spectrometers (BSS). The extended- range BSS that was used for this work, consists of 7 spheres with an overall response to neutrons up to 2 GeV. A 3He detector is used as a thermal counter in the centre of each sphere. In the context of this thesis the BSS was calibrated in monoenergetic neutron fields at low and intermediate energies. It was also used for measurements in several high energy mixed fields. These measurements have led to the calculation of neutron yields and spectral fluences from unshielded targets....

EXILL—a high-efficiency, high-resolution setup for γ-spectroscopy at an intense cold neutron beam facility

Science.gov (United States)

Jentschel, M.; Blanc, A.; de France, G.; Köster, U.; Leoni, S.; Mutti, P.; Simpson, G.; Soldner, T.; Ur, C.; Urban, W.; Ahmed, S.; Astier, A.; Augey, L.; Back, T.; Baczyk, P.; Bajoga, A.; Balabanski, D.; Belgya, T.; Benzoni, G.; Bernards, C.; Biswas, D. C.; Bocchi, G.; Bottoni, S.; Britton, R.; Bruyneel, B.; Burnett, J.; Cakirli, R. B.; Carroll, R.; Catford, W.; Cederwall, B.; Celikovic, I.; Cieplicka-Oryńczak, N.; Clement, E.; Cooper, N.; Crespi, F.; Csatlos, M.; Curien, D.; Czerwiński, M.; Danu, L. S.; Davies, A.; Didierjean, F.; Drouet, F.; Duchêne, G.; Ducoin, C.; Eberhardt, K.; Erturk, S.; Fraile, L. M.; Gottardo, A.; Grente, L.; Grocutt, L.; Guerrero, C.; Guinet, D.; Hartig, A.-L.; Henrich, C.; Ignatov, A.; Ilieva, S.; Ivanova, D.; John, B. V.; John, R.; Jolie, J.; Kisyov, S.; Krticka, M.; Konstantinopoulos, T.; Korgul, A.; Krasznahorkay, A.; Kröll, T.; Kurpeta, J.; Kuti, I.; Lalkovski, S.; Larijani, C.; Leguillon, R.; Lica, R.; Litaize, O.; Lozeva, R.; Magron, C.; Mancuso, C.; Ruiz Martinez, E.; Massarczyk, R.; Mazzocchi, C.; Melon, B.; Mengoni, D.; Michelagnoli, C.; Million, B.; Mokry, C.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Mulholland, K.; Nannini, A.; Napoli, D. R.; Olaizola, B.; Orlandi, R.; Patel, Z.; Paziy, V.; Petrache, C.; Pfeiffer, M.; Pietralla, N.; Podolyak, Z.; Ramdhane, M.; Redon, N.; Regan, P.; Regis, J. M.; Regnier, D.; Oliver, R. J.; Rudigier, M.; Runke, J.; Rzaca-Urban, T.; Saed-Samii, N.; Salsac, M. D.; Scheck, M.; Schwengner, R.; Sengele, L.; Singh, P.; Smith, J.; Stezowski, O.; Szpak, B.; Thomas, T.; Thürauf, M.; Timar, J.; Tom, A.; Tomandl, I.; Tornyi, T.; Townsley, C.; Tuerler, A.; Valenta, S.; Vancraeyenest, A.; Vandone, V.; Vanhoy, J.; Vedia, V.; Warr, N.; Werner, V.; Wilmsen, D.; Wilson, E.; Zerrouki, T.; Zielinska, M.

2017-11-01

In the EXILL campaign a highly efficient array of high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors was operated at the cold neutron beam facility PF1B of the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) to carry out nuclear structure studies, via measurements of γ-rays following neutron-induced capture and fission reactions. The setup consisted of a collimation system producing a pencil beam with a thermal capture equivalent flux of about 108 n s-1cm-2 at the target position and negligible neutron halo. The target was surrounded by an array of eight to ten anti-Compton shielded EXOGAM Clover detectors, four to six anti-Compton shielded large coaxial GASP detectors and two standard Clover detectors. For a part of the campaign the array was combined with 16 LaBr3:(Ce) detectors from the FATIMA collaboration. The detectors were arranged in an array of rhombicuboctahedron geometry, providing the possibility to carry out very precise angular correlation and directional-polarization correlation measurements. The triggerless acquisition system allowed a signal collection rate of up to 6 × 105 Hz. The data allowed to set multi-fold coincidences to obtain decay schemes and in combination with the FATIMA array of LaBr3:(Ce) detectors to analyze half-lives of excited levels in the pico- to microsecond range. Precise energy and efficiency calibrations of EXILL were performed using standard calibration sources of 133Ba, 60Co and 152Eu as well as data from the reactions 27Al(n,γ)28Al and 35Cl(n,γ)36Cl in the energy range from 30 keV up to 10 MeV.

One-speed neutron transport in spheres with totally absorbing cores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjoestrand, N.G.

1988-01-01

Stationary and time-dependent transport of neutrons of one speed has been studied in spheres with totally absorbing cores. For stationary, critical reactors the number of secondaries per collision has been calculated numerically for various inner and outer radii. In the time-dependent case, the decay constant has been calculated for spherical shells of different inner radii and thicknesses. For a fixed ratio between shell thickness and inner radius, the curve of the decay constant versus shell thickness crosses the Corngold limit in the same way as the curve for a homogeneous sphere. When the ratio goes to zero the curve approaches that for an infinite slab. The behaviour is discussed in view of a new result from collision theory, viz. that the following condition must be fulfilled for a body at the point where the decay constant curve crosses the Corngold limit: the average exit distance of the neutrons is equal to the mean free path for scattering

Hot nuclei studied with high efficiency neutron detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galin, J.

1990-01-01

We have shown the invaluable benefit that a high efficiency 4π neutron detector can bring to the study of reaction mechanisms following collisions of heavy nuclei at intermediate energy. Analysis requires Monte-Carlo simulations for comparison between experimental data and any emission model. In systematic measurements with projectiles of velocity corresponding to energies between 27 and 77 MeV/u, where both the influence of beam velocity and mass have been investigated separately, it has been shown that the projectile-target mass asymmetry, much more than velocity, has a decisive influence on energy dissipation. The closer the projectile mass to the target mass, the more energy is dissipated per unit mass of the considered projectile plus target system. The latter presents all the characteristics of a thermalized system, evaporating a copious number of light particles: up to about 40 neutrons (after efficiency correction) and 11 light charged particles in the most dissipative collisions between Kr+Au, and 90 neutrons for Pb+U with a yet unknown number of l.c.p. In the Kr experiment, these particles are isotropically emitted in the frame of a fused system, excited with 1.2 GeV. Moreover, l.c.p. exhibit Maxwellian energy distributions as in any standard evaporation process. We are now eager to better characterize the properties of the Pb+Au (U) systems for which about 1/3 of the neutrons are freed in a rather large fraction of all collisions. The thermalized energy should then approach very closely the total binding energy of the two interacting nuclei

Calculations of the spectra of fast neutrons in iron spheres using the vitamin-C file

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, F.; Aizawa, O.; Kadotani, H.

1984-01-01

Steady-state space-dependent fast neutron angular and scalar spectra and total flux in various iron spheres have been calculated using the one-dimensional discrete ordinate transport code ANISN and Vitamin-C nuclear data file. The results have been used to study the question of establishment of equilibrium and of an associated fast neutron diffusion length in iron. The authors find that true equilibrium conditions are not established even inside a 3-m-radius iron sphere. However, from the study of spatial decay of total flux, one can obtain the value of the fast neutron diffusion length in iron, which in the present case is found to be 24.4 cm

AIE-doped poly(ionic liquid) photonic spheres: a single sphere-based customizable sensing platform for the discrimination of multi-analytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wanlin; Gao, Ning; Cui, Jiecheng; Wang, Chen; Wang, Shiqiang; Zhang, Guanxin; Dong, Xiaobiao; Zhang, Deqing; Li, Guangtao

2017-09-01

By simultaneously exploiting the unique properties of ionic liquids and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens, as well as photonic structures, a novel customizable sensing system for multi-analytes was developed based on a single AIE-doped poly(ionic liquid) photonic sphere. It was found that due to the extraordinary multiple intermolecular interactions involved in the ionic liquid units, one single sphere could differentially interact with broader classes of analytes, thus generating response patterns with remarkable diversity. Moreover, the optical properties of both the AIE luminogen and photonic structure integrated in the poly(ionic liquid) sphere provide multidimensional signal channels for transducing the involved recognition process in a complementary manner and the acquisition of abundant and sufficient sensing information could be easily achieved on only one sphere sensor element. More importantly, the sensing performance of our poly(ionic liquid) photonic sphere is designable and customizable through a simple ion-exchange reaction and target-oriented multi-analyte sensing can be conveniently realized using a selective receptor species, such as counterions, showing great flexibility and extendibility. The power of our single sphere-based customizable sensing system was exemplified by the successful on-demand detection and discrimination of four multi-analyte challenge systems: all 20 natural amino acids, nine important phosphate derivatives, ten metal ions and three pairs of enantiomers. To further demonstrate the potential of our spheres for real-life application, 20 amino acids in human urine and their 26 unprecedented complex mixtures were also discriminated between by the single sphere-based array.

Spectral correction factors for conventional neutron dose meters used in high-energy neutron environments improved and extended results based on a complete survey of all neutron spectra in IAEA-TRS-403

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oparaji, U.; Tsai, Y. H.; Liu, Y. C.; Lee, K. W.; Patelli, E.; Sheu, R. J.

2017-01-01

This paper presents improved and extended results of our previous study on corrections for conventional neutron dose meters used in environments with high-energy neutrons (E n > 10 MeV). Conventional moderated-type neutron dose meters tend to underestimate the dose contribution of high-energy neutrons because of the opposite trends of dose conversion coefficients and detection efficiencies as the neutron energy increases. A practical correction scheme was proposed based on analysis of hundreds of neutron spectra in the IAEA-TRS-403 report. By comparing 252 Cf-calibrated dose responses with reference values derived from fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients, this study provides recommendations for neutron field characterization and the corresponding dose correction factors. Further sensitivity studies confirm the appropriateness of the proposed scheme and indicate that (1) the spectral correction factors are nearly independent of the selection of three commonly used calibration sources: 252 Cf, 241 Am-Be and 239 Pu-Be; (2) the derived correction factors for Bonner spheres of various sizes (6''-9'') are similar in trend and (3) practical high-energy neutron indexes based on measurements can be established to facilitate the application of these correction factors in workplaces. (authors)

Neutron leakage spectra from Be, Pb and U spheres at 14 MeV energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Androsenko, A.A.; Androsenko, P.A.; Devkin, B.V.

1989-01-01

Experimental data on neutron leakage spectra from beryllium, lead and uranium spheres with a central 14 MeV neutron source using a time-of-flight spectrometer have been measured. The data were compared with those calculated with the BLANK code using different nuclear data files. 15 refs, 1 fig., 2 tabs

Geometric optimization of a neutron detector based on a lithium glass–polymer composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayer, M., E-mail: mike.f.mayer@gmail.com [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Nattress, J. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Trivelpiece, C. [Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Jovanovic, I. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2015-06-01

We report on the simulation and optimization of a neutron detector based on a glass–polymer composite that achieves high gamma rejection. Lithium glass is embedded in polyvinyltoluene in three geometric forms: disks, rods, and spheres. Optimal shape, geometric configuration, and size of the lithium glass fragments are determined using Geant4 simulations. All geometrical configurations maintain an approximate 7% glass to polymer mass ratio. Results indicate a 125-mm diameter as the optimal detector size for initial prototype design achieving a 10% efficiency for the thermalization of incident fission neutrons from {sup 252}Cf. The geometrical features of a composite detector are shown to have little effect on the intrinsic neutron efficiency, but a significant effect on the gamma rejection is observed. The sphere geometry showed the best overall performance with an intrinsic neutron efficiency of approximately 6% with a gamma rejection better than 10{sup −7} for 280-μm diameter spheres. These promising results provide a motivation for prototype composite detector development based on the simulated designs. - Highlights: • Composite polymer–lithium glass scintillation detector is simulated. • Polymer is considered to be non-scintillating in the simulation. • Three forms of lithium glass are considered: disks, rods, and spheres. • Glass shape has a small effect on neutron efficiency. • Glass shape has a significant effect on gamma rejection.

Criticality problems for slabs and spheres in energy dependent neutron transport theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Victory, H.D. Jr.

1980-01-01

The steady-state equation for energy-dependent neutron transport in isotropically scattering slabs and spheres is formulated as an integral equation. The Perron-Frobenius-Jentzsch theory of positive operators is used to analyze criticality problems for transport in slab and spherical media consisting of core and reflector. In addition, with an adroit selection of diffusion-like solutions, this theory is used to obtain an expression relating the critical radius of a homogeneous sphere to a parameter characterizing fission production. 21 refs

{sup 10}B multi-grid proportional gas counters for large area thermal neutron detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, K. [ESS, P.O. Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Bigault, T. [ILL, BP 156, 6, rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Birch, J. [Linköping University, SE-581, 83 Linköping (Sweden); Buffet, J. C.; Correa, J. [ILL, BP 156, 6, rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Hall-Wilton, R. [ESS, P.O. Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Hultman, L. [Linköping University, SE-581, 83 Linköping (Sweden); Höglund, C. [ESS, P.O. Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Linköping University, SE-581, 83 Linköping (Sweden); Guérard, B., E-mail: guerard@ill.fr [ILL, BP 156, 6, rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Jensen, J. [Linköping University, SE-581, 83 Linköping (Sweden); Khaplanov, A. [ILL, BP 156, 6, rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); ESS, P.O. Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Kirstein, O. [Linköping University, SE-581, 83 Linköping (Sweden); Piscitelli, F.; Van Esch, P. [ILL, BP 156, 6, rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Vettier, C. [ESS, P.O. Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden)

2013-08-21

{sup 3}He was a popular material in neutrons detectors until its availability dropped drastically in 2008. The development of techniques based on alternative convertors is now of high priority for neutron research institutes. Thin films of {sup 10}B or {sup 10}B{sub 4}C have been used in gas proportional counters to detect neutrons, but until now, only for small or medium sensitive area. We present here the multi-grid design, introduced at the ILL and developed in collaboration with ESS for LAN (large area neutron) detectors. Typically thirty {sup 10}B{sub 4}C films of 1 μm thickness are used to convert neutrons into ionizing particles which are subsequently detected in a proportional gas counter. The principle and the fabrication of the multi-grid are described and some preliminary results obtained with a prototype of 200 cm×8 cm are reported; a detection efficiency of 48% has been measured at 2.5 Å with a monochromatic neutron beam line, showing the good potential of this new technique.

Efficiency simulation of long neutron counter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Qingyuan; Li Bojun; Zhang De; Guo Hongsheng; Wang Dong; Yang Gaozhao; Si Fenni; Liu Jian

2008-01-01

In order to achieve the high efficiency and uniform sensitivity for neutrons with widely different energies, the efficiency of long boron trifluoride proportional counter imbedded in polyethylene moderator was simulated by MCNP code. The result shows that detective efficiency would increase with increasing moderator radius and response curve at higher energy would be ameliorated through adjusting the thickness of front moderator. Also we calculated the relative efficiencies for different energy of a detector whose efficiencies were calibrated on an accelerator. The simulated efficiency for D-D neutrons (2.4 MeV) is 75% of the efficiency for D-T neutrons (14.1 MeV), which is approximately agreed with experimental data, 61%. The validity of the simulated model was proved by the consistent results between calculation and experiment data. (authors)

FLUKA simulations of a moderated reduced weight high energy neutron detection system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biju, K., E-mail: bijusivolli@gmail.com [Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Tripathy, S.P.; Sunil, C.; Sarkar, P.K. [Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2012-08-01

Neutron response of the systems containing high density polyethylene (HDPE) spheres coupled with different external metallic converters has been studied using the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation code. A diameter of 17.8 cm (7 in.) of the moderating sphere is found to be optimum to obtain the maximum response when used with the neutron converter shells like W, Pb and Zr. Enhancement ratios of the neutron response due to the induced (n, xn) reactions in the outer converters made of W, Pb and Zr are analyzed. It is observed that the enhancement in the response by 1 cm thick Zr shell is comparable to that of 1 cm thick Pb in the energy region of 10-50 MeV. An appreciable enhancement is observed in the case of Zr converter for the higher energy neutrons. Thus, by reducing the dimension of the moderating sphere and using a Zr converter shell, the weight of the system reduces to 10 kg which is less compared to the presently available extended high energy neutron rem meters. The normalized energy dependent ambient dose equivalent response of the zirconium based rem counter (ZReC) at high energies is found to be in good agreement with the energy differential H{sup Low-Asterisk }(10) values suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Based on this study, it is proposed that a rem meter made of 17.8 cm diameter HDPE sphere with 1 cm thick Zr can be used effectively and conveniently for routine monitoring in the accelerator environment.

Thermoelastic expansion in prompt-critical neutron pulse idealized in a fissile metallic sphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barroso, D.E.G.; Ribeiro, S.G.

1985-01-01

Prompt critical pulses in solid and homogeneous spheres of enriched uranium (93%) and metallic plutonium are studied. The feedback mechanism of the negative inserted reactivity is given by the elastic expansion due to the increase of the temperature in the sphere. Thermomechanical behavior and the capability of the system to become subcritical without a very large increase of energy released in the pulse are analysed. The neutronic and thermoelasticity equations are solved in the time. (M.C.K.) [pt

New trends in the ICRU sphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morstin, K.; Kawecka, B.; Booz, J.

1985-01-01

A space transformation has been applied that enables the transport equation to be efficiently solved for spheres exposed to radiations of almost arbitrary angular distribution. Depth dose distributions in the ICRU sphere have been calculated with the 1-D ANISN transport code for neutron energies from thermal up to 20 MeV and for photons up to 15 MeV. Several irradiation geometries are considered. For deep-penetrating radiations, maximum possible dose equivalent index significantly exceeds Hsub(10) star

An accurate solution of point reactor neutron kinetics equations of multi-group of delayed neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamoah, S.; Akaho, E.H.K.; Nyarko, B.J.B.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Analytical solution is proposed to solve the point reactor kinetics equations (PRKE). ► The method is based on formulating a coefficient matrix of the PRKE. ► The method was applied to solve the PRKE for six groups of delayed neutrons. ► Results shows good agreement with other traditional methods in literature. ► The method is accurate and efficient for solving the point reactor kinetics equations. - Abstract: The understanding of the time-dependent behaviour of the neutron population in a nuclear reactor in response to either a planned or unplanned change in the reactor conditions is of great importance to the safe and reliable operation of the reactor. In this study, an accurate analytical solution of point reactor kinetics equations with multi-group of delayed neutrons for specified reactivity changes is proposed to calculate the change in neutron density. The method is based on formulating a coefficient matrix of the homogenous differential equations of the point reactor kinetics equations and calculating the eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenvectors of the coefficient matrix. A small time interval is chosen within which reactivity relatively stays constant. The analytical method was applied to solve the point reactor kinetics equations with six-groups delayed neutrons for a representative thermal reactor. The problems of step, ramp and temperature feedback reactivities are computed and the results compared with other traditional methods. The comparison shows that the method presented in this study is accurate and efficient for solving the point reactor kinetics equations of multi-group of delayed neutrons

Neutron spectrometry and dosimetry with neural networks and Bonner spheres: a study to reduce the spheres number; Espectrometria y dosimetria neutronica con redes neuronales y esferas Bonner: un estudio para reducir el numero de esferas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Espinoza G, J. G.; Martinez B, M. R.; Leon P, A. A.; Hernandez P, C. F.; Castaneda M, V. H.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Ortiz R, J. M.; Vega C, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico); Mendez, R. [Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, Laboratorio de Patrones Neutronicos, Av. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Gallego, E. [Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, C. Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); De Sousa L, M. A. [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear / CNEN, Av. Pte. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2016-10-15

For neutron spectrometry and neutron dosimetry, the Bonner spheres spectrometric system has been the most widely used system, however, the number, size and weight of the spheres composing the system, as well as the need to use a reconstruction code and the long periods of time used to carry out the measurements are some of the disadvantages of this system. For the reconstruction of the spectra, different techniques such as artificial neural networks of reverse propagation have been used. The objective of this work was to reduce the number of Bonner spheres and to use counting speeds in a reverse propagation neural network, optimized by means of the robust design methodology, to reconstruct the neutron spectra. For the design of the neural network we used the neutron spectra of the IAEA and the response matrix of the Bonner spheres with {sup 6}LiI(Eu) detector. The performance of the network was compared; using 7 Bonner spheres against other cases where only 2 and one sphere are used. The network topologies were trained 36 times for each case keeping constant the objective error (1E(-3)), the training algorithm was trains cg and the robust design methodology to determine the best network architectures. With these, the best and worst results were compared. The results obtained using 7 spheres were similar to those with the 5-in sphere, however is still in an information analysis stage. (Author)

The production of volvox spheres and their potential application in multi-drugs encapsulation and release

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teong, Benjamin; Chang, Shwu Jen [Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, College of Medicine, No. 8, Yida Rd., Jiaosu Village, Yanchao District, Kaohsiung City 82445, Taiwan (China); Chuang, Chin Wen [Department of Electrical Engineering, I-Shou University, No. 1, Sec. 1, Syuecheng Rd., Dashu District, Kaohsiung City 84001, Taiwan (China); Kuo, Shyh Ming, E-mail: smkuo@isu.edu.tw [Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, College of Medicine, No. 8, Yida Rd., Jiaosu Village, Yanchao District, Kaohsiung City 82445, Taiwan (China); Manousakas, Ioannis, E-mail: i.manousakas@ieee.org [Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, College of Medicine, No. 8, Yida Rd., Jiaosu Village, Yanchao District, Kaohsiung City 82445, Taiwan (China)

2013-12-01

Volvox sphere is a bio-mimicking concept of an innovative biomaterial structure of a sphere that contains smaller microspheres which then encapsulate chemicals, drugs and/or cells. The volvox spheres were produced via a high-voltage electrostatic field system, using alginate as the primary material. Encapsulated materials tested in this study include staining dyes, nuclear fast red and trypan blue, and model drugs, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome c (CytC). The external morphology of the volvox spheres was observed via electron microscopy whereas the internal structure of the volvox spheres was observed via an optical microscope with the aid of the staining dyes, since alginate is colorless and transparent. The diameter of the microspheres was about 200 to 300 μm, whereas the diameter of the volvox spheres was about 1500 μm. Volvox spheres were durable, retaining about 95% of their mass after 4 weeks. Factors affecting entrapment efficiency, such as temperature and concentration of the bivalent cross-linker, were compared followed by a 7-day in vitro release study. The encapsulation efficiency of CytC within the microspheres was higher at cold (∼ 4 °C) and warm (∼ 50 °C) temperatures whereas temperature has no obvious effect on the BSA encapsulation. High crosslinking concentration (25% w/v) of calcium chloride has resulted higher entrapment efficiency for BSA but not for CytC. Furthermore, volvox spheres showed a different release pattern of BSA and CytC when compared to microspheres encapsulating BSA and CytC. Despite the fact that the mechanisms behind remain unclear and further investigation is required, this study demonstrates the potential of the volvox spheres for drug delivery. - Highlights: • Volvox spheres contain smaller microspheres which can encapsulate drugs and/or cells. • Alginate is the primary material for the inner and outer spheres. • Encapsulation is affected by the crosslinking, temperature and the selection of drugs. �

The production of volvox spheres and their potential application in multi-drugs encapsulation and release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teong, Benjamin; Chang, Shwu Jen; Chuang, Chin Wen; Kuo, Shyh Ming; Manousakas, Ioannis

2013-01-01

Volvox sphere is a bio-mimicking concept of an innovative biomaterial structure of a sphere that contains smaller microspheres which then encapsulate chemicals, drugs and/or cells. The volvox spheres were produced via a high-voltage electrostatic field system, using alginate as the primary material. Encapsulated materials tested in this study include staining dyes, nuclear fast red and trypan blue, and model drugs, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome c (CytC). The external morphology of the volvox spheres was observed via electron microscopy whereas the internal structure of the volvox spheres was observed via an optical microscope with the aid of the staining dyes, since alginate is colorless and transparent. The diameter of the microspheres was about 200 to 300 μm, whereas the diameter of the volvox spheres was about 1500 μm. Volvox spheres were durable, retaining about 95% of their mass after 4 weeks. Factors affecting entrapment efficiency, such as temperature and concentration of the bivalent cross-linker, were compared followed by a 7-day in vitro release study. The encapsulation efficiency of CytC within the microspheres was higher at cold (∼ 4 °C) and warm (∼ 50 °C) temperatures whereas temperature has no obvious effect on the BSA encapsulation. High crosslinking concentration (25% w/v) of calcium chloride has resulted higher entrapment efficiency for BSA but not for CytC. Furthermore, volvox spheres showed a different release pattern of BSA and CytC when compared to microspheres encapsulating BSA and CytC. Despite the fact that the mechanisms behind remain unclear and further investigation is required, this study demonstrates the potential of the volvox spheres for drug delivery. - Highlights: • Volvox spheres contain smaller microspheres which can encapsulate drugs and/or cells. • Alginate is the primary material for the inner and outer spheres. • Encapsulation is affected by the crosslinking, temperature and the selection of drugs. �

High-efficiency resonant rf spin rotator with broad phase space acceptance for pulsed polarized cold neutron beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.-N. Seo

2008-08-01

Full Text Available High precision fundamental neutron physics experiments have been proposed for the intense pulsed spallation neutron beams at JSNS, LANSCE, and SNS to test the standard model and search for new physics. Certain systematic effects in some of these experiments have to be controlled at the few ppb level. The NPDGamma experiment, a search for the small parity-violating γ-ray asymmetry A_{γ} in polarized cold neutron capture on parahydrogen, is one example. For the NPDGamma experiment we developed a radio-frequency resonant spin rotator to reverse the neutron polarization in a 9.5  cm×9.5  cm pulsed cold neutron beam with high efficiency over a broad cold neutron energy range. The effect of the spin reversal by the rotator on the neutron beam phase space is compared qualitatively to rf neutron spin flippers based on adiabatic fast passage. We discuss the design of the spin rotator and describe two types of transmission-based neutron spin-flip efficiency measurements where the neutron beam was both polarized and analyzed by optically polarized ^{3}He neutron spin filters. The efficiency of the spin rotator was measured at LANSCE to be 98.8±0.5% for neutron energies from 3 to 20 meV over the full phase space of the beam. Systematic effects that the rf spin rotator introduces to the NPDGamma experiment are considered.

Biomolecule-assisted synthesis of defect-mediated Cd1-xZnxS/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres for highly efficient hydrogen evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Ruifeng; Zhang, Yihe; Li, Baoying; Yu, Xuelian; Liu, Huijuan; An, Xiaoqiang; Qu, Jiuhui

2016-06-28

Moderate efficiency and the utilization of noble metal cocatalysts are the key factors that restrict the large-scale application of photocatalytic hydrogen production. To develop more efficient photocatalysts based on earth abundant elements, either a new material strategy or a fundamental understanding of the semiconductor/cocatalyst interfaces is highly desirable. In this paper, we studied the feasibility of in situ formation of defect-rich cocatalysts on graphene-based photocatalysts. A facile biomolecule-assisted strategy was used to self-assmble Cd1-xZnxS/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres. The defect-mediated cocatalyst and synergetic charge transfer around heterostructured interfaces exhibit a significant impact on the visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of multicomponent solid solutions. With engineered interfacial defects, Cd0.8Zn0.2S/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres exhibited a 63-fold improved H2 production rate, which was even 2 and 3.8 times higher than those of CdS/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres and Cd0.8Zn0.2S/Pt. Therefore, our research provides a promising approach for the rational design of high-efficiency and low-cost photocatalysts for solar fuel production.

Recent progress in hollow sphere-based electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yan; Chen, Min; Wu, Limin

2016-08-01

Hollow spheres have drawn much attention in the area of energy storage and conversion, especially in high-performance supercapacitors owing to their well-defined morphologies, uniform size, low density and large surface area. And quite some significant breakthroughs have been made in advanced supercapacitor electrode materials with hollow sphere structures. In this review, we summarize and discuss the synthesis and application of hollow spheres with controllable structure and morphology as electrode materials for supercapacitors. First, we briefly introduce the fabrication strategies of hollow spheres for electrode materials. Then, we discuss in detail the recent advances in various hollow sphere-based electrode materials for supercapacitors, including single-shelled, yolk-shelled, urchin-like, double-shelled, multi-shelled, and mesoporous hollow structure-based symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor devices. We conclude this review with some perspectives on the future research and development of the hollow sphere-based electrode materials.

Recent progress in hollow sphere-based electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yan; Chen, Min; Wu, Limin

2016-08-26

Hollow spheres have drawn much attention in the area of energy storage and conversion, especially in high-performance supercapacitors owing to their well-defined morphologies, uniform size, low density and large surface area. And quite some significant breakthroughs have been made in advanced supercapacitor electrode materials with hollow sphere structures. In this review, we summarize and discuss the synthesis and application of hollow spheres with controllable structure and morphology as electrode materials for supercapacitors. First, we briefly introduce the fabrication strategies of hollow spheres for electrode materials. Then, we discuss in detail the recent advances in various hollow sphere-based electrode materials for supercapacitors, including single-shelled, yolk-shelled, urchin-like, double-shelled, multi-shelled, and mesoporous hollow structure-based symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor devices. We conclude this review with some perspectives on the future research and development of the hollow sphere-based electrode materials.

Neutron dosimetry and spectrometry with Bonner spheres. Working out a log-normal reference matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaborowski, Henrick.

1981-11-01

From the experimental and theoretical studies made upon the BONNER's spheres System with a I 6 Li(Eu) crystal and with a miniaturized 3 He counter we get the normalized energy response functions R*sub(i)(E). This normalization is obtained by the mathematization of the Resolution Function R*(i,E) in the Log-Normal distribution hypothesis to mono energetic neutrons given in April 1976 to the International Symposium on Californium 252. The fit of the Log-Normal Hypothesis with the experimental and Theoretical data is very satisfactory. The parameter's tabulated values allow a precise interpolation, at all energies between 0.4 eV and 15 MeV and for all spheres diameters between 2 and 12 inches, of the discretized R*sub(ij) Reference Matrix for the applications to neutron dosimetry and spectrometry [fr

Study of a high spatial resolution {sup 10}B-based thermal neutron detector for application in neutron reflectometry: the Multi-Blade prototype

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piscitelli, F; Buffet, J C; Clergeau, J F; Cuccaro, S; Guérard, B; Khaplanov, A; Manna, Q La; Rigal, J M; Esch, P Van, E-mail: piscitelli@ill.fr [Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 6, Jules Horowitz, 38042, Grenoble (France)

2014-03-01

Although for large area detectors it is crucial to find an alternative to detect thermal neutrons because of the {sup 3}He shortage, this is not the case for small area detectors. Neutron scattering science is still growing its instruments' power and the neutron flux a detector must tolerate is increasing. For small area detectors the main effort is to expand the detectors' performances. At Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) we developed the Multi-Blade detector which wants to increase the spatial resolution of {sup 3}He-based detectors for high flux applications. We developed a high spatial resolution prototype suitable for neutron reflectometry instruments. It exploits solid {sup 10}B-films employed in a proportional gas chamber. Two prototypes have been constructed at ILL and the results obtained on our monochromatic test beam line are presented here.

The Efficiency of the BC-720 Scintillator in a High-Energy (20--800 MeV) Accelerator Neutron Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miles, Leslie H. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)

2005-12-01

High-energy neutron doses (>20 MeV) are of little importance to most radiation workers. However, space and flight crews, and people working around medical and scientific accelerators receive over half of their radiation dose from high-energy neutrons. Unfortunately, neutrons are difficult to measure, and no suitable dosimetry has yet been developed to measure this radiation. In this paper, basic high-energy neutron interactions, characteristics of high-energy neutron environments, present neutron dosimetry, and quantities used in neutron dosimetry are discussed before looking into the potential of the BC-720 scintillator to improve dosimetry. This research utilized 800 MeV protons impinging upon the WNR Facility spallation neutron source at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Time-of-flight methods and a U-238 Fission Chamber were used to aid evaluation of the efficiency of the BC-720. Results showed that the efficiency is finite over the 20–650 MeV energy region studied, although it decreases by a factor of ten between 40 and 100 MeV. This limits the use of this dosimeter to measure doses at sitespecific locations. It also encourages modifications to use this dosimeter for any unknown neutron field. As such, this dosimeter has the potential for a small, lightweight, real-time dose measurement, which could impact neutron dosimetry in all high-energy neutron environments.

Characterization of the neutron field at the ISIS-VESUVIO facility by means of a bonner sphere spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Bedogni, Roberto; Esposito, Adolfo; Andreani, Carla; Senesi, Roberto; De Pascale, Maria Pia; Picozza, Piergiorgio; Pietropaolo, Antonino; Gorini, Giuseppe; Frost, Christopher D.; Ansell, Stewart

2009-12-01

One of the more actual and promising fields of applied neutron physics is the investigation of the malfunctions induced by high-energy neutrons naturally present in the atmosphere in electronic devices, called single event effects (SEE). These studies are of primary importance for the design of devices that have to fulfill high reliability requirements and those that are likely to be exposed to enhanced levels of cosmic rays background, e.g. in aerospace and avionic applications. Particle accelerators-driven neutron sources constitute valuable irradiation facilities for these purposes as they provide an opportunity for accelerated testing of the effects of these naturally occurring neutrons, provided the neutron spectrum is comparable with the atmospheric one and the neutron fields are known with high accuracy. The latter can be achieved through the use of appropriate radiation transport codes and neutron spectrometry techniques. In view of the design and construction of CHIPIR, a dedicated beam line for SEE studies at the ISIS pulsed neutron source second target station (UK) [1] ( http://ts-2.isis.rl.ac.uk/instruments/phase2/index.htm), a spectrometric characterization was performed on the VESUVIO beamline [2] (Senesi et al.,2000). The spectrometric technique was the bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS), widely used to determine neutron spectra and dose quantities around high-energy accelerators. The experimental campaign provided a complete spectrometric investigation of the VESUVIO neutron beam, allowing the integral quantities (total fluence rate, fraction of fluence in given energy intervals) to be estimated with uncertainties lower than 10%.

Characterization of the neutron field at the ISIS-VESUVIO facility by means of a bonner sphere spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedogni, Roberto; Esposito, Adolfo; Andreani, Carla; Senesi, Roberto; De Pascale, Maria Pia; Picozza, Piergiorgio; Pietropaolo, Antonino; Gorini, Giuseppe; Frost, Christopher D.; Ansell, Stewart

2009-01-01

One of the more actual and promising fields of applied neutron physics is the investigation of the malfunctions induced by high-energy neutrons naturally present in the atmosphere in electronic devices, called single event effects (SEE). These studies are of primary importance for the design of devices that have to fulfill high reliability requirements and those that are likely to be exposed to enhanced levels of cosmic rays background, e.g. in aerospace and avionic applications. Particle accelerators-driven neutron sources constitute valuable irradiation facilities for these purposes as they provide an opportunity for accelerated testing of the effects of these naturally occurring neutrons, provided the neutron spectrum is comparable with the atmospheric one and the neutron fields are known with high accuracy. The latter can be achieved through the use of appropriate radiation transport codes and neutron spectrometry techniques. In view of the design and construction of CHIPIR, a dedicated beam line for SEE studies at the ISIS pulsed neutron source second target station (UK) ((http://ts-2.isis.rl.ac.uk/instruments/phase2/index.htm)), a spectrometric characterization was performed on the VESUVIO beamline (Senesi et al.,2000). The spectrometric technique was the bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS), widely used to determine neutron spectra and dose quantities around high-energy accelerators. The experimental campaign provided a complete spectrometric investigation of the VESUVIO neutron beam, allowing the integral quantities (total fluence rate, fraction of fluence in given energy intervals) to be estimated with uncertainties lower than 10%.

Characterization of the neutron field at the ISIS-VESUVIO facility by means of a bonner sphere spectrometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedogni, Roberto; Esposito, Adolfo [INFN-LNF Via E. Fermi n. 40-00044 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Andreani, Carla [Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Dipartimento di Fisica e Centro NAST, Via R. Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma (Italy); Senesi, Roberto, E-mail: roberto.senesi@roma2.infn.i [Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Dipartimento di Fisica e Centro NAST, Via R. Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma (Italy); De Pascale, Maria Pia; Picozza, Piergiorgio [Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Dipartimento di Fisica e Centro NAST, Via R. Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma (Italy); Pietropaolo, Antonino; Gorini, Giuseppe [CNISM and Universita degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica ' G. Occhialini' , Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milano (Italy); Frost, Christopher D. [INFN-LNF Via E. Fermi n. 40-00044 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Dipartimento di Fisica e Centro NAST, Via R. Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma (Italy); CNISM and Universita degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica ' G. Occhialini' , Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milano (Italy); STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Facility, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Ansell, Stewart [STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Facility, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)

2009-12-21

One of the more actual and promising fields of applied neutron physics is the investigation of the malfunctions induced by high-energy neutrons naturally present in the atmosphere in electronic devices, called single event effects (SEE). These studies are of primary importance for the design of devices that have to fulfill high reliability requirements and those that are likely to be exposed to enhanced levels of cosmic rays background, e.g. in aerospace and avionic applications. Particle accelerators-driven neutron sources constitute valuable irradiation facilities for these purposes as they provide an opportunity for accelerated testing of the effects of these naturally occurring neutrons, provided the neutron spectrum is comparable with the atmospheric one and the neutron fields are known with high accuracy. The latter can be achieved through the use of appropriate radiation transport codes and neutron spectrometry techniques. In view of the design and construction of CHIPIR, a dedicated beam line for SEE studies at the ISIS pulsed neutron source second target station (UK) ((http://ts-2.isis.rl.ac.uk/instruments/phase2/index.htm)), a spectrometric characterization was performed on the VESUVIO beamline (Senesi et al.,2000). The spectrometric technique was the bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS), widely used to determine neutron spectra and dose quantities around high-energy accelerators. The experimental campaign provided a complete spectrometric investigation of the VESUVIO neutron beam, allowing the integral quantities (total fluence rate, fraction of fluence in given energy intervals) to be estimated with uncertainties lower than 10%.

Using anisotropies in prompt fission neutron coincidences to assess the neutron multiplication of highly multiplying subcritical plutonium assemblies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, J.M., E-mail: jonathan_mueller@ncsu.edu; Mattingly, J.

2016-07-21

There is a significant and well-known anisotropy between the prompt neutrons emitted from a single fission event; these neutrons are most likely to be observed at angles near 0° or 180° relative to each other. However, the propagation of this anisotropy through different generations of a fission chain reaction has not been previously studied. We have measured this anisotropy in neutron–neutron coincidences from a subcritical highly-multiplying assembly of plutonium metal. The assembly was a 4.5 kg α-phase plutonium metal sphere composed of 94% {sup 239}Pu and 6% {sup 240}Pu by mass. Data were collected using two EJ-309 liquid scintillators and two EJ-299 plastic scintillators. The angular distribution of neutron–neutron coincidences was measured at 90° and 180° and found to be largely isotropic. Simulations were performed using MCNPX-PoliMi of similar plutonium metal spheres of varying sizes and a correlation between the neutron multiplication of the assembly and the anisotropy of neutron–neutron coincidences was observed. In principle, this correlation could be used to assess the neutron multiplication of an unknown assembly.

Secondary standard neutron detector for measuring total reaction cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekharan, K.K.; Laumer, H.; Gabbard, F.

1975-01-01

A neutron detector has been constructed and calibrated for the accurate measurement of total neutron-production cross sections. The detector consists of a polyethylene sphere of 24'' diameter in which 8- 10 BF 3 counters have been installed radially. The relative efficiency of this detector has been determined for average neutron energies, from 30 keV to 1.5 MeV by counting neutrons from 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be. By adjusting the radial positions of the BF 3 counters in the polyethylene sphere the efficiency for neutron detection was made nearly constant for this energy range. Measurement of absolute efficiency for the same neutron energy range has been done by counting the neutrons from 51 V(p,n) 51 Cr and 57 Fe(p,n) 57 Co reactions and determining the absolute number of residual nuclei produced during the measurement of neutron yield. Details of absolute efficiency measurements and the use of the detector for measurement of total neutron yields from neutron producing reactions such as 23 Na(p,n) 23 Mg are given

The design of a high-efficiency neutron counter for waste drums to provide optimized sensitivity for plutonium assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menlove, H.O.; Beddingfield, D.H.; Pickrell, M.M. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)] [and others

1997-11-01

An advanced passive neutron counter has been designed to improve the accuracy and sensitivity for the nondestructive assay of plutonium in scrap and waste containers. The High-Efficiency Neutron Counter (HENC) was developed under a Cooperative Research Development Agreement between the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Canberra Industries. The primary goal of the development was to produce a passive assay system for 200-L drums that has detectability limits and multiplicity counting features that are superior to previous systems. A detectability limit figure of merit (FOM) was defined that included the detector efficiency, the neutron die-away time, and the detector`s active volume and density that determine the cosmic-ray background. Monte Carlo neutron calculations were performed to determine the parameters to provide an optimum FOM. The system includes the {sup 252}Cf {open_quotes}add-a-source{close_quotes} feature to improve the accuracy as well as statistical filters to reduce the cosmic-ray spallation neutron background. The final decision gave an efficiency of 32% for plutonium with a detector {sup 3}He tube volume that is significantly smaller than for previous high-efficiency systems for 200-L drums. Because of the high efficiency of the HENC, we have incorporated neutron multiplicity counting for matrix corrections for those cases where the plutonium is localized in nonuniform hydrogenous materials. The paper describes the design and performance testing of the advanced system. 5 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs.

The design of a high-efficiency neutron counter for waste drums to provide optimized sensitivity for plutonium assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menlove, H.O.; Beddingfield, D.H.; Pickrell, M.M.

1997-01-01

An advanced passive neutron counter has been designed to improve the accuracy and sensitivity for the nondestructive assay of plutonium in scrap and waste containers. The High-Efficiency Neutron Counter (HENC) was developed under a Cooperative Research Development Agreement between the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Canberra Industries. The primary goal of the development was to produce a passive assay system for 200-L drums that has detectability limits and multiplicity counting features that are superior to previous systems. A detectability limit figure of merit (FOM) was defined that included the detector efficiency, the neutron die-away time, and the detector's active volume and density that determine the cosmic-ray background. Monte Carlo neutron calculations were performed to determine the parameters to provide an optimum FOM. The system includes the 252 Cf open-quotes add-a-sourceclose quotes feature to improve the accuracy as well as statistical filters to reduce the cosmic-ray spallation neutron background. The final decision gave an efficiency of 32% for plutonium with a detector 3 He tube volume that is significantly smaller than for previous high-efficiency systems for 200-L drums. Because of the high efficiency of the HENC, we have incorporated neutron multiplicity counting for matrix corrections for those cases where the plutonium is localized in nonuniform hydrogenous materials. The paper describes the design and performance testing of the advanced system. 5 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs

Critical parameters and decay constants for one-speed neutrons in slabs and spheres with anisotropic scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yildiz, C.

2001-01-01

Time-dependent, one-speed neutron transport equations with strong forward and backward scattering together with isotropic scattering are studied in homogeneous slabs and spheres. First, a simple formal equivalence between the transport equations for a critical and for a time-decaying system is established. Then, the transport equation is converted into a more conventional one. The F N method of solving the resulting transport equation is applied to the calculation of the critical parameters and decay constants for the fundamental mode of the flux distribution and one-speed neutrons in spheres and infinite slabs. Numerical results are given for a number of significant figures and compared with those already available in the literature. (orig.) [de

NSDann2BS, a neutron spectrum unfolding code based on neural networks technology and two bonner spheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz-Rodriguez, J. M.; Reyes Alfaro, A.; Reyes Haro, A.; Solis Sanches, L. O.; Miranda, R. Castaneda; Cervantes Viramontes, J. M. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Ingenieria Electrica. Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801. Col. Centro Zacatecas, Zac (Mexico); Vega-Carrillo, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Ingenieria Electrica. Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801. Col. Centro Zacatecas, Zac., Mexico. and Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares. C. Cip (Mexico)

2013-07-03

In this work a neutron spectrum unfolding code, based on artificial intelligence technology is presented. The code called ''Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry with Artificial Neural Networks and two Bonner spheres'', (NSDann2BS), was designed in a graphical user interface under the LabVIEW programming environment. The main features of this code are to use an embedded artificial neural network architecture optimized with the ''Robust design of artificial neural networks methodology'' and to use two Bonner spheres as the only piece of information. In order to build the code here presented, once the net topology was optimized and properly trained, knowledge stored at synaptic weights was extracted and using a graphical framework build on the LabVIEW programming environment, the NSDann2BS code was designed. This code is friendly, intuitive and easy to use for the end user. The code is freely available upon request to authors. To demonstrate the use of the neural net embedded in the NSDann2BS code, the rate counts of {sup 252}Cf, {sup 241}AmBe and {sup 239}PuBe neutron sources measured with a Bonner spheres system.

NSDann2BS, a neutron spectrum unfolding code based on neural networks technology and two bonner spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz-Rodríguez, J. M.; Reyes Alfaro, A.; Reyes Haro, A.; Solís Sánches, L. O.; Miranda, R. Castañeda; Cervantes Viramontes, J. M.; Vega-Carrillo, H. R.

2013-01-01

In this work a neutron spectrum unfolding code, based on artificial intelligence technology is presented. The code called ''Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry with Artificial Neural Networks and two Bonner spheres'', (NSDann2BS), was designed in a graphical user interface under the LabVIEW programming environment. The main features of this code are to use an embedded artificial neural network architecture optimized with the ''Robust design of artificial neural networks methodology'' and to use two Bonner spheres as the only piece of information. In order to build the code here presented, once the net topology was optimized and properly trained, knowledge stored at synaptic weights was extracted and using a graphical framework build on the LabVIEW programming environment, the NSDann2BS code was designed. This code is friendly, intuitive and easy to use for the end user. The code is freely available upon request to authors. To demonstrate the use of the neural net embedded in the NSDann2BS code, the rate counts of 252 Cf, 241 AmBe and 239 PuBe neutron sources measured with a Bonner spheres system

NSDann2BS, a neutron spectrum unfolding code based on neural networks technology and two bonner spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Rodríguez, J. M.; Reyes Alfaro, A.; Reyes Haro, A.; Solís Sánches, L. O.; Miranda, R. Castañeda; Cervantes Viramontes, J. M.; Vega-Carrillo, H. R.

2013-07-01

In this work a neutron spectrum unfolding code, based on artificial intelligence technology is presented. The code called "Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry with Artificial Neural Networks and two Bonner spheres", (NSDann2BS), was designed in a graphical user interface under the LabVIEW programming environment. The main features of this code are to use an embedded artificial neural network architecture optimized with the "Robust design of artificial neural networks methodology" and to use two Bonner spheres as the only piece of information. In order to build the code here presented, once the net topology was optimized and properly trained, knowledge stored at synaptic weights was extracted and using a graphical framework build on the LabVIEW programming environment, the NSDann2BS code was designed. This code is friendly, intuitive and easy to use for the end user. The code is freely available upon request to authors. To demonstrate the use of the neural net embedded in the NSDann2BS code, the rate counts of 252Cf, 241AmBe and 239PuBe neutron sources measured with a Bonner spheres system.

Advanced Multilayer Composite Heavy-Oxide Scintillator Detectors for High Efficiency Fast Neutron Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Ryzhikov, Vladimir D.; Naydenov, Sergei V.; Pochet, Thierry; Onyshchenko, Gennadiy M.; Piven, Leonid A.; Smith, Craig F.

2018-01-01

We have developed and evaluated a new approach to fast neutron and neutron-gamma detection based on large-area multilayer composite heterogeneous detection media consisting of dispersed granules of small-crystalline scintillators contained in a transparent organic (plastic) matrix. Layers of the composite material are alternated with layers of transparent plastic scintillator material serving as light guides. The resulting detection medium - designated as ZEBRA - serves as both an active neutron converter and a detection scintillator which is designed to detect both neutrons and gamma-quanta. The composite layers of the ZEBRA detector consist of small heavy-oxide scintillators in the form of granules of crystalline BGO, GSO, ZWO, PWO and other materials. We have produced and tested the ZEBRA detector of sizes 100x100x41 mm and greater, and determined that they have very high efficiency of fast neutron detection (up to 49% or greater), comparable to that which can be achieved by large sized heavy-oxide single crystals of about Ø40x80 cm3 volume. We have also studied the sensitivity variation to fast neutron detection by using different types of multilayer ZEBRA detectors of 100 cm2 surface area and 41 mm thickness (with a detector weight of about 1 kg) and found it to be comparable to the sensitivity of a 3He-detector representing a total cross-section of about 2000 cm2 (with a weight of detector, including its plastic moderator, of about 120 kg). The measured count rate in response to a fast neutron source of 252Cf at 2 m for the ZEBRA-GSO detector of size 100x100x41 mm3 was 2.84 cps/ng, and this count rate can be doubled by increasing the detector height (and area) up to 200x100 mm2. In summary, the ZEBRA detectors represent a new type of high efficiency and low cost solid-state neutron detector that can be used for stationary neutron/gamma portals. They may represent an interesting alternative to expensive, bulky gas counters based on 3He or 10B neutron

Active neutron and gamma-ray imaging of highly enriched uranium for treaty verification.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamel, Michael C; Polack, J Kyle; Ruch, Marc L; Marcath, Matthew J; Clarke, Shaun D; Pozzi, Sara A

2017-08-11

The detection and characterization of highly enriched uranium (HEU) presents a large challenge in the non-proliferation field. HEU has a low neutron emission rate and most gamma rays are low energy and easily shielded. To address this challenge, an instrument known as the dual-particle imager (DPI) was used with a portable deuterium-tritium (DT) neutron generator to detect neutrons and gamma rays from induced fission in HEU. We evaluated system response using a 13.7-kg HEU sphere in several configurations with no moderation, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) moderation, and tungsten moderation. A hollow tungsten sphere was interrogated to evaluate the response to a possible hoax item. First, localization capabilities were demonstrated by reconstructing neutron and gamma-ray images. Once localized, additional properties such as fast neutron energy spectra and time-dependent neutron count rates were attributed to the items. For the interrogated configurations containing HEU, the reconstructed neutron spectra resembled Watt spectra, which gave confidence that the interrogated items were undergoing induced fission. The time-dependent neutron count rate was also compared for each configuration and shown to be dependent on the neutron multiplication of the item. This result showed that the DPI is a viable tool for localizing and confirming fissile mass and multiplication.

Multi-Wavelength Polarimetry of Isolated Neutron Stars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto P. Mignani

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Isolated neutron stars are known to be endowed with extreme magnetic fields, whose maximum intensity ranges from 10 12 – 10 15 G, which permeates their magnetospheres. Their surrounding environment is also strongly magnetized, especially in the compact nebulae powered by the relativistic wind from young neutron stars. The radiation from isolated neutron stars and their surrounding nebulae is, thus, supposed to bring a strong polarization signature. Measuring the neutron star polarization brings important information about the properties of their magnetosphere and of their highly magnetized environment. Being the most numerous class of isolated neutron stars, polarization measurements have been traditionally carried out for radio pulsars, hence in the radio band. In this review, I summarize multi-wavelength linear polarization measurements obtained at wavelengths other than radio both for pulsars and other types of isolated neutron stars and outline future perspectives with the upcoming observing facilities.

Neutron detection efficiency determinations for the TUNL neutron-neutron and neutron-proton scattering-length measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trotter, D.E. Gonzalez; Meneses, F. Salinas; Tornow, W.; Crowell, A.S.; Howell, C.R.; Schmidt, D.; Walter, R.L.

2009-01-01

The methods employed and the results obtained from measurements and calculations of the detection efficiency for the neutron detectors used at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) in the simultaneous determination of the 1 S 0 neutron-neutron and neutron-proton scattering lengths a nn and a np , respectively, are described. Typical values for the detector efficiency were 0.3. Very good agreement between the different experimental methods and between data and calculation has been obtained in the neutron energy range below E n =13MeV.

A suspended boron foil multi-wire proportional counter neutron detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelson, Kyle A.; Edwards, Nathaniel S.; Hinson, Niklas J.; Wayant, Clayton D.; McGregor, Douglas S.

2014-12-11

Three natural boron foils, approximately 1.0 cm in diameter and 1.0 µm thick, were obtained from The Lebow Company and suspended in a multi-wire proportional counter. Suspending the B foils allowed the alpha particle and Li ion reaction products to escape simultaneously, one on each side of the foil, and be measured concurrently in the gas volume. The thermal neutron response pulse-height spectrum was obtained and two obvious peaks appear from the 94% and 6% branches of the {sup 10}B(n,α){sup 7}Li neutron reaction. Scanning electron microscope images were collected to obtain the exact B foil thicknesses and MCNP6 simulations were completed for those same B thicknesses. Pulse-height spectra obtained from the simulations were compared to experimental data and matched well. The theoretical intrinsic thermal–neutron detection efficiency for enriched {sup 10}B foils was calculated and is presented. Additionally, the intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency of the three natural B foils was calculated to be 3.2±0.2%.

A suspended boron foil multi-wire proportional counter neutron detector

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Kyle A.; Edwards, Nathaniel S.; Hinson, Niklas J.; Wayant, Clayton D.; McGregor, Douglas S.

2014-12-01

Three natural boron foils, approximately 1.0 cm in diameter and 1.0 μm thick, were obtained from The Lebow Company and suspended in a multi-wire proportional counter. Suspending the B foils allowed the alpha particle and Li ion reaction products to escape simultaneously, one on each side of the foil, and be measured concurrently in the gas volume. The thermal neutron response pulse-height spectrum was obtained and two obvious peaks appear from the 94% and 6% branches of the 10B(n,α)7Li neutron reaction. Scanning electron microscope images were collected to obtain the exact B foil thicknesses and MCNP6 simulations were completed for those same B thicknesses. Pulse-height spectra obtained from the simulations were compared to experimental data and matched well. The theoretical intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency for enriched 10B foils was calculated and is presented. Additionally, the intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency of the three natural B foils was calculated to be 3.2±0.2%.

Measurements of H*(10) in reference neutron fields using Bonner sphere spectrometry and LET spectrometry

CERN Document Server

Golnik, N; Králik, M

2002-01-01

A Bonner sphere spectrometer and the REM-2 recombination chamber were used for inter-comparison measurements of the neutron component of ambient dose equivalent, H sub n *(10) in reference neutron fields. The sup 2 sup 4 sup 1 Am-Be and sup 2 sup 5 sup 2 Cf neutron sources were exposed either free-in-air or placed in iron or paraffin filters. The REM-2 recombination chamber was used as a LET spectrometer. The agreement of H sub n *(10) values measured with both the methods was within experimental uncertainties of few percent. The determined neutron spectra were used for calculations of the REM-2 chamber response to H*(10).

Multi-Grid detector for neutron spectroscopy: results obtained on time-of-flight spectrometer CNCS

Science.gov (United States)

Anastasopoulos, M.; Bebb, R.; Berry, K.; Birch, J.; Bryś, T.; Buffet, J.-C.; Clergeau, J.-F.; Deen, P. P.; Ehlers, G.; van Esch, P.; Everett, S. M.; Guerard, B.; Hall-Wilton, R.; Herwig, K.; Hultman, L.; Höglund, C.; Iruretagoiena, I.; Issa, F.; Jensen, J.; Khaplanov, A.; Kirstein, O.; Lopez Higuera, I.; Piscitelli, F.; Robinson, L.; Schmidt, S.; Stefanescu, I.

2017-04-01

The Multi-Grid detector technology has evolved from the proof-of-principle and characterisation stages. Here we report on the performance of the Multi-Grid detector, the MG.CNCS prototype, which has been installed and tested at the Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer, CNCS at SNS. This has allowed a side-by-side comparison to the performance of 3He detectors on an operational instrument. The demonstrator has an active area of 0.2 m2. It is specifically tailored to the specifications of CNCS. The detector was installed in June 2016 and has operated since then, collecting neutron scattering data in parallel to the He-3 detectors of CNCS. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of this data, in particular on instrument energy resolution, rate capability, background and relative efficiency. Stability, gamma-ray and fast neutron sensitivity have also been investigated. The effect of scattering in the detector components has been measured and provides input to comparison for Monte Carlo simulations. All data is presented in comparison to that measured by the 3He detectors simultaneously, showing that all features recorded by one detector are also recorded by the other. The energy resolution matches closely. We find that the Multi-Grid is able to match the data collected by 3He, and see an indication of a considerable advantage in the count rate capability. Based on these results, we are confident that the Multi-Grid detector will be capable of producing high quality scientific data on chopper spectrometers utilising the unprecedented neutron flux of the ESS.

Neutron detection efficiency determinations for the TUNL neutron-neutron and neutron-proton scattering-length measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trotter, D.E. Gonzalez [Department of Physics, Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC 27708-0308 (United States)], E-mail: crowell@tunl.duke.edu; Meneses, F. Salinas [Department of Physics, Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC 27708-0308 (United States); Tornow, W. [Department of Physics, Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC 27708-0308 (United States)], E-mail: tornow@tunl.duke.edu; Crowell, A.S.; Howell, C.R. [Department of Physics, Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC 27708-0308 (United States); Schmidt, D. [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, D-38116, Braunschweig (Germany); Walter, R.L. [Department of Physics, Duke University and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, NC 27708-0308 (United States)

2009-02-11

The methods employed and the results obtained from measurements and calculations of the detection efficiency for the neutron detectors used at Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) in the simultaneous determination of the {sup 1}S{sub 0} neutron-neutron and neutron-proton scattering lengths a{sub nn} and a{sub np}, respectively, are described. Typical values for the detector efficiency were 0.3. Very good agreement between the different experimental methods and between data and calculation has been obtained in the neutron energy range below E{sub n}=13MeV.

Neutron spectrometry around the VENUS reactor using Monte Carlo simulations and Bonner spheres measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coeck, M.; Lacoste, V.; Muller, H.

2005-01-01

Full text: Reliable determination of neutron doses in workplaces is still an issue in the field of radiation protection. The EVIDOS project ('evaluation of individual dosimetry in mixed neutron and photon radiation fields', 5FP supported by the EC) aims to evaluate different methods for individual dosimetry in mixed neutron-photon workplaces in nuclear industry, and focuses on the neutron component. This objective cannot be reached on the basis of investigations in calibration fields only, but requires studies in representative workplaces of the nuclear industry. The VENUS reactor, a zero-power research reactor established by the SCK·CEN, was chosen as one of these workplaces. This paper presents the assessment of the neutron field near the VENUS reactor, particularly in areas near the reactor shielding and in the control room where operators are frequently present during a reactor run. From the neutron spectrum, an evaluation of H*(10) can be made. MCNPX simulations were performed to obtain a reference spectrum at the two areas of interest. Using a k eff calculation the source term was acquired which was subsequently used in a fixed source MCNPX model of the complete shielding geometry of the reactor hall. Reference spectrometry was also performed using a Bonner spheres system. The unfolding spectra were obtained using the NUBAY and GRAVEL codes. The NUBAY program, based on Bayesian parameter estimation methods, assumes a parameterized spectrum and provides posterior probability distributions for both the set of parameters and a set of integral quantities. The code GRAVEL, an iterative algorithm based on SAND-II, was used with various default spectra, among them the NUBAY solution. Bonner spheres data GRAVEL unfolding was also performed using the MCNPX spectra as an initial guess. In this paper the outcome of both calculations and measurements is compared. (author)

Subcritical Neutron Multiplication Measurements of HEU Using Delayed Neutrons as the Driving Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollas, C.L.; Goulding, C.A.; Myers, W.L.

1999-01-01

A new method for the determination of the multiplication of highly enriched uranium systems is presented. The method uses delayed neutrons to drive the HEU system. These delayed neutrons are from fission events induced by a pulsed 14-MeV neutron source. Between pulses, neutrons are detected within a medium efficiency neutron detector using 3 He ionization tubes within polyethylene enclosures. The neutron detection times are recorded relative to the initiation of the 14-MeV neutron pulse, and subsequently analyzed with the Feynman reduced variance method to extract singles, doubles and triples neutron counting rates. Measurements have been made on a set of nested hollow spheres of 93% enriched uranium, with mass values from 3.86 kg to 21.48 kg. The singles, doubles and triples counting rates for each uranium system are compared to calculations from point kinetics models of neutron multiplicity to assign multiplication values. These multiplication values are compared to those from MC NP K-Code calculations

Highly efficient solid-state neutron scintillators based on hybrid sol-gel nanocomposite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesanli, Banu; Hong, Kunlun; Meyer, Kent; Im, Hee-Jung; Dai, Sheng

2006-01-01

This research highlights opportunities in the formulation of neutron scintillators that not only have high scintillation efficiencies but also can be readily cast into two-dimensional detectors. Series of transparent, crack-free monoliths were prepared from hybrid polystyrene-silica nanocomposites in the presence of arene-containing alkoxide precursor through room temperature sol-gel processing. The monoliths also contain lithium-6 salicylate as a target material for neutron-capture reactions and amphiphilic scintillator solution as a fluorescent sensitizer. Polystyrene was functionalized by trimethoxysilyl group in order to enable the covalent incorporation of aromatic functional groups into the inorganic sol-gel matrices for minimizing macroscopic phase segregation and facilitating lithium-6 doping in the sol-gel samples. Neutron and alpha responses of these hybrid polystyrene-silica monoliths were explored

Gamma-ray emission spectra from spheres with 14 MeV neutron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Junji; Kanaoka, Takeshi; Murata, Isao; Takahashi, Akito; Sumita, Kenji

1989-01-01

Energy spectra of neutron-induced gamma-rays emitted from spherical samples were measured using a 14 MeV neutron source. The samples in use were LiF, Teflon:(CF 2 ) n , Si, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Nb, Mo, W and Pb. A diameter of the sphere was either 40 or 60 cm. The gamma-ray energy in the emission spectra covered the range from 500 keV to 10 MeV. Measured spectra were compared with transport calculations using the nuclear data files of JENDL-3T and ENDF/B-IV. The agreements between the measurements and the JENDL-3T calculations were good in the emission spectra for the low energy gamma-rays from inelastic scattering. (author)

Determination of workplace neutron spectra at a high energy hadron accelerator using active and passive Bonner sphere spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedogni, R.; Esposito, A.; Chiti, M.

2008-01-01

In the framework of the 2006 experimental benchmark organized at the GSI (Darmstadt, Germany) by the EC CONRAD network, a neutron dosimetry intercomparison was performed in a workplace field around a carbon target hit by 400 MeV/u 12 C ions. The radiation protection group of the INFN-LNF participated to the intercomparison with a Bonner sphere spectrometer equipped with an active 6 LiI(Eu) scintillator and a set of passive detectors, namely MCP-6s (80mgcm -2 )/MCP-7 TLD pairs from TLD Poland. Both active and passive spectrometers, independently tested and calibrated, were used to determine the field and dosimetric quantities in the measurement point. The FRUIT unfolding code, developed at the INFN-LNF radiation protection group, was used to unfold the raw BSS data. This paper compares the results of the active or passive spectrometers, obtaining a satisfactory agreement in terms of both spectrum shape and value of the integral quantities, as the neutron fluence or the ambient dose equivalent. These results allow qualifying the BSS based on TLD pairs as a reliable passive method to be used around high energy particle accelerators even in low dose rate areas. This is particularly useful in those workplaces where the active instruments could be disturbed by the presence of pulsed fields, large photon fluence or electromagnetic noise

Development of a high efficient conventional type cold neutron source using a non-explosive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiyanagi, Y.; Satoh, S.

1999-01-01

An efficient cold moderator that can be used easily at a small neutron source would be useful for neutron radiography, prompt gamma ray analysis and so on. Non-explosive materials are chosen for a cold moderator since explosive materials such as hydrogen and methane require a safety system. Neutronic performances of coupled moderators of various non-explosive materials are studied so as to develop such a cold moderator since the coupled moderator system is the best to obtain high intensity of cold neutrons. Effect of premoderator is studied and neutron spectra from methanol, ethanol, benzene, mesitylene and benzene methanol are measured around 20 K. The premoderator increased the cold neutron intensity by about 50∼70%. Methanol and mesitylene gave the highest cold neutron intensity. Effect of Be filter-reflector is also studied and a intensity gain of about 20% was obtained below about 5 MeV. (author)

Multi-element analysis of crude-oil samples by 14.6 MeV neutron activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cam, N.F.; Cigeroglu, F.; Erduran, M.N.

1997-01-01

The instrumental neutron activation technique, using the SAMEST T-400 neutron generator with 14.6 MeV neutrons produced from 3 H(d,n) 4 He reaction, is demonstrated for multi-element analysis of Saudi-Arabian crude-oil samples. The system parameters for the absolute method (e.g., the counting solid-angle, intrinsic efficiency of the γ-ray detector, effective neutron flux, activation cross sections, etc.)were determined and the results of elemental concentrations were presented with the corrections for all possible interferences having been carefully considered. (author)

3D Space Radiation Transport in a Shielded ICRU Tissue Sphere

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, John W.; Slaba, Tony C.; Badavi, Francis F.; Reddell, Brandon D.; Bahadori, Amir A.

2014-01-01

A computationally efficient 3DHZETRN code capable of simulating High Charge (Z) and Energy (HZE) and light ions (including neutrons) under space-like boundary conditions with enhanced neutron and light ion propagation was recently developed for a simple homogeneous shield object. Monte Carlo benchmarks were used to verify the methodology in slab and spherical geometry, and the 3D corrections were shown to provide significant improvement over the straight-ahead approximation in some cases. In the present report, the new algorithms with well-defined convergence criteria are extended to inhomogeneous media within a shielded tissue slab and a shielded tissue sphere and tested against Monte Carlo simulation to verify the solution methods. The 3D corrections are again found to more accurately describe the neutron and light ion fluence spectra as compared to the straight-ahead approximation. These computationally efficient methods provide a basis for software capable of space shield analysis and optimization.

A highly-segmented neutron detector for the A1 experiment at MAMI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schoth, Matthias [Institut fuer Kernphysik, Mainz (Germany); Collaboration: A1-Collaboration

2015-07-01

Electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron, are one of the defining properties to characterize its structure quantitatively. A planned physics program to improve the data base significantly requires high performance detection of relativistic neutrons. Exploiting the full potential of the high luminosity supplied by the MAMI accelerator, a novel neutron detector is being developed in the scope of the A1 collaboration. A large active detector volume of 0.96 m{sup 3} is required to achieve a high raw detection efficiency. The detector is subdivided into 2048 plastic scintillators to be able to cope with high background rates. The light is extracted via wavelength shifting fibres and then guided to multi anode photomultiplier. The signal is read out with FPGA based TDCs (TRBv3 developed at GSI). The energy of the signal is obtained via time over threshold information in combination with a suitable shaping and discriminating circuit. Prototype tests have been performed to optimize the choice of materials and geometry. The capability to detect neutrons in the relevant momentum range has been demonstrated using pion production. A Geant4 simulation using tracking algorithms evaluating the deposited energy is able to optimize key detector properties like particle id efficiency, multiplicity or the effective analyzing power for double polarized scattering experiments.

Method for producing small hollow spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendricks, C.D.

1979-01-01

A method is described for producing small hollow spheres of glass, metal or plastic, wherein the sphere material is mixed with or contains as part of the composition a blowing agent which decomposes at high temperature (T >approx. 600 0 C). As the temperature is quickly raised, the blowing agent decomposes and the resulting gas expands from within, thus forming a hollow sphere of controllable thickness. The thus produced hollow spheres (20 to 10 3 μm) have a variety of application, and are particularly useful in the fabrication of targets for laser implosion such as neutron sources, laser fusion physics studies, and laser initiated fusion power plants

Calculation of efficiency of high-energy neutron detection by plastic scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telegin, Yu.N.

1977-01-01

A computer was used to calculate neutron (5-30O MeV) registration effeciencies with plastic scintillators 2,5,10, 20,30,40 and 50 cm thick. The results are shown in the form of tables. The contributions to efficiency of various processes have been analysed. The calculation results may be used in planning experiments with neutron counters

Reconstruction of neutron spectra using neural networks starting from the Bonner spheres spectrometric system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz R, J.M.; Martinez B, M.R.; Arteaga A, T.; Vega C, H.R.; Hernandez D, V.M.; Manzanares A, E.

2005-01-01

The artificial neural networks (RN) have been used successfully to solve a wide variety of problems. However to determine an appropriate set of values of the structural parameters and of learning of these, it continues being even a difficult task. Contrary to previous works, here a set of neural networks is designed to reconstruct neutron spectra starting from the counting rates coming from the detectors of the Bonner spheres system, using a systematic and experimental strategy for the robust design of multilayer neural networks of the feed forward type of inverse propagation. The robust design is formulated as a design problem of Taguchi parameters. It was selected a set of 53 neutron spectra, compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the counting rates were calculated that would take place in a Bonner spheres system, the set was arranged according to the wave form of those spectra. With these data and applying the Taguchi methodology to determine the best parameters of the network topology, it was trained and it proved the same one with the spectra. (Author)

A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birattari, C. [University of Milan, Department of Physics, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan (Italy); Dimovasili, E.; Mitaroff, A. [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Silari, M., E-mail: marco.silari@cern.c [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland)

2010-08-21

This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators.

A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birattari, C.; Dimovasili, E.; Mitaroff, A.; Silari, M.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators.

A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Birattari, C.; Dimovasili, E.; Mitaroff, A.; Silari, M.

2010-08-01

This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators.

Optimization of the architecture of a neural network in neutron spectrometry to reduce the number of Bonner spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leon P, A. A.; Martinez B, M. R.; Hernandez P, C. F.; Espinoza G, J. G.; Castaneda M, V. H.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Ortiz R, J. M.; Vega C, H. R.; Mendez V, R.; Gallego, E.; De Sousa L, M. A.

2016-10-01

The neutron spectrometry is an experimental process for determining the energy distribution called the Spectrum. Among the methods available for neutron spectrometry, one can mention the Bonner Sphere Spectrometric System as one of the most used, consisting of a detector placed in the center of a set of polyethylene spheres whose diameters range from 2 to 18 inches, however has some disadvantages such as the long periods of time to perform the measurements, the weight and the spheres number that vary according to the system. From this, alternative methods such as artificial neural networks are proposed. For this project neural networks of reverse propagation were used with the methodology of robust design of artificial neural networks, with the aid of a computational tool that maximizes the performance, making the time used for the training s of the network is the smallest possible and thus gets the orthogonal fixes quickly to determine the best network topology. The counting rates of a spectrometric system with 7 spheres, 2 spheres and one sphere of 5 and 8 inches were used. This methodology seeks to reduce the work used as in the spectrometric system formed by a greater number of spheres, since to enter less data in the counting rates to obtain the spectra with 60 energy levels saves time and space, because at having a smaller number of spheres its portability is easier to move from one place to another, for this we performed several experiments with different errors until we reached the optimal error so that the topology of the network was appropriate and find the best design parameters. A statistical software JMP was also used to obtain the best topologies and thus to retrain obtaining its best and worst spectra, in order to determine if the reduction is possible. (Author)

Multi-petascale highly efficient parallel supercomputer

Science.gov (United States)

Asaad, Sameh; Bellofatto, Ralph E.; Blocksome, Michael A.; Blumrich, Matthias A.; Boyle, Peter; Brunheroto, Jose R.; Chen, Dong; Cher, Chen-Yong; Chiu, George L.; Christ, Norman; Coteus, Paul W.; Davis, Kristan D.; Dozsa, Gabor J.; Eichenberger, Alexandre E.; Eisley, Noel A.; Ellavsky, Matthew R.; Evans, Kahn C.; Fleischer, Bruce M.; Fox, Thomas W.; Gara, Alan; Giampapa, Mark E.; Gooding, Thomas M.; Gschwind, Michael K.; Gunnels, John A.; Hall, Shawn A.; Haring, Rudolf A.; Heidelberger, Philip; Inglett, Todd A.; Knudson, Brant L.; Kopcsay, Gerard V.; Kumar, Sameer; Mamidala, Amith R.; Marcella, James A.; Megerian, Mark G.; Miller, Douglas R.; Miller, Samuel J.; Muff, Adam J.; Mundy, Michael B.; O'Brien, John K.; O'Brien, Kathryn M.; Ohmacht, Martin; Parker, Jeffrey J.; Poole, Ruth J.; Ratterman, Joseph D.; Salapura, Valentina; Satterfield, David L.; Senger, Robert M.; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard; Stockdell, William M.; Stunkel, Craig B.; Sugavanam, Krishnan; Sugawara, Yutaka; Takken, Todd E.; Trager, Barry M.; Van Oosten, James L.; Wait, Charles D.; Walkup, Robert E.; Watson, Alfred T.; Wisniewski, Robert W.; Wu, Peng

2018-05-15

A Multi-Petascale Highly Efficient Parallel Supercomputer of 100 petaflop-scale includes node architectures based upon System-On-a-Chip technology, where each processing node comprises a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The ASIC nodes are interconnected by a five dimensional torus network that optimally maximize the throughput of packet communications between nodes and minimize latency. The network implements collective network and a global asynchronous network that provides global barrier and notification functions. Integrated in the node design include a list-based prefetcher. The memory system implements transaction memory, thread level speculation, and multiversioning cache that improves soft error rate at the same time and supports DMA functionality allowing for parallel processing message-passing.

Development of a Geant4 application to characterise a prototype neutron detector based on three orthogonal 3He tubes inside an HDPE sphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Gracanin, V; Guatelli, S; Prokopovich, D; Rosenfeld, A B; Berry, A

2017-01-01

The Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) system is a well-established technique for neutron dosimetry that involves detection of thermal neutrons within a range of hydrogenous moderators. BSS detectors are often used to perform neutron field surveys in order to determine the ambient dose equivalent H*(10) and estimate health risk to personnel. There is a potential limitation of existing neutron survey techniques, since some detectors do not consider the direction of the neutron field, which can result in overly conservative estimates of dose in neutron fields. This paper shows the development of a Geant4 simulation application to characterise a prototype neutron detector based on three orthogonal 3 He tubes inside a single HDPE sphere built at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). The Geant4 simulation has been validated with respect to experimental measurements performed with an Am-Be source. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of a high efficiency multi-bed adsorption heat pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

TeGrotenhuis, W.E.; Humble, P.H.; Sweeney, J.B.

2012-01-01

Attaining high energy efficiency with adsorption heat pumps is challenging due to thermodynamic losses that occur when the sorbent beds are thermally cycled without effective heat recuperation. The multi-bed concept described here enables high efficiency by effectively transferring heat from beds being cooled to beds being heated. A simplified lumped-parameter model and detailed finite element analysis are used to simulate a sorption compressor, which is used to project the overall heat pump coefficient of performance. Results are presented for ammonia refrigerant and a nano-structured monolithic carbon sorbent specifically modified for the application. The effects of bed geometry and number of beds on system performance are explored, and the majority of the performance benefit is obtained with four beds. Results indicate that a COP of 1.24 based on heat input is feasible at AHRI standard test conditions for residential HVAC equipment. When compared on a basis of primary energy input, performance equivalent to SEER 13 or 14 are theoretically attainable with this system. - Highlights: ► A multi-bed concept for adsorption heat pumps is capable of high efficiency. ► Modeling is used to simulate sorption compressor and overall heat pump performance. ► Results are presented for ammonia refrigerant and a nano-structured monolithic carbon sorbent. ► The majority of the efficiency benefit is obtained with four beds. ► Predicted COP as high as 1.24 for cooling is comparable to SEER 13 or 14 for electric heat pumps.

Analysis of tritium production in concentric spheres of oralloy and 6LiD irradiated by 14-MeV neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fawcett, L.R. Jr.; Roberts, R.R. II; Hunter, R.E.

1988-03-01

Tritium production and activation of radiochemical detector foils in a sphere of 6 LiD with an oralloy core irradiated by a central source of 14-MeV neutrons have been calculated and compared with experimental measurements. The experimental assembly consisted of an oralloy sphere surrounded by three solid 6 LiD concentric shells with ampules of 6 LiH and 7 LiH and activation foils located in several positions throughout the assembly. The Los Alamos Monte Carlo Neutron Photon Transport Code (MCNP) was used to calculate neutron transport throughout the system, tritium production in the ampules, and foil activation. The overall experimentally observed-to-calculated ratios of tritium production were 0.996 +- 2.5% in 6 Li ampules and 0.903 +- 5.2% in 7 Li ampules. Observed-to-calculated ratios for foil activation are also presented. 11 refs., 4 figs., 7 tabs

High-altitude cosmic ray neutrons: probable source for the high-energy protons of the earth's radiation belts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajnal, F.; Wilson, J.

1992-01-01

'Full Text:' Several High-altitude cosmic-ray neutron measurements were performed by the NASA Ames Laboratory in the mid-to late-1970s using airplanes flying at about 13km altitude along constant geomagnetic latitudes of 20, 44 and 51 degrees north. Bonner spheres and manganese, gold and aluminium foils were used in the measurements. In addition, large moderated BF-3 counters served as normalizing instruments. Data analyses performed at that time did not provide complete and unambiguous spectral information and field intensities. Recently, using our new unfolding methods and codes, and Bonner-sphere response function extensions for higher energies, 'new' neutron spectral intensities were obtained, which show progressive hardening of neutron spectra as a function of increasing geomagnetic latitude, with substantial increases in the energy region iron, 1 0 MeV to 10 GeV. For example, we found that the total neutron fluences at 20 and 51 degrees magnetic north are in the ratio of 1 to 5.2 and the 10 MeV to 10 GeV fluence ratio is 1 to 18. The magnitude of these ratios is quite remarkable. From the new results, the derived absolute neutron energy distribution is of the correct strength and shape for the albedo neutrons to be the main source of the high-energy protons trapped in the Earth's inner radiation belt. In addition, the results, depending on the extrapolation scheme used, indicate that the neutron dose equivalent rate may be as high as 0.1 mSv/h near the geomagnetic north pole and thus a significant contributor to the radiation exposures of pilots, flight attendants and the general public. (author)

High-Precision Registration of Point Clouds Based on Sphere Feature Constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junhui Huang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Point cloud registration is a key process in multi-view 3D measurements. Its precision affects the measurement precision directly. However, in the case of the point clouds with non-overlapping areas or curvature invariant surface, it is difficult to achieve a high precision. A high precision registration method based on sphere feature constraint is presented to overcome the difficulty in the paper. Some known sphere features with constraints are used to construct virtual overlapping areas. The virtual overlapping areas provide more accurate corresponding point pairs and reduce the influence of noise. Then the transformation parameters between the registered point clouds are solved by an optimization method with weight function. In that case, the impact of large noise in point clouds can be reduced and a high precision registration is achieved. Simulation and experiments validate the proposed method.

A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

CERN Document Server

Silari, M; Dimovasili, E; Birattari, C

2010-01-01

This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Bonner sphere responses calculated by different Monte Carlo codes at energies between 1 MeV and 1 GeV – Potential impact on neutron dosimetry at energies higher than 20 MeV

CERN Document Server

Rühm, W; Pioch, C; Agosteo, S; Endo, A; Ferrarini, M; Rakhno, I; Rollet, S; Satoh, D; Vincke, H

2014-01-01

Bonner Spheres Spectrometry in its high-energy extended version is an established method to quantify neutrons at a wide energy range from several meV up to more than 1 GeV. In order to allow for quantitative measurements, the responses of the various spheres used in a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) are usually simulated by Monte Carlo (MC) codes over the neutron energy range of interest. Because above 20 MeV experimental cross section data are scarce, intra-nuclear cascade (INC) and evaporation models are applied in these MC codes. It was suspected that this lack of data above 20 MeV may translate to differences in simulated BSS response functions depending on the MC code and nuclear models used, which in turn may add to the uncertainty involved in Bonner Sphere Spectrometry, in particular for neutron energies above 20 MeV. In order to investigate this issue in a systematic way, EURADOS (European Radiation Dosimetry Group) initiated an exercise where six groups having experience in neutron transport calcula...

Neutrons for sale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daviss, B.

1997-01-01

A fusion machine, in the form of a sphere small enough to fit on a desktop, is described. It can be switched on and off at will and produces virtually no radioactive waste. The fusion sphere creates an electric potential which forms deuterium ions into beams and accelerates them towards the centre. Nuclei of deuterium inside a central spherical wire grid fuse to create neutrons, helium -3 and traces of hydrogen and tritium. The rudimentary device is expected to go on sale in a commercial form in 1998. The immediate applications are those which require a yield of neutrons falling in the range 10 7 to 10 10 neutrons per second. This is expected to be well within the capability of the sphere and would allow neutron activation analysis to be carried out for the detection of hidden high explosives in airport baggage checks, or impurities in ores as they are mined for example. With higher neutron yields other applications such as the treatment of tumours could become viable but the technical problems are likely to multiply with the increasing yields. (UK)

Non-streaming high-efficiency perforated semiconductor neutron detectors, methods of making same and measuring wand and detector modules utilizing same

Science.gov (United States)

McGregor, Douglas S.; Shultis, John K.; Rice, Blake B.; McNeil, Walter J.; Solomon, Clell J.; Patterson, Eric L.; Bellinger, Steven L.

2010-12-21

Non-streaming high-efficiency perforated semiconductor neutron detectors, method of making same and measuring wands and detector modules utilizing same are disclosed. The detectors have improved mechanical structure, flattened angular detector responses, and reduced leakage current. A plurality of such detectors can be assembled into imaging arrays, and can be used for neutron radiography, remote neutron sensing, cold neutron imaging, SNM monitoring, and various other applications.

Development of a neutron detector with high detection efficiency and high spatial resolution and its applications to reactor physics experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tojo, Takao

1979-09-01

For detection of thermal neutrons in multiplying systems, a scintillator mixture of ZnS(Ag), 6 LiF and polyethylene was prepared, and its characteristics were shown. A sintillation detector using the mixture and a long acrylic-resin light guide was developed for measuring thermal neutrons in an U-H 2 O subcritical assembly(JAERISA). The detector was applied in the following reactor physics measurements with JAERISA: (1) cadmium ratio, (2) infinite multiplication factor, (3) material buckling, and (4) prompt neutron lifetime by pulsed neutron method. These experiments revealed that neutrons in the assembly are successfully detected by the detector owing to its outstanding characteristics of gamma-ray insensitivity, high detection efficiency and high spatial resolution. In the process of activity measurement of a foil activation detector with a GM counter, it was shown that accurate counting loss correction are difficult by usual method, because of the appreciable resolving time dependence on counting rates. In accurate correction, a new method was introduced for precise measurement of the resolving time; the dependence was made clear. A new correction method was developed, which enables direct reading of the corrected counting rates, even at high counting rates. (author)

Structure of highly asymmetric hard-sphere mixtures: an efficient closure of the Ornstein-Zernike equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Amokrane, S; Ayadim, A; Malherbe, J G

2005-11-01

A simple modification of the reference hypernetted chain (RHNC) closure of the multicomponent Ornstein-Zernike equations with bridge functions taken from Rosenfeld's hard-sphere bridge functional is proposed. Its main effect is to remedy the major limitation of the RHNC closure in the case of highly asymmetric mixtures--the wide domain of packing fractions in which it has no solution. The modified closure is also much faster, while being of similar complexity. This is achieved with a limited loss of accuracy, mainly for the contact value of the big sphere correlation functions. Comparison with simulation shows that inside the RHNC no-solution domain, it provides a good description of the structure, while being clearly superior to all the other closures used so far to study highly asymmetric mixtures. The generic nature of this closure and its good accuracy combined with a reduced no-solution domain open up the possibility to study the phase diagram of complex fluids beyond the hard-sphere model.

Structure of colloidal sphere-plate mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doshi, N; Cinacchi, G; Van Duijneveldt, J S; Cosgrove, T; Prescott, S W; Grillo, I; Phipps, J; Gittins, D I

2011-01-01

In addition to containing spherical pigment particles, coatings usually contain plate-like clay particles. It is thought that these improve the opacity of the paint film by providing an efficient spacing of the pigment particles. This observation is counterintuitive, as suspensions of particles of different shapes and sizes tend to phase separate on increase of concentration. In order to clarify this matter a model colloidal system is studied here, with a sphere-plate diameter ratio similar to that found in paints. For dilute suspensions, small angle neutron scattering revealed that the addition of plates leads to enhanced density fluctuations of the spheres, in agreement with new theoretical predictions. On increasing the total colloid concentration the plates and spheres phase separate due to the disparity in their shape. This is in agreement with previous theoretical and experimental work on colloidal sphere-plate mixtures, where one particle acts as a depleting agent. The fact that no large scale phase separation is observed in coatings is ascribed to dynamic arrest in intimately mixed, or possibly micro-phase separated structures, at elevated concentration.

Structure of colloidal sphere-plate mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doshi, N; Cinacchi, G; Van Duijneveldt, J S; Cosgrove, T; Prescott, S W [School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS (United Kingdom); Grillo, I [Institut Laue-Langevin, 6 rue Jules Horowitz BP 156, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Phipps, J [Imerys Minerals Ltd, Par Moor Centre, Par Moor Road, Par, Cornwall PL24 2SQ (United Kingdom); Gittins, D I, E-mail: Giorgio.Cinacchi@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: J.S.van-Duijneveldt@bristol.ac.uk [Imerys Performance and Filtration Minerals Ltd, 130 Castilian Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 (United States)

2011-05-18

In addition to containing spherical pigment particles, coatings usually contain plate-like clay particles. It is thought that these improve the opacity of the paint film by providing an efficient spacing of the pigment particles. This observation is counterintuitive, as suspensions of particles of different shapes and sizes tend to phase separate on increase of concentration. In order to clarify this matter a model colloidal system is studied here, with a sphere-plate diameter ratio similar to that found in paints. For dilute suspensions, small angle neutron scattering revealed that the addition of plates leads to enhanced density fluctuations of the spheres, in agreement with new theoretical predictions. On increasing the total colloid concentration the plates and spheres phase separate due to the disparity in their shape. This is in agreement with previous theoretical and experimental work on colloidal sphere-plate mixtures, where one particle acts as a depleting agent. The fact that no large scale phase separation is observed in coatings is ascribed to dynamic arrest in intimately mixed, or possibly micro-phase separated structures, at elevated concentration.

Testing a newly developed single-sphere neutron spectrometer in reference monochromatic fields from 147 keV to 14.8 MeV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedogni, R., E-mail: roberto.bedogni@lnf.infn.it [INFN—LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Gómez-Ros, J.M. [INFN—LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Pola, A.; Introini, M.V. [Politecnico di Milano - Dipartimento di Energia, Via Ponzio 34/3, 20133 Milano (Italy); Bortot, D. [INFN—LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Politecnico di Milano - Dipartimento di Energia, Via Ponzio 34/3, 20133 Milano (Italy); Gentile, A.; Esposito, A.; Mazzitelli, G.; Buonomo, B.; Quintieri, L.; Foggetta, L. [INFN—LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy)

2013-06-21

A new neutron spectrometer, designed to simultaneously respond from the thermal domain up to hundreds of MeV neutrons, was designed and built in the framework of the INFN project NESCOFI@BTF. It has been called SP{sup 2} (SPherical SPectrometer) and it consists of 31 thermal neutron detectors embedded in a 25 cm diameter polyethylene sphere with an internal 1 cm thick lead shell. The new spectrometer shows similar performance as the Bonner sphere spectrometer, but has the notable advantage of requiring only one exposure to determine the whole spectrum. The SP{sup 2} response matrix, previously calculated with MCNP, has been experimentally evaluated with monochromatic reference neutron fields from 147 keV to 14.8 MeV at PTB Braunschweig. As suitable thermal neutron detectors, Dysprosium activation foils were adopted at this stage. The results of the experiment confirmed the correctness of the response matrix within an overall uncertainty of ±3%. The next phase of the NESCOFI@BTF project will be the replacement of passive detectors with active counters, thus leading to a real-time spectrometric monitor that is expected to significantly innovate the neutron control task in neutron-producing facilities, such as the beam-lines for industrial irradiation or condensed matter studies.

Evaluation of room-scattered neutrons at the JNC Tokai neutron reference field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshida, Tadayoshi; Tsujimura, Norio [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Works; Oyanagi, Katsumi [Japan Radiation Engineering Co., Ltd., Hitachi, Ibaraki (Japan)

2002-09-01

Neutron reference fields for calibrating neutron-measuring devices in JNC Tokai Works are produced by using radionuclide neutron sources, {sup 241}Am-Be and {sup 252}Cf sources. The reference field for calibration includes scattered neutrons from the material surrounding sources, wall, floor and ceiling of the irradiation room. It is, therefore, necessary to evaluate the scattered neutrons contribution and their energy spectra at reference points. Spectral measurements were performed with a set of Bonner multi-sphere spectrometers and the reference fields were characterized in terms of spectral composition and the fractions of room-scattered neutrons. In addition, two techniques stated in ISO 10647, the shadow-cone method and the polynomial fit method, for correcting the contributions from the room-scattered neutrons to the readings of neutron survey instruments were compared. It was found that the two methods gave an equivalent result within a deviation of 3.3% at a source-to-detector distance from 50cm to 500cm. (author)

Evaluation of room-scattered neutrons at the JNC Tokai neutron reference field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Tadayoshi; Tsujimura, Norio

2002-01-01

Neutron reference fields for calibrating neutron-measuring devices in JNC Tokai Works are produced by using radionuclide neutron sources, 241 Am-Be and 252 Cf sources. The reference field for calibration includes scattered neutrons from the material surrounding sources, wall, floor and ceiling of the irradiation room. It is, therefore, necessary to evaluate the scattered neutrons contribution and their energy spectra at reference points. Spectral measurements were performed with a set of Bonner multi-sphere spectrometers and the reference fields were characterized in terms of spectral composition and the fractions of room-scattered neutrons. In addition, two techniques stated in ISO 10647, the shadow-cone method and the polynomial fit method, for correcting the contributions from the room-scattered neutrons to the readings of neutron survey instruments were compared. It was found that the two methods gave an equivalent result within a deviation of 3.3% at a source-to-detector distance from 50cm to 500cm. (author)

A high-resolution neutron spectra unfolding method using the Genetic Algorithm technique

CERN Document Server

Mukherjee, B

2002-01-01

The Bonner sphere spectrometers (BSS) are commonly used to determine the neutron spectra within various nuclear facilities. Sophisticated mathematical tools are used to unfold the neutron energy distribution from the output data of the BSS. This paper highlights a novel high-resolution neutron spectra-unfolding method using the Genetic Algorithm (GA) technique. The GA imitates the biological evolution process prevailing in the nature to solve complex optimisation problems. The GA method was utilised to evaluate the neutron energy distribution, average energy, fluence and equivalent dose rates at important work places of a DIDO class research reactor and a high-energy superconducting heavy ion cyclotron. The spectrometer was calibrated with a sup 2 sup 4 sup 1 Am/Be (alpha,n) neutron standard source. The results of the GA method agreed satisfactorily with the results obtained by using the well-known BUNKI neutron spectra unfolding code.

Absolute determination of photoluminescence quantum efficiency using an integrating sphere setup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leyre, S.; Coutino-Gonzalez, E.; Hofkens, J.; Joos, J. J.; Poelman, D.; Smet, P. F.; Ryckaert, J.; Meuret, Y.; Durinck, G.; Hanselaer, P.; Deconinck, G.

2014-01-01

An integrating sphere-based setup to obtain a quick and reliable determination of the internal quantum efficiency of strongly scattering luminescent materials is presented. In literature, two distinct but similar measurement procedures are frequently mentioned: a “two measurement” and a “three measurement” approach. Both methods are evaluated by applying the rigorous integrating sphere theory. It was found that both measurement procedures are valid. Additionally, the two methods are compared with respect to the uncertainty budget of the obtained values of the quantum efficiency. An inter-laboratory validation using the two distinct procedures was performed. The conclusions from the theoretical study were confirmed by the experimental data

Calibration and experiment of an extended range Bonner sphere spectrometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitaroff, A.; Mayer, S. [CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)]|[Atominstitut der TU-Wien, Vienna (Austria); Dimovasili, E.; Silari, M. [CERN, Geneva (Switzerland); Birattari, C. [Univ. of Milan, LASA, Segrate (Italy); Wiegel, B. [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig (Germany); Aiginger, H. [Atominstitut der TU-Wien, Vienna (Austria)

2001-07-01

High-energy neutrons dominate the dose equivalent outside the shielding of hadron accelerators (protons, heavy ions). Nowadays these accelerators are not only used or foreseen in high- and intermediate energy physics but in other fields like medicine or waste transmutation, too. In addition it was shown that at commercial flight altitudes a large fraction of the exposure of aircraft personnel is due to neutrons with a comparable energy spectrum to that along hadron accelerators. For this reason in radiation protection the exact knowledge of the neutron spectrum and the relevant dose quantities is very important. The neutrons of these radiation fields extend over more than 14 orders of magnitude up to 1 GeV, thus making the measurement of the spectrum difficult. A newly developed Bonner sphere spectrometer with extended range shall evaluate spectra with a high-energy neutron component. This contribution shows the FLUKA simulated response functions of the two new spheres - Stanlio and Ollio - dedicated for high energies. These simulations should be verified by calibration with quasi monoenergetic neutrons. These took place at PTB with neutron beams of 144 keV, 1.2 MeV, 5 MeV and 14.8 MeV. Additionally experiments at the CERF (CERN-EU Reference Field) facility, which provides a broad neutron spectrum with two pronounced maxima at around 1 MeV and 70 MeV, are shown and compared to the Monte Carlo simulations. (orig.)

Calibration and experiment of an extended range Bonner sphere spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitaroff, A.; Mayer, S.; Dimovasili, E.; Silari, M.; Birattari, C.; Wiegel, B.; Aiginger, H.

2001-01-01

High-energy neutrons dominate the dose equivalent outside the shielding of hadron accelerators (protons, heavy ions). Nowadays these accelerators are not only used or foreseen in high- and intermediate energy physics but in other fields like medicine or waste transmutation, too. In addition it was shown that at commercial flight altitudes a large fraction of the exposure of aircraft personnel is due to neutrons with a comparable energy spectrum to that along hadron accelerators. For this reason in radiation protection the exact knowledge of the neutron spectrum and the relevant dose quantities is very important. The neutrons of these radiation fields extend over more than 14 orders of magnitude up to 1 GeV, thus making the measurement of the spectrum difficult. A newly developed Bonner sphere spectrometer with extended range shall evaluate spectra with a high-energy neutron component. This contribution shows the FLUKA simulated response functions of the two new spheres - Stanlio and Ollio - dedicated for high energies. These simulations should be verified by calibration with quasi monoenergetic neutrons. These took place at PTB with neutron beams of 144 keV, 1.2 MeV, 5 MeV and 14.8 MeV. Additionally experiments at the CERF (CERN-EU Reference Field) facility, which provides a broad neutron spectrum with two pronounced maxima at around 1 MeV and 70 MeV, are shown and compared to the Monte Carlo simulations. (orig.)

Multi-sphere unit cell model to calculate the effective thermal conductivity in pebble bed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Antwerpen, W.; Rousseau, P.G.; Du Toit, C.G.

2010-01-01

A proper understanding of the mechanisms of heat transfer, fluid flow and pressure drop through a packed bed of spheres is of utmost importance in the design of a high temperature Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR). While the gas flows predominantly in the axial direction through the bed, the total effective thermal conductivity is a lumped parameter that characterises the total heat transfer in the radial direction through the packed bed. The study of the effective thermal conductivity is important because it forms an intricate part of the self-acting decay heat removal chain, which is directly related to the PBR safety case. The effective thermal conductivity is the summation of various heat transport phenomena. These are the enhanced thermal conductivity due to turbulent mixing as the fluid passes through the voids between pebbles, heat transfer due to the movement of the solid spheres and thermal conduction and thermal radiation between the spheres in a stagnant fluid environment. In this study, the conduction and radiation between the spheres are investigated. Firstly, existing correlations for the effective thermal conductivity are investigated, with particular attention given to its applicability in the near-wall region. Several phenomena in particular are examined namely: conduction through the spheres, conduction through the contact area between the spheres, conduction through the gas phase and radiation between solid surfaces. A new approach to simulate the effective thermal conductivity for randomly packed beds is then presented, namely the so-called Multi-sphere Unit Cell Model. The model is validated by comparing the results with that obtained in experiments. (authors)

Transmission efficiency of neutron guide tube with alignment errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawabata, Yuji; Suzuki, Masatoshi; Sakamoto, Masanobu; Harami, Taikan; Takahashi, Hidetake; Onishi, Nobuaki

1990-01-01

The experimental studies on the neutron transmission efficiencies of neutron guide tubes were carried out by using thermal neutrons from the JAERI electron linac. The neutron guide tube facility on a large scale have been planned on the reconstructed JRR-3 in JAERI. The neutron efficiencies of the 1/10 scale neutron guide tube, which is 2 mm width and 1.8 m length, with and without appreciable alignment errors were studied to evaluate the efficiencies of the planned ones. Calculated results by the Neutron Guide Tube Analysis Code 'NEUGT' were also assessed by these neutron experiments. The experimental results agree well with the calculated results by 'NEUGT' even with alignment errors. From this experimental study, the efficiency of the planned neutron guide tubes is estimated to be good enough for the neutron beam experiments. (author)

The response of a Bonner Sphere spectrometer to charged hadrons

OpenAIRE

Agosteo, S; Dimovasili, E; Fassò, A; Silari, M

2004-01-01

Bonner sphere spectrometers (BSSs) are employed in neutron spectrometry and dosimetry since many years. Recent developments have seen the addition to a conventional BSS of one or more detectors (moderator plus thermal neutron counter) specifically designed to improve the overall response of the spectrometer to neutrons above 10 MeV. These additional detectors employ a shell of material with a high mass number (such as lead) within the polyethylene moderator, in order to slow down high-energy ...

vSphere high performance cookbook

CERN Document Server

Sarkar, Prasenjit

2013-01-01

vSphere High Performance Cookbook is written in a practical, helpful style with numerous recipes focusing on answering and providing solutions to common, and not-so common, performance issues and problems.The book is primarily written for technical professionals with system administration skills and some VMware experience who wish to learn about advanced optimization and the configuration features and functions for vSphere 5.1.

Measurement of the neutron fields produced by a 62 MeV proton beam on a PMMA phantom using extended range Bonner sphere spectrometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amgarou, K. [Grup de Recerca en Radiacions Ionitzants, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Bedogni, R., E-mail: roberto.bedogni@lnf.infn.it [INFN-Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Domingo, C. [Grup de Recerca en Radiacions Ionitzants, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Esposito, A.; Gentile, A.; Carinci, G. [INFN-Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Russo, S. [INFN-Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, via S. Sofia 44, 95123 Catania (Italy)

2011-10-21

The experimental characterization of the neutron fields produced as parasitic effect in medical accelerators is assuming an increased importance for either the patient protection or the facility design aspects. Medical accelerators are diverse in terms of particle type (electrons or hadrons) and energy, but the radiation fields around them have in common (provided that a given threshold energy is reached) the presence of neutrons with energy span over several orders of magnitude. Due to the large variability of neutron energy, field or dosimetry measurements in these workplaces are very complex, and in general, cannot be performed with ready-to-use commercial instruments. In spite of its poor energy resolution, the Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) is the only instrument able to simultaneously determine all spectral components in such workplaces. The energy range of this instrument is limited to E<20 MeV if only polyethylene spheres are used, but can be extended to hundreds of MeV by including metal-loaded spheres (extended range BSS, indicated with ERBSS). With the aim of providing useful data to the scientific community involved in neutron measurements at hadron therapy facilities, an ERBSS experiment was carried out at the Centro di AdroTerapia e Applicazioni Nucleari Avanzate (CATANA) of INFN-LNS (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud), where a proton beam routinely used for ophthalmic cancer treatments is available. The 62 MeV beam was directed towards a PMMA phantom, simulating the patient, and two neutron measurement points were established at 0{sup o} and 90{sup o} with respect to the beam-line. Here the ERBSS of UAB (Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona-Grup de Fisica de les Radiacions) and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) were exposed to characterize the 'forward' and 'sideward' proton-induced neutron fields. The use of two ERBSS characterized by different set of spheres, central detectors, and

Method and apparatus for producing small hollow spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendricks, C.D.

1979-01-01

A method and apparatus are described for producing small hollow spheres of glass, metal or plastic, wherein the sphere material is mixed with or contains as part of the composition a blowing agent which decomposes at high temperature (T greater than or equal to 600 0 C). As the temperature is quickly raised, the blowing agent decomposes and the resulting gas expands from within, thus forming a hollow sphere of controllable thickness. The thus produced hollow spheres (20 to 10 3 μm) have a variety of application, and are particularly useful in the fabrication of targets for laser implosion such as neutron sources, laser fusion physics studies, and laser initiated fusion power plants

Burnable neutron absorbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radford, K.C.; Carlson, W.G.

1983-01-01

A neutron-absorber body for use in burnable poison rods in a nuclear reactor. The body is composed of a matrix of Al 2 O 3 containing B 4 C, the neutron absorber. Areas of high density polycrystalline Al 2 O 3 particles are predominantly encircled by pores in some of which there are B 4 C particles. This body is produced by initially spray drying a slurry of A1 2 O 3 powder to which a binder has been added. The powder of agglomerated spheres of the A1 2 O 3 with the binder are dry mixed with B 4 C powder. The mixed powder is formed into a green body by isostatic pressure and the green body is sintered. The sintered body is processed to form the neutron-absorber body. In this case the B 4 C particles are separate from the spheres resulting from the spray drying instead of being embedded in the sphere

Reconstruction of the neutron spectrum using an artificial neural network in CPU and GPU; Reconstruccion del espectro de neutrones usando una red neuronal artificial (RNA) en CPU y GPU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez D, V. M.; Moreno M, A.; Ortiz L, M. A. [Universidad de Cordoba, 14002 Cordoba (Spain); Vega C, H. R.; Alonso M, O. E., E-mail: vic.mc68010@gmail.com [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, 98000 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico)

2016-10-15

The increase in computing power in personal computers has been increasing, computers now have several processors in the CPU and in addition multiple CUDA cores in the graphics processing unit (GPU); both systems can be used individually or combined to perform scientific computation without resorting to processor or supercomputing arrangements. The Bonner sphere spectrometer is the most commonly used multi-element system for neutron detection purposes and its associated spectrum. Each sphere-detector combination gives a particular response that depends on the energy of the neutrons, and the total set of these responses is known like the responses matrix Rφ(E). Thus, the counting rates obtained with each sphere and the neutron spectrum is related to the Fredholm equation in its discrete version. For the reconstruction of the spectrum has a system of poorly conditioned equations with an infinite number of solutions and to find the appropriate solution, it has been proposed the use of artificial intelligence through neural networks with different platforms CPU and GPU. (Author)

High precision thermal neutron detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radeka, V.; Schaknowski, N.A.; Smith, G.C.; Yu, B. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States)

1994-12-31

Two-dimensional position sensitive detectors are indispensable in neutron diffraction experiments for determination of molecular and crystal structures in biology, solid-state physics and polymer chemistry. Some performance characteristics of these detectors are elementary and obvious, such as the position resolution, number of resolution elements, neutron detection efficiency, counting rate and sensitivity to gamma-ray background. High performance detectors are distinguished by more subtle characteristics such as the stability of the response (efficiency) versus position, stability of the recorded neutron positions, dynamic range, blooming or halo effects. While relatively few of them are needed around the world, these high performance devices are sophisticated and fairly complex, their development requires very specialized efforts. In this context, we describe here a program of detector development, based on {sup 3}He filled proportional chambers, which has been underway for some years at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Fundamental approaches and practical considerations are outlined that have resulted in a series of high performance detectors with the best known position resolution, position stability, uniformity of response and reliability over time, for devices of this type.

Integral measurements using the 'sphere method'. The case of carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haouat, G.; Lachkar, J.; Patin, Y.; Cocu, F.; Sigaud, J.; Cotten, D.

1977-01-01

The time-of-flight spectrum of direct and scattered neutrons with a 10cm diameter carbon sphere. (The direct neutron energy is 14.81MeV, the basic time-of-flight being 6m). The time-of-flight spectrum of the neutrons from T(d,n) 4 He is given in the same experimental conditions (without the carbon sphere) [fr

Cold-neutron multi-chopper spectrometer for MLF, J-PARC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Kenji; Kajimoto, Ryoich; Nakamura, Mistutaka; Arai, Masatoshi; Sato, Taku J.; Osakabe, Toyotaka; Matsuda, Masaaki; Metoki, Naoto; Kakurai, Kazuhisa; Itoh, Shinichi

2005-01-01

We are planning to construct a cold-neutron multi-chopper spectrometer for a new spallation neutron source at Materials and Life Science Facility (MLF) at J-PARC, which is dedicated to investigation of low energy excitations and quasi-elastic excitations in the field of solid state physics, chemistry, materials science, soft matter science and biomaterial science. The planned spectrometer will be installed at a H 2 -coupled moderator and will be equipped with a pulse-shaping disk-chopper in addition to a monochromating disk-chopper, and realizes both high-energy resolution (ΔE/E i ≥1%) and high-intensity (one order of magnitude higher than the present state-of-the-art chopper spectrometers)

Response matrix calculation of a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer using ENDF/B-VII libraries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morató, Sergio; Juste, Belén; Miró, Rafael; Verdú, Gumersindo [Instituto de Seguridad Industrial, Radiofísica y Medioambiental (ISIRYM), Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain); Guardia, Vicent, E-mail: bejusvi@iqn.upv.es [GD Energy Services, Valencia (Spain). Grupo dominguis

2017-07-01

The present work is focused on the reconstruction of a neutron spectra using a multisphere spectrometer also called Bonner Spheres System (BSS). To that, the determination of the response detector curves is necessary therefore we have obtained the response matrix of a neutron detector by Monte Carlo (MC) simulation with MCNP6 where the use of unstructured mesh geometries is introduced as a novelty. The aim of these curves was to study the theoretical response of a widespread neutron spectrometer exposed to neutron radiation. A neutron detector device has been used in this work which is formed by a multispheres spectrometer (BSS) that uses 6 high density polyethylene spheres with different diameters. The BSS consists of a set of 0.95 g/cm{sup 3} high density polyethylene spheres. The detector is composed of a lithium iodide 6LiI cylindrical scintillator crystal 4mm x 4mm size LUDLUM Model 42 coupled to a photomultiplier tube. Thermal tables are required to include polyethylene cross section in the simulation. These data are essential to get correct and accurate results in problems involving neutron thermalization. Nowadays available literature present the response matrix calculated with ENDF.B.V cross section libraries (V.Mares et al 1993) or with ENDF.B.VI (R.Vega Carrillo et al 2007). This work uses two novelties to calculate the response matrix. On the one hand the use of unstructured meshes to simulate the geometry of the detector and the Bonner Spheres and on the other hand the use of the updated ENDF.B.VII cross sections libraries. A set of simulations have been performed to obtain the detector response matrix. 29 mono energetic neutron beams between 10 KeV to 20 MeV were used as source for each moderator sphere up to a total of 174 simulations. Each mono energetic source was defined with the same diameter as the moderating sphere used in its corresponding simulation and the spheres were uniformly irradiated from the top of the photomultiplier tube. Some

Neutron spectrum survey around the cyclotron of IEN/Brazilian CNEN: calibration of neutron personnel dosemeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fajardo, P.W.

1991-01-01

The albedo neutron dosimeter is calibrated directly at the work place due to its high energy dependence. This thesis deals with the study, analysis and application of neutron measurement techniques in order to obtain information about the neutron spectrum and neutron dose equivalent at several representative working places of the cyclotron laboratory of the Nuclear Engineering Institute (IEN). These data are employed mainly in the calibration of the brazilian albedo neutron dosimeter. Bonner spheres and foil activation were used in neutron spectra measurements and the neutron dose equivalents were measured with the single sphere albedo technique. BF 3 and 3 He proportional detectors and 6 LiI scintillation detector were also used in these measurements. The single sphere technique turned out to be more appropriate for neutron dosimetry for calibrating the albedo dosimeter in the varying fields of the cyclotron. Calibration the albedo dosimeter in the varying fields of the cyclotron. Calibration factors were found for routine applications, when the workers are protected by shielding and for radiological accident applications, in the case that a worker is exposed inside the cyclotron room. In all situations the performance of the brazilian albedo dosimeter is compared with that of the german albedo dosimeters. (author)

Modelling mass diffusion for a multi-layer sphere immersed in a semi-infinite medium: application to drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Elliot J; Pontrelli, Giuseppe

2018-04-12

We present a general mechanistic model of mass diffusion for a composite sphere placed in a large ambient medium. The multi-layer problem is described by a system of diffusion equations coupled via interlayer boundary conditions such as those imposing a finite mass resistance at the external surface of the sphere. While the work is applicable to the generic problem of heat or mass transfer in a multi-layer sphere, the analysis and results are presented in the context of drug kinetics for desorbing and absorbing spherical microcapsules. We derive an analytical solution for the concentration in the sphere and in the surrounding medium that avoids any artificial truncation at a finite distance. The closed-form solution in each concentric layer is expressed in terms of a suitably-defined inverse Laplace transform that can be evaluated numerically. Concentration profiles and drug mass curves in the spherical layers and in the external environment are presented and the dependency of the solution on the mass transfer coefficient at the surface of the sphere analyzed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-template synthesis of hierarchically porous carbon spheres with potential application in supercapacitors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhou, Weizheng; Lin, Zhixing; Tong, Gangsheng; Stoyanov, Simeon D.; Yan, Deyue; Mai, Yiyong; Zhu, Xinyuan

2016-01-01

A new and simple multi-template approach towards hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) materials was reported. HPC spheres were prepared by using hierarchical silica capsules (HSCs) as the hard template and triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 as the soft template. Three types of pores were tunably

Ultra small angle neutron scattering : a tool to study packing of relatively monodisperse small polymer spheres and their binary mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, Philip A.; McGillivray, Duncan J.; White, John W.; Jackson, Andrew J.; University of Maryland, College Paerk, Maryland, USA

2009-01-01

Full text: We measured ultra small angle neutron scattering (USANS) from polymethylmethacrylate spheres tamped down in air. Two slightly polydisperse pure sphere sizes (1.5/-lm and 7.5/-lm diameter) and five mixtures of these were used. All were loose packed (packing fractions 0.3 to 0.6) with nongravitational forces (e.g., friction) important, preventing close packing. The USANS data is rich in information on powder packing. A modified Percus-Yevick fluid model was used to parametrise the data - adequately but not well. The modifications required introduction of small voids, less than the sphere size, and a parameter reflecting substantial deviation from the Percus-Yevick prediction of the sphere-sphere correlation function. The mixed samples fitted less well, and two further modifying factors were necessary. These were local inhomogeneities, where the concentration of same-size spheres, both large and small, deviated from the mean packing, and a factor accounting for the presence within these 'clusters' of self avoidance of the large spheres (that is large spheres coated with more small spheres than Percus-Yevick would predict). The overall deviations from the hardsphere Percus-Yevick model that we find here suggests fluid models of loose packed powders are unlikely to be successful, but lay the groundwork for future theoretical and computational work.

Measurement of the detection efficiency of the KLOE calorimeter for neutrons between 22 and 174 MeV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anelli, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Battistoni, G. [Sezione INFN di Milano (Italy); Bertolucci, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Bini, C. [Sapienza Universita di Roma (Italy); Sezione INFN di Roma (Italy); Branchini, P. [Sezione INFN di Roma Tre (Italy); Curceanu, C. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); De Zorzi, G.; Di Domenico, A. [Sapienza Universita di Roma (Italy); Sezione INFN di Roma (Italy); Di Micco, B. [Universita degli di Studi ' Roma Tre' (Italy); Sezione INFN di Roma Tre (Italy); Ferrari, A. [Fondazione CNAO, Milano (Italy); Fiore, S. [Sapienza Universita di Roma (Italy); Sezione INFN di Roma (Italy)], E-mail: salvatore.fiore@roma1.infn.it; Gauzzi, P. [Sapienza Universita di Roma (Italy); Sezione INFN di Roma (Italy); Giovannella, S.; Happacher, F. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Iliescu, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); IFIN-HH, Bucharest (Romania); Martini, M.; Miscetti, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Nguyen, F. [Universita degli di Studi ' Roma Tre' (Italy); Sezione INFN di Roma Tre (Italy); Passeri, A. [Sezione INFN di Roma Tre (Italy); Prokofiev, A. [Svedberg Laboratory, Uppsala University (Sweden)] (and others)

2009-01-01

A prototype of the high-sampling lead-scintillating fiber KLOE calorimeter has been exposed to neutron beams of 21, 46 and 174 MeV, provided by the The Svedberg Laboratory, Uppsala, to test its neutron detection efficiency. The measurement of the neutron detection efficiency of an NE110 scintillator provided a reference calibration. The measured efficiency is larger than what expected considering the scintillator thickness of the KLOE prototype only. This result proves the existence of a contribution from the passive material to neutron detection efficiency, in a high-sampling calorimeter configuration.

EJ-309 pulse shape discrimination performance with a high gamma-ray-to-neutron ratio and low threshold

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaplan, A.C., E-mail: Alexis.C.Kaplan@gmail.com [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, 2355 Bonisteel Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (United States); Nuclear Engineering and Nonproliferation Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87544 (United States); Flaska, M.; Enqvist, A.; Dolan, J.L.; Pozzi, S.A. [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, 2355 Bonisteel Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (United States)

2013-11-21

Measuring neutrons in the presence of high gamma-ray fluence is a challenge with multi-particle detectors. Organic liquid scintillators such as the EJ-309 are capable of accurate pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) but the chance for particle misclassification is not negligible for some applications. By varying the distance from an EJ-309 scintillator to a strong-gamma-ray source and keeping a weak-neutron source at a fixed position, various gamma-to-neutron ratios can be measured and PSD performance can be quantified. Comparing neutron pulse-height distributions allows for pulse-height specific PSD evaluation, and quantification and visualization of deviation from {sup 252}Cf alone. Even with the addition of the misclassified gamma-rays, the PSD is effective in separating particles so that neutron count rate can be predicted with less than 10% error up to a gamma-to-neutron ratio of almost 650. For applications which can afford a reduction in neutron detection efficiency, PSD can be sufficiently effective in discriminating particles to measure a weak neutron source in a high gamma-ray background. -- Highlights: •We measure neutrons in a high photon background with EJ-309 liquid scintillators. •A low threshold is used to test the limits of particle discrimination. •A weak neutron signal is detectable with a gamma/neutron ratio as high as 770. •Photon pileup most commonly adds to error in classification of neutrons. •Neutron count rates are within 10% of expected rate under high gamma background.

EJ-309 pulse shape discrimination performance with a high gamma-ray-to-neutron ratio and low threshold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, A.C.; Flaska, M.; Enqvist, A.; Dolan, J.L.; Pozzi, S.A.

2013-01-01

Measuring neutrons in the presence of high gamma-ray fluence is a challenge with multi-particle detectors. Organic liquid scintillators such as the EJ-309 are capable of accurate pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) but the chance for particle misclassification is not negligible for some applications. By varying the distance from an EJ-309 scintillator to a strong-gamma-ray source and keeping a weak-neutron source at a fixed position, various gamma-to-neutron ratios can be measured and PSD performance can be quantified. Comparing neutron pulse-height distributions allows for pulse-height specific PSD evaluation, and quantification and visualization of deviation from 252 Cf alone. Even with the addition of the misclassified gamma-rays, the PSD is effective in separating particles so that neutron count rate can be predicted with less than 10% error up to a gamma-to-neutron ratio of almost 650. For applications which can afford a reduction in neutron detection efficiency, PSD can be sufficiently effective in discriminating particles to measure a weak neutron source in a high gamma-ray background. -- Highlights: •We measure neutrons in a high photon background with EJ-309 liquid scintillators. •A low threshold is used to test the limits of particle discrimination. •A weak neutron signal is detectable with a gamma/neutron ratio as high as 770. •Photon pileup most commonly adds to error in classification of neutrons. •Neutron count rates are within 10% of expected rate under high gamma background

Calibration of detector efficiency of neutron detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Hongsheng; He Xijun; Xu Rongkun; Peng Taiping

2001-01-01

BF 3 neutron detector has been set up. Detector efficiency is calibrated by associated particle technique. It is about 3.17 x 10 -4 (1 +- 18%). Neutron yield of neutron generator per pulse (10 7 /pulse) is measured by using the detector

SiC-based neutron detector in quasi-realistic working conditions: efficiency and stability at room and high temperature under fast neutron irradiations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferone, Raffaello; Issa, Fatima; Ottaviani, Laurent; Biondo, Stephane; Vervisch, Vanessa [IM2NP, UMR CNRS 7334, Aix-Marseille University, Case 231,13397 Marseille Cedex 20, (France); Szalkai, Dora; Klix, Axel [KIT- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology Karlsruhe 76344, (Germany); Vermeeren, Ludo [SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, (Belgium); Saenger, Richard [Schlumberger, Clamart, (France); Lyoussi, Abadallah [CEA, DEN, Departement d' Etudes des Reacteurs, Service de Physique Experimentale, Laboratoire Dosimetrie Capteurs Instrumentation, 13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, (France)

2015-07-01

In the framework of the European I SMART project, we have designed and made new SiC-based nuclear radiation detectors able to operate in harsh environments and to detect both fast and thermal neutrons. In this paper, we report experimental results of fast neutron irradiation campaign at high temperature (106 deg. C) in quasi-realistic working conditions. Our device does not suffer from high temperature, and spectra do show strong stability, preserving features. These experiments, as well as others in progress, show the I SMART SiC-based device skills to operate in harsh environments, whereas other materials would strongly suffer from degradation. Work is still demanded to test our device at higher temperatures and to enhance efficiency in order to make our device fully exploitable from an industrial point of view. (authors)

The calculated neutron response of a sphere with the multi-counters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Taosheng; Yang Lianzhen; Li Dongyu

2004-01-01

Based on the difference of the neutron distribution in the moderator, three position sensitive proportional counters which are perpendicular to each other are inserted into the moderator. The energy responses with six spherical moderators and six incidence directions have been calculated by MCNP4A code. The calculated results for two divided region methods in the radial of the spherical moderator have been analyzed and compared. (authors)

A 'hybrid' neutron area survey instrument for the determination of neutron dose quantities in the workplace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanner, R.J.; Jenkins, R.; Lowe, T.; Silvie, J.; Joyce, M.J.; Winsby, A.; Molinos, C.

2005-01-01

Full text: Neutron survey instruments are used routinely to determine the dose rates in areas where persons may be occupationally exposed. With a few exceptions, these instruments generally use a proportional counter with a high thermal neutron response located in a moderating sphere of CH 2 . The moderating sphere in such designs contains a thermal neutron absorber to reduce the over-response to thermal and intermediate energy neutrons. However, the commercially available examples of such instruments tend to have strongly energy dependent ambient dose equivalent response characteristics. In particular, they often over-respond in the energy range between 1 eV and 10 keV. A prototype of a novel design has been produced that uses seven detectors located in a moderating sphere of CH 2 , six near the surface to detect thermal and epithermal neutrons, and one in the centre to detect fast neutrons. This has been characterized using a combination of MCNP modelling and measurements to produce an instrument that has improved energy dependence of response characteristics. Additionally, the use of seven detectors offers direction and field hardness information. The design and calibration of the instrument are described and its response in workplaces calculated. (author)

Neutron scattering. Experiment manuals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brueckel, Thomas; Heger, Gernot; Richter, Dieter; Roth, Georg; Zorn, Reiner

2012-01-01

The following topics are dealt with: The thermal triple-axis spectrometer PUMA, the high-resolution powder diffractometer SPODI, the hot single-crystal diffractometer HEiDi for structure analysis with neutrons, the backscattering spectrometer SPHERES, the neutron polarization analyzer DNS, the neutron spin-echo spectrometer J-NSE, the small-angle neutron diffractometers KWS-1/-2, the very-small-angle neutron diffractometer with focusing mirror KWS-3, the resonance spin-echo spectrometer RESEDA, the reflectometer TREFF, the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFTOF. (HSI)

Reconstruction of the neutron spectrum using an artificial neural network in CPU and GPU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez D, V. M.; Moreno M, A.; Ortiz L, M. A.; Vega C, H. R.; Alonso M, O. E.

2016-10-01

The increase in computing power in personal computers has been increasing, computers now have several processors in the CPU and in addition multiple CUDA cores in the graphics processing unit (GPU); both systems can be used individually or combined to perform scientific computation without resorting to processor or supercomputing arrangements. The Bonner sphere spectrometer is the most commonly used multi-element system for neutron detection purposes and its associated spectrum. Each sphere-detector combination gives a particular response that depends on the energy of the neutrons, and the total set of these responses is known like the responses matrix Rφ(E). Thus, the counting rates obtained with each sphere and the neutron spectrum is related to the Fredholm equation in its discrete version. For the reconstruction of the spectrum has a system of poorly conditioned equations with an infinite number of solutions and to find the appropriate solution, it has been proposed the use of artificial intelligence through neural networks with different platforms CPU and GPU. (Author)

Arbitrary quadratures determination of the monoenergetic neutron density in an homogeneous finite sphere with isotropic scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez G, J.

2015-09-01

The solution of the so-called Canonical problems of neutron transport theory has been given by Case, who developed a method akin to the classical eigenfunction expansion procedure, extended to admit singular eigenfunctions. The solution is given as a set consisting of a Fredholm integral equation coupled with a transcendental equation, which has to be solved for the expansion coefficients by iteration. CASE's method make extensive use of the results of the theory of functions of a complex variable and many successful approaches to solve in an approximate form the above mentioned set have been reported in the literature. We present here an entirely different approach which deals with the canonical problems in a more direct and elementary manner. As far as we know, the original idea for the latter method is due to Carlvik who devised the escape probability approximation to the solution of the neutron transport equation in its integral form. In essence, the procedure consists in assuming a sectionally constant form of the neutron density that in turn yields a set of linear algebraic equations obeyed by the assumed constant values of the density. Very well established techniques of numerical analysis for the solution of integral equations consist in independent approaches that generalize the sectionally constant approach by assuming a sectionally low degree polynomial for the unknown function. This procedure also known as the arbitrary quadratures method is especially suited to deal with cases where the kernel of the integral equation is singular. The author wishes to present the results obtained with the arbitrary quadratures method for the numerical calculation of the monoenergetic neutron density in a critical, homogeneous sphere of finite radius with isotropic scattering. The singular integral equation obeyed by the neutron density in the critical sphere is introduced, an outline of the method's main features is given, and tables and graphs of the density

Arbitrary quadratures determination of the monoenergetic neutron density in an homogeneous finite sphere with isotropic scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez G, J., E-mail: julian.sanchez@inin.gob.mx [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2015-09-15

The solution of the so-called Canonical problems of neutron transport theory has been given by Case, who developed a method akin to the classical eigenfunction expansion procedure, extended to admit singular eigenfunctions. The solution is given as a set consisting of a Fredholm integral equation coupled with a transcendental equation, which has to be solved for the expansion coefficients by iteration. CASE's method make extensive use of the results of the theory of functions of a complex variable and many successful approaches to solve in an approximate form the above mentioned set have been reported in the literature. We present here an entirely different approach which deals with the canonical problems in a more direct and elementary manner. As far as we know, the original idea for the latter method is due to Carlvik who devised the escape probability approximation to the solution of the neutron transport equation in its integral form. In essence, the procedure consists in assuming a sectionally constant form of the neutron density that in turn yields a set of linear algebraic equations obeyed by the assumed constant values of the density. Very well established techniques of numerical analysis for the solution of integral equations consist in independent approaches that generalize the sectionally constant approach by assuming a sectionally low degree polynomial for the unknown function. This procedure also known as the arbitrary quadratures method is especially suited to deal with cases where the kernel of the integral equation is singular. The author wishes to present the results obtained with the arbitrary quadratures method for the numerical calculation of the monoenergetic neutron density in a critical, homogeneous sphere of finite radius with isotropic scattering. The singular integral equation obeyed by the neutron density in the critical sphere is introduced, an outline of the method's main features is given, and tables and graphs of the density

Application of a Bonner sphere spectrometer for determination of the energy spectra of neutrons generated by ≈1 MJ plasma focus

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Králík, M.; Krása, Josef; Velyhan, Andriy; Scholz, M.; Ivanova-Stanik, I.M.; Bienkowska, B.; Miklaszewski, R.; Schmidt, H.; Řezáč, K.; Klír, D.; Kravárik, J.; Kubeš, P.

2010-01-01

Roč. 81, č. 11 (2010), 113503/1-113503/5 ISSN 0034-6748 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LA08024 Grant - others:FP-6 EU(XE) RITA-CT2006-26095 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523 Keywords : plasma focus * fusion DD neutrons * Bonner sphere spectrometer * energy spectra of scattered neutrons * unfolded and calculated spectra Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.598, year: 2010

Multi-petascale highly efficient parallel supercomputer

Science.gov (United States)

Asaad, Sameh; Bellofatto, Ralph E.; Blocksome, Michael A.; Blumrich, Matthias A.; Boyle, Peter; Brunheroto, Jose R.; Chen, Dong; Cher, Chen -Yong; Chiu, George L.; Christ, Norman; Coteus, Paul W.; Davis, Kristan D.; Dozsa, Gabor J.; Eichenberger, Alexandre E.; Eisley, Noel A.; Ellavsky, Matthew R.; Evans, Kahn C.; Fleischer, Bruce M.; Fox, Thomas W.; Gara, Alan; Giampapa, Mark E.; Gooding, Thomas M.; Gschwind, Michael K.; Gunnels, John A.; Hall, Shawn A.; Haring, Rudolf A.; Heidelberger, Philip; Inglett, Todd A.; Knudson, Brant L.; Kopcsay, Gerard V.; Kumar, Sameer; Mamidala, Amith R.; Marcella, James A.; Megerian, Mark G.; Miller, Douglas R.; Miller, Samuel J.; Muff, Adam J.; Mundy, Michael B.; O'Brien, John K.; O'Brien, Kathryn M.; Ohmacht, Martin; Parker, Jeffrey J.; Poole, Ruth J.; Ratterman, Joseph D.; Salapura, Valentina; Satterfield, David L.; Senger, Robert M.; Smith, Brian; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard; Stockdell, William M.; Stunkel, Craig B.; Sugavanam, Krishnan; Sugawara, Yutaka; Takken, Todd E.; Trager, Barry M.; Van Oosten, James L.; Wait, Charles D.; Walkup, Robert E.; Watson, Alfred T.; Wisniewski, Robert W.; Wu, Peng

2015-07-14

A Multi-Petascale Highly Efficient Parallel Supercomputer of 100 petaOPS-scale computing, at decreased cost, power and footprint, and that allows for a maximum packaging density of processing nodes from an interconnect point of view. The Supercomputer exploits technological advances in VLSI that enables a computing model where many processors can be integrated into a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Each ASIC computing node comprises a system-on-chip ASIC utilizing four or more processors integrated into one die, with each having full access to all system resources and enabling adaptive partitioning of the processors to functions such as compute or messaging I/O on an application by application basis, and preferably, enable adaptive partitioning of functions in accordance with various algorithmic phases within an application, or if I/O or other processors are underutilized, then can participate in computation or communication nodes are interconnected by a five dimensional torus network with DMA that optimally maximize the throughput of packet communications between nodes and minimize latency.

Final results for the neutron detector efficiencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Zuying; Tang Hongqing; Qi Bujia; Du Yanfeng; Zhou Chenwei; Xia Haihong; Chen Zemin; Chen Zhenpeng; Chen Yingtang

1998-01-01

Final results for neutron detector efficiencies of a liquid organic scintillator are presented. The comparisons of efficiency results to calculations with discrimination against γ-rays and without n-γ discrimination are shown out and discussed. The measured relative neutron detection efficiency of a liquid organic scintillator with the PSD constraint active is in good agreement with SCINFUL calculations from 9 to 40 Mev and NEFF7 calculations from 9 to 20 Mev, the upper limit of the latter code

Detection efficiency of the neutron detector BELEN-48 measured at the PTB Braunschweig

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marta, Michele [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); II. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig Universitaet Giessen (Germany); Agramunt, Jorge; Tain, Jose Luis [IFIC-CSIC University of Valencia, Valencia (Spain); Caballero-Folch, Roger; Cortes, Guillem; Riego, Albert [INTE-DFEN, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain); Dillmann, Iris [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); II. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig Universitaet Giessen (Germany); TRIUMF, Vancouver (Canada); Erhard, Martin; Giesen, Ulrich; Nolte, Ralf; Roettger, Stefan [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig (Germany); Fraile, Luis M. [Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

2014-07-01

The BEta-deLayEd Neutron detector BELEN-48 is a highly efficient detector of β-delayed neutrons, for nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics and reactor studies. It consists of 48 {sup 3}He proportional counters arranged in a polyethylene matrix in a way that the detection efficiency remains constant for neutron energies from thermal up to a few MeV. In order to validate MCNPX simulations, the detection efficiency has been calibrated with well-known (p,n) and (α,n) reactions on {sup 7}Li, {sup 13}C and {sup 51}V producing neutrons with energies between 0.1 and 5 MeV. The experiment has been performed at the neutron metrology facility of PTB, which allowed the measurement of yields and angular distributions with a calibrated monitor. The new results indicate anisotropies, which are not reported in literature and have been taken into account to obtain the experimental efficiencies for BELEN.

The multi leaf collimator for fast neutron therapy at louvain-la-Neuve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denis, J.M.; Richard, F.; Vynckier, S.; Wambersie, A.; Meulders, J.P.; Lannoye, E.; Longree, Y.; Ryckewaert, G.

1996-01-01

The multi-leaf collimator of the fast neutron therapy facility at Louvain-la-Neuve is described, as well as some of the physics experiments performed in order to evaluate the attenuation of neutron beams in different materials and thus optimize the composition of collimator leaves. The multi-leaf collimator consists of two sets of 22 leaves each, which can be moved independently. They are made of iron and their thickness is 95 cm. Seven borated polyethylene disks are located in the distal part of the leaves in order to absorb more efficiently the low-energy component of the neutron spectrum. The width of the leaves is 1 cm at their distal part. The leaves can more 11 cm outwards and 6 cm inwards from their reference position, and field size up to 25.7 x 24.8 cm as well as irregular field shapes, can be obtained. The inner part of the leaves and their two sides are always focused on the target. The complete multi-leaf collimator can rotate around the beam axis, from -90 deg to + 90 deg from the reference position. The width of the penumbra (80 - 20 % isodoses) is 0.64 cm and 1.17 cm at the depth of the maximum buildup and at 10 cm in depth respectively, for a 10 x 10 cm field size. The collimator is adequate for the energy of the p(65)+Be neutron beam of Louvain-la-Neuve and has been adapted to the fixed vertical beam. It has been designed following the original plans of Scanditronix, adjusted and fully assembled at the workshop of the Centre de Recherches du Cyclotron (CRC). Systematic measurements were performed in order to optimize the design and the composition of the leaves. In particular the attenuations of the actual beam and of monoenergetic neutron beams were measured in different materials such as iron and polyethylene. Above (upstream) the multi-leaf collimator, a fixed pre-collimator (iron thickness 50 cm; section 1 x 1 m) defines a conical aperture aligned on the largest opening of the leaves. It contains the two transmission chambers and a 2 cm thick

Neutron scattering. Experiment manuals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brueckel, Thomas; Heger, Gernot; Richter, Dieter; Roth, Georg; Zorn, Reiner

2014-01-01

The following topics are dealt with: The thermal triple-axis spectrometer PUMA, the high-resolution powder diffractometer SPODI, the hot-single-crystal diffractometer HEiDi, the three-axis spectrometer PANDA, the backscattering spectrometer SPHERES, the DNS neutron-polarization analysis, the neutron spin-echo spectrometer J-NSE, small-angle neutron scattering at KWS-1 and KWS-2, a very-small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer with focusing mirror, the reflectometer TREFF, the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFTOF. (HSI)

Iterative code for the reconstruction of the neutrons spectrum using the Bonner spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes H, A.; Ortiz R, J. M.; Vega C, H. R.

2012-10-01

The neutrons are the particles more difficult of detecting for their intrinsic nature. The absence of the neutrons charge makes that an interaction exists with the matter in a different way. The term radiation spectrometry can use to describe the measurement of the intensity of a radiation field with regard to the energy. The intensity distribution with relationship to the energy is commonly known as spectrum. A method to know the neutrons spectrum in the radiation fields to those that people are exposed is the use of the known system as spectrometry system of Bonner spheres, being the more used for the purposes of the radiological protection. The current interest in the electrons spectrometry has stimulated the development of several procedures to carry out the reconstruction of the spectra. During the last decades new codes have been developed such as BUNKIUT, Bums, Fruit, UMG, etc., however, these methods still present several inconveniences as the complexity in their use, the necessity of an expert user and a very near initial spectrum to the spectrum that is wanted to obtain. To solve the mentioned problems it was development the program NSDUAZ (Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry from Autonomous University of Zacatecas). The objective of the present work is to prove and to validate the code before mentioned making an analysis of likeness and differences and of advantages and disadvantages with relationship to the codes used at the present time. (Author)

Design, calibration and tests of an extended-range Bonner sphere spectrometer

CERN Document Server

Mitaroff, Angela; Silari, Marco

2001-01-01

Stray radiation fields outside the shielding of hadron accelerators are of complex nature. They consist of a multiplicity of radiation components (neutrons, photons, electrons, pions, muons, ...) which extend over a wide range of energies. Since the dose equivalent in these mixed fields is mainly due to neutrons, neutron dosimetry is a particularly important task. The neutron energy in these fields ranges from thermal up to several hundreds of MeV, thus making dosimetry difficult. A well known instrument for measuring neutron energy distributions from thermal energies up to about E=10 MeV is the Bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS). It consists of a set of moderating spheres of different radii made of polyethylene, with a thermal neutron counter in the centre. Each detector (sphere plus counter) has a maximum response at a certain energy value depending on its size, but the overall response of the conventional BSS drops sharply between E=10-20 MeV. This thesis focuses on the development, the calibration and tests...

Singular value decomposition and artificial neutral network for analyzing bonner sphere data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Qingjun; Song, Gang; Song, Fengquan; Guo, Qian; Wu, Yican

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to build an effective and reliable method based on the artificial neural network (ANN) model for unfolding neutron spectrum. The number of counts measured by 15 Bonner spheres and 281 neutron spectra were selected as the database. After singular value decomposition was used to determine the relationship between Bonner spheres, 11 Bonner spheres were chosen as input descriptors. The three-layer feedforward neural networks (11-5-1) were employed to predict the spectrum in each energy bin. Using information entropy theory and the results of the ANN calculations, the sensitivity of each sphere to the entropy of the spectrum was quantitatively analyzed. The spectra results were compared with the results obtained using the maximum entropy method (MEM). The averaged root mean-square-error (MSE) of the MEM output and the desired spectra was 0.012; the averaged MSE of the ANN calculations was 0.006. The MSE results indicate that the 11-5-1 ANN models are able to accurately and reliably predict neutron spectra. The ANN model developed in this study to unfold neutron spectra from the counts measured by 11 Bonner spheres provides an alternative method for unfolding spectrum. The singular value decomposition is an effective method for the analysis of data obtained from Bonner spheres and the neutron spectra.

Multi-group neutron transport theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zelazny, R.; Kuszell, A.

1962-01-01

Multi-group neutron transport theory. In the paper the general theory of the application of the K. M. Case method to N-group neutron transport theory in plane geometry is given. The eigenfunctions (distributions) for the system of Boltzmann equations have been derived and the completeness theorem has been proved. By means of general solution two examples important for reactor and shielding calculations are given: the solution of a critical and albedo problem for a slab. In both cases the system of singular integral equations for expansion coefficients into a full set of eigenfunction distributions has been reduced to the system of Fredholm-type integral equations. Some results can be applied also to some spherical problems. (author) [fr

Using Backscattering to Enhance Efficiency in Neutron Detectors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kittelmann, T.; Kanaki, K.; Klinkby, Esben Bryndt

2017-01-01

The principle of using strongly scattering materials to recover efficiency in detectors for neutron instruments, via backscattering of unconverted thermal neutrons, is discussed in general. The feasibility of the method is illustrated through Geant4-based simulations involving thermal neutrons im......, respectively, centimeters and tens of microseconds. Potential mitigation techniques to contain the impact on resolution are investigated and are found to alleviate the issues to some degree, at a cost of reduced gain in efficiency....

Neutron scattering. Experiment manuals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brueckel, Thomas; Heger, Gernot; Richter, Dieter; Roth, Georg; Zorn, Reiner (eds.)

2010-07-01

The following topics are dealt with: The thermal triple axis spectrometer PUMA, the high-resolution powder diffractometer SPODI, the hot single-crystal diffractometer HEiDi for structure analysis with neutrons, the backscattering spectrometer SPHERES, neutron polarization analysis with tht time-of-flight spectrometer DNS, the neutron spin-echo spectrometer J-NSE, small-angle neutron scattering with the KWS-1 and KWS-2 diffractometers, the very-small-angle neutron scattering diffractrometer with focusing mirror KWS-3, the resonance spin-echo spectrometer RESEDA, the reflectometer TREFF, the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFTOF. (HSI)

Neutron scattering. Experiment manuals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brueckel, Thomas; Heger, Gernot; Richter, Dieter; Roth, Georg; Zorn, Reiner

2010-01-01

The following topics are dealt with: The thermal triple axis spectrometer PUMA, the high-resolution powder diffractometer SPODI, the hot single-crystal diffractometer HEiDi for structure analysis with neutrons, the backscattering spectrometer SPHERES, neutron polarization analysis with tht time-of-flight spectrometer DNS, the neutron spin-echo spectrometer J-NSE, small-angle neutron scattering with the KWS-1 and KWS-2 diffractometers, the very-small-angle neutron scattering diffractrometer with focusing mirror KWS-3, the resonance spin-echo spectrometer RESEDA, the reflectometer TREFF, the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFTOF. (HSI)

Design of a system for neutrons dosimetry; Diseno de un sistema para dosimetria de neutrones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ceron, P.; Rivera, T. [IPN, Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, Legaria No. 694, Col. Irrigacion, 11500 Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Paredes G, L. [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Azorin, J. [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Vicentina, 09340 Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Sanchez, A. [IPN, Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas, Av. Instituto Politecnico Nacional s/n, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, 07738 Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Vega C, H. R., E-mail: victceronr@hotmail.com [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2014-08-15

At the present time diverse systems of detection of neutrons exist, as proportional counters based on BF{sub 3}, He{sub 3} and spectrometers of Bonner spheres. However, the cost and the complexity of the implementation of these systems put them far from the reach for dosimetric purposes. For these reasons a system of neutrons detection composed by a medium paraffin moderator that forms a 4π (spheres) arrangement and of several couples of thermoluminescent dosimeters TLD 600/TLD 700. The response of the system presents a minor repeatability to 5% in several assays when being irradiated with a {sup 239}PuBe source and a deviation of 13.8% in the Tl readings of four different spheres. The calibration factor of the system with regard to the neutrons source which was of 56.2 p Sv/nc also was calculated. These detectors will be used as passive monitors of photoneutrons in a radiotherapy room with lineal accelerator of high energy. (Author)

Orsphere: Physics Measurments For Bare, HEU(93.2)-Metal Sphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marshall, Margaret A. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Bess, John D. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Briggs, J. Blair [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); White, Christine E. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Dyrda, James P. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Tancock, Nigel P. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Mihalczo, John [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-03-01

In the early 1970s Dr. John T. Mihalczo (team leader), J.J. Lynn, and J.R. Taylor performed experiments at the Oak Ridge Critical Experiments Facility (ORCEF) with highly enriched uranium (HEU) metal (called Oak Ridge Alloy or ORALLOY) in an attempt to recreate GODIVA I results with greater accuracy than those performed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1950s (HEU-MET-FAST-001). The purpose of the Oak Ridge ORALLOY Sphere (ORSphere) experiments was to estimate the unreflected and unmoderated critical mass of an idealized sphere of uranium metal corrected to a density, purity, and enrichment such that it could be compared with the GODIVA I experiments. “The very accurate description of this sphere, as assembled, establishes it as an ideal benchmark for calculational methods and cross-section data files” (Reference 1). While performing the ORSphere experiments care was taken to accurately document component dimensions (±0.0001 inches), masses (±0.01 g), and material data. The experiment was also set up to minimize the amount of structural material in the sphere proximity. Two, correlated spheres were evaluated and judged to be acceptable as criticality benchmark experiments. This evaluation is given in HEU-MET-FAST-100. The second, smaller sphere was used for additional reactor physics measurements. Worth measurements (Reference 1, 2, 3 and 4), the delayed neutron fraction (Reference 3, 4 and 5) and surface material worth coefficient (Reference 1 and 2) are all measured and judged to be acceptable as benchmark data. The prompt neutron decay (Reference 6), relative fission density (Reference 7) and relative neutron importance (Reference 7) were measured, but are not evaluated. Information for the evaluation was compiled from References 1 through 7, the experimental logbooks 8 and 9 ; additional drawings and notes provided by the experimenter; and communication with the lead experimenter, John T. Mihalczo.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on High Surface Area Nanocrystalline Zinc Oxide Spheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavuluri Srinivasu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available High surface area nanocrystalline zinc oxide material is fabricated using mesoporous nanostructured carbon as a sacrificial template through combustion process. The resulting material is characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption, HR-SEM, and HR-TEM. The nitrogen adsorption measurement indicates that the materials possess BET specific surface area ca. 30 m2/g. Electron microscopy images prove that the zinc oxide spheres possess particle size in the range of 0.12 μm–0.17 μm. The nanocrystalline zinc oxide spheres show 1.0% of energy conversion efficiency for dye-sensitized solar cells.

Non-periodic multi-slit masking for a single counter rotating 2-disc chopper and channeling guides for high resolution and high intensity neutron TOF spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bartkowiak, M.; Hofmann, T.; Stüßer, N.

2017-02-01

Energy resolution is an important design goal for time-of-flight instruments and neutron spectroscopy. For high-resolution applications, it is required that the burst times of choppers be short, going down to the µs-range. To produce short pulses while maintaining high neutron flux, we propose beam masks with more than two slits on a counter-rotating 2-disc chopper, behind specially adapted focusing multi-channel guides. A novel non-regular arrangement of the slits ensures that the beam opens only once per chopper cycle, when the masks are congruently aligned. Additionally, beam splitting and intensity focusing by guides before and after the chopper position provide high intensities even for small samples. Phase-space analysis and Monte Carlo simulations on examples of four-slit masks with adapted guide geometries show the potential of the proposed setup.

NEWSPEC: A computer code to unfold neutron spectra from Bonner sphere data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemley, E.C.; West, L.

1996-01-01

A new computer code, NEWSPEC, is in development at the University of Arkansas. The NEWSPEC code allows a user to unfold, fold, rebin, display, and manipulate neutron spectra as applied to Bonner sphere measurements. The SPUNIT unfolding algorithm, a new rebinning algorithm, and the graphical capabilities of Microsoft (MS) Windows and MS Excel are utilized to perform these operations. The computer platform for NEWSPEC is a personal computer (PC) running MS Windows 3.x or Win95, while the code is written in MS Visual Basic (VB) and MS VB for Applications (VBA) under Excel. One of the most useful attributes of the NEWSPEC software is the link to Excel allowing additional manipulation of program output or creation of program input

BUMS--Bonner sphere Unfolding Made Simple an HTML based multisphere neutron spectrometer unfolding package

CERN Document Server

Sweezy, J; Veinot, K

2002-01-01

A new multisphere neutron spectrometer unfolding package, Bonner sphere Unfolding Made Simple (BUMS) has been developed that uses an HTML interface to simplify data input and code execution for the novice and the advanced user. This new unfolding package combines the unfolding algorithms contained in other popular unfolding codes under one easy to use interface. The interface makes use of web browsing software to provide a graphical user interface to the unfolding algorithms. BUMS integrates the SPUNIT, BON, MAXIET, and SAND-II unfolding algorithms into a single package. This package also includes a library of 14 response matrices, 58 starting spectra, and 24 dose and detector responses. BUMS has several improvements beyond the addition of unfolding algorithms. It has the ability to search for the most appropriate starting spectra. Also, plots of the unfolded neutron spectra are automatically generated. The BUMS package runs via a web server and may be accessed by any computer with access to the Internet at h...

BUMS--Bonner sphere Unfolding Made Simple: an HTML based multisphere neutron spectrometer unfolding package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sweezy, Jeremy; Hertel, Nolan; Veinot, Ken

2002-01-01

A new multisphere neutron spectrometer unfolding package, Bonner sphere Unfolding Made Simple (BUMS) has been developed that uses an HTML interface to simplify data input and code execution for the novice and the advanced user. This new unfolding package combines the unfolding algorithms contained in other popular unfolding codes under one easy to use interface. The interface makes use of web browsing software to provide a graphical user interface to the unfolding algorithms. BUMS integrates the SPUNIT, BON, MAXIET, and SAND-II unfolding algorithms into a single package. This package also includes a library of 14 response matrices, 58 starting spectra, and 24 dose and detector responses. BUMS has several improvements beyond the addition of unfolding algorithms. It has the ability to search for the most appropriate starting spectra. Also, plots of the unfolded neutron spectra are automatically generated. The BUMS package runs via a web server and may be accessed by any computer with access to the Internet at http://nukeisit.gatech.edu/bums

Coupled multi-group neutron photon transport for the simulation of high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burns, Kimberly A. [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2009-08-01

The accurate and efficient simulation of coupled neutron-photon problems is necessary for several important radiation detection applications. Examples include the detection of nuclear threats concealed in cargo containers and prompt gamma neutron activation analysis for nondestructive determination of elemental composition of unknown samples.

Criticality of a 237Np sphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, Rene G.; Loaiza, David J.; Kimpland, Robert H.; Hayes, David K.; Cappiello, Charlene C.; Myers, William L.; Jaegers, Peter J.; Clement, Steven D.; Butterfield, Kenneth B.

2003-01-01

A critical mass experiment using a 6-kg 237 Np sphere has been performed. The purpose of the experiment is to get a better estimate of the critical mass of 237 Np. To attain criticality, the 237 Np sphere was surrounded with 93 wt% 235 U shells. A 1/M as a function of uranium mass was performed. An MCNP neutron transport code was used to model the experiment. The MCNP code yielded a k eff of 0.99089 ± 0.0003 compared with a k eff 1.0026 for the experiment. Based on these results, it is estimated that the critical mass of 237 Np ranges from kilogram weights in the high fifties to low sixties. (author)

4D space access neutron spectrometer 4SEASONS (SIKI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajimoto, Ryoichi; Nakamura, Mitsutaka

2010-01-01

The 4D Space Access Neutron Spectrometer (4SEASONS) is a high-intensity Fermi-chopper spectrometer. It is intended to provide high counting rate for thermal neutrons with medium resolution (ΔE/E i -6% at E=0) to efficiently collect weak inelastic signals from novel spin and lattice dynamics especially in high-T c superconductors and related materials. To achieve this goal, the spectrometer equips advanced instrumental design such as an elliptic-shaped converging neutron guide coated with high-Q c (m=3-4) supermirror, and long-length (2.5 m) 3 He position sensitive detectors (PSDs) arranged cylindrically inside the vacuum scattering chamber. Furthermore, the spectrometer is ready for multi-incident-energy measurements by the repetition rate multiplication method, which greatly improves the measurement efficiency. (author)

Sequential measurements of spectrum and dose for cosmic-ray neutrons on the ground

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirabayashi, N.; Nunomiya, T.; Suzuki, H.; Nakamura, T.

2002-01-01

The earth is continually bathed in high-energy particles that come from outside the solar system, known as galactic cosmic rays. When these particles penetrate the magnetic fields of the solar system and the Earth and reach the Earth's atmosphere, they collide with atomic nuclei in air and secondary cosmic rays of every kind. On the other hand, levels of accumulation of the semiconductor increase recently, and the soft error that the cosmic-ray neutrons cause has been regarded as questionable. There have been long-term measurements of cosmic-ray neutron fluence at several places in the world, but no systematic study on cosmic-ray neutron spectrum measurements. This study aimed to measure the cosmic-ray neutron spectrum and dose on the ground during the solar maximum period of 2000 to 2002. Measurements have been continuing in a cabin of Tohoku University Kawauchi campus, by using five multi-moderator spectrometers (Bonner sphere), 12.7 cm diam by 12.7 cm long NE213 scintillator, and rem counter. The Bonner sphere uses a 5.08 cm diam spherical 3 He gas proportional counter and the rem counter uses a 12.7 cm diam 3 He gas counter. The neutron spectra were obtained by unfolding from the count rates measured with the Bonner sphere using the SAND code and the pulse height spectra measured with the NE213 scintillator using the FORIST code . The cosmic- ray neutron spectrum and ambient dose rates have been measured sequentially from April 2001. Furthermore, the correlation between ambient dose rate and the atmospheric pressure was investigated with a barometer. We are also very much interested in the variation of neutron spectrum following big solar flares. From the sequential measurements, we found that the cosmic-ray neutron spectrum has two peaks at around 1 MeV and at around 100 MeV, and the higher energy peak increases with a big solar flare

Neutron physical investigations on the shutdown effect of small boronated absorbing spheres for pebble-bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sgouridis, S.; Schurrer, F.; Muller, H.; Ninaus, W.; Oswald, K.; Neef, R.D.; Schaal, H.

1987-01-01

An emergency shutdown system for high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed reactors is proposed in addition to the common absorber rod shutdown system. This system is based on the strongly absorbing effect of small boronated graphite spheres (called KLAK), which trickle in case of emergency by gravity from the top reflector into the reactor core. The inner reflector of the Siemens-Argonaut reactor was substituted by an assembly of spherical Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor fuel elements, and the shutdown effect was examined by installing well-defined KLAK nests inside this assembly. The purpose was to develop and prove a calculational procedure for determining criticality values for assemblies of large fuel spheres and small absorbing spheres

Characterisation of the IPNE Bonner sphere spectrometer by comparison with the PTB system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alevra, A.V.; Plostinaru, V.D.

2002-01-01

An existing set of Bonner spheres of the Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering in Bucharest has been modified following the PTB design for application of an 3 He-filled SP9 counter. By simple interpolations of the fluence responses of the PTB spheres, a preliminary fluence response matrix could be established for the IPNE Bonner sphere set. For further adjustments of the preliminary responses and for validation of the final fluence response matrix of the Romanian Bonner sphere spectrometer, calibration measurements with a reference 252 Cf neutron source and joint measurements, including the PTB Bonner sphere spectrometer, were performed in a few neutron fields differing substantially in their spectral distributions. It is estimated that the integral neutron fluences and dose-equivalent values can now be determined with the Romanian spectrometer with uncertainties of about ±4% and ±8%, respectively

Conception of a New Recoil Proton Telescope for Real-Time Neutron Spectrometry in Proton-Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Combe, Rodolphe; Arbor, Nicolas; el Bitar, Ziad; Higueret, Stéphane; Husson, Daniel

2018-01-01

Neutrons are the main type of secondary particles emitted in proton-therapy. Because of the risk of secondary cancer and other late occurring effects, the neutron dose should be included in the out-of-field dose calculations. A neutron spectrometer has to be used to take into account the energy dependence of the neutron radiological weighting factor. Due to its high dependence on various parameters of the irradiation (beam, accelerator, patient), the neutron spectrum should be measured independently for each treatment. The current reference method for the measurement of the neutron energy, the Bonner Sphere System, consists of several homogeneous polyethylene spheres with increasing diameters equipped with a proportional counter. It provides a highresolution reconstruction of the neutron spectrum but requires a time-consuming work of signal deconvolution. New neutron spectrometers are being developed, but the main experimental limitation remains the high neutron flux in proton therapy treatment rooms. A new model of a real-time neutron spectrometer, based on a Recoil Proton Telescope technology, has been developed at the IPHC. It enables a real-time high-rate reconstruction of the neutron spectrum from the measurement of the recoil proton trajectory and energy. A new fast-readout microelectronic integrated sensor, called FastPixN, has been developed for this specific purpose. A first prototype, able to detect neutrons between 5 and 20 MeV, has already been validated for metrology with the AMANDE facility at Cadarache. The geometry of the new Recoil Proton Telescope has been optimized via extensive Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations. Uncertainty sources have been carefully studied in order to improve simultaneously efficiency and energy resolution, and solutions have been found to suppress the various expected backgrounds. We are currently upgrading the prototype for secondary neutron detection in proton therapy applications.

An accurate and portable solid state neutron rem meter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oakes, T.M. [Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States); Bellinger, S.L. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (United States); Miller, W.H. [Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States); Missouri University Research Reactor, Columbia, MO (United States); Myers, E.R. [Department of Physics, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO (United States); Fronk, R.G.; Cooper, B.W [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (United States); Sobering, T.J. [Electronics Design Laboratory, Kansas State University, KS (United States); Scott, P.R. [Department of Physics, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO (United States); Ugorowski, P.; McGregor, D.S; Shultis, J.K. [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (United States); Caruso, A.N., E-mail: carusoan@umkc.edu [Department of Physics, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO (United States)

2013-08-11

Accurately resolving the ambient neutron dose equivalent spanning the thermal to 15 MeV energy range with a single configuration and lightweight instrument is desirable. This paper presents the design of a portable, high intrinsic efficiency, and accurate neutron rem meter whose energy-dependent response is electronically adjusted to a chosen neutron dose equivalent standard. The instrument may be classified as a moderating type neutron spectrometer, based on an adaptation to the classical Bonner sphere and position sensitive long counter, which, simultaneously counts thermalized neutrons by high thermal efficiency solid state neutron detectors. The use of multiple detectors and moderator arranged along an axis of symmetry (e.g., long axis of a cylinder) with known neutron-slowing properties allows for the construction of a linear combination of responses that approximate the ambient neutron dose equivalent. Variations on the detector configuration are investigated via Monte Carlo N-Particle simulations to minimize the total instrument mass while maintaining acceptable response accuracy—a dose error less than 15% for bare {sup 252}Cf, bare AmBe, an epi-thermal and mixed monoenergetic sources is found at less than 4.5 kg moderator mass in all studied cases. A comparison of the energy dependent dose equivalent response and resultant energy dependent dose equivalent error of the present dosimeter to commercially-available portable rem meters and the prior art are presented. Finally, the present design is assessed by comparison of the simulated output resulting from applications of several known neutron sources and dose rates.

Development of a High Fluence Neutron Source for Nondestructive Characterization of Nuclear Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickrell, Mark M.

1999-01-01

We are addressing the need to measure nuclear wastes, residues, and spent fuel in order to process these for final disposition. For example, TRU wastes destined for the WIPP must satisfy extensive characterization criteria outlined in the Waste Acceptance Criteria, the Quality Assurance Program Plan, and the Performance Demonstration Plan. Similar requirements exist for spent fuel and residues. At present, no nondestructive assay (NDA) instrumentation is capable of satisfying all of the PDP test cycles (particularly for Remote-Handled TRU waste). One of the primary methods for waste assay is by active neutron interrogation. The objective of this project is to improve the capability of all active neutron systems by providing a higher intensity neutron source (by about a factor of 1,000) for essentially the same cost, power, and space requirements as existing systems. This high intensity neutron source is an electrostatically confined (IEC) plasma device. The IEC is a symmetric sphere that was originally developed in the 1960s as a possible fusion reactor. It operates as DT neutron generator. Although it is not likely that this device will scale to fusion reactor levels, previous experiments1 have demonstrated a neutron yield of 2 x 1010 neutrons/second on a table-top device that can be powered from ordinary laboratory circuits (9 kilowatts). Subsequently, the IEC physics has been extensively studied at the University of Illinois and other locations. We have established theoretically the basis for scaling the output up to 1 x 1011 neutrons/second. In addition, IEC devices have run for cumulative times approaching 10,000 hours, which is essential for practical application to NDA. They have been operated in pulsed and continuous mode. The essential features of the IEC plasma neutron source, compared to existing sources of the same cost, size and power consumption, are: Table 1: Present and Target Operating Parameters for Small Neutron Generators Parameter Present IEC

Numerical Simulations of Pillar Structured Solid State Thermal Neutron Detector Efficiency and Gamma Discrimination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conway, A; Wang, T; Deo, N; Cheung, C; Nikolic, R

2008-06-24

This work reports numerical simulations of a novel three-dimensionally integrated, {sup 10}boron ({sup 10}B) and silicon p+, intrinsic, n+ (PIN) diode micropillar array for thermal neutron detection. The inter-digitated device structure has a high probability of interaction between the Si PIN pillars and the charged particles (alpha and {sup 7}Li) created from the neutron - {sup 10}B reaction. In this work, the effect of both the 3-D geometry (including pillar diameter, separation and height) and energy loss mechanisms are investigated via simulations to predict the neutron detection efficiency and gamma discrimination of this structure. The simulation results are demonstrated to compare well with the measurement results. This indicates that upon scaling the pillar height, a high efficiency thermal neutron detector is possible.

Design of auto-control high-voltage control system of pulsed neutron generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv Juntao

2008-01-01

It is difficult to produce multiple anode controlling time sequences under different logging mode for the high-voltage control system of the conventional pulsed neutron generator. It is also difficult realize sequential control among anode high-voltage, filament power supply and target voltage to make neutron yield stable. To these problems, an auto-control high-voltage system of neutron pulsed generator was designed. It not only can achieve anode high-voltage double blast time sequences, which can measure multiple neutron blast time sequences such as Σ, activated spectrum, etc. under inelastic scattering mode, but also can realize neutron generator real-time measurement of multi-state parameters and auto-control such as target voltage pulse width modulation (PWM), filament current, anode current, etc., there by it can produce stable neutron yield and realize stable and accurate measurement of the pulsed neutron full spectral loging tool. (authors)

Development and characterization of a high yield transportable pulsed neutron source with efficient and compact pulsed power system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verma, Rishi, E-mail: rishiv9@gmail.com, E-mail: rishiv@barc.gov.in; Mishra, Ekansh; Dhang, Prosenjit; Sagar, Karuna; Meena, Manraj; Shyam, Anurag [Energetics and Electromagnetics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Autonagar, Vishakapatnam 530012 (India)

2016-09-15

The results of characterization experiments carried out on a newly developed dense plasma focus device based intense pulsed neutron source with efficient and compact pulsed power system are reported. Its high current sealed pseudospark switch based low inductance capacitor bank with maximum stored energy of ∼10 kJ is segregated into four modules of ∼2.5 kJ each and it cumulatively delivers peak current in the range of 400 kA–600 kA (corresponding to charging voltage range of 14 kV–18 kV) in a quarter time period of ∼2 μs. The neutron yield performance of this device has been optimized by discretely varying deuterium filling gas pressure in the range of 6 mbar–11 mbar at ∼17 kV/550 kA discharge. At ∼7 kJ/8.5 mbar operation, the average neutron yield has been measured to be in the order of ∼4 × 10{sup 9} neutrons/pulse which is the highest ever reported neutron yield from a plasma focus device with the same stored energy. The average forward to radial anisotropy in neutron yield is found to be ∼2. The entire system is contained on a moveable trolley having dimensions 1.5 m × 1 m × 0.7 m and its operation and control (up to the distance of 25 m) are facilitated through optically isolated handheld remote console. The overall compactness of this system provides minimum proximity to small as well as large samples for irradiation. The major intended application objective of this high neutron yield dense plasma focus device development is to explore the feasibility of active neutron interrogation experiments by utilization of intense pulsed neutron sources.

A highly sensitive, low-cost, wearable pressure sensor based on conductive hydrogel spheres

KAUST Repository

Tai, Yanlong

2015-01-01

Wearable pressure sensing solutions have promising future for practical applications in health monitoring and human/machine interfaces. Here, a highly sensitive, low-cost, wearable pressure sensor based on conductive single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/alginate hydrogel spheres is reported. Conductive and piezoresistive spheres are embedded between conductive electrodes (indium tin oxide-coated polyethylene terephthalate films) and subjected to environmental pressure. The detection mechanism is based on the piezoresistivity of the SWCNT/alginate conductive spheres and on the sphere-electrode contact. Step-by-step, we optimized the design parameters to maximize the sensitivity of the sensor. The optimized hydrogel sensor exhibited a satisfactory sensitivity (0.176 ΔR/R0/kPa-1) and a low detectable limit (10 Pa). Moreover, a brief response time (a few milliseconds) and successful repeatability were also demonstrated. Finally, the efficiency of this strategy was verified through a series of practical tests such as monitoring human wrist pulse, detecting throat muscle motion or identifying the location and the distribution of an external pressure using an array sensor (4 × 4). © 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Measurement of neutron spectra generated by a 62 AMeV carbon-ion beam on a PMMA phantom using extended range Bonner sphere spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedogni, R.; Amgarou, K.; Domingo, C.; Russo, S.; Cirrone, G.A.P.; Pelliccioni, M.; Esposito, A.; Pola, A.; Introini, M.V.; Gentile, A.

2012-01-01

Neutrons constitute an important component of the radiation environment in hadron therapy accelerators. Their energy distribution may span from thermal up to hundred of MeV. The characterization of these fields in terms of dosimetric or spectrometric quantities is crucial for either the patient protection or the facility design aspects. To date, the Extended Range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (ERBSS) is the only instrument able to simultaneously determine all spectral components in such workplaces. With the aim of providing useful data to the scientific community involved in neutron measurements at hadron therapy facilities, a measurement campaign was carried out at the Centro di AdroTerapia e Applicazioni Nucleari Avanzate (CATANA) of INFN-LNS (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud), where a 62 AMeV carbon ion is available. The beam was directed towards a PMMA phantom, simulating the patient, and two neutron measurement points were established at 0° and 90° with respect to the beam-line. The ERBSSs of UAB (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona-Grup de Física de les Radiacions) and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) were used to measure the resulting neutron fields. The two ERBSSs use different detectors and sphere diameters, and have been independently calibrated. The FRUIT code was used to unfold the results.

Measurement of neutron spectra generated by a 62 AMeV carbon-ion beam on a PMMA phantom using extended range Bonner sphere spectrometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedogni, R., E-mail: roberto.bedogni@lnf.infn.it [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Amgarou, K.; Domingo, C. [Grup de Recerca en Radiacions Ionitzants, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Russo, S.; Cirrone, G.A.P. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali dei Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy); Pelliccioni, M.; Esposito, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Pola, A.; Introini, M.V. [Politecnico di Milano, CESNEF, Dipartimento di Energia, via Ponzio 34/3, 20133 Milano (Italy); Gentile, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy)

2012-07-21

Neutrons constitute an important component of the radiation environment in hadron therapy accelerators. Their energy distribution may span from thermal up to hundred of MeV. The characterization of these fields in terms of dosimetric or spectrometric quantities is crucial for either the patient protection or the facility design aspects. To date, the Extended Range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (ERBSS) is the only instrument able to simultaneously determine all spectral components in such workplaces. With the aim of providing useful data to the scientific community involved in neutron measurements at hadron therapy facilities, a measurement campaign was carried out at the Centro di AdroTerapia e Applicazioni Nucleari Avanzate (CATANA) of INFN-LNS (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud), where a 62 AMeV carbon ion is available. The beam was directed towards a PMMA phantom, simulating the patient, and two neutron measurement points were established at 0 Degree-Sign and 90 Degree-Sign with respect to the beam-line. The ERBSSs of UAB (Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona-Grup de Fisica de les Radiacions) and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) were used to measure the resulting neutron fields. The two ERBSSs use different detectors and sphere diameters, and have been independently calibrated. The FRUIT code was used to unfold the results.

Measurement of neutron spectra generated by a 62 AMeV carbon-ion beam on a PMMA phantom using extended range Bonner sphere spectrometers

Science.gov (United States)

Bedogni, R.; Amgarou, K.; Domingo, C.; Russo, S.; Cirrone, G. A. P.; Pelliccioni, M.; Esposito, A.; Pola, A.; Introini, M. V.; Gentile, A.

2012-07-01

Neutrons constitute an important component of the radiation environment in hadron therapy accelerators. Their energy distribution may span from thermal up to hundred of MeV. The characterization of these fields in terms of dosimetric or spectrometric quantities is crucial for either the patient protection or the facility design aspects. To date, the Extended Range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (ERBSS) is the only instrument able to simultaneously determine all spectral components in such workplaces. With the aim of providing useful data to the scientific community involved in neutron measurements at hadron therapy facilities, a measurement campaign was carried out at the Centro di AdroTerapia e Applicazioni Nucleari Avanzate (CATANA) of INFN-LNS (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud), where a 62 AMeV carbon ion is available. The beam was directed towards a PMMA phantom, simulating the patient, and two neutron measurement points were established at 0° and 90° with respect to the beam-line. The ERBSSs of UAB (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona-Grup de Física de les Radiacions) and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) were used to measure the resulting neutron fields. The two ERBSSs use different detectors and sphere diameters, and have been independently calibrated. The FRUIT code was used to unfold the results.

The effect of, within the sphere confined, particle diffusion on the line shape of incoherent cold neutron scattering spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cvikl, B.; Dahlborg, U.; Calvo-Dahlborg, M.

1999-01-01

Based upon the model of particles diffusion within the sphere of partially absorbing boundaries, the possibilities of the detection, by the incoherent cold neutron scattering method, of particle precipitation on the boundary walls, has been investigated. The calculated scattering law as a function of the boundary absorption properties exhibits distinct characteristic which might, under favorable conditions, make such an experimental attempt feasible.(author)

Experiment on neutron transmission through depleted uranium layers and analysis with DOT 3.5 and MCNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oka, Y.; Kodama, T.; Akiyama, M.; Hashikura, H.; Kondo, S.

1987-01-01

The reaction rates in the multi-layers containing depleted uranium were measured by activation foils and micro-fission chambers. The analysis of the experiment was carried out by using the multi-group transport calculation code, DOT 3.5 and the continuous energy Monte Carlo code, MCNP. The multi-group calculation overpredicted the low energy reaction rates in the DU layers, while the continuous energy calculation agreed well. The multi-group and continuous energy calculation was compared for the one-dimensional transmission of iron spheres. The results revealed overprediction of the multi-group calculation near the fast neutron source. The averaging of the resonance shapes in generating the multi-group cross sections made minima of the resonance valleys higher than that of the pointwise cross section. This increased the scattering of the neutrons inside and caused the overprediction of the multi-group calculation

Neutron spectrum unfolding using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega C, H.R.; Hernandez D, V.M.; Manzanares A, E.

2004-01-01

An artificial neural network has been designed to obtain the neutron spectra from the Bonner spheres spectrometer's count rates. The neural network was trained using a large set of neutron spectra compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency. These include spectra from iso- topic neutron sources, reference and operational neutron spectra obtained from accelerators and nuclear reactors. The spectra were transformed from lethargy to energy distribution and were re-binned to 31 energy groups using the MCNP 4C code. Re-binned spectra and UTA4 matrix were used to calculate the expected count rates in Bonner spheres spectrometer. These count rates were used as input and correspondent spectrum was used as output during neural network training. The network has 7 input nodes, 56 neurons as hidden layer and 31 neurons in the output layer. After training the network was tested with the Bonner spheres count rates produced by twelve neutron spectra. The network allows unfolding the neutron spectrum from count rates measured with Bonner spheres. Good results are obtained when testing count rates belong to neutron spectra used during training, acceptable results are obtained for count rates obtained from actual neutron fields; however the network fails when count rates belong to monoenergetic neutron sources. (Author)

First test of SP{sup 2}: A novel active neutron spectrometer condensing the functionality of Bonner spheres in a single moderator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedogni, R. [INFN-LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Bortot, D. [Politecnico di Milano—Dipartimento di Energia, Via Ponzio 34/3, 20133 Milano (Italy); INFN—sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano (Italy); Buonomo, B.; Esposito, A. [INFN-LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Gómez-Ros, J.M. [INFN-LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Introini, M.V.; Lorenzoli, M.; Pola, A. [Politecnico di Milano—Dipartimento di Energia, Via Ponzio 34/3, 20133 Milano (Italy); INFN—sezione di Milano, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano (Italy); Sacco, D. [INFN-LNF Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); INAIL—DPIA Via di Fontana Candida n.1, 00040 Monteporzio C. (Italy)

2014-12-11

The NESCOFI@BTF (2011–2013) international collaboration was established to develop realtime neutron spectrometers to simultaneously cover all energy components of neutron fields, from thermal up to hundreds MeV. This communication concerns a new spherical spectrometer, called SP^2, which condenses the functionality of an Extended Range Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (ERBSS) into a single moderator embedding multiple active thermal neutron detectors. The possibility of achieving the complete spectrometric information in a single exposure constitutes a great advantage compared to the ERBSS. The first experimental test of the instrument, performed with a reference 241Am–Be source in different irradiation geometries, is described. The agreement between observed and simulated response is satisfactory for all tested geometries.

The response of a Bonner Sphere spectrometer to charged hadrons

CERN Document Server

Agosteo, S; Fassò, A; Silari, M

2004-01-01

Bonner sphere spectrometers (BSSs) are employed in neutron spectrometry and dosimetry since many years. Recent developments have seen the addition to a conventional BSS of one or more detectors (moderator plus thermal neutron counter) specifically designed to improve the overall response of the spectrometer to neutrons above 10 MeV. These additional detectors employ a shell of material with a high mass number (such as lead) within the polyethylene moderator, in order to slow down high-energy neutrons via (n, xn) reactions. A BSS can be used to measure neutron spectra both outside accelerator shielding and from an unshielded target. Measurements were recently performed at CERN of the neutron yield and spectral fluence at various angles from unshielded, semithick copper, silver and lead targets, bombarded by a mixed proton/pion beam with 40 GeV per c momentum. These experiments have provided evidence that under certain circumstances, the use of lead-enriched moderators may present a problem: these detectors wer...

Solutions for the conductivity of multi-coated spheres and spherically symmetric inclusion problems

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Duc Chinh

2018-02-01

Variational results on the macroscopic conductivity (thermal, electrical, etc.) of the multi-coated sphere assemblage have been used to derive the explicit expression of the respective field (thermal, electrical, etc.) within the spheres in d dimensions (d=2,3). A differential substitution approach has been developed to construct various explicit expressions or determining equations for the effective spherically symmetric inclusion problems, which include those with radially variable conductivity, different radially variable transverse and normal conductivities, and those involving imperfect interfaces, in d dimensions. When the volume proportion of the outermost spherical shell increases toward 1, one obtains the respective exact results for the most important specific cases: the dilute solutions for the compound inhomogeneities suspended in a major matrix phase. Those dilute solution results are also needed for other effective medium approximation schemes.

Recent development of the Multi-Grid detector for large area neutron scattering instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerard, Bruno

2015-01-01

Most of the Neutron Scattering facilities are committed in a continuous program of modernization of their instruments, requiring large area and high performance thermal neutron detectors. Beside scintillators detectors, 3 He detectors, like linear PSDs (Position Sensitive Detectors) and MWPCs (Multi-Wires Proportional Chambers), are the most current techniques nowadays. Time Of Flight instruments are using 3 He PSDs mounted side by side to cover tens of m 2 . As a result of the so-called ' 3 He shortage crisis , the volume of 3He which is needed to build one of these instruments is not accessible anymore. The development of alternative techniques requiring no 3He, has been given high priority to secure the future of neutron scattering instrumentation. This is particularly important in the context where the future ESS (European Spallation Source) will start its operation in 2019-2020. Improved scintillators represent one of the alternative techniques. Another one is the Multi-Grid introduced at the ILL in 2009. A Multi-Grid detector is composed of several independent modules of typically 0.8 m x 3 m sensitive area, mounted side by side in air or in a vacuum TOF chamber. One module is composed of segmented boron-lined proportional counters mounted in a gas vessel; the counters, of square section, are assembled with Aluminium grids electrically insulated and stacked together. This design provides two advantages: First, magnetron sputtering techniques can be used to coat B 4 C films on planar substrates, and second, the neutron position along the anode wires can be measured by reading out individually the grid signals with fast shaping amplifiers followed by comparators. Unlike charge division localisation in linear PSDs, the individual readout of the grids allows operating the Multi-Grid at a low amplification gain, hence this detector is tolerant to mechanical defects and its production accessible to laboratories equipped with standard equipment. Prototypes of

Recent development of the Multi-Grid detector for large area neutron scattering instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerard, Bruno [ILL-ESS-LiU collaboration, CRISP project, Institut Laue Langevin - ILL, Grenoble (France)

2015-07-01

Most of the Neutron Scattering facilities are committed in a continuous program of modernization of their instruments, requiring large area and high performance thermal neutron detectors. Beside scintillators detectors, {sup 3}He detectors, like linear PSDs (Position Sensitive Detectors) and MWPCs (Multi-Wires Proportional Chambers), are the most current techniques nowadays. Time Of Flight instruments are using {sup 3}He PSDs mounted side by side to cover tens of m{sup 2}. As a result of the so-called '{sup 3}He shortage crisis{sup ,} the volume of 3He which is needed to build one of these instruments is not accessible anymore. The development of alternative techniques requiring no 3He, has been given high priority to secure the future of neutron scattering instrumentation. This is particularly important in the context where the future ESS (European Spallation Source) will start its operation in 2019-2020. Improved scintillators represent one of the alternative techniques. Another one is the Multi-Grid introduced at the ILL in 2009. A Multi-Grid detector is composed of several independent modules of typically 0.8 m x 3 m sensitive area, mounted side by side in air or in a vacuum TOF chamber. One module is composed of segmented boron-lined proportional counters mounted in a gas vessel; the counters, of square section, are assembled with Aluminium grids electrically insulated and stacked together. This design provides two advantages: First, magnetron sputtering techniques can be used to coat B{sub 4}C films on planar substrates, and second, the neutron position along the anode wires can be measured by reading out individually the grid signals with fast shaping amplifiers followed by comparators. Unlike charge division localisation in linear PSDs, the individual readout of the grids allows operating the Multi-Grid at a low amplification gain, hence this detector is tolerant to mechanical defects and its production accessible to laboratories equipped with standard

A prototype detector using the neutron image intensifier and multi-anode type photomultiplier tube for pulsed neutron imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Hirotaku; Sato, Hirotaka; Hara, Kaoru Y.; Kamiyama, Takashi

2016-01-01

We developed a neutron two-dimensional (2-D) detector for pulsed neutron imaging as a prototype detector, which was composed of a neutron image intensifier and a multi-anode type photomultiplier tube. A neutron transmission spectrum of α-Fe plate was measured by the prototype detector, and compared with the one measured by a typical neutron 2-D detector. The spectrum was in reasonable agreement with the one measured by the typical detector in the neutron wavelength region above 0.15 nm. In addition, a neutron transmission image of a cadmium indicator was obtained by the prototype detector. The usefulness of the prototype detector for pulsed neutron imaging was demonstrated. (author)

Optimization of the architecture of a neural network in neutron spectrometry to reduce the number of Bonner spheres; Optimizacion de la arquitectura de una red neuronal en espectrometria de neutrones para reducer el numero de esferas Bonner

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leon P, A. A.; Martinez B, M. R.; Hernandez P, C. F.; Espinoza G, J. G.; Castaneda M, V. H.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Ortiz R, J. M.; Vega C, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico); Mendez V, R. [Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, Laboratorio de Patrones Neutronicos, Av. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Gallego, E. [Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, ETSI Industriales, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); De Sousa L, M. A. [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear / CNEN, Av. Pte. Antonio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

2016-10-15

The neutron spectrometry is an experimental process for determining the energy distribution called the Spectrum. Among the methods available for neutron spectrometry, one can mention the Bonner Sphere Spectrometric System as one of the most used, consisting of a detector placed in the center of a set of polyethylene spheres whose diameters range from 2 to 18 inches, however has some disadvantages such as the long periods of time to perform the measurements, the weight and the spheres number that vary according to the system. From this, alternative methods such as artificial neural networks are proposed. For this project neural networks of reverse propagation were used with the methodology of robust design of artificial neural networks, with the aid of a computational tool that maximizes the performance, making the time used for the training s of the network is the smallest possible and thus gets the orthogonal fixes quickly to determine the best network topology. The counting rates of a spectrometric system with 7 spheres, 2 spheres and one sphere of 5 and 8 inches were used. This methodology seeks to reduce the work used as in the spectrometric system formed by a greater number of spheres, since to enter less data in the counting rates to obtain the spectra with 60 energy levels saves time and space, because at having a smaller number of spheres its portability is easier to move from one place to another, for this we performed several experiments with different errors until we reached the optimal error so that the topology of the network was appropriate and find the best design parameters. A statistical software JMP was also used to obtain the best topologies and thus to retrain obtaining its best and worst spectra, in order to determine if the reduction is possible. (Author)

A real time scintillating fiber Time of Flight spectrometer for LINAC photoproduced neutrons

Science.gov (United States)

Maspero, M.; Berra, A.; Conti, V.; Giannini, G.; Ostinelli, A.; Prest, M.; Vallazza, E.

2015-03-01

The use of high-energy (> 8 MeV) LINear ACcelerators (LINACs) for medical cancer treatments causes the photoproduction of secondary neutrons, whose unwanted dose to the patient has to be calculated. The characterization of the neutron spectra is necessary to allow the dosimetric evaluation of the neutron beam contamination. The neutron spectrum in a hospital environment is usually measured with integrating detectors such as bubble dosimeters, Thermo Luminescent Dosimeters (TLDs) or Bonner Spheres, which integrate the information over a time interval and an energy one. This paper presents the development of a neutron spectrometer based on the Time of Flight (ToF) technique in order to perform a real time characterization of the neutron contamination. The detector measures the neutron spectrum exploiting the fact that the LINAC beams are pulsed and arranged in bunches with a rate of 100-300 Hz depending on the beam type and energy. The detector consists of boron loaded scintillating fibers readout by a MultiAnode PhotoMultiplier Tube (MAPMT). A detailed description of the detector and the acquisition system together with the results in terms of ToF spectra and number of neutrons with a Varian Clinac iX are presented.

Properties of neutron-rich hafnium high-spin isomers

CERN Multimedia

Tungate, G; Walker, P M; Neyens, G; Billowes, J; Flanagan, K; Koester, U H; Litvinov, Y

It is proposed to study highly-excited multi-quasiparticle isomers in neutron-rich hafnium (Z=72) isotopes. Long half-lives have already been measured for such isomers in the storage ring at GSI, ensuring their accessibility with ISOL production. The present proposal focuses on:\\\\ (i) an on-line experiment to measure isomer properties in $^{183}$Hf and $^{184}$Hf, and\\\\ (ii) an off-line molecular breakup test using REXTRAP, to provide Hf$^{+}$ beams for future laser spectroscopy and greater sensitivity for the future study of more neutron-rich isotopes.

Design of a system for neutrons dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceron, P.; Rivera, T.; Paredes G, L.; Azorin, J.; Sanchez, A.; Vega C, H. R.

2014-08-01

At the present time diverse systems of detection of neutrons exist, as proportional counters based on BF 3 , He 3 and spectrometers of Bonner spheres. However, the cost and the complexity of the implementation of these systems put them far from the reach for dosimetric purposes. For these reasons a system of neutrons detection composed by a medium paraffin moderator that forms a 4π (spheres) arrangement and of several couples of thermoluminescent dosimeters TLD 600/TLD 700. The response of the system presents a minor repeatability to 5% in several assays when being irradiated with a 239 PuBe source and a deviation of 13.8% in the Tl readings of four different spheres. The calibration factor of the system with regard to the neutrons source which was of 56.2 p Sv/nc also was calculated. These detectors will be used as passive monitors of photoneutrons in a radiotherapy room with lineal accelerator of high energy. (Author)

Response function measurement of plastic scintillator for high energy neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanami, Toshiya; Ban, Syuichi; Takahashi, Kazutoshi; Takada, Masashi

2003-01-01

The response function and detection efficiency of 2''φ x 2''L plastic (PilotU) and NE213 liquid (2''NE213) scintillators, which were used for the measurement of secondary neutrons from high energy electron induced reactions, were measured at Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC). High energy neutrons were produced via 400 MeV/n C beam bombardment on a thick graphite target. The detectors were placed at 15 deg with respect to C beam axis, 5 m away from the target. As standard, a 5''φ x 5''L NE213 liquid scintillator (5''NE213) was also placed at same position. Neutron energy was determined by the time-of-flight method with the beam pickup scintillator in front of the target. In front of the detectors, veto scintillators were placed to remove charged particle events. All detector signals were corrected with list mode event by event. We deduce neutron spectrum for each detectors. The efficiency curves for pilotU and 2''NE213 were determined on the bases of 5 N E213 neutron spectrum and its efficiency calculated by CECIL code. (author)

High energy neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavron, A.; Morley, K.; Morris, C.; Seestrom, S.; Ullmann, J.; Yates, G.; Zumbro, J.

1996-01-01

High-energy spallation neutron sources are now being considered in the US and elsewhere as a replacement for neutron beams produced by reactors. High-energy and high intensity neutron beams, produced by unmoderated spallation sources, open potential new vistas of neutron radiography. The authors discuss the basic advantages and disadvantages of high-energy neutron radiography, and consider some experimental results obtained at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility at Los Alamos

Dose levels due to neutrons in the vicinity of high energy medical accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGinley, P.H.; Wood, M.; Sohrabi, M.; Mills, M.; Rodriguez, R.

1976-01-01

High energy photons are generated for use in radiation therapy by the decelleration of electrons in metal targets. Fast neutrons are also generated as a result of (γ, n) and (e, e'n) interactions in the target, beam compensator filter, and collimator material. In this work the adsorbed dose to neutrons was measured at the center of a 10 x 10 cm photon beam and 5 cm outside of the beam edge for a number of treatment units. Dose levels due to slow and fast neutrons were also established outside of the treatment rooms and a Bonner sphere neutron spectrometer system was employed to determine the neutron energy spectrum due to stray neutron radiation at each accelerator. For the linac it was found that the neutron dose at the beam center was 0.0039% of the photon dose and values of 0.049% and 0.053% were observed for the Allis Chalmers betatron and the Brown Boveri Betatron. Dose equivalent rates in the range of 0.3 to 22.5 mrem/hr were measured for points outside the treatment rooms when the accelerators were operated at a photon dose rate of 100 rad/min at the treatment position

Passive neutron interrogation in systems with a poorly characterized detection efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubi, Chen; Oster, Elad; Ocherashvilli, Aharon; Pedersen, Bent; Hutszy, Janus

2014-01-01

Passive neutron interrogation for fissile mass estimation, relying on neutrons coming from spontaneous fission events, is considered a standard NDT procedure in the nuclear safeguard and safety community. Since most structure materials are (relatively) transparent to neutron radiation, passive neutron interrogation is considered highly effective in the analysis of dirty, poorly characterized samples. On the other hand, since a typical passive interrogation assembly is based on 3He detectors, neutrons from additional neutron sources (mainly (α,n) reactions and induced fissions in the tested sample) cannot be separated from the main spontaneous fission source through energetic spectral analysis. There for, applying the passive interrogation methods the implementation of Neutron Multiplicity Counting (NMC) methods for separation between the main fission source and the additional sources. Applying NMC methods requires a well characterized system, in the sense that both system die away time and detection efficiency must be well known (and in particular, independent of the tested sample)

Development of new neutron spin echo spectrometer using multi-layer film spin splitter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasaki, Seiji; Ebisawa, Toru; Hino, Masahiro; Achiwa, Norio

2001-01-01

Neutron spin echo spectrometry is a method using neutron Larmor precession motion in magnetic field, for the measurement of velocity change before and after quasi-elastic scattering of neutron by a sample, such as macromolecules, with high accuracy. The neutron spin echo spectrometer is an interferometer in quantum mechanics, which a neutron is arranged with a parallel or an antiparallel state against magnetic field direction. Intensities of neutron interaction with matters are measured by the superposition of the both spin state components. The contrast losses of interference fringes caused from velocity diversion of incident neutrons are protected by spin echo method, in which a phase shift between the parallel and anti-parallel state neutrons is reduced by reversion of the spin state on the way of neutron path. Neutron beam of high intensity can be measured with a high energy resolution. Strong magnetic field is usually needed to introduce the phase shift between the both spin state components. A multi-layer film spin splitter (MSS) is developed for introducing the phase shift instead of the strong magnetic fields. The MSS consists of three layers, non-magnetic mirror of Ni/Ti, gap layer of Ti (∼1 μm), and magnetic mirror of Permalloy/Ge. Surface roughness of the gap layer leads to diversions of the phase shift, because that the fluctuation of thickness of gap layer is proportional to the phase shift. Characteristics of the MSS are tested as follow: (1) reflectivity of polarized neutron, (2) function check of the MSS, (3) uniformity check of the gap layer, (4) evaluation of the gap layer-thickness. (Suetake, M.)

Monodisperse, submicrometer-scale platinum colloidal spheres with high electrocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Lixue; Wang, Liang; Guo, Shaojun; Zhai, Junfeng; Dong, Shaojun; Wang, Erkang [State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022 Jilin, Changchun (China)

2009-02-15

Monodisperse, submicrometer-scale platinum (Pt) colloidal spheres were prepared through a simple direct chemical reduction of p-phenylenediamine (PPD)-chloroplatinic acid (H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6}) coordination polymer colloids. It was found that the prepared Pt colloids had the similar size and morphology with their coordination polymer precursors, and the prepared Pt colloids with rough surfaces were three-dimensional (3D) structured assemblies of high-density small Pt nanoparticles. The electrochemical experiments confirmed that the prepared Pt colloids possessed a high electrocatalytic activity towards mainly four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water, making the prepared Pt colloids potential candidates for the efficient cathode material in fuel cells. (author)

High-pressure 3He gas scintillation neutron spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derzon, M.S.; Slaughter, D.R.; Prussin, S.G.

1985-10-01

A high-pressure, 3 He-Xe gas scintillation spectrometer has been developed for neutron spectroscopy on D-D fusion plasmas. The spectrometer exhibits an energy resolution of (121 +- 20 keV) keV (FWHM) at 2.5 MeV and an efficiency of (1.9 +- 0.4) x 10 -3 (n/cm 2 ) -1 . The contribution to the resolution (FWHM) from counting statistics is only (22 +- 3 keV) and the remainder is due predominantly to the variation of light collection efficiency with location of neutron events within the active volume of the detector

Development of a neutronic model for the fuel of a high temperature gas reactor type PBMR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oropeza C, I.; Carmona H, R.; Francois L, J. L.

2008-01-01

In this work was developed the neutronic model of a fuel sphere of a nuclear reactor of gas of high temperature to modulate of bed of spheres (PBMR), using the Monte Carlo method with the MCNPx code. In order to be able to verify the fuel model constructed in this investigation, it is used a case of reference, based on an international exercise b enchmark . The benchmark report contains the results sent by different international participants for five phases with respect to the high temperature gas reactor (HTR), fed with uranium, plutonium and thorium. In particular, in first stage of benchmark an infinite adjustment of uranium compound fuel spheres is considered unique, with which our results were compared. This first stage considers two cases: cell calculations with spherical external frontier and cell calculations with cubic external frontier. The objective is to identify any increase in the uncertainty, related to the uranium fuel, that is associated with the plutonium and thorium fuels. In order to validate our results, the values of the neutron multiplication factor were taken in account, in cold and in the heat of the moment from the participants who sent their results obtained with Monte Carlo and deterministic calculations. The model of the fuel sphere developed in this work considers a regular distribution of 15000 Triso particles, in a cubic mesh centered within the sphere. For it was necessary to define the step firstly or p itch o f the cubic mesh. Generally, the results obtained by the participants of benchmark and those of this investigation present good agreement, nevertheless, appear some discrepancies, attributed to factors like different libraries of cross sections used, the nature of the solution: Monte Carlo or deterministic, and the difficulty of some participants to model the external frontier condition of reflection. (Author)

Measurement of the neutron fields produced by a 62 MeV proton beam on a PMMA phantom using extended range Bonner sphere spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amgarou, K.; Bedogni, R.; Domingo, C.; Esposito, A.; Gentile, A.; Carinci, G.; Russo, S.

2011-01-01

The experimental characterization of the neutron fields produced as parasitic effect in medical accelerators is assuming an increased importance for either the patient protection or the facility design aspects. Medical accelerators are diverse in terms of particle type (electrons or hadrons) and energy, but the radiation fields around them have in common (provided that a given threshold energy is reached) the presence of neutrons with energy span over several orders of magnitude. Due to the large variability of neutron energy, field or dosimetry measurements in these workplaces are very complex, and in general, cannot be performed with ready-to-use commercial instruments. In spite of its poor energy resolution, the Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) is the only instrument able to simultaneously determine all spectral components in such workplaces. The energy range of this instrument is limited to E o and 90 o with respect to the beam-line. Here the ERBSS of UAB (Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona-Grup de Fisica de les Radiacions) and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) were exposed to characterize the 'forward' and 'sideward' proton-induced neutron fields. The use of two ERBSS characterized by different set of spheres, central detectors, and independently established and calibrated, is important for guaranteeing the robustness of the measured spectra and estimating their overall uncertainties.

Synergies Between ' and Cavity Formation in HT-9 Following High Dose Neutron Irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field, Kevin G. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Parish, Chad M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Saleh, Tarik A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Eftink, Benjamin P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-06-01

Candidate cladding materials for advanced nuclear power reactors including fast reactor designs require materials capable of withstanding high dose neutron irradiation at elevated temperatures. One candidate material, HT-9, through various research programs have demonstrated the ability to withstand significant swelling and other radiation-induced degradation mechanisms in the high dose regime (>50 displacements per atom, dpa) at elevated temperatures (>300 C). Here, high efficiency multi-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) acquisition with the aid of a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and modeling technique is used to probe the microstructural features that contribute to the exceptional swelling resistance of HT-9. In particular, the synergies between ' and fine-scale and moderate-scale cavity formation is investigated.

High capacity and high rate capability of nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon spheres for capacitive deionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Shanshan; Yan, Tingting; Wang, Hui; Chen, Guorong; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Jianping; Shi, Liyi; Zhang, Dengsong

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon spheres were prepared. • The obtained materials have a good capacitive deionization performance. • The electrodes show high salt adsorption rate and good regeneration performance. - Abstract: In this work, nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon spheres (N-PHCS) were well prepared by using polystyrene (PS) spheres as hard templates and dopamine hydrochloride as carbon and nitrogen sources. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images demonstrate that the N-PHCS have a uniform, spherical and hollow structure. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis shows that the N-PHCS have a high specific area of 512 m 2 /g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy result reveals that the nitrogen doping amount is 2.92%. The hollow and porous structure and effective nitrogen doping can contribute to large accessible surface area, efficient ion transport and good conductivity. In the electrochemical tests, we can conclude that the N-PHCS have a high specific capacitance value, a good stability and low inner resistance. The N-PHCS electrodes present a high salt adsorption capacity of 12.95 mg/g at a cell voltage of 1.4 V with a flow rate of 40 mL/min in a 500 mg/L NaCl aqueous solution. Moreover, the N-PHCS electrodes show high salt adsorption rate and good regeneration performance in the CDI process. With high surface specific area and effective nitrogen doping, the N-PHCS is promising to the CDI and other electrochemical applications.

High capacity and high rate capability of nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon spheres for capacitive deionization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Shanshan; Yan, Tingting; Wang, Hui; Chen, Guorong; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Jianping; Shi, Liyi; Zhang, Dengsong, E-mail: dszhang@shu.edu.cn

2016-04-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon spheres were prepared. • The obtained materials have a good capacitive deionization performance. • The electrodes show high salt adsorption rate and good regeneration performance. - Abstract: In this work, nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon spheres (N-PHCS) were well prepared by using polystyrene (PS) spheres as hard templates and dopamine hydrochloride as carbon and nitrogen sources. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images demonstrate that the N-PHCS have a uniform, spherical and hollow structure. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis shows that the N-PHCS have a high specific area of 512 m{sup 2}/g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy result reveals that the nitrogen doping amount is 2.92%. The hollow and porous structure and effective nitrogen doping can contribute to large accessible surface area, efficient ion transport and good conductivity. In the electrochemical tests, we can conclude that the N-PHCS have a high specific capacitance value, a good stability and low inner resistance. The N-PHCS electrodes present a high salt adsorption capacity of 12.95 mg/g at a cell voltage of 1.4 V with a flow rate of 40 mL/min in a 500 mg/L NaCl aqueous solution. Moreover, the N-PHCS electrodes show high salt adsorption rate and good regeneration performance in the CDI process. With high surface specific area and effective nitrogen doping, the N-PHCS is promising to the CDI and other electrochemical applications.

Algorithm development and verification of UASCM for multi-dimension and multi-group neutron kinetics model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Si, S.

2012-01-01

The Universal Algorithm of Stiffness Confinement Method (UASCM) for neutron kinetics model of multi-dimensional and multi-group transport equations or diffusion equations has been developed. The numerical experiments based on transport theory code MGSNM and diffusion theory code MGNEM have demonstrated that the algorithm has sufficient accuracy and stability. (authors)

Research on GPU-accelerated algorithm in 3D finite difference neutron diffusion calculation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Qi; Yu Ganglin; Wang Kan; Sun Jialong

2014-01-01

In this paper, the adaptability of the neutron diffusion numerical algorithm on GPUs was studied, and a GPU-accelerated multi-group 3D neutron diffusion code based on finite difference method was developed. The IAEA 3D PWR benchmark problem was calculated in the numerical test. The results demonstrate both high efficiency and adequate accuracy of the GPU implementation for neutron diffusion equation. (authors)

Note: Fast neutron efficiency in CR-39 nuclear track detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavallaro, S. [Dipartimento di Fisica ed Astronomia,Università di Catania, Via S. Sofia 44, 95123 Catania, Italy and INFN-LNS, Via S. Sofia 42, 95123 Catania (Italy)

2015-03-15

CR-39 samples are commonly employed for fast neutron detection in fusion reactors and in inertial confinement fusion experiments. The literature reported efficiencies are strongly depending on experimental conditions and, in some cases, highly dispersed. The present note analyses the dependence of efficiency as a function of various parameters and experimental conditions in both the radiator-assisted and the stand-alone CR-39 configurations. Comparisons of literature experimental data with Monte Carlo calculations and optimized efficiency values are shown and discussed.

High-Energy Neutron Backgrounds for Underground Dark Matter Experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yu [Syracuse Univ., NY (United States)

2016-01-01

Direct dark matter detection experiments usually have excellent capability to distinguish nuclear recoils, expected interactions with Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) dark matter, and electronic recoils, so that they can efficiently reject background events such as gamma-rays and charged particles. However, both WIMPs and neutrons can induce nuclear recoils. Neutrons are then the most crucial background for direct dark matter detection. It is important to understand and account for all sources of neutron backgrounds when claiming a discovery of dark matter detection or reporting limits on the WIMP-nucleon cross section. One type of neutron background that is not well understood is the cosmogenic neutrons from muons interacting with the underground cavern rock and materials surrounding a dark matter detector. The Neutron Multiplicity Meter (NMM) is a water Cherenkov detector capable of measuring the cosmogenic neutron flux at the Soudan Underground Laboratory, which has an overburden of 2090 meters water equivalent. The NMM consists of two 2.2-tonne gadolinium-doped water tanks situated atop a 20-tonne lead target. It detects a high-energy (>~ 50 MeV) neutron via moderation and capture of the multiple secondary neutrons released when the former interacts in the lead target. The multiplicity of secondary neutrons for the high-energy neutron provides a benchmark for comparison to the current Monte Carlo predictions. Combining with the Monte Carlo simulation, the muon-induced high-energy neutron flux above 50 MeV is measured to be (1.3 ± 0.2) ~ 10-9 cm-2s-1, in reasonable agreement with the model prediction. The measured multiplicity spectrum agrees well with that of Monte Carlo simulation for multiplicity below 10, but shows an excess of approximately a factor of three over Monte Carlo prediction for multiplicities ~ 10 - 20. In an effort to reduce neutron backgrounds for the dark matter experiment SuperCDMS SNO- LAB, an active neutron veto was developed

Reconstruction of neutron spectra using neural networks starting from the Bonner spheres spectrometric system; Reconstruccion de espectros de neutrones usando redes neuronales a partir del sistema espectrometrico de esferas de Bonner

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz R, J.M.; Martinez B, M.R.; Arteaga A, T.; Vega C, H.R.; Hernandez D, V.M.; Manzanares A, E. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, A.P. 336, 98000 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2005-07-01

The artificial neural networks (RN) have been used successfully to solve a wide variety of problems. However to determine an appropriate set of values of the structural parameters and of learning of these, it continues being even a difficult task. Contrary to previous works, here a set of neural networks is designed to reconstruct neutron spectra starting from the counting rates coming from the detectors of the Bonner spheres system, using a systematic and experimental strategy for the robust design of multilayer neural networks of the feed forward type of inverse propagation. The robust design is formulated as a design problem of Taguchi parameters. It was selected a set of 53 neutron spectra, compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the counting rates were calculated that would take place in a Bonner spheres system, the set was arranged according to the wave form of those spectra. With these data and applying the Taguchi methodology to determine the best parameters of the network topology, it was trained and it proved the same one with the spectra. (Author)

High-efficiency organic glass scintillators

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Patrick L.; Carlson, Joseph S.

2017-12-19

A new family of neutron/gamma discriminating scintillators is disclosed that comprises stable organic glasses that may be melt-cast into transparent monoliths. These materials have been shown to provide light yields greater than solution-grown trans-stilbene crystals and efficient PSD capabilities when combined with 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of the total composition of a wavelength-shifting fluorophore. Photoluminescence measurements reveal fluorescence quantum yields that are 2 to 5 times greater than conventional plastic or liquid scintillator matrices, which accounts for the superior light yield of these glasses. The unique combination of high scintillation light-yields, efficient neutron/gamma PSD, and straightforward scale-up via melt-casting distinguishes the developed organic glasses from existing scintillators.

Study on the transmission efficiency of curved neutron guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hongli; Zhang Li; Guo Liping; Yang Tonghua; Zhao Zhixiang

2004-01-01

Monte-Carlo simulation program NGT2002 is used to study the transmission efficiency of curved neutron guide from character wavelength, film reflectivity, film material, geometry adjustment error, gap between guides and guide fabricate error, the authors get the transmission efficiency curves of the Ni, supper mirror curved neutron guides, also we have a discuss of how to choose the curved neutron guide's character wavelength. By the simulation results, the authors determine the proper film reflectivity value, guide horizontal geometry adjustment error range, optimized gap value between guide elements and guide width fabricate geometry error range. (authors)

A High Intensity Multi-Purpose D-D Neutron Generator for Nuclear Engineering Laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ka-Ngo Leung; Jasmina L. Vujic; Edward C. Morse; Per F. Peterson

2005-01-01

This NEER project involves the design, construction and testing of a low-cost high intensity D-D neutron generator for teaching nuclear engineering students in a laboratory environment without radioisotopes or a nuclear reactor. The neutron generator was designed, fabricated and tested at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)

Neutron spectrometry and dosimetry by means of Bonner spheres system and artificial neural networks applying robust design of artificial neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez B, M.R.; Ortiz R, J.M.; Vega C, H.R. [UAZ, Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde No. 801, 98000 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2006-07-01

An Artificial Neural Network has been designed, trained and tested to unfold neutron spectra and simultaneously to calculate equivalent doses. A set of 187 neutron spectra compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency and 13 equivalent doses were used in the artificial neural network designed, trained and tested. In order to design the neural network was used the robust design of artificial neural networks methodology, which assures that the quality of the neural networks takes into account from the design stage. Unless previous works, here, for first time a group of neural networks were designed and trained to unfold 187 neutron spectra and at the same time to calculate 13 equivalent doses, starting from the count rates coming from the Bonner spheres system by using a systematic and experimental strategy. (Author)

Neutron spectrometry and dosimetry by means of Bonner spheres system and artificial neural networks applying robust design of artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez B, M.R.; Ortiz R, J.M.; Vega C, H.R.

2006-01-01

An Artificial Neural Network has been designed, trained and tested to unfold neutron spectra and simultaneously to calculate equivalent doses. A set of 187 neutron spectra compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency and 13 equivalent doses were used in the artificial neural network designed, trained and tested. In order to design the neural network was used the robust design of artificial neural networks methodology, which assures that the quality of the neural networks takes into account from the design stage. Unless previous works, here, for first time a group of neural networks were designed and trained to unfold 187 neutron spectra and at the same time to calculate 13 equivalent doses, starting from the count rates coming from the Bonner spheres system by using a systematic and experimental strategy. (Author)

VMware vSphere PowerCLI Reference Automating vSphere Administration

CERN Document Server

Dekens, Luc; Sizemore, Glenn; van Lieshout, Arnim; Medd, Jonathan

2011-01-01

Your One-Stop Reference for VMware vSphere Automation If you manage vSphere in a Windows environment, automating routine tasks can save you time and increase efficiency. VMware vSphere PowerCLI is a set of pre-built commands based on Windows PowerShell that is designed to help you automate vSphere processes involving virtual machines, datacenters, storage, networks, and more. This detailed guide-using a practical, task-based approach and real-world examples-shows you how to get the most out of PowerCLI's handy cmdlets. Learn how to: Automate vCenter Server and ESX/ESX(i) Server deployment and

A highly efficient multi-core algorithm for clustering extremely large datasets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kraus Johann M

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In recent years, the demand for computational power in computational biology has increased due to rapidly growing data sets from microarray and other high-throughput technologies. This demand is likely to increase. Standard algorithms for analyzing data, such as cluster algorithms, need to be parallelized for fast processing. Unfortunately, most approaches for parallelizing algorithms largely rely on network communication protocols connecting and requiring multiple computers. One answer to this problem is to utilize the intrinsic capabilities in current multi-core hardware to distribute the tasks among the different cores of one computer. Results We introduce a multi-core parallelization of the k-means and k-modes cluster algorithms based on the design principles of transactional memory for clustering gene expression microarray type data and categorial SNP data. Our new shared memory parallel algorithms show to be highly efficient. We demonstrate their computational power and show their utility in cluster stability and sensitivity analysis employing repeated runs with slightly changed parameters. Computation speed of our Java based algorithm was increased by a factor of 10 for large data sets while preserving computational accuracy compared to single-core implementations and a recently published network based parallelization. Conclusions Most desktop computers and even notebooks provide at least dual-core processors. Our multi-core algorithms show that using modern algorithmic concepts, parallelization makes it possible to perform even such laborious tasks as cluster sensitivity and cluster number estimation on the laboratory computer.

Neutron diffusion in spheroidal, bispherical, and toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, M.M.R.

1986-01-01

The neutron flux has been studied around absorbing bodies of spheroidal, bispherical, and toroidal shapes in an infinite nonabsorbing medium. Exact solutions have been obtained by using effective boundary conditions at the surfaces of the absorbing bodies. The problems considered are as follows: 1. Neutron flux and current distributions around prolate and oblate spheroids. It is shown that an equivalent sphere approximation can lead to accurate values for the rate of absorption. 2. Neutron flux and current in a bispherical system of unequal spheres. Three separate situations arise here: (a) two absorbing spheres, (b) two spherical sources, and (c) one spherical source and one absorbing sphere. It is shown how the absorption rate in the two spheres depends on their separation. 3. Neutron flux and current in a toroidal system: (a) an absorbing toroid and (b) a toroidal source. The latter case simulates the flux distribution from a thermonuclear reactor vessel. Finally, a brief description of how these techniques can be extended to multiregion problems is given

CELES: CUDA-accelerated simulation of electromagnetic scattering by large ensembles of spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Egel, Amos; Pattelli, Lorenzo; Mazzamuto, Giacomo; Wiersma, Diederik S.; Lemmer, Uli

2017-09-01

CELES is a freely available MATLAB toolbox to simulate light scattering by many spherical particles. Aiming at high computational performance, CELES leverages block-diagonal preconditioning, a lookup-table approach to evaluate costly functions and massively parallel execution on NVIDIA graphics processing units using the CUDA computing platform. The combination of these techniques allows to efficiently address large electrodynamic problems (>104 scatterers) on inexpensive consumer hardware. In this paper, we validate near- and far-field distributions against the well-established multi-sphere T-matrix (MSTM) code and discuss the convergence behavior for ensembles of different sizes, including an exemplary system comprising 105 particles.

Evaluation of Neutron shielding efficiency of Metal hydrides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeon, Sang Hwan; Chae, San; Kim, Yong Soo [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

Neutron shielding is achieved of interaction with material by moderation and absorption. Material that contains large amounts hydrogen atoms which are almost same neutron atomic weight is suited for fast neutron shielding material. Therefore, polymers containing high density hydrogen atom are being used for fast neutron shielding. On the other hand, composite materials containing high thermal neutron absorption cross section atom (Li, B, etc) are being used for thermal neutron shielding. However, these materials have low fast neutron absorption cross section. Therefore, these materials are not suited for fast neutron shielding. Hydrogen which has outstanding neutron energy reduction ability has very low thermal neutron absorption cross section, almost cannot be used for thermal neutron shielding. In this case, a large atomic number material (Pb, U, etc.) has been used. Thus, metal hydrides are considered as complement to concrete shielding material. Because metal hydrides contain high hydrogen density and elements with high atomic number. In this research neutron shielding performance and characteristic of nuclear about metal hydrides ((TiH{sub 2}, ZrH{sub 2}, HfH{sub 2}) is evaluated by experiment and MCNPX using {sup 252}Cf neutron source as purpose development shielding material to developed shielding material

Frustrated total internal reflection in organic light-emitting diodes employing sphere cavity embedded in polystyrene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Peifen

2016-01-01

The light extraction efficiency of top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is numerically investigated employing the finite-difference time-domain method. The periodic nanostructures formed by embedding the sphere arrays in polystyrene (PS) are placed on top of OLED to frustrate the total internal reflection at the interface between OLED and free space. These nanostructures serve as an intermediate medium to extract the light out of OLED devices. Efficiently coupling both evanescent waves and propagation waves into spheres and subsequently extracting these light waves out of the sphere is key to achieving high extraction efficiency. By tuning the thickness of PS layer, both of the in-coupling efficiency and out-coupling efficiency are optimized for achieving high light extraction efficiency. Thicker PS layer results in higher in-coupling efficiency in sphere while the thinner PS layer leads to higher out-coupling efficiency. Thus the maximum light extraction is a trade-off between the in-coupling efficiency and out-coupling efficiency. The study shows that light extraction efficiency of 89% can be achieved by embedding 0.90 μm TiO 2 sphere in 0.30 μm PS layer with optimized in-coupling efficiency, out-coupling efficiency and cavity effect. (paper)

Measurement of the neutron fields produced by a 62 MeV proton beam on a PMMA phantom using extended range Bonner sphere spectrometers

Science.gov (United States)

Amgarou, K.; Bedogni, R.; Domingo, C.; Esposito, A.; Gentile, A.; Carinci, G.; Russo, S.

2011-10-01

The experimental characterization of the neutron fields produced as parasitic effect in medical accelerators is assuming an increased importance for either the patient protection or the facility design aspects. Medical accelerators are diverse in terms of particle type (electrons or hadrons) and energy, but the radiation fields around them have in common (provided that a given threshold energy is reached) the presence of neutrons with energy span over several orders of magnitude. Due to the large variability of neutron energy, field or dosimetry measurements in these workplaces are very complex, and in general, cannot be performed with ready-to-use commercial instruments. In spite of its poor energy resolution, the Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) is the only instrument able to simultaneously determine all spectral components in such workplaces. The energy range of this instrument is limited to ECATANA) of INFN—LNS (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud), where a proton beam routinely used for ophthalmic cancer treatments is available. The 62 MeV beam was directed towards a PMMA phantom, simulating the patient, and two neutron measurement points were established at 0° and 90° with respect to the beam-line. Here the ERBSS of UAB (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona— Grup de Física de les Radiacions) and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare—Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) were exposed to characterize the "forward" and "sideward" proton-induced neutron fields. The use of two ERBSS characterized by different set of spheres, central detectors, and independently established and calibrated, is important for guaranteeing the robustness of the measured spectra and estimating their overall uncertainties.

Progress in neutron beam development at the HFR Petten (feasibility study for a BNCT facility)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Constantine, G.; Moss, R.L.; Watkins, P.R.D.; Perks, C.A.; Delafield, H.J.; Ross, D.; Voorbraak, W.P.; Paardekooper, A.; Freudenreich, W.E.; Stecher-Rasmussen, F.

1990-08-01

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, using intermediate energy neutrons to achieve the deep penetration essential for treating brain tumours, can be implemented with a filtered reactor neutron beam. This is designed to minimize the mean energy of the neutrons to keep proton recoil damage to the scalp within normal tissue tolerance limits whilst delivering the required thermal neutron fluence to the tumour over a reasonably short period. This can only be realized in conjunction with a high power density reactor. At the Joint Research Centre Petten an optimized neutron filter is currently being built for installation into the HB11 beam tube of the High Flux Reactor HFR. Part of the development leading to this design has been an extensive study of broad spectrum, filtered beam performance on the HB7 beam tube facility. A wide range of calculations was performed using the Monte Carlo code, MCPN, supported by validation experiments in which several filter configuration incorporating aluminium, sulphur, liquid argon, titanium and cadmium were installed for low power measurements of the neutron fluence rate, neutron spectra and beam gamma-ray contamination. The measurements were carried out within a successful European collaboration. Evaluations were made of the reactor core edge and unfiltered beam spectra, for comparison with MCNP calculations. Multi-foil activation methods and also gamma dose determination in the filtered beam using thermo-luminescent detectors were performed by the ECN. The Harwell/ Birmingham University collaborators undertook the neutron spectrum measurements in the filtered beam. proton recoil spectrometry was used above 30 keV, combined with a multi-sphere and BF 3 chamber response modification technique. Subsequent spectrum adjustment was carried out with the SENSAK code. The agreement between the calculated and measured spectra has given confidence in the reactor and filter modelling methods used to design the HB11 therapy facility. (author). 12 refs

Albedo analytical method for multi-scattered neutron flux calculation in cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Kazuo; Selvi, S.; Hyodo, Tomonori

1986-01-01

A simple formula which describes multi-scattered neutron flux in a spherical cavity was derived based on the albedo concept. The formura treats a neutron source which has an arbitrary energy-angle distribution and is placed at any point in the cavity. The derived formula was applied to the estimation of neutron fluxes in two cavities, i.e. a spherical concrete cell with a 14-MeV neutron source at the center and the ''YAYOI'' reactor cavity with a pencil beam of reactor neutrons. The results of the analytical formula agreed very well with the reference data in the both problems. It was concluded that the formula is applicable to estimate the neutron fluxes in a spherical cell except for special cases that tangential source neutrons are incident to the cavity wall. (author)

Differential rotation of viscous neutron matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nitsch, J.; Pfarr, J.; Heintzmann, H.

1976-08-01

The reaction of homogeneous sphere of neutron matter set in rotational motion under the influence of an external torque acting on its surface is investigated. For neutron matter with a typical neutron star density of 10 15 gcm -3 and a temperature varying between 10 6 and 10 9 K originally in uniform rotation, a time dependent differential motion sets in, which lasts a time scale of hours to some decades, resulting finally in co-rotation. During these times the braking index of a magnetic neutron sphere very sensitively depends on time

Numerical analysis for multi-group neutron-diffusion equation using Radial Point Interpolation Method (RPIM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung-O; Jeong, Hae Sun; Jo, Daeseong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Employing the Radial Point Interpolation Method (RPIM) in numerical analysis of multi-group neutron-diffusion equation. • Establishing mathematical formation of modified multi-group neutron-diffusion equation by RPIM. • Performing the numerical analysis for 2D critical problem. - Abstract: A mesh-free method is introduced to overcome the drawbacks (e.g., mesh generation and connectivity definition between the meshes) of mesh-based (nodal) methods such as the finite-element method and finite-difference method. In particular, the Point Interpolation Method (PIM) using a radial basis function is employed in the numerical analysis for the multi-group neutron-diffusion equation. The benchmark calculations are performed for the 2D homogeneous and heterogeneous problems, and the Multiquadrics (MQ) and Gaussian (EXP) functions are employed to analyze the effect of the radial basis function on the numerical solution. Additionally, the effect of the dimensionless shape parameter in those functions on the calculation accuracy is evaluated. According to the results, the radial PIM (RPIM) can provide a highly accurate solution for the multiplication eigenvalue and the neutron flux distribution, and the numerical solution with the MQ radial basis function exhibits the stable accuracy with respect to the reference solutions compared with the other solution. The dimensionless shape parameter directly affects the calculation accuracy and computing time. Values between 1.87 and 3.0 for the benchmark problems considered in this study lead to the most accurate solution. The difference between the analytical and numerical results for the neutron flux is significantly increased in the edge of the problem geometry, even though the maximum difference is lower than 4%. This phenomenon seems to arise from the derivative boundary condition at (x,0) and (0,y) positions, and it may be necessary to introduce additional strategy (e.g., the method using fictitious points and

Solar Proton Transport within an ICRU Sphere Surrounded by a Complex Shield: Combinatorial Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, John W.; Slaba, Tony C.; Badavi, Francis F.; Reddell, Brandon D.; Bahadori, Amir A.

2015-01-01

The 3DHZETRN code, with improved neutron and light ion (Z (is) less than 2) transport procedures, was recently developed and compared to Monte Carlo (MC) simulations using simplified spherical geometries. It was shown that 3DHZETRN agrees with the MC codes to the extent they agree with each other. In the present report, the 3DHZETRN code is extended to enable analysis in general combinatorial geometry. A more complex shielding structure with internal parts surrounding a tissue sphere is considered and compared against MC simulations. It is shown that even in the more complex geometry, 3DHZETRN agrees well with the MC codes and maintains a high degree of computational efficiency.

High precision neutron interferometer setup S18b

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Y.; Lemmel, H.

2011-01-01

The present setup at S18 is a multi purpose instrument. It is used for both interferometry and a Bonse-Hart camera for USANS (Ultra Small Angle Neutron Scattering) spectroscopy with wide range tunability of wavelength. Some recent measurements demand higher stability of the instrument, which made us to propose a new setup dedicated particularly for neutron interferometer experiments requiring high phase stability. To keep both options available, we suggest building the new setup in addition to the old one. By extending the space of the present setup by 1.5 m to the upstream, both setups can be accommodated side by side. (authors)

Toward achieving flexible and high sensitivity hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Maity, A.; Grenadier, S. J.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.; Jiang, H. X.

2017-07-01

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) detectors have demonstrated the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency to date among solid-state neutron detectors at about 51%. We report here the realization of h-BN neutron detectors possessing one order of magnitude enhancement in the detection area but maintaining an equal level of detection efficiency of previous achievement. These 3 mm × 3 mm detectors were fabricated from 50 μm thick freestanding and flexible 10B enriched h-BN (h-10BN) films, grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition followed by mechanical separation from sapphire substrates. Mobility-lifetime results suggested that holes are the majority carriers in unintentionally doped h-BN. The detectors were tested under thermal neutron irradiation from californium-252 (252Cf) moderated by a high density polyethylene moderator. A thermal neutron detection efficiency of ˜53% was achieved at a bias voltage of 200 V. Conforming to traditional solid-state detectors, the realization of h-BN epilayers with enhanced electrical transport properties is the key to enable scaling up the device sizes. More specifically, the present results revealed that achieving an electrical resistivity of greater than 1014 Ωṡcm and a leakage current density of below 3 × 10-10 A/cm2 is needed to fabricate large area h-BN detectors and provided guidance for achieving high sensitivity solid state neutron detectors based on h-BN.

Experimental investigations on friction laws and dryout heat flux of particulate beds packed with multi-size spheres and irregular particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Liangxing; Ma, Weimin

2011-01-01

This paper is concerned with reducing uncertainty in quantification of debris bed coolability in a hypothetical severe accident of light water reactors (LWRs). A test facility named POMECO-FL is constructed to investigate the friction laws of adiabatic single and two-phase flow in a particulate bed packed with multi-size spheres or irregular particles. The same types of particles were then loaded in the test section of the POMECO-HT facility to obtain the dryout heat flux of the volumetrically heated particulate bed. The POMECO-HT facility features a high power capacity (up to 2.1 MW/m 2 ) which enables coolability study on particulate bed with broad variations in porosity and particle diameters under both top-flooding and bottom-injection conditions. The results show that given the effective particle diameter obtained from single-phase flow through the packed bed with multi-size spheres or irregular particles, both the pressure drop and the dryout heat flux of two-phase flow through the bed can be predicted by the Reed model. The bottom injection of coolant increases the dryout heat flux significantly. Meanwhile, the elevation of the dryout position is moving upwards with increasing bottom-injection flowrate. The experimental data provides insights for interpretation of debris bed coolability, as well as high-quality data for validation of the coolability analysis models and codes. (author)

High precision neutron polarization for PERC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klauser, C.

2013-01-01

The decay of the free neutron into a proton, an electron and an anti-electron neutrino offers a simple system to study the semi-leptonic weak decay. High precision measurements of angular correlation coefficients of this decay provide the opportunity to test the standard model on the low energy frontier. The Proton Electron Radiation Channel PERC is part of a new generation of expriments pushing the accuracy of such an angular correlation coefficient measurement towards 10 -4 . Past experiments have been limited to an accuracy of 10 -3 with uncertainties on the neutron polarization as one of the leading systematic errors. This thesis focuses on the development of a stable, highly precise neutron polarization for a large, divergent cold neutron beam. A diagnostic tool that provides polarization higher than 99.99 % and analyzes with an accuracy of 10 -4 , the Opaque Test Bench, is presented and validated. It consists of two highly opaque polarized helium cells. The Opaque Test Bench reveals depolarizing effects in polarizing supermirrors commonly used for polarization in neutron decay experiments. These effects are investigated in detail. They are due to imperfect lateral magnetization in supermirror layers and can be minimized by significantly increased magnetizing fields and low incidence angle and supermirror factor m. A subsequent test in the crossed (X-SM) geometry demonstrated polarizations up to 99.97% from supermirrors only, improving neutron polarization with supermirrors by an order of magnitude. The thesis also discusses other neutron optical components of the PERC beamline: Monte-Carlo simulations of the beamline under consideration of the primary guide are carried out. In addition, calculation shows that PERC would statistically profit from an installation at the European Spallation source. Furthermore, beamline components were tested. A radio-frequency spin flipper was confirmed to work with an efficiency higher than 0.9999. (author) [de

Development of SiPM-based scintillator tile detectors for a multi-layer fast neutron tracker

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakubek J.

2012-10-01

Full Text Available We are developing thin tile scintillator detectors with silicon photomultiplier (SiPM readout for use in a multi-layer fast-neutron tracker. The tracker is based on interleaved Timepix and plastic scintillator layers. The thin 15 × 15 × 2 mm plastic scintillators require suitable optical readout in order to detect and measure the energy lost by energetic protons that have been recoiled by fast neutrons. Our first prototype used dual SiPMs, coupled to opposite edges of the scintillator tile using light-guides. An alternative readout geometry was designed in an effort to increase the fraction of scintillation light detected by the SiPMs. The new prototype uses a larger SiPM array to cover the entire top face of the tile. This paper details the comparative performance of the two prototype designs. A deuterium-tritium (DT fast-neutron source was used to compare the relative light collection efficiency of the two designs. A collimated UV light source was scanned across the detector face to map the uniformity. The new prototype was found to have 9.5 times better light collection efficiency over the original design. Both prototypes exhibit spatial non-uniformity in their response. Methods of correcting this non-uniformity are discussed.

Experimental characterization of the neutron spectra generated by a high-energy clinical LINAC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amgarou, K., E-mail: khalil.amgarou@uab.e [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN), Laboratoire de Metrologie et de Dosimetrie des Neutrons, F-13115 Saint Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Lacoste, V.; Martin, A. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN), Laboratoire de Metrologie et de Dosimetrie des Neutrons, F-13115 Saint Paul-Lez-Durance (France)

2011-02-11

The production of unwanted neutrons by electron linear accelerators (LINACs) has attracted a special attention since the early 50s. The renewed interest in this topic during the last years is due mainly to the increased use of such machines in radiotherapy. Specially, in most of developing countries where many old teletherapy irradiators, based on {sup 60}Co and {sup 137}Cs radioactive sources, are being replaced with new LINAC units. The main objective of this work is to report the results of an experimental characterization of the neutron spectra generated by a high-energy clinical LINAC. Measurements were carried out, considering four irradiation configurations, by means of our recently developed passive Bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS) using pure gold activation foils as central detectors. This system offers the possibility to measure neutrons over a wide energy range (from thermal up to a few MeV) at pulsed, intense and complex mixed n-{gamma} fields. A two-step unfolding method that combines the NUBAY and MAXED codes was applied to derive the final neutron spectra as well as their associated integral quantities (in terms of total neutron fluence and ambient dose equivalent rates) and fluence-averaged energies.

Fe-Catalyzed Synthesis of Porous Carbons Spheres with High Graphitization Degree for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jun; Shi, Hongwei; Zhuo, Xin; Hu, Yalin

2017-10-01

We have developed a facile and efficient Fe-catalyzed method for fabrication of porous carbons spheres with high graphitization degree (GNPCs) using glucose as carbon precursor at relatively low carbonization temperature. GNPCs not only have relatively large accessible ion surface area to accommodate greater capacity but also high graphitization degree to accelerate ion diffusion. As a typical application, we demonstrate that GNPCs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance for use in supercapacitors, with high specific capacity of 150.6 F g-1 at current density of 1 A g-1 and good rate capability and superior cycling stability over 10,000 cycles, confirming their potential application for energy storage. Moreover, it is believed that this method offers a new strategy for synthesis of porous carbons with high graphitization degree.

High yield neutron generators using the DD reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vainionpaa, J. H.; Harris, J. L.; Piestrup, M. A.; Gary, C. K.; Williams, D. L.; Apodaca, M. D.; Cremer, J. T. [Adelphi technology, 2003 E. Bayshore Rd. 94061, Redwood City, CA (United States); Ji, Qing; Ludewigt, B. A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Jones, G. [G and J Enterprise, 1258 Quary Ln, Suite F, Pleasanton California 94566 (United States)

2013-04-19

A product line of high yield neutron generators has been developed at Adelphi technology inc. The generators use the D-D fusion reaction and are driven by an ion beam supplied by a microwave ion source. Yields of up to 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 9} n/s have been achieved, which are comparable to those obtained using the more efficient D-T reaction. The microwave-driven plasma uses the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) to produce a high plasma density for high current and high atomic ion species. These generators have an actively pumped vacuum system that allows operation at reduced pressure in the target chamber, increasing the overall system reliability. Since no radioactive tritium is used, the generators can be easily serviced, and components can be easily replaced, providing essentially an unlimited lifetime. Fast neutron source size can be adjusted by selecting the aperture and target geometries according to customer specifications. Pulsed and continuous operation has been demonstrated. Minimum pulse lengths of 50 {mu}s have been achieved. Since the generators are easily serviceable, they offer a long lifetime neutron generator for laboratories and commercial systems requiring continuous operation. Several of the generators have been enclosed in radiation shielding/moderator structures designed for customer specifications. These generators have been proven to be useful for prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA), neutron activation analysis (NAA) and fast neutron radiography. Thus these generators make excellent fast, epithermal and thermal neutron sources for laboratories and industrial applications that require neutrons with safe operation, small footprint, low cost and small regulatory burden.

Training of reverse propagation neural networks applied to neutron dosimetry; Entrenamiento de redes neuronales de propagacion inversa aplicadas a la dosimetria de neutrones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez P, C. F.; Martinez B, M. R.; Leon P, A. A.; Espinoza G, J. G.; Castaneda M, V. H.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Ortiz R, M.; Vega C, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico); Mendez V, R. [Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, Laboratorio de Patrones Neutronicos, Av. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Gallego, E. [Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, ETSI Industriales, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); De Sousa L, M. A. [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear / CNEN, Av. Pte. Antonio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

2016-10-15

Neutron dosimetry is of great importance in radiation protection as aims to provide dosimetric quantities to assess the magnitude of detrimental health effects due to exposure of neutron radiation. To quantify detriment to health is necessary to evaluate the dose received by the occupationally exposed personnel using different detection systems called dosimeters, which have very dependent responses to the energy distribution of neutrons. The neutron detection is a much more complex problem than the detection of charged particles, since it does not carry an electric charge, does not cause direct ionization and has a greater penetration power giving the possibility of interacting with matter in a different way. Because of this, various neutron detection systems have been developed, among which the Bonner spheres spectrometric system stands out due to the advantages that possesses, such as a wide range of energy, high sensitivity and easy operation. However, once obtained the counting rates, the problem lies in the neutron spectrum deconvolution, necessary for the calculation of the doses, using different mathematical methods such as Monte Carlo, maximum entropy, iterative methods among others, which present various difficulties that have motivated the development of new technologies. Nowadays, methods based on artificial intelligence technologies are being used to perform neutron dosimetry, mainly using the theory of artificial neural networks. In these new methods the need for spectrum reconstruction can be eliminated for the calculation of the doses. In this work an artificial neural network or reverse propagation was trained for the calculation of 15 equivalent doses from the counting rates of the Bonner spheres spectrometric system using a set of 7 spheres, one of 2 spheres and two of a single sphere of different sizes, testing different error values until finding the most appropriate. The optimum network topology was obtained through the robust design

Hydrodynamics and burn of optimally imploded deuterium-tritium spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, R.J.; Morse, R.L.

1975-01-01

The phenomenology of optimized laser-driven DT sphere implosions leading to efficient thermonuclear burn is reviewed. The optimal laser deposition profile for spheres is heuristically derived. The performance of a 7.5 μg sphere, exposed to its optimal 5.3 kJ pulse, is scrutinized in detail. The timing requirements for efficient central ignition of propagating burn in the sphere are carefully explored. The difficulties stemming from superthermal electron production and thermal flux limitation are discussed. The hydro-burn performance of spheres is characterized as a function of the pulse energy, peak power, time scale, pulse exponent, wavelength, and on the degree of flux limitation. The optimal pulse parameters are determined for spheres with masses ranging from 40 ng to 250 μg, requiring from 50 J to 150 kJ of input energy, and the corresponding optimal performance levels are calculated. Discussion is given to the hydro-burn performance of new structured fusion targets, in which the DT is contained as a gas or frozen as an ice shell inside a high Z pusher-tamper layer

Trace analysis measurements in high-purity aluminium by means of radiochemical neutron and proton activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egger, K.P.

1987-01-01

The aim of the study consisted in the development of efficient radiochemical composite processes and activation methods for the multi-element determination of traces within the lower ng range in high-purity aluminium. More than 50 elements were determined with the help of activation with reactor neutrons; the selective separation of matrix activity (adsorption with hydrated antimony pentoxide) led to a noticeable improvement of detectability, as compared with instrumental neutron activation analysis. Further improvements were achieved with the help of radiochemical group separations in ion exchangers or with the help of the selective separation of the pure beta-emitting elements. Over 20 elements up to high atomic numbers were determined by means of activating 13 MeV protons and 23 Me protons. In this connection, improvements of the detection limit by as a factor of 10 were achieved with radiochemical separation techniques, as compared with pure instrumental proton activation analysis. (RB) [de

Position sensitive detection of neutrons in high radiation background field.

Science.gov (United States)

Vavrik, D; Jakubek, J; Pospisil, S; Vacik, J

2014-01-01

We present the development of a high-resolution position sensitive device for detection of slow neutrons in the environment of extremely high γ and e(-) radiation background. We make use of a planar silicon pixelated (pixel size: 55 × 55 μm(2)) spectroscopic Timepix detector adapted for neutron detection utilizing very thin (10)B converter placed onto detector surface. We demonstrate that electromagnetic radiation background can be discriminated from the neutron signal utilizing the fact that each particle type produces characteristic ionization tracks in the pixelated detector. Particular tracks can be distinguished by their 2D shape (in the detector plane) and spectroscopic response using single event analysis. A Cd sheet served as thermal neutron stopper as well as intensive source of gamma rays and energetic electrons. Highly efficient discrimination was successful even at very low neutron to electromagnetic background ratio about 10(-4).

Characteristic Investigation of Unfolded Neutron Spectra with Different Priori Information and Gamma Radiation Interference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Bong Hwan

2006-01-01

Neutron field spectrometry using multi spheres such as Bonner Spheres (BS) has been almost essential in radiation protection dosimetry for a long time at workplace in spite of poor energy resolution because it is not asking the fine energy resolution but requiring easy operation and measurement performance over a wide range of energy interested. KAERI has developed and used extended BS system based on a LiI(Eu) scintillator as the representative neutron spectrometry system for workplace monitoring as well as for the quantification of neutron calibration fields such as those recommended by ISO 8529. Major topics in using BS are how close the unfolded spectra is the real one and to minimize the interference of gamma radiation in neutron/gamma mixed fields in case of active instrument such as a BS with a LiI(Eu) scintillator. The former is related with choosing a priori information when unfolding the measured data and the latter is depend on how to discriminate it in intense gamma radiation fields. Influence of a priori information in unfolding and effect of counting loss due to pile-up of signals for the KAERI BS system were investigated analyzing the spectral measurement results of Scattered Neutron Calibration Fields (SNCF)

Investigating the Multi-memetic Mind Evolutionary Computation Algorithm Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. K. Sakharov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In solving practically significant problems of global optimization, the objective function is often of high dimensionality and computational complexity and of nontrivial landscape as well. Studies show that often one optimization method is not enough for solving such problems efficiently - hybridization of several optimization methods is necessary.One of the most promising contemporary trends in this field are memetic algorithms (MA, which can be viewed as a combination of the population-based search for a global optimum and the procedures for a local refinement of solutions (memes, provided by a synergy. Since there are relatively few theoretical studies concerning the MA configuration, which is advisable for use to solve the black-box optimization problems, many researchers tend just to adaptive algorithms, which for search select the most efficient methods of local optimization for the certain domains of the search space.The article proposes a multi-memetic modification of a simple SMEC algorithm, using random hyper-heuristics. Presents the software algorithm and memes used (Nelder-Mead method, method of random hyper-sphere surface search, Hooke-Jeeves method. Conducts a comparative study of the efficiency of the proposed algorithm depending on the set and the number of memes. The study has been carried out using Rastrigin, Rosenbrock, and Zakharov multidimensional test functions. Computational experiments have been carried out for all possible combinations of memes and for each meme individually.According to results of study, conducted by the multi-start method, the combinations of memes, comprising the Hooke-Jeeves method, were successful. These results prove a rapid convergence of the method to a local optimum in comparison with other memes, since all methods perform the fixed number of iterations at the most.The analysis of the average number of iterations shows that using the most efficient sets of memes allows us to find the optimal

First measurements with new high-resolution gadolinium-GEM neutron detectors

CERN Document Server

Pfeiffer, Dorothea; Birch, Jens; Etxegarai, Maddi; Hall-Wilton, Richard; Höglund, Carina; Hultman, Lars; Llamas-Jansa, Isabel; Oliveri, Eraldo; Oksanen, Esko; Robinson, Linda; Ropelewski, Leszek; Schmidt, Susann; Streli, Christina; Thuiner, Patrik

2016-05-17

European Spallation Source instruments like the macromolecular diffractometer, NMX, require an excellent neutron detection efficiency, high-rate capabilities, time resolution, and an unprecedented spatial resolution in the order of a few hundred micrometers over a wide angular range of the incoming neutrons. For these instruments solid converters in combination with Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs) are a promising option. A GEM detector with gadolinium converter was tested on a cold neutron beam at the IFE research reactor in Norway. The {\\mu}TPC analysis, proven to improve the spatial resolution in the case of $^{10}$B converters, is extended to gadolinium based detectors. For the first time, a Gd-GEM was successfully operated to detect neutrons with an estimated efficiency of 10% at a wavelength of 2 {\\AA} and a position resolution better than 350 {\\mu}m.

Solar proton exposure of an ICRU sphere within a complex structure Part I: Combinatorial geometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, John W; Slaba, Tony C; Badavi, Francis F; Reddell, Brandon D; Bahadori, Amir A

2016-06-01

The 3DHZETRN code, with improved neutron and light ion (Z≤2) transport procedures, was recently developed and compared to Monte Carlo (MC) simulations using simplified spherical geometries. It was shown that 3DHZETRN agrees with the MC codes to the extent they agree with each other. In the present report, the 3DHZETRN code is extended to enable analysis in general combinatorial geometry. A more complex shielding structure with internal parts surrounding a tissue sphere is considered and compared against MC simulations. It is shown that even in the more complex geometry, 3DHZETRN agrees well with the MC codes and maintains a high degree of computational efficiency. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Computational complexity in multidimensional neutron transport theory calculations. Progress report, September 1, 1974--August 31, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bareiss, E.H.

1975-01-01

The objectives of the research remain the same as outlined in the original proposal. They are in short as follows: Develop mathematically and computationally founded criteria for the design of highly efficient and reliable multi-dimensional neutron transport codes to solve a variety of neutron migration and radiation problems and analyze existing and new methods for performance. (U.S.)

A High-Efficiency Isolated LCLC Multi-Resonant Three-Port Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Shan Wang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, an isolated multi-resonant three-port bidirectional direct current-direct current (DC-DC converter is proposed, which is composed of three full bridges, two inductor-capacitor-inductor-capacitor (LCLC multi-resonant tanks and a three-winding transformer. The phase shift control method is employed to manage the power transmission among three ports. Relying on the appropriate parameter selection, both of the fundamental and the third order power can be delivered through the multi-element LCLC resonant tanks, and consequently, it contributes to restrained circulating energy and the desirable promoted efficiency. Besides, by adjusting the driving frequency under different load conditions, zero-voltage-switching (ZVS characteristics of all the switches of three ports are guaranteed. Therefore, lower switching loss and higher efficiency are achieved in full load range. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed topology, a 1.5 kW prototype is established, of which the maximum efficiencies under forward and reverse operating conditions are 96.7% and 96.9% respectively. In addition, both of the bidirectional efficiencies maintain higher than 95.5% when the power level is above 0.5 kW.

The progress of neutron induced prompt gamma analysis technique in 1988-2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yuren; Jing Shiwei

2003-01-01

The new development of the neutron induced prompt gamma-ray analysis (NIPGA) technology in 1988-2002 are described. The pulse fast-thermal neutron activation analysis method, which utilizes the inelastic reaction and capture reaction jointly is employed to measure the elemental content in the material more efficiently. The lifetime of the neutron generator is more than 10000 h and the capability of HPGe, TeZeCd and MCA (multi-channel analyser) reaches the high level. At the same time, Monte Carlo Library least-square method is used to solve the nonlinearity problem in the PGNAA (Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis)

A multi-analyzer crystal spectrometer (MAX) for pulsed neutron sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajima, K.; Ishikawa, Y.; Kanai, K.; Windsor, C.G.; Tomiyoshi, S.

1982-03-01

The paper describes the principle and initial performance of a multi-analyzer crystal spectrometer (MAX) recently installed at the KENS spallation neutron source at Tsukuba. The spectrometer is able to make time of flight scans along a desired direction in reciprocal space, covering a wide range of the energy transfers corresponding to the fifteen analyzer crystals. The constant Q or constant E modes of operation can be performed. The spectrometer is particularly suited for studying collective excitations such as phonons and magnons to high energy transfers using single crystal samples. (author)

Study on calibration of neutron efficiency and relative photo-yield of plastic scintillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Taiping; Zhang Chuanfei; Li Rurong; Zhang Jianhua; Luo Xiaobing; Xia Yijun; Yang Zhihua

2002-01-01

A method used for the calibration of neutron efficiency and the relative photo yield of plastic scintillator is studied. T(p, n) and D(d, n) reactions are used as neutron resources. The neutron efficiencies and the relative photo yields of plastic scintillators 1421 (40 mm in diameter and 5 mm in thickness) and determined in the neutron energy range of 0.655-5 MeV

Multi-quasiparticle excitation: Extending shape coexistence in A∼190 neutron-deficient nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Yue; Liu, H. L.; Xu, F. R.; Walker, P. M.

2010-01-01

Multi-quasiparticle high-K states in neutron-deficient mercury, lead, and polonium isotopes have been investigated systematically by means of configuration-constrained potential-energy-surface calculations. An abundance of high-K states is predicted with both prolate and oblate shapes, which extends the shape coexistence of the mass region. Well-deformed shapes provide good conditions for the formation of isomers, as exemplified in 188 Pb. Of particular interest is the prediction of low-lying 10 - states in polonium isotopes, which indicate long-lived isomers.

Model-based design evaluation of a compact, high-efficiency neutron scatter camera

Science.gov (United States)

Weinfurther, Kyle; Mattingly, John; Brubaker, Erik; Steele, John

2018-03-01

pillar dimensions, scintillator material (EJ-204, EJ-232Q and stilbene), and photodetector (MCP-PM vs. SiPM) response vs. time. We demonstrate that the most precise estimates of incident neutron direction and energy can be obtained using a combination of scintillator material with high luminosity and a photodetector with a narrow impulse response. Specifically, we conclude that an SVSC-PiPS constructed using EJ-204 (a high luminosity plastic scintillator) and an MCP-PM will produce the most precise estimates of incident neutron direction and energy.

Training of reverse propagation neural networks applied to neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez P, C. F.; Martinez B, M. R.; Leon P, A. A.; Espinoza G, J. G.; Castaneda M, V. H.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Ortiz R, M.; Vega C, H. R.; Mendez V, R.; Gallego, E.; De Sousa L, M. A.

2016-10-01

Neutron dosimetry is of great importance in radiation protection as aims to provide dosimetric quantities to assess the magnitude of detrimental health effects due to exposure of neutron radiation. To quantify detriment to health is necessary to evaluate the dose received by the occupationally exposed personnel using different detection systems called dosimeters, which have very dependent responses to the energy distribution of neutrons. The neutron detection is a much more complex problem than the detection of charged particles, since it does not carry an electric charge, does not cause direct ionization and has a greater penetration power giving the possibility of interacting with matter in a different way. Because of this, various neutron detection systems have been developed, among which the Bonner spheres spectrometric system stands out due to the advantages that possesses, such as a wide range of energy, high sensitivity and easy operation. However, once obtained the counting rates, the problem lies in the neutron spectrum deconvolution, necessary for the calculation of the doses, using different mathematical methods such as Monte Carlo, maximum entropy, iterative methods among others, which present various difficulties that have motivated the development of new technologies. Nowadays, methods based on artificial intelligence technologies are being used to perform neutron dosimetry, mainly using the theory of artificial neural networks. In these new methods the need for spectrum reconstruction can be eliminated for the calculation of the doses. In this work an artificial neural network or reverse propagation was trained for the calculation of 15 equivalent doses from the counting rates of the Bonner spheres spectrometric system using a set of 7 spheres, one of 2 spheres and two of a single sphere of different sizes, testing different error values until finding the most appropriate. The optimum network topology was obtained through the robust design

One pot synthesis of multi-functional tin oxide nanostructures for high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wali, Qamar; Fakharuddin, Azhar; Yasin, Amina; Ab Rahim, Mohd Hasbi; Ismail, Jamil; Jose, Rajan, E-mail: rjose@ump.edu.my

2015-10-15

Photoanode plays a key role in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as a scaffold for dye molecules, transport medium for photogenerated electrons, and scatters light for improved absorption. Herein, tin oxide nanostructures unifying the above three characteristics were optimized by a hydrothermal process and used as photoanode in DSSCs. The optimized morphology is a combination of hollow porous nanoparticles of size ∼50 nm and micron sized spheres with BET surface area (up to 29 m{sup 2}/g) to allow large dye-loading and light scattering as well as high crystallinity to support efficient charge transport. The optimized morphology gave the highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (∼7.5%), so far achieved in DSSCs with high open circuit voltage (∼700 mV) and short circuit current density (∼21 mA/cm{sup 2}) employing conventional N3 dye and iodide/triiodide electrolyte. The best performing device achieved an incident photon to current conversion efficiency of ∼90%. The performance of the optimized tin oxide nanostructures was comparable to that of conventional titanium based DSSCs fabricated at similar conditions. - Graphical abstract: Tin oxide hollow nanostructure simultaneously supporting improved light scattering, dye-loading, and charge transport yielded high photovoltaic conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells. - Highlights: • Uniformly and bimodelly distributed tin oxide hollow nanospheres (HNS) are synthesized. • Uniform HNS are of size ∼10 nm; bimodel HNS has additional size up to ∼800 nm. • They are evaluated as photoelectrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). • The uniform HNS increase dye-loading and the larger increase light scattering in DSSCs. • Photo conversion efficiency ∼7.5% is achieved using bimodel HNS.

Measurement and simulation of the neutron detection efficiency with a Pb-scintillating fiber calorimeter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anelli, M; Bertolucci, S; Curceanu, C; Giovannella, S; Happacher, F; Iliescu, M; Martini, M; Miscetti, S [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); Battistoni, G [Sezione INFN di Milano (Italy); Bini, C; Zorzi, G De; Domenico, Adi; Gauzzi, P [Ubiversita degli Studi ' La Sapienza' e Sezine INFN di Roma (Italy); Branchini, P; Micco, B Di; Ngugen, F; Paseri, A [Universita degli di Studi ' Roma Tre' e Sezione INFN di Roma Tre (Italy); Ferrari, A [Fondazione CNAO, Milano (Italy); Prokfiev, A [Svedberg Laboratory, Uppsala University (Sweden); Fiore, S, E-mail: matteo.martino@inf.infn.i

2009-04-01

We have measured the overall detection efficiency of a small prototype of the KLOE PB-scintillation fiber calorimeter to neutrons with kinetic energy range [5,175] MeV. The measurement has been done in a dedicated test beam in the neutron beam facility of the Svedberg Laboratory, TSL Uppsala. The measurements of the neutron detection efficiency of a NE110 scintillator provided a reference calibration. At the lowest trigger threshold, the overall calorimeter efficiency ranges from 28% to 33%. This value largely exceeds the estimated {approx}8% expected if the response were proportional only to the scintillator equivalent thickness. A detailed simulation of the calorimeter and of the TSL beam line has been performed with the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. The simulated response of the detector to neutrons is presented together with the first data to Monte Carlo comparison. The results show an overall neutron efficiency of about 35%. The reasons for such an efficiency enhancement, in comparison with the typical scintillator-based neutron counters, are explained, opening the road to a novel neutron detector.

“Influence Method” applied to measure a moderated neutron flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rios, I.J.; Mayer, R.E.

2016-01-01

The “Influence Method” is conceived for the absolute determination of a nuclear particle flux in the absence of known detector efficiency. This method exploits the influence of the presence of one detector, in the count rate of another detector when they are placed one behind the other and define statistical estimators for the absolute number of incident particles and for the efficiency. The method and its detailed mathematical description were recently published (Rios and Mayer, 2015 [1]). In this article we apply it to the measurement of the moderated neutron flux produced by an "2"4"1AmBe neutron source surrounded by a light water sphere, employing a pair of "3He detectors. For this purpose, the method is extended for its application where particles arriving at the detector obey a Poisson distribution and also, for the case when efficiency is not constant over the energy spectrum of interest. Experimental distributions and derived parameters are compared with theoretical predictions of the method and implications concerning the potential application to the absolute calibration of neutron sources are considered. - Highlights: • “Influence Method” applied to measure a moderated neutron flux. • Effective efficiency defined independently of calibration sources. • Neutron sources calibration discussion.

Construction method of pre assembled unit of bolt sphere grid

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, L. W.; Guo, F. L.; Wang, J. L.; Bu, F. M.

2018-03-01

The traditional construction of bolt sphere grid has many disadvantages, such as high cost, large amount of work at high altitude and long construction period, in order to make up for these shortcomings, in this paper, a new and applicable construction method is explored: setting up local scaffolding, installing the bolt sphere grid starting frame on the local scaffolding, then the pre assembled unit of bolt sphere grid is assembled on the ground, using small hoisting equipment to lift pre assembled unit to high altitude and install. Compared with the traditional installation method, the construction method has strong practicability and high economic efficiency, and has achieved good social and economic benefits.

Fusion neutronics

CERN Document Server

Wu, Yican

2017-01-01

This book provides a systematic and comprehensive introduction to fusion neutronics, covering all key topics from the fundamental theories and methodologies, as well as a wide range of fusion system designs and experiments. It is the first-ever book focusing on the subject of fusion neutronics research. Compared with other nuclear devices such as fission reactors and accelerators, fusion systems are normally characterized by their complex geometry and nuclear physics, which entail new challenges for neutronics such as complicated modeling, deep penetration, low simulation efficiency, multi-physics coupling, etc. The book focuses on the neutronics characteristics of fusion systems and introduces a series of theories and methodologies that were developed to address the challenges of fusion neutronics, and which have since been widely applied all over the world. Further, it introduces readers to neutronics design’s unique principles and procedures, experimental methodologies and technologies for fusion systems...

A multi-detector neutron spectrometer with nearly isotropic response for environmental and workplace monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez-Ros, J.M., E-mail: jm.gomezros@ciemat.e [CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Bedogni, R. [INFN-LNF Frascati National Laboratory-U.F. Fisica Sanitaria, via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Moraleda, M.; Delgado, A.; Romero, A. [CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Esposito, A. [INFN-LNF Frascati National Laboratory-U.F. Fisica Sanitaria, via E. Fermi n. 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy)

2010-01-21

This communication describes an improved design for a neutron spectrometer consisting of {sup 6}Li thermoluminescent dosemeters located at selected positions within a single moderating polyethylene sphere. The spatial arrangement of the dosemeters has been designed using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code to calculate the response matrix for 56 log-equidistant energies from 10{sup -9} to 100 MeV, looking for a configuration that permits to obtain a nearly isotropic response for neutrons in the energy range from thermal to 20 MeV. The feasibility of the proposed spectrometer and the isotropy of its response have been evaluated by simulating exposures to different reference and workplace neutron fields. The FRUIT code has been used for unfolding purposes. The results of the simulations as well as the experimental tests confirm the suitability of the prototype for environmental and workplace monitoring applications.

vSphere design best practices

CERN Document Server

Bolander, Brian

2014-01-01

An easy-to-follow guide full of hands-on examples of real-world design best practices. Each topic is explained and placed in context, and for the more inquisitive, there are more details on the concepts used.If you wish to learn about vSphere best practices and how to apply them when designing virtual, high performance, reliable datacenters that support business critical applications to work more efficiently and to prepare for official certifications, this is the book for you. Readers should possess a good working knowledge of vSphere as well as servers, storage, and networking.

Monte Carlo calculations and experimental results of Bonner spheres systems with a new cylindrical Helium-3 proportional counter

CERN Document Server

Müller, H; Bouassoule, T; Fernández, F; Pochat, J L; Tomas, M; Van Ryckeghem, L

2002-01-01

The experimental results on neutron energy spectra, integral fluences and equivalent dose measurements performed by means of a Bonner sphere system placed inside the containment building of the Vandellos II Nuclear Power Plant (Tarragona, Spain) are presented. The equivalent dose results obtained with this system are compared to those measured with different neutron area detectors (Berthold, Dineutron, Harwell). A realistic geometry model of the Bonner sphere system with a new cylindrical counter type 'F' (0,5NH1/1KI--Eurisys Mesures) and with a set of eight polyethylene moderating spheres is described in detail. The response function in fluence of this new device, to mono-energetic neutrons from thermal energy to 20 MeV, is calculated by the MCNP-4B code for each moderator sphere. The system has been calibrated at IPSN Cadarache facility for ISO Am-Be calibrated source and thermal neutron field, then the response functions were confirmed by measurements at PTB (Germany) for ISO recommended energies of mono-e...

Study on neutron dosimetry in JNC Tokai Works

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsujimura, Norio [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Works

2003-03-01

The author developed the neutron reference calibration fields using a {sup 252}Cf standard source surrounded with PMMA (polymethylmethacrylates) moderators at the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC), Tokai Works. The moderators are concentric, annular cylinders made of lead-contained PMMA with a thickness of 13.5, 35.0, 59.5 and 77.0mm, and the {sup 252}Cf source is guided to the geometric center of moderators by the pneumatic system. These fields can provide the moderated neutron spectra very similar to those encountered around the globe-boxes of the fabrication process of MOX (PuO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} mixed oxide) fuel. The neutron energy spectrum at the reference calibration point was evaluated from the calculations by MCNP4B and the measurements by the INS-type Bonner multi-sphere spectrometer and the hydrogen-filled proportional counters. The calculated neutron spectra were in good agreements with the measured ones. These fields were characterized in terms of the neutron fluence rate, spectral composition and ambient dose equivalent rate, and have served for the response-characterization of various neutron survey instruments. (author)

Facile Synthesis of Monodispersed Polysulfide Spheres for Building Structural Colors with High Color Visibility and Broad Viewing Angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Feihu; Tang, Bingtao; Wu, Suli; Zhang, Shufen

2017-01-01

The synthesis and assembly of monodispersed colloidal spheres are currently the subject of extensive investigation to fabricate artificial structural color materials. However, artificial structural colors from general colloidal crystals still suffer from the low color visibility and strong viewing angle dependence which seriously hinder their practical application in paints, colorimetric sensors, and color displays. Herein, monodispersed polysulfide (PSF) spheres with intrinsic high refractive index (as high as 1.858) and light-absorbing characteristics are designed, synthesized through a facile polycondensation and crosslinking process between sodium disulfide and 1,2,3-trichloropropane. Owing to their high monodispersity, sufficient surface charge, and good dispersion stability, the PSF spheres can be assembled into large-scale and high-quality 3D photonic crystals. More importantly, high structural color visibility and broad viewing angle are easily achieved because the unique features of PSF can remarkably enhance the relative reflectivity and eliminate the disturbance of scattering and background light. The results of this study provide a simple and efficient strategy to create structural colors with high color visibility, which is very important for their practical application. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fission neutron damage rates and efficiencies in several metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klabunde, C.E.; Coltman, R.R. Jr.

1981-11-01

Initial rates of resistivity-measured low-temperature damage production by fission-spectrum fast neutrons have been determined for 14 metals in the same very well characterized irradiation facility. Six of these metals were fcc, 5 bcc, and 3 hcp. Most were of quite high purity. Observed damage rates, after correction for all known extraneous resistivity-producing effects, were compared with rates predicted by the damage calculation code RECOIL, using parameters chosen from the literature. These parameters, effective displacement threshold energy, E/sub d/, and Frenkel-pair resistivity, rho/sub F/, were in many cases only best estimates, the further refinement of which may be aided by the present results. Damage efficiencies (measured/predicted rates) follow the same trends by crystal classes as seen in other fast-neutron studies

Bonner sphere spectrometer for characterization of BNCT beam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marek, Milan, E-mail: mam@nri.cz [Nuclear Research Institute Rez, Husinec 130, 25068 Husinec-Rez (Czech Republic); Viererbl, Ladislav [Nuclear Research Institute Rez, Husinec 130, 25068 Husinec-Rez (Czech Republic)

2011-12-15

The characterization of the epithermal beam is performed by different dosimetry techniques that give information on neutron flux as well as neutron and photon doses. One of the possible methods is based on the measurement of thermal neutrons in a moderation environment, which enables the evaluation of neutron flux in a group structure and also neutron dose. The advantage of such a spectrometer consists of the fact that 90% response intervals of the spheres continuously cover the epithermal part of the neutron energy range. The method has been applied to characterize the epithermal neutron beams at several research centers in USA, Finland, the Netherlands and Czech Republic. The comparison of the MIT FCB, HFR HB11, VTT FiR, and LVR-15 beam parameters is presented in this paper.

Neutron beam test of multi-grid-type microstrip gas chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, K.; Takahashi, H.; Siritiprussamee, P.; Niko, H.; Kai, M.; Nakazawa, M.; Ino, T.; Sato, S.; Yokoo, T.; Furusaka, M.; Kanazawa, M.

2006-01-01

Multi-grid-type microstrip gas chambers (M-MSGCs) are being developed for the next-generation pulsed neutron source. Two new concepts, a global-local-grouping (GLG) method and a graded cathode pattern readout method, were applied to the M-MSGC design for realizing higher counting rate than traditional 3 He proportional counters. One-dimensional detectors with 700 mm-long test plates were fabricated and tested with X-ray and neutron beams, which demonstrated position detection capability based on these concepts

Neutron capture cross section measurements of 109Ag, 186W and 158Gd on filtered neutron beams of 55 and 144 keV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuong Huu Tan; Nguyen Canh Hai; Pham Ngoc Son; Tran Tuan Anh

2004-12-01

The neutron capture cross sections of the 109 Ag(n, γ) 110 mAg, 186 W(n, γ) 187 W and 158 Gd(n, γ) 159 Gd have been measured at 55 and 144 keV by the activation method with filtered neutron beams of the Dalat nuclear research reactor. The cross sections were determined relative to the standard capture cross sections of 197 Au using highly purity metallic foils of Ag, W, Gd and Au. The high efficient HPGe detector was used for the gamma rays measurement from the samples, and absolute efficiency calibration was performed by using a set of standard radioisotope sources and a multi-nuclides standard solution. The present results were compared with the previous measurements listed in EXFOR-CINDA, and the evaluated data of ENDF/B-VI. (author)

Poisson denoising on the sphere: application to the Fermi gamma ray space telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, J.; Starck, J. L.; Casandjian, J. M.; Fadili, J.; Grenier, I.

2010-07-01

The Large Area Telescope (LAT), the main instrument of the Fermi gamma-ray Space telescope, detects high energy gamma rays with energies from 20 MeV to more than 300 GeV. The two main scientific objectives, the study of the Milky Way diffuse background and the detection of point sources, are complicated by the lack of photons. That is why we need a powerful Poisson noise removal method on the sphere which is efficient on low count Poisson data. This paper presents a new multiscale decomposition on the sphere for data with Poisson noise, called multi-scale variance stabilizing transform on the sphere (MS-VSTS). This method is based on a variance stabilizing transform (VST), a transform which aims to stabilize a Poisson data set such that each stabilized sample has a quasi constant variance. In addition, for the VST used in the method, the transformed data are asymptotically Gaussian. MS-VSTS consists of decomposing the data into a sparse multi-scale dictionary like wavelets or curvelets, and then applying a VST on the coefficients in order to get almost Gaussian stabilized coefficients. In this work, we use the isotropic undecimated wavelet transform (IUWT) and the curvelet transform as spherical multi-scale transforms. Then, binary hypothesis testing is carried out to detect significant coefficients, and the denoised image is reconstructed with an iterative algorithm based on hybrid steepest descent (HSD). To detect point sources, we have to extract the Galactic diffuse background: an extension of the method to background separation is then proposed. In contrary, to study the Milky Way diffuse background, we remove point sources with a binary mask. The gaps have to be interpolated: an extension to inpainting is then proposed. The method, applied on simulated Fermi LAT data, proves to be adaptive, fast and easy to implement.

Measurement and simulation of neutron detection efficiency in lead-scintillating fiber calorimeters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anelli, M.; Bertolucci, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); Bini, C. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' La Sapienza' , Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma (Italy); Branchini, P. [INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Roma (Italy); Curceanu, C. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); De Zorzi, G.; Di Domenico, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' La Sapienza' , Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma (Italy); Di Micco, B. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' Roma Tre' , Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Roma (Italy); Ferrari, A. [Fondazione CNAO, Milano (Italy); Fiore, S.; Gauzzi, P. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' La Sapienza' , Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, Roma (Italy); Giovannella, S., E-mail: simona.giovannella@lnf.infn.i [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); Happacher, F. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); Iliescu, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); IFIN-HH, Bucharest (Romania); Martini, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); Dipartimento di Energetica dell' Universita ' La Sapienza' , Roma (Italy); Miscetti, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy); Nguyen, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' Roma Tre' , Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Roma (Italy); Passeri, A. [INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Roma (Italy); Prokofiev, A. [Svedberg Laboratory, Uppsala University (Sweden); Sciascia, B. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN (Italy)

2009-12-15

The overall detection efficiency to neutrons of a small prototype of the KLOE lead-scintillating fiber calorimeter has been measured at the neutron beam facility of The Svedberg Laboratory, TSL, Uppsala, in the kinetic energy range [5-175] MeV. The measurement of the neutron detection efficiency of a NE110 scintillator provided a reference calibration. At the lowest trigger threshold, the overall calorimeter efficiency ranges from 30% to 50%. This value largely exceeds the estimated 8-15% expected if the response were proportional only to the scintillator equivalent thickness. A detailed simulation of the calorimeter and of the TSL beam line has been performed with the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. First data-MC comparisons are encouraging and allow to disentangle a neutron halo component in the beam.

Measurement and simulation of neutron detection efficiency in lead-scintillating fiber calorimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anelli, M.; Bertolucci, S.; Bini, C.; Branchini, P.; Curceanu, C.; De Zorzi, G.; Di Domenico, A.; Di Micco, B.; Ferrari, A.; Fiore, S.; Gauzzi, P.; Giovannella, S.; Happacher, F.; Iliescu, M.; Martini, M.; Miscetti, S.; Nguyen, F.; Passeri, A.; Prokofiev, A.; Sciascia, B.

2009-01-01

The overall detection efficiency to neutrons of a small prototype of the KLOE lead-scintillating fiber calorimeter has been measured at the neutron beam facility of The Svedberg Laboratory, TSL, Uppsala, in the kinetic energy range [5-175] MeV. The measurement of the neutron detection efficiency of a NE110 scintillator provided a reference calibration. At the lowest trigger threshold, the overall calorimeter efficiency ranges from 30% to 50%. This value largely exceeds the estimated 8-15% expected if the response were proportional only to the scintillator equivalent thickness. A detailed simulation of the calorimeter and of the TSL beam line has been performed with the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. First data-MC comparisons are encouraging and allow to disentangle a neutron halo component in the beam.

Neutron spectra in two beam ports of the TRIGA Mark III reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega C, H. R.; Hernandez D, V. M.; Aguilar, F.; Paredes, L.; Rivera M, T.

2013-10-01

The neutron spectra have been measured in two beam ports, radial and tangential, of the TRIGA Mark III nuclear reactor from the National Institute of Nuclear Research. Measurements were carried out with the core with mixed fuel (Leu 8.5/20 and Flip Heu 8.5/70). Two reactor powers, 5 and 10 W, were used during neutron spectra measurements using a Bonner sphere spectrometer with a 6 Lil(Eu) scintillator and 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 inches-diameter high density polyethylene spheres. The neutron spectra were unfolded using the NSDUAZ unfolding code; from each spectrum the total neutron flux, the neutron mean energy and the neutron ambient dose equivalent dose were determined. Measured spectra show fission (E≥ 0.1 MeV), epithermal (from 0.4 eV up to 0.1 MeV) and thermal neutrons (E≤ 0.4 eV). For both reactor powers the spectra in the radial beam port have similar features which are different to the neutron spectrum characteristics in the tangential beam port. (Author)

Neutron spectra in two beam ports of the TRIGA Mark III reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vega C, H. R.; Hernandez D, V. M. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98060 Zacatecas (Mexico); Aguilar, F.; Paredes, L. [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Rivera M, T., E-mail: fermineutron@yahoo.com [IPN, Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, Unidad Legaria, Av. Legaria 694, 11500 Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

2013-10-15

The neutron spectra have been measured in two beam ports, radial and tangential, of the TRIGA Mark III nuclear reactor from the National Institute of Nuclear Research. Measurements were carried out with the core with mixed fuel (Leu 8.5/20 and Flip Heu 8.5/70). Two reactor powers, 5 and 10 W, were used during neutron spectra measurements using a Bonner sphere spectrometer with a {sup 6}Lil(Eu) scintillator and 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 inches-diameter high density polyethylene spheres. The neutron spectra were unfolded using the NSDUAZ unfolding code; from each spectrum the total neutron flux, the neutron mean energy and the neutron ambient dose equivalent dose were determined. Measured spectra show fission (E≥ 0.1 MeV), epithermal (from 0.4 eV up to 0.1 MeV) and thermal neutrons (E≤ 0.4 eV). For both reactor powers the spectra in the radial beam port have similar features which are different to the neutron spectrum characteristics in the tangential beam port. (Author)

Development and Analysis of Volume Multi-Sphere Method Model Generation using Electric Field Fitting

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, G. J.

Electrostatic modeling of spacecraft has wide-reaching applications such as detumbling space debris in the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit regime before docking, servicing and tugging space debris to graveyard orbits, and Lorentz augmented orbits. The viability of electrostatic actuation control applications relies on faster-than-realtime characterization of the electrostatic interaction. The Volume Multi-Sphere Method (VMSM) seeks the optimal placement and radii of a small number of equipotential spheres to accurately model the electrostatic force and torque on a conducting space object. Current VMSM models tuned using force and torque comparisons with commercially available finite element software are subject to the modeled probe size and numerical errors of the software. This work first investigates fitting of VMSM models to Surface-MSM (SMSM) generated electrical field data, removing modeling dependence on probe geometry while significantly increasing performance and speed. A proposed electric field matching cost function is compared to a force and torque cost function, the inclusion of a self-capacitance constraint is explored and 4 degree-of-freedom VMSM models generated using electric field matching are investigated. The resulting E-field based VMSM development framework is illustrated on a box-shaped hub with a single solar panel, and convergence properties of select models are qualitatively analyzed. Despite the complex non-symmetric spacecraft geometry, elegantly simple 2-sphere VMSM solutions provide force and torque fits within a few percent.

Possibilities of production of neutron-rich Md isotopes in multi-nucleon transfer reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mun, Myeong-Hwan; Lee, Young-Ouk [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institue, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Adamian, G.G.; Antonenko, N.V. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

The possibilities of production of yet unknown neutron-rich isotopes of Md are explored in several multi-nucleon transfer reactions with actinide targets and stable and radioactive beams. The projectile-target combinations and bombarding energies are suggested to produce new neutron-rich isotopes of Md in future experiments. (orig.)

Computer simulations of a rough sphere fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyklema, J.W.

1978-01-01

A computer simulation is described on rough hard spheres with a continuously variable roughness parameter, including the limits of smooth and completely rough spheres. A system of 500 particles is simulated with a homogeneous mass distribution at 8 different densities and for 5 different values of the roughness parameter. For these 40 physically different situations the intermediate scattering function for 6 values of the wave number, the orientational correlation functions and the velocity autocorrelation functions have been calculated. A comparison has been made with a neutron scattering experiment on neopentane and agreement was good for an intermediate value of the roughness parameter. Some often made approximations in neutron scattering experiments are also checked. The influence of the variable roughness parameter on the correlation functions has been investigated and three simple stochastic models studied to describe the orientational correlation function which shows the most pronounced dependence on the roughness. (Auth.)

High Brightness Neutron Source for Radiography. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cremer, J.T.; Piestrup, Melvin A.; Gary, Charles K.; Harris, Jack L.; Williams, David J.; Jones, Glenn E.; Vainionpaa, J.H.; Fuller, Michael J.; Rothbart, George H.; Kwan, J.W.; Ludewigt, B.A.; Gough, R.A.; Reijonen, Jani; Leung, Ka-Ngo

2008-01-01

This research and development program was designed to improve nondestructive evaluation of large mechanical objects by providing both fast and thermal neutron sources for radiography. Neutron radiography permits inspection inside objects that x-rays cannot penetrate and permits imaging of corrosion and cracks in low-density materials. Discovering of fatigue cracks and corrosion in piping without the necessity of insulation removal is possible. Neutron radiography sources can provide for the nondestructive testing interests of commercial and military aircraft, public utilities and petrochemical organizations. Three neutron prototype neutron generators were designed and fabricated based on original research done at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The research and development of these generators was successfully continued by LBNL and Adelphi Technology Inc. under this STTR. The original design goals of high neutron yield and generator robustness have been achieved, using new technology developed under this grant. In one prototype generator, the fast neutron yield and brightness was roughly 10 times larger than previously marketed neutron generators using the same deuterium-deuterium reaction. In another generator, we integrate a moderator with a fast neutron source, resulting in a high brightness thermal neutron generator. The moderator acts as both conventional moderator and mechanical and electrical support structure for the generator and effectively mimics a nuclear reactor. In addition to the new prototype generators, an entirely new plasma ion source for neutron production was developed. First developed by LBNL, this source uses a spiral antenna to more efficiently couple the RF radiation into the plasma, reducing the required gas pressure so that the generator head can be completely sealed, permitting the possible use of tritium gas. This also permits the generator to use the deuterium-tritium reaction to produce 14-MeV neutrons with increases

Response matrix of an extended range Bonner sphere spectrometer for the characterization of collimated neutron beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedogni, R.; Esposito, A.; Gomez-Ros, J.M.

2010-01-01

Accelerator-based neutron beams are becoming popular tools for material testing, radiation hardness and soft errors studies. The characterization of these beams in terms of dosimetric and spectrometric quantities is a challenging task, mainly due to their wide energy interval (from thermal up to hundreds MeV) and, in certain facilities like VESUVIO - ISIS (RAL, UK), to their small dimension (few cm in radius). Extended Range Bonner Sphere Spectrometers (ERBSS) would be a valuable tool, due to their wide energy range, good photon discrimination and possibility to choose among different central detectors according to the intensity, photon component and time structure of the field. Nevertheless, the non-uniform irradiation of the spheres could lead to important systematic errors. With the aim of bringing the advantages of ERBSS into the characterization of collimated beams, a dedicated study was performed using the VESUVIO spallation-based collimated beam at ISIS (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxford). Here a 3.21 cm radius collimated beam was characterized using a Dysprosium activation foil-based ERBSS whose response matrix was recalculated for this specific beam diameter. Besides the results of the experimental campaign, this paper presents the calculation of the response matrix and its dependence on the beam dimension.

Characteristics of thermal neutron calibration fields using a graphite pile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchita, Yoshiaki; Saegusa, Jun; Kajimoto, Yoichi; Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Shimizu, Shigeru; Yoshizawa, Michio

2005-03-01

The Facility of Radiation Standards of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute is equipped with thermal neutron fields for calibrating area and personal neutron dosemeters. The fields use moderated neutrons leaked from a graphite pile in which radionuclide sources are placed. In January 2003, we have renewed the pile with some modifications in its size. In accordance with the renewal, we measured and calculated thermal neutron fluence rates, neutron energy distributions and angular distributions of the fields. The thermal neutron fluence rates of the ''inside-pile fields'' and the outside-pile fields'' were determined by the gold foil activation method. The neutron energy distributions of the outside-pile fields were also measured with the Bonner multi-sphere spectrometer system. The contributions of epithermal and fast neutrons to the total dose-equivalents were 9% in the southern outside-pile field and 12% in the western outside-pile field. The personal dose-equivalents, H p,slab (10, α), in the outside-pile fields are evaluated by considering the calculated angular distributions of incoming neutrons. The H p,slab (10, α) was found to be about 40% higher than the value in assuming the unidirectional neutron between the pile and the test point. (author)

High-Dose Neutron Detector Development Using ¹⁰B Coated Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menlove, Howard Olsen [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Henzlova, Daniela [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-11-08

During FY16 the boron-lined parallel-plate technology was optimized to fully benefit from its fast timing characteristics in order to enhance its high count rate capability. To facilitate high count rate capability, a novel fast amplifier with timing and operating properties matched to the detector characteristics was developed and implemented in the 8” boron plate detector that was purchased from PDT. Each of the 6 sealed-cells was connected to a fast amplifier with corresponding List mode readout from each amplifier. The FY16 work focused on improvements in the boron-10 coating materials and procedures at PDT to significantly improve the neutron detection efficiency. An improvement in the efficiency of a factor of 1.5 was achieved without increasing the metal backing area for the boron coating. This improvement has allowed us to operate the detector in gamma-ray backgrounds that are four orders of magnitude higher than was previously possible while maintaining a relatively high counting efficiency for neutrons. This improvement in the gamma-ray rejection is a key factor in the development of the high dose neutron detector.

Neutron spectrometry with artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega C, H.R.; Hernandez D, V.M.; Manzanares A, E.; Rodriguez, J.M.; Mercado S, G.A.; Iniguez de la Torre Bayo, M.P.; Barquero, R.; Arteaga A, T.

2005-01-01

An artificial neural network has been designed to obtain the neutron spectra from the Bonner spheres spectrometer's count rates. The neural network was trained using 129 neutron spectra. These include isotopic neutron sources; reference and operational spectra from accelerators and nuclear reactors, spectra from mathematical functions as well as few energy groups and monoenergetic spectra. The spectra were transformed from lethargy to energy distribution and were re-bin ned to 31 energy groups using the MCNP 4C code. Re-binned spectra and UTA4 response matrix were used to calculate the expected count rates in Bonner spheres spectrometer. These count rates were used as input and the respective spectrum was used as output during neural network training. After training the network was tested with the Bonner spheres count rates produced by a set of neutron spectra. This set contains data used during network training as well as data not used. Training and testing was carried out in the Mat lab program. To verify the network unfolding performance the original and unfolded spectra were compared using the χ 2 -test and the total fluence ratios. The use of Artificial Neural Networks to unfold neutron spectra in neutron spectrometry is an alternative procedure that overcomes the drawbacks associated in this ill-conditioned problem. (Author)

A high-sensitivity neutron counter and waste-drum counting with the high-sensitivity neutron instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hankins, D.E.; Thorngate, J.H.

1993-04-01

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a highly sensitive neutron counter was developed that can detect and accurately measure the neutrons from small quantities of plutonium or from other low-level neutron sources. This neutron counter was originally designed to survey waste containers leaving the Plutonium Facility. However, it has proven to be useful in other research applications requiring a high-sensitivity neutron instrument

Cold source vessel development for the advanced neutron source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, P.T.; Lucas, A.T. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1995-09-01

The Advanced Neutron Source (ANS), in its conceptual design phase at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), will be a user-oriented neutron research facility that will produce the most intense flux of neutrons in the world. Among its many scientific applications, the productions of cold neutrons is a significant research mission for the ANS. The cold neutrons come from two independent cold sources positioned near the reactor core. Contained by an aluminum alloy vessel, each cold source is a 410 mm diameter sphere of liquid deuterium that functions both as a neutron moderator and a cryogenic coolant. With nuclear heating of the containment vessel and internal baffling, steady-state operation requires close control of the liquid deuterium flow near the vessel`s inner surface. Preliminary thermal-hydraulic analyses supporting the cold source design are being performed with multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations of the liquid deuterium flow and heat transfer. This paper presents the starting phase of a challenging program and describes the cold source conceptual design, the thermal-hydraulic feasibility studies of the containment vessel, and the future computational and experimental studies that will be used to verify the final design.

Multi-directional program efficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asmild, Mette; Balezentis, Tomas; Hougaard, Jens Leth

2016-01-01

The present paper analyses both managerial and program efficiencies of Lithuanian family farms, in the tradition of Charnes et al. (Manag Sci 27(6):668–697, 1981) but with the important difference that multi-directional efficiency analysis rather than the traditional data envelopment analysis...... approach is used to estimate efficiency. This enables a consideration of input-specific efficiencies. The study shows clear differences between the efficiency scores on the different inputs as well as between the farm types of crop, livestock and mixed farms respectively. We furthermore find that crop...... farms have the highest program efficiency, but the lowest managerial efficiency and that the mixed farms have the lowest program efficiency (yet not the highest managerial efficiency)....

Nuclear reactor using fuel sphere for combustion and fuel spheres for breeding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu.

1995-01-01

The present invention concerns a pebble bed-type reactor which can efficiently convert parent nuclides to fission nuclides. Fuel spheres for combustion having fission nuclides as main fuels, and fuel spheres for breeding having parent nuclides as main fuels are used separately, in the pebble bed-type reactor. According to the present invention, fuel spheres for breeding can be stayed in a reactor core for a long period of time, so that parent nuclides can be sufficiently converted into fission nuclides. In addition, since fuel spheres for breeding are loaded repeatedly, the amount thereof to be used is reduced. Therefore, the amount of the fuel spheres for breeding is small even when they are re-processed. On the other hand, since the content of the fission nuclides in the fuel spheres for breeding is not great, they can be put to final storage. This is attributable that although the fuel spheres for breeding contain fission nuclides generated by conversion, the fission nuclides are annihilated by nuclear fission reactions at the same time with the generation thereof. (I.S.)

Neutron spin echo and high resolution inelastic spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mezei, F.; Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest. Central Research Inst. for Physics)

1982-01-01

The principles of neutrons spin echo (NSE) technique are considered. It is shown that the basis of NSE principle is a single step measurement of the change of the neutron velocity in the scattering process. The backscattering soectroscopy and the NSE techniques are compared. The NSF spectrometer is described. It is shown that 0.5 MeV energy resolution achieved in the NSE experiment is about 40 times superior to those achieved by the other techniques. The NSE technique has the unique feature that provides high resolution in neutron energy change independently of the monochromatization of the beam. The NSE instrument not only covers a wider dynamic range on a pulsed source that on a continuous one, but also collects data more efficiently

Poisson denoising on the sphere

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, J.; Starck, J. L.; Fadili, J.; Grenier, I.; Casandjian, J. M.

2009-08-01

In the scope of the Fermi mission, Poisson noise removal should improve data quality and make source detection easier. This paper presents a method for Poisson data denoising on sphere, called Multi-Scale Variance Stabilizing Transform on Sphere (MS-VSTS). This method is based on a Variance Stabilizing Transform (VST), a transform which aims to stabilize a Poisson data set such that each stabilized sample has an (asymptotically) constant variance. In addition, for the VST used in the method, the transformed data are asymptotically Gaussian. Thus, MS-VSTS consists in decomposing the data into a sparse multi-scale dictionary (wavelets, curvelets, ridgelets...), and then applying a VST on the coefficients in order to get quasi-Gaussian stabilized coefficients. In this present article, the used multi-scale transform is the Isotropic Undecimated Wavelet Transform. Then, hypothesis tests are made to detect significant coefficients, and the denoised image is reconstructed with an iterative method based on Hybrid Steepest Descent (HST). The method is tested on simulated Fermi data.

Neutron spectrometry and dosimetry in the environment and at workplaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alevra, A.V.; Klein, H.; Knauf, K.; Wittstock, J.; Wolber, G.

1998-01-01

Results obtained in diverse environments (including workplaces) using both spectrometric and dosimetric instrumentation were compared. The following topics are included: PTB Bonner sphere spectrometers; natural cosmic ray-induced neutron background; neutron fields at the Dukovany nuclear power plant (Czech Republic); neutron fields at the isochronous cyclotron of the German Cancer Research center in Heidelberg; and accuracy of the integral results obtained with Bonner spheres. (P.A.)

Highly Efficient Multi Channel Packet Forwarding with Round Robin Intermittent Periodic Transmit for Multihop Wireless Backhaul Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Furukawa, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

Round Robin based Intermittent Periodic Transmit (RR-IPT) has been proposed which achieves highly efficient multi-hop relays in multi-hop wireless backhaul networks (MWBN) where relay nodes are 2-dimensionally deployed. This paper newly investigates multi-channel packet scheduling and forwarding scheme for RR-IPT. Downlink traffic is forwarded by RR-IPT via one of the channels, while uplink traffic and part of downlink are accommodated in the other channel. By comparing IPT and carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) for uplink/downlink packet forwarding channel, IPT is more effective in reducing packet loss rate whereas CSMA/CA is better in terms of system throughput and packet delay improvement. PMID:29137164

Production of graphite spheres with a high density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tscherry, V.

1976-01-01

It is possible to obtain small spheres with a diameter of approximately 1,000 μm with the help of an automated press fitted with a profiled plunger. The spheres consist of graphite and a binder. Depending on the size of the plunger, 1 + 6 Σn (n = 0,1,2,...) spheres of equivalent diameter may be pressed with one stroke of the plunger. The spheres are bound to each other by a thin burr. The green end product is obtained by breaking the sheets of spheres and deburring them. (orig.) [de

Acid functionalized, highly dispersed carbonaceous spheres: an effective solid acid for hydrolysis of polysaccharides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Yijun; Li Xiutao; Cao Quan; Mu Xindong

2011-01-01

Highly dispersed carbonaceous spheres with sulfonic acid groups were successfully prepared from glucose by hydrothermal method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the as-synthesized carbonaceous materials were uniform, spherical in shape with an average diameter of about 450 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) proved that –SO 3 H, –COOH, OH groups were grafted on the surface of the carbonaceous spheres during the sulfonation. Interestingly, the functionalized carbonaceous spheres exhibited high dispersibility in the polar solvent due to the hydrophilic groups on the surface. The mechanism of the formation for the carbonaceous spheres was also discussed based on the analysis of structure and composition. At last, the functionalized carbonaceous spheres were employed as solid acid to hydrolyze starch and cellulose. By comparison, the as-synthesized catalyst showed considerable high yield of glucose.

Acid functionalized, highly dispersed carbonaceous spheres: an effective solid acid for hydrolysis of polysaccharides

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yijun; Li, Xiutao; Cao, Quan; Mu, Xindong

2011-02-01

Highly dispersed carbonaceous spheres with sulfonic acid groups were successfully prepared from glucose by hydrothermal method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the as-synthesized carbonaceous materials were uniform, spherical in shape with an average diameter of about 450 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) proved that -SO3H, -COOH, OH groups were grafted on the surface of the carbonaceous spheres during the sulfonation. Interestingly, the functionalized carbonaceous spheres exhibited high dispersibility in the polar solvent due to the hydrophilic groups on the surface. The mechanism of the formation for the carbonaceous spheres was also discussed based on the analysis of structure and composition. At last, the functionalized carbonaceous spheres were employed as solid acid to hydrolyze starch and cellulose. By comparison, the as-synthesized catalyst showed considerable high yield of glucose.

Optimization of beam shaping assembly based on D-T neutron generator and dose evaluation for BNCT

Science.gov (United States)

Naeem, Hamza; Chen, Chaobin; Zheng, Huaqing; Song, Jing

2017-04-01

The feasibility of developing an epithermal neutron beam for a boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) facility based on a high intensity D-T fusion neutron generator (HINEG) and using the Monte Carlo code SuperMC (Super Monte Carlo simulation program for nuclear and radiation process) is proposed in this study. The Monte Carlo code SuperMC is used to determine and optimize the final configuration of the beam shaping assembly (BSA). The optimal BSA design in a cylindrical geometry which consists of a natural uranium sphere (14 cm) as a neutron multiplier, AlF3 and TiF3 as moderators (20 cm each), Cd (1 mm) as a thermal neutron filter, Bi (5 cm) as a gamma shield, and Pb as a reflector and collimator to guide neutrons towards the exit window. The epithermal neutron beam flux of the proposed model is 5.73 × 109 n/cm2s, and other dosimetric parameters for the BNCT reported by IAEA-TECDOC-1223 have been verified. The phantom dose analysis shows that the designed BSA is accurate, efficient and suitable for BNCT applications. Thus, the Monte Carlo code SuperMC is concluded to be capable of simulating the BSA and the dose calculation for BNCT, and high epithermal flux can be achieved using proposed BSA.

A highly efficient parallel algorithm for solving the neutron diffusion nodal equations on shared-memory computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmy, Y.Y.; Kirk, B.L.

1990-01-01

Modern parallel computer architectures offer an enormous potential for reducing CPU and wall-clock execution times of large-scale computations commonly performed in various applications in science and engineering. Recently, several authors have reported their efforts in developing and implementing parallel algorithms for solving the neutron diffusion equation on a variety of shared- and distributed-memory parallel computers. Testing of these algorithms for a variety of two- and three-dimensional meshes showed significant speedup of the computation. Even for very large problems (i.e., three-dimensional fine meshes) executed concurrently on a few nodes in serial (nonvector) mode, however, the measured computational efficiency is very low (40 to 86%). In this paper, the authors present a highly efficient (∼85 to 99.9%) algorithm for solving the two-dimensional nodal diffusion equations on the Sequent Balance 8000 parallel computer. Also presented is a model for the performance, represented by the efficiency, as a function of problem size and the number of participating processors. The model is validated through several tests and then extrapolated to larger problems and more processors to predict the performance of the algorithm in more computationally demanding situations

Highly ordered three-dimensional macroporous carbon spheres for determination of heavy metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yuxiao; Zhang, Jianming; Liu, Yang; Huang, Hui; Kang, Zhenhui

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres (MPCSs) were prepared. ► MPCS was covalently modified by cysteine (MPCS–CO–Cys). ► MPCS–CO–Cys was first time used in electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions. ► Heavy metal ions such as Pb 2+ and Cd 2+ can be simultaneously determined. -- Abstract: An effective voltammetric method for detection of trace heavy metal ions using chemically modified highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres electrode surfaces is described. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were prepared by carbonization of glucose in silica crystal bead template, followed by removal of the template. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were covalently modified by cysteine, an amino acid with high affinities towards some heavy metals. The materials were characterized by physical adsorption of nitrogen, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. While the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the functional groups on the surface of carbon spheres. High sensitivity was exhibited when this material was used in electrochemical detection (square wave anodic stripping voltammetry) of heavy metal ions due to the porous structure. And the potential application for simultaneous detection of heavy metal ions was also investigated.

Simulation and optimisation of a position sensitive scintillation detector with wavelength shifting fibers for thermal neutrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herzkamp, Matthias; Engels, Ralf; Kemmerling, Guenter [ZEA-2, Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany); Brueckel, Thomas [JCNS, Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany); Stahl, Achim [III. Physikalisches Institut B, RWTH Aachen (Germany); Waasen, Stefan van [ZEA-2, Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany); Faculty of Engineering, University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany)

2015-07-01

In neutron scattering experiments it is important to have position sensitive large scale detectors for thermal neutrons. A detector based on a neutron scintillator with wave length shifting fibers is a new kind of such a detector. We present the simulation of the detector based on the microscopic structure of the scintillation material of the mentioned detector. It consists of a converter and a scintillation powder bound in a matrix. The converter in our case is lithium fluoride with enriched lithium 6, to convert thermal neutrons into high energetic alpha and triton particles. The scintillation material is silver doped zinc sulfide. We show that pulse height spectra obtained by these scintillators can be be explained by the simple model of randomly distributed spheres of zinc sulfide and lithium fluoride. With this model, it is possible to optimise the mass ratio of zinc sulfide to lithium fluoride with respect to detection efficiency and/or energy deposition in zinc sulfide.

On an analytical evaluation of the flux and dominant eigenvalue problem for the steady state multi-group multi-layer neutron diffusion equation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ceolin, Celina; Schramm, Marcelo; Bodmann, Bardo Ernst Josef; Vilhena, Marco Tullio Mena Barreto de [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil). Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia Mecanica; Bogado Leite, Sergio de Queiroz [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

2014-11-15

In this work the authors solved the steady state neutron diffusion equation for a multi-layer slab assuming the multi-group energy model. The method to solve the equation system is based on an expansion in Taylor Series resulting in an analytical expression. The results obtained can be used as initial condition for neutron space kinetics problems. The neutron scalar flux was expanded in a power series, and the coefficients were found by using the ordinary differential equation and the boundary and interface conditions. The effective multiplication factor k was evaluated using the power method. We divided the domain into several slabs to guarantee the convergence with a low truncation order. We present the formalism together with some numerical simulations.

Neutron spectrometry using artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega-Carrillo, Hector Rene; Martin Hernandez-Davila, Victor; Manzanares-Acuna, Eduardo; Mercado Sanchez, Gema A.; Pilar Iniguez de la Torre, Maria; Barquero, Raquel; Palacios, Francisco; Mendez Villafane, Roberto; Arteaga Arteaga, Tarcicio; Manuel Ortiz Rodriguez, Jose

2006-01-01

An artificial neural network has been designed to obtain neutron spectra from Bonner spheres spectrometer count rates. The neural network was trained using 129 neutron spectra. These include spectra from isotopic neutron sources; reference and operational spectra from accelerators and nuclear reactors, spectra based on mathematical functions as well as few energy groups and monoenergetic spectra. The spectra were transformed from lethargy to energy distribution and were re-binned to 31 energy groups using the MCNP 4C code. The re-binned spectra and the UTA4 response matrix were used to calculate the expected count rates in Bonner spheres spectrometer. These count rates were used as input and their respective spectra were used as output during the neural network training. After training, the network was tested with the Bonner spheres count rates produced by folding a set of neutron spectra with the response matrix. This set contains data used during network training as well as data not used. Training and testing was carried out using the Matlab ( R) program. To verify the network unfolding performance, the original and unfolded spectra were compared using the root mean square error. The use of artificial neural networks to unfold neutron spectra in neutron spectrometry is an alternative procedure that overcomes the drawbacks associated with this ill-conditioned problem

Development of a coupled neutronic/thermal-hydraulic tool with multi-scale capabilities and applications to HPLWR core analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monti, Lanfranco; Starflinger, Joerg; Schulenberg, Thomas

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Advanced analysis and design techniques for innovative reactors are addressed. → Detailed investigation of a 3 pass core design with a multi-physics-scales tool. → Coupled 40-group neutron transport/equivalent channels TH core analyses methods. → Multi-scale capabilities: from equivalent channels to sub-channel pin-by-pin study. → High fidelity approach: reduction of conservatism involved in core simulations. - Abstract: The High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR) is a thermal spectrum nuclear reactor cooled and moderated with light water operated at supercritical pressure. It is an innovative reactor concept, which requires developing and applying advanced analysis tools as described in the paper. The relevant water density reduction associated with the heat-up, together with the multi-pass core design, results in a pronounced coupling between neutronic and thermal-hydraulic analyses, which takes into account the strong natural influence of the in-core distribution of power generation and water properties. The neutron flux gradients within the multi-pass core, together with the pronounced dependence of water properties on the temperature, require to consider a fine spatial resolution in which the individual fuel pins are resolved to provide precise evaluation of the clad temperature, currently considered as one of the crucial design criteria. These goals have been achieved considering an advanced analysis method based on the usage of existing codes which have been coupled with developed interfaces. Initially neutronic and thermal-hydraulic full core calculations have been iterated until a consistent solution is found to determine the steady state full power condition of the HPLWR core. Results of few group neutronic analyses might be less reliable in case of HPLWR 3-pass core than for conventional LWRs because of considerable changes of the neutron spectrum within the core, hence 40 groups transport theory has been preferred to the

Results of neutron dose measurements at the Rossendorf research reactors taking the actual neutron spectra into account

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rimpler, A.; Kneschke, H.

1985-01-01

Based on a systematic evaluation of area dose studies at the beginning of the seventies, no individual routine neutron monitoring has been performed at the Rossendorf research reactors. To check this decision, a limited number of persons has been monitored with solid-state nuclear track detectors for several years. The dosemeters were calibrated on the basis of neutron spectra determined at the working places by means of the Bonner sphere method. Intermediate neutrons with a 1/E/sup α/ Fermi distribution were dominating. The fraction of fast neutrons was practically negligible. The obtained spectra, radiation, field quantities and results of individual dose measurements are presented. The dosemeter most appropriate for such neutron fields would be a 12-inch Bonner sphere rem counter. As the mean annual neutron exposure of research workers at the reactor amounted to only 2% of the maximum permissible dose, individual routine monitoring will, also in the future, not be neccessary. (author)

On analogy between the magnetic field of pulsars and that of magnetized superconducting sphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mkrtchyan, G.S.; Sedraksyan, D.M.

1984-01-01

The field is calculated, which is induced by a superconducting sphere homogeneously magnetized over the volume. It is assumed that such a field is generated within a neutron star due to an entrainment of superfluid protons by neutrons

Compression cracking of plastic spheres: a high speed photography study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majzoub, R.; Chaudhri, M.M.

1999-01-01

Failure of brittle spheres under compressive loading, both quasi static and dynamic, is a technologically important problem. However, so far, neither the stress state in a loaded nor the failure process in understood clearly. In fact, because the process of the failure of a loaded sphere is very rapid, it has not been possible to follow it when making static observations. We have, therefore, carried out a high-speed photographic study using framing rates of up to 200,000 frames per second to follow the sequence of events when polished 12.7 mm diameter spheres of acrylic resin are fragmented using a low-velocity impact apparatus. The latter consist of a 5.7 kg hammer, which is allowed to drop on to the test sphere from a height of 1.3 m and the entire event of impact and ensuing fracture is photographed with a rotating mirror camera (C-4). Form numerous impact experiments it has been found that as the impact load increases gradually, plastic flow and flattering of the sphere occurs at the contact region. The size of the flattened region continuous to grow with increasing impact load and when this region becomes sufficiently large, usually one or two cracks initiate at the periphery of the contact rather than in the bulk of the sphere. The surface cracks then grow into the bulk of the sphere at velocities in the range of 600-800 m s/sup -1/. It is interesting to note these crack velocities are the maximum observed velocities in this material, but these are only approx. 0.8 of the Rayleigh wave velocity, which is the theoretically predicted maximum crack velocity in brittle materials. It is argued that in order to cause the catastrophic failure of a solid sphere, it is necessary to cause plasticity in it which then leads to the generation of tensile hoop stresses at the circle of contact between the sphere and platen. (author)

Neutron spin optics: Fundamentals and verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pleshanov, N.K., E-mail: pleshanov_nk@pnpi.nrcki.ru

2017-05-01

Neutron spin optics (NSO) based on quantum aspects of the neutron interaction with magnetically anisotropic layers signifies transition in polarized neutron optics from 1D (spin selection) to 3D (spin manipulations). It may essentially widen the functionality of neutron optics. Among the advantages of NSO are compactness, zero-field option (guide fields are optional) and multi-functionality (beam spectrum, beam divergence and spin manipulations can be handled at the same time). Prospects in improving and developing neutron mirror spin turners (incl. flippers) are discussed. Two approaches to measurement of the efficiency of mirror flippers are introduced. The efficiency of a multilayer-backed neutron mirror flipper for monochromatic beams was found to be 97.5±0.5%. Such mirror flippers can combine monochromatization of a polarized beam with flipping spins of the monochromatized neutrons. To improve their performance, account of the spin-dependent refraction in the magnetic layer should be taken. For a monochromatic beam, supermirror-backed flippers are shown to be more advantageous, with a gain in intensity up to 4 times.

Highly ordered three-dimensional macroporous carbon spheres for determination of heavy metal ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yuxiao; Zhang, Jianming [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Liu, Yang, E-mail: yangl@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Huang, Hui [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Kang, Zhenhui, E-mail: zhkang@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China)

2012-04-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres (MPCSs) were prepared. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MPCS was covalently modified by cysteine (MPCS-CO-Cys). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MPCS-CO-Cys was first time used in electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Heavy metal ions such as Pb{sup 2+} and Cd{sup 2+} can be simultaneously determined. -- Abstract: An effective voltammetric method for detection of trace heavy metal ions using chemically modified highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres electrode surfaces is described. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were prepared by carbonization of glucose in silica crystal bead template, followed by removal of the template. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were covalently modified by cysteine, an amino acid with high affinities towards some heavy metals. The materials were characterized by physical adsorption of nitrogen, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. While the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the functional groups on the surface of carbon spheres. High sensitivity was exhibited when this material was used in electrochemical detection (square wave anodic stripping voltammetry) of heavy metal ions due to the porous structure. And the potential application for simultaneous detection of heavy metal ions was also investigated.

Absolute efficiency calibration of 6LiF-based solid state thermal neutron detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Finocchiaro, Paolo; Cosentino, Luigi; Lo Meo, Sergio; Nolte, Ralf; Radeck, Desiree

2018-03-01

The demand for new thermal neutron detectors as an alternative to 3He tubes in research, industrial, safety and homeland security applications, is growing. These needs have triggered research and development activities about new generations of thermal neutron detectors, characterized by reasonable efficiency and gamma rejection comparable to 3He tubes. In this paper we show the state of the art of a promising low-cost technique, based on commercial solid state silicon detectors coupled with thin neutron converter layers of 6LiF deposited onto carbon fiber substrates. A few configurations were studied with the GEANT4 simulation code, and the intrinsic efficiency of the corresponding detectors was calibrated at the PTB Thermal Neutron Calibration Facility. The results show that the measured intrinsic detection efficiency is well reproduced by the simulations, therefore validating the simulation tool in view of new designs. These neutron detectors have also been tested at neutron beam facilities like ISIS (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK) and n_TOF (CERN) where a few samples are already in operation for beam flux and 2D profile measurements. Forthcoming applications are foreseen for the online monitoring of spent nuclear fuel casks in interim storage sites.

Realisation and qualification of a tissue equivalent proportional counter with a multi-cellular geometry for the individual neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoflack, Ch.

1999-01-01

The present day dosimetry means for radiations with a strong ionization density cannot fulfill the future radioprotection regulations which will require an individual dosimetry with active dosemeters. The aim of this work is the study and development of an individual dosemeter based on a tissue equivalent proportional counter and with a multi-cellular geometry allowing to reach a sensibility equivalent to environmental dosemeters. A pressure regulation bench has been added to the detector in order to reduce the degassing of the detector parts and to reach a sufficient service life for the implementation of the characterization tests. The hole counter system has been adopted for the first prototypes in order to reduce the sensibility of the wires multiplication system with respect to mechanical vibrations. Tests performed with an internal alpha source have shown that a better electrical efficiency can be reached when more severe mechanical limits are adopted during the construction. The dose equivalent response of the prototype for mono-energy neutrons of 144 keV to 2.5 MeV is analyzed experimentally and by simulation. During experiments with normal incidence neutrons, the prototype fulfills the requirements of the CEI N O 1323 standard for energies comprised between 400 keV and 2.5 MeV, while the simulation indicates a satisfactory response up to 200 keV. A preliminary study of the behaviour of the detector with respect to the neutrons incidence indicates that the multi-cellular geometry is efficient for large angles (the sensibility of the prototype is increased by a factor 3). Finally, simulation studies have to be made to optimize the electrical operation and the geometry of the next prototype. (J.S.)

Neutronics of pulsed spallation neutron sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Noboru

2003-01-01

Various topics and issues on the neutronics of pulsed spallation neutron sources, mainly for neutron scattering experiments, are reviewed to give a wide circle of readers a better understanding of these sources in order to achieve a high neutronic performance. Starting from what neutrons are needed, what the spallation reaction is and how to produce slow-neutrons more efficiently, the outline of the target and moderator neutronics are explained. Various efforts with some new concepts or ideas have already been devoted to obtaining the highest possible slow-neutron intensity with desired pulse characteristics. This paper also reviews the recent progress of such efforts, mainly focused on moderator neutronics, since moderators are the final devices of a neutron source, which determine the source performance. Various governing parameters for neutron-pulse characteristics such as material issues, geometrical parameters (shape and dimensions), the target-moderator coupling scheme, the ortho-para-hydrogen ratio, poisoning, etc are discussed, aiming at a high performance pulsed spallation source

Neutron spectrometry and dosimetry using NSDAAN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez B, M. R.; Vega C, H. R.; Ortiz R, J. M.

2009-10-01

The reconstruction of neutron spectra from count rates of a Bonner spheres spectrometric system is performed using various methods such as Monte Carlo methods, the parameterization and iterative methods. The weight of the Bonner spheres spectrometric system, the procedure for the reconstruction of the spectra, the need of an experienced user, the high consumer of time, the need of use a reconstruction code as the BUNKI, SAND, among others, and the resolution of the spectrum are some problems that this system presents. This has motivated the development of complementary procedures such as maximum entropy, genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks. In previous work, has reported a new method called robust design methodology of artificial neural networks, to construct various network topologies capable of solving the problems of neutron spectrometry and dosimetry, however, due to the newness of this technology, be noted that there are not tools to end-user that allow test and validate the designed networks. This paper presents a software for the neutron spectrometry and dosimetry, designed from the information extracted of an artificial neural network designed by robust design methodology of artificial neural networks. This tool has the following characteristics: was designed in a user graphical interface easy to use, requires not knowledge of neural networks or neutron spectrometry by the user; execution speed of the application; unlike the deconvolution codes are not required to select an initial spectrum for the spectrum reconstruction; as an additional element to this tool, besides the spectrum, the calculation is performed simultaneous to H(10), E, H p , s (10,θ) from just counting rates from a Bonner spheres spectrometric system. (author)

GNES-R: Global nuclear energy simulator for reactors task 1: High-fidelity neutron transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarno, K.; De Almeida, V.; D'Azevedo, E.; De Oliveira, C.; Hamilton, S.

2006-01-01

A multi-laboratory, multi-university collaboration has formed to advance the state-of-the-art in high-fidelity, coupled-physics simulation of nuclear energy systems. We are embarking on the first-phase in the development of a new suite of simulation tools dedicated to the advancement of nuclear science and engineering technologies. We seek to develop and demonstrate a new generation of multi-physics simulation tools that will explore the scientific phenomena of tightly coupled physics parameters within nuclear systems, support the design and licensing of advanced nuclear reactors, and provide benchmark quality solutions for code validation. In this paper, we have presented the general scope of the collaborative project and discuss the specific challenges of high-fidelity neutronics for nuclear reactor simulation and the inroads we have made along this path. The high-performance computing neutronics code system utilizes the latest version of SCALE to generate accurate, problem-dependent cross sections, which are used in NEWTRNX - a new 3-D, general-geometry, discrete-ordinates solver based on the Slice-Balance Approach. The Global Nuclear Energy Simulator for Reactors (GNES-R) team is embarking on a long-term simulation development project that encompasses multiple laboratories and universities for the expansion of high-fidelity coupled-physics simulation of nuclear energy systems. (authors)

Investigation of Response of Several Neutron Surveymeters by a DT Neutron Generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sang In; Jang, In Su; Kim, Jang Lyul; Lee, Jung IL; Kim, Bong Hwan

2012-01-01

Several neutron measuring devices were tested under the neutron fields characterized with two distinct kinds of thermal and fast neutron spectrum. These neutron fields were constructed by the mixing of both thermal neutron fields and fast neutron fields. The thermal neutron field was constructed using by a graphite pile with eight AmBe neutron sources. The fast neutron field of 14 MeV was made by a DT neutron generator. In order to change the fraction of fast neutron fluence rate in each neutron fields, a neutron generator was placed in the thermal neutron field at 50 cm and 150 cm from the reference position. The polyethylene neutron collimator was used to make moderated 14 MeV neutron field. These neutron spectra were measured by using a Bonner sphere system with an LiI scintillator, and dosimetric quantities delivered to neutron surveymeters were determined from these measurement results.

High convergence efficiency design of flat Fresnel lens with large aperture

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Jieyao; Zhao, Changming; Guan, Zhe

2018-01-01

This paper designed a circle-shaped Fresnel lens with large aperture as part of the solar pumped laser design project. The Fresnel lens designed in this paper simulate in size 1000mm×1000mm, focus length 1200mm and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material in order to conduct high convergence efficiency. In the light of design requirement of concentric ring with same width of 0.3mm, this paper proposed an optimized Fresnel lens design based on previous sphere design and conduct light tracing simulation in Matlab. This paper also analyzed the effect of light spot size, light intensity distribution, optical efficiency under four conditions, monochromatic parallel light, parallel spectrum light, divergent monochromatic light and sunlight. Design by 550nm wavelength and under the condition of Fresnel reflection, the results indicated that the designed lens could convergent sunlight in diffraction limit of 11.8mm with a 78.7% optical efficiency, better than the sphere cutting design results of 30.4%.

Artificial neural networks in neutron dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vega C, H.R.; Hernandez D, V.M.; Manzanares A, E.; Mercado, G.A.; Perales M, W.A.; Robles R, J.A. [Unidades Academicas de Estudios Nucleares, UAZ, A.P. 336, 98000 Zacatecas (Mexico); Gallego, E.; Lorente, A. [Depto. de Ingenieria Nuclear, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, (Spain)

2005-07-01

An artificial neural network has been designed to obtain the neutron doses using only the Bonner spheres spectrometer's count rates. Ambient, personal and effective neutron doses were included. 187 neutron spectra were utilized to calculate the Bonner count rates and the neutron doses. The spectra were transformed from lethargy to energy distribution and were re-binned to 31 energy groups using the MCNP 4C code. Re-binned spectra, UTA4 response matrix and fluence-to-dose coefficients were used to calculate the count rates in Bonner spheres spectrometer and the doses. Count rates were used as input and the respective doses were used as output during neural network training. Training and testing was carried out in Mat lab environment. The artificial neural network performance was evaluated using the {chi}{sup 2}- test, where the original and calculated doses were compared. The use of Artificial Neural Networks in neutron dosimetry is an alternative procedure that overcomes the drawbacks associated in this ill-conditioned problem. (Author)

Artificial neural networks in neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega C, H.R.; Hernandez D, V.M.; Manzanares A, E.; Mercado, G.A.; Perales M, W.A.; Robles R, J.A.; Gallego, E.; Lorente, A.

2005-01-01

An artificial neural network has been designed to obtain the neutron doses using only the Bonner spheres spectrometer's count rates. Ambient, personal and effective neutron doses were included. 187 neutron spectra were utilized to calculate the Bonner count rates and the neutron doses. The spectra were transformed from lethargy to energy distribution and were re-binned to 31 energy groups using the MCNP 4C code. Re-binned spectra, UTA4 response matrix and fluence-to-dose coefficients were used to calculate the count rates in Bonner spheres spectrometer and the doses. Count rates were used as input and the respective doses were used as output during neural network training. Training and testing was carried out in Mat lab environment. The artificial neural network performance was evaluated using the χ 2 - test, where the original and calculated doses were compared. The use of Artificial Neural Networks in neutron dosimetry is an alternative procedure that overcomes the drawbacks associated in this ill-conditioned problem. (Author)

Layered semiconductor neutron detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Samuel S; Perry, Dale L

2013-12-10

Room temperature operating solid state hand held neutron detectors integrate one or more relatively thin layers of a high neutron interaction cross-section element or materials with semiconductor detectors. The high neutron interaction cross-section element (e.g., Gd, B or Li) or materials comprising at least one high neutron interaction cross-section element can be in the form of unstructured layers or micro- or nano-structured arrays. Such architecture provides high efficiency neutron detector devices by capturing substantially more carriers produced from high energy .alpha.-particles or .gamma.-photons generated by neutron interaction.

High intensity multi beam design of SANS instrument for Dhruva reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbas, Sohrab, E-mail: abbas@barc.gov.in; Aswal, V. K. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Désert, S. [Laboratoire Leon Brillouin, CEA, Saclay, 91191 (France)

2016-05-23

A new and versatile design of Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) instrument based on utilization of multi-beam is presented. The multi-pinholes and multi-slits as SANS collimator for medium flux Dhruva rearctor have been proposed and their designs have been validated using McStas simulations. Various instrument configurations to achieve different minimum wave vector transfers in scattering experiments are envisioned. These options enable smooth access to minimum wave vector transfers as low as ~ 6×10{sup −4} Å{sup −1} with a significant improvement in neutron intensity, allowing faster measurements. Such angularly well defined and intense neutron beam will allow faster SANS studies of agglomerates larger than few tens of nm.

Efficiency determination of resistive plate chambers for fast quasi-monoenergetic neutrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roeder, M.; Cowan, T.E.; Kempe, M.; Yakorev, D. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden (Germany); Elekes, Z. [MTA ATOMKI, Debrecen (Hungary); Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Aumann, T.; Caesar, C. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Bemmerer, D.; Sobiella, M.; Stach, D.; Wagner, A. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Boretzky, K.; Hehner, J.; Heil, M. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Maroussov, V. [Universitaet zu Koeln, Koeln (Germany); GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Nusair, O. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany); Al-Balqa Applied University, Salt (Jordan); Prokofiev, A.V. [Uppsala University, The Svedberg Laboratory, Uppsala (Sweden); Reifarth, R. [Johann Wolfgang Goethe - Universitaet, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Zilges, A. [Universitaet zu Koeln, Koeln (Germany); Zuber, K. [Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden (Germany); Collaboration: R3B Collaboration

2014-07-15

Composite detectors made of stainless-steel converters and multigap resistive plate chambers have been irradiated with quasi-monoenergetic neutrons with a peak energy of 175 MeV. The neutron detection efficiency has been determined using two different methods. The data are in agreement with the output of Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations are then extended to study the response of a hypothetical array made of these detectors to energetic neutrons from a radioactive ion beam experiment. (orig.)

Data reduction for a high-throughput neutron activation analysis system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowman, W.W.

1979-01-01

To analyze samples collected as part of a geochemical survey for the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program, Savannah River Laboratory has installed a high-throughput neutron activation analysis system. As part of that system, computer programs have been developed to reduce raw data to elemental concentrations in two steps. Program RAGS reduces gamma-ray spectra to lists of photopeak energies, peak areas, and statistical errors. Program RICHES determines the elemental concentrations from photopeak and delayed-neutron data, detector efficiencies, analysis parameters (neutron flux and activation, decay, and counting times), and spectrometric and cross-section data from libraries. Both programs have been streamlined for on-line operation with a minicomputer, each requiring approx. 64 kbytes of core. 3 tables

Hierarchical TiO{sub 2} submicron-sized spheres for enhanced power conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hao [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Guo, Zhiguang, E-mail: zguo@licp.cas.cn [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2015-10-15

Hierarchical TiO{sub 2} submicron-sized sphere scattering layer, with relatively large surface area and effective light scattering, shows enhanced power conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells. - Highlights: • Hierarchical TiO{sub 2} submicron-sized spheres (TiO{sub 2} HSSs) with diameters of 400–600 nm were synthesized. • The HSSs composed of nanoparticles of ∼14 nm have a relatively large surface area of ∼35 m{sup 2}/g. • DSC exhibited the highest cell efficiency (6.23%) compared with ones with pure P25 (5.50%) or HSS (2.00%) photoanodes. - Abstract: Hierarchical TiO{sub 2} submicron-sized spheres (TiO{sub 2} HSSs) with diameters of 400–600 nm were synthesized by a facile one-step solvothermal method in ethanol solvent. The HSSs composed of nanoparticles of ∼14 nm have a relatively large surface area of ∼35 m{sup 2}/g. When applied as the scattering overlayer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), such TiO{sub 2} HSSs effectively improved light harvesting and led to the increase of photocurrent in DSCs. Furthermore, bilayer-structured photoanode also provided fast electron transportation and long electron lifetime as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectra. As a result, DSC based on P25 nanoparticle underlayer and HSS-2 overlayer exhibited the highest cell efficiency (6.23%) compared with ones with pure P25 (5.50%) or HSS-2 (2.00%) photoanodes.

A neutron spectrum unfolding computer code based on artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz-Rodríguez, J.M.; Reyes Alfaro, A.; Reyes Haro, A.; Cervantes Viramontes, J.M.; Vega-Carrillo, H.R.

2014-01-01

The Bonner Spheres Spectrometer consists of a thermal neutron sensor placed at the center of a number of moderating polyethylene spheres of different diameters. From the measured readings, information can be derived about the spectrum of the neutron field where measurements were made. Disadvantages of the Bonner system are the weight associated with each sphere and the need to sequentially irradiate the spheres, requiring long exposure periods. Provided a well-established response matrix and adequate irradiation conditions, the most delicate part of neutron spectrometry, is the unfolding process. The derivation of the spectral information is not simple because the unknown is not given directly as a result of the measurements. The drawbacks associated with traditional unfolding procedures have motivated the need of complementary approaches. Novel methods based on Artificial Intelligence, mainly Artificial Neural Networks, have been widely investigated. In this work, a neutron spectrum unfolding code based on neural nets technology is presented. This code is called Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry with Artificial Neural networks unfolding code that was designed in a graphical interface. The core of the code is an embedded neural network architecture previously optimized using the robust design of artificial neural networks methodology. The main features of the code are: easy to use, friendly and intuitive to the user. This code was designed for a Bonner Sphere System based on a 6 LiI(Eu) neutron detector and a response matrix expressed in 60 energy bins taken from an International Atomic Energy Agency compilation. The main feature of the code is that as entrance data, for unfolding the neutron spectrum, only seven rate counts measured with seven Bonner spheres are required; simultaneously the code calculates 15 dosimetric quantities as well as the total flux for radiation protection purposes. This code generates a full report with all information of the unfolding

Soil biological shield exposed to high energy neutrons; Zemlja kao bioloski stit od neutrona visokih energija

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simovic, R; Marinkovic, N [Institute of nuclear sciences Vinca, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

1993-04-15

Shielding efficiency of soil biological shield exposed to high energy neutrons was investigated. Dose rate equivalents for neutrons, secondary gamma and gamma radiation were computed on the surface of soil slabs having different thicknesses. Yields of primary and secondary nuclear radiation in the total dose were evaluated. Influence of the incident neutron spectrum, water content and chemical composition of the material on its shielding efficiency was examined. It was found that the soil density and the water content determine the quality of biological shield, the influence of other factors being less important. Comparison of shielding efficiencies for soil with sand, brick and ordinary concrete shields was done.

A high-field adiabatic fast passage ultracold neutron spin flipper for the UCNA experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holley, A. T.; Pattie, R. W.; Young, A. R. [Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Broussard, L. J. [Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 (United States); Davis, J. L.; Ito, T. M.; Lyles, J. T. M.; Makela, M.; Morris, C. L.; Mortensen, R.; Saunders, A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Hickerson, K.; Mendenhall, M. P. [W. K. Kellogg Radiation Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Liu, C.-Y. [Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 (United States); Mammei, R. R. [Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States); Rios, R. [Department of Physics, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho 83209 (United States)

2012-07-15

The UCNA collaboration is making a precision measurement of the {beta} asymmetry (A) in free neutron decay using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). A critical component of this experiment is an adiabatic fast passage neutron spin flipper capable of efficient operation in ambient magnetic fields on the order of 1 T. The requirement that it operate in a high field necessitated the construction of a free neutron spin flipper based, for the first time, on a birdcage resonator. The design, construction, and initial testing of this spin flipper prior to its use in the first measurement of A with UCN during the 2007 run cycle of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center's 800 MeV proton accelerator is detailed. These studies determined the flipping efficiency of the device, averaged over the UCN spectrum present at the location of the spin flipper, to be {epsilon}=0.9985(4).

Neutron shielding properties of a new high-density concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorente, A.; Gallego, E.; Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Mendez, R.

2008-01-01

The neutron shielding properties of a new high-density concrete (commercially available under the name Hormirad TM , developed in Spain by the company CT-RAD) have been characterized both experimentally and by Monte Carlo calculations. The shielding properties of this concrete against photons were previously studied and the material is being used to build bunkers, mazes and doors in medical accelerator facilities with good overall results. In this work, the objective was to characterize the material behaviour against neutrons, as well as to test alternative mixings including boron compounds in an effort to improve neutron shielding efficiency. With that purpose, Hormirad TM slabs of different thicknesses were exposed to an 241 Am-Be neutron source under controlled conditions in the neutron measurements laboratory of the Nuclear Engineering Department at UPM. The original mix, which includes a high fraction of magnetite, was then modified by adding different proportions of anhydrous borax (Na 2 B 4 O 7 ). In order to have a reference against common concrete used to shield medical accelerator facilities, the same experiment was repeated with ordinary (HA-25) concrete slabs. In parallel to the experiments, Monte Carlo calculations of the experiments were performed with MCNP5. The experimental results agree reasonably well with the Monte Carlo calculations. Therefore, the first and equilibrium tenth-value layers have been determined for the different types of concrete tested. The results show an advantageous behaviour of the Hormirad TM concrete, in terms of neutron attenuation against real thickness of the shielding. Borated concretes seem less practical since they did not show better neutron attenuation with respect to real thickness and their structural properties are worse. The neutron attenuation properties of Hormirad TM for typical neutron spectra in clinical LINAC accelerators rooms have been also characterized by Monte Carlo calculation. (author)

N-Doped carbon spheres with hierarchical micropore-nanosheet networks for high performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shoupei; Zhang, Jianan; Shang, Pei; Li, Yuanyuan; Chen, Zhimin; Xu, Qun

2014-10-18

N-doped carbon spheres with hierarchical micropore-nanosheet networks (HPSCSs) were facilely fabricated by a one-step carbonization and activation process of N containing polymer spheres by KOH. With the synergy effect of the multiple structures, HPSCSs exhibit a very high specific capacitance of 407.9 F g(-1) at 1 mV s(-1) (1.2 times higher than that of porous carbon spheres) and a robust cycling stability for supercapacitors.

Electrochemical immunoassay for thyroxine detection using cascade catalysis as signal amplified enhancer and multi-functionalized magnetic graphene sphere as signal tag

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jing; Zhuo, Ying, E-mail: yingzhuo@swu.edu.cn; Chai, Yaqin; Yu, Yanqing; Liao, Ni; Yuan, Ruo, E-mail: yuanruo@swu.edu.cn

2013-08-06

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •A reusable electrochemical immunosensor is developed for thyroxine detection. •Cascade catalysis as signal amplified enhancer. •Multi-functionalized magnetic graphene sphere as signal tag. •The novel strategy has the advantages of high sensitivity, good selectivity and reproducibility. -- Abstract: This paper constructed a reusable electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of thyroxine at an ultralow concentration using cascade catalysis of cytochrome c (Cyt c) and glucose oxidase (GOx) as signal amplified enhancer. It is worth pointing out that numerous Cyt c and GOx were firstly carried onto the double-stranded DNA polymers based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR), and then the amplified responses could be achieved by cascade catalysis of Cyt c and GOx recycling with the help of glucose. Moreover, multi-functionalized magnetic graphene sphere was synthesized and used as signal tag, which not only exhibited good mechanical properties, large surface area and an excellent electron transfer rate of graphene, but also possessed excellent redox activity and desirable magnetic property. With a sandwich-type immunoreaction, the proposed cascade catalysis amplification strategy could greatly enhance the sensitivity for the detection of thyroxine. Under the optimal conditions, the immunosensor showed a wide linear ranged from 0.05 pg mL{sup −1} to 5 ng mL{sup −1} and a low detection limit down to 15 fg mL{sup −1}. Importantly, the proposed method offers promise for reproducible and cost-effective analysis of biological samples.

Multi-resolution and multi-scale simulation of the thermal hydraulics in fast neutron reactor assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angeli, P.-E.

2011-01-01

The present work is devoted to a multi-scale numerical simulation of an assembly of fast neutron reactor. In spite of the rapid growth of the computer power, the fine complete CFD of a such system remains out of reach in a context of research and development. After the determination of the thermalhydraulic behaviour of the assembly at the macroscopic scale, we propose to carry out a local reconstruction of the fine scale information. The complete approach will require a much lower CPU time than the CFD of the entire structure. The macro-scale description is obtained using either the volume averaging formalism in porous media, or an alternative modeling historically developed for the study of fast neutron reactor assemblies. It provides some information used as constraint of a down-scaling problem, through a penalization technique of the local conservation equations. This problem lean on the periodic nature of the structure by integrating periodic boundary conditions for the required microscale fields or their spatial deviation. After validating the methodologies on some model applications, we undertake to perform them on 'industrial' configurations which demonstrate the viability of this multi-scale approach. (author) [fr

MCNP modelling of a combined neutron/gamma counter

CERN Document Server

Bourva, L C A; Ottmar, H; Weaver, D R

1999-01-01

A series of Monte Carlo neutron calculations for a combined gamma/passive neutron coincidence counter has been performed. This type of device, part of a suite of non-destructive assay instruments utilised for the enforcement of the Euratom nuclear safeguards within the European Union, is to be used for high accuracy measurements of the plutonium content of small samples of nuclear materials. The multi-purpose Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) code version 4B has been used to model in detail the neutron coincidence detector and to investigate the leakage self-multiplication of PuO sub 2 and mixed U-Pu oxide (MOX) reference samples used to calibrate the instrument. The MCNP calculations have been used together with a neutron coincidence counting interpretative model to determine characteristic parameters of the detector. A comparative study to both experimental and previous numerical results has been performed. Sensitivity curves of the variation of the detector's efficiency, epsilon, to, alpha, the ratio of (alpha...

Neutron leakage from Pb and Bc spherical shells with 14 MeV central neutron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonov, S.; Daskalov, G.; Ilieva, K.; Jordanova, J.; Prodanova, R.; Zagryadskij, V.A.; Novikov, V.M.; Chuvilin, D.Yu.

1988-01-01

Results of measuring neutron leakage from spherical shells of different thickness, made of Pb and Be with a point neutron source in the sphere centrum are presented. The experiment results are compared to calculations according to different programs using data of various nuclear data libraies. The comparison has shown that all the calculations understate the neutron leakage from Pb assmebly. 9 refs.; 2 tabs

Calculation of neutron detection efficiency for the thick lithium glass using Monte Carlo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Guoyou; Bao Shanglian; Li Yulin; Zhong Wenguan

1989-08-01

The neutron detector efficiencies of a NE912 (45mm in diameter, 9.55 mm in thickness) and 2 pieces of ST601 (40mm in diameter, 3 and 10 mm in thickness respectively) lithium glasses have been calculated with a Monte Carlo computer code. The energy range in the calculation is 10 keV to 2.0 MeV. The effect of time delayed caused by neutron multiple scattering in the detectors (prompt neutron detection efficiency) has been considered

A neutron spectrum unfolding computer code based on artificial neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Rodríguez, J. M.; Reyes Alfaro, A.; Reyes Haro, A.; Cervantes Viramontes, J. M.; Vega-Carrillo, H. R.

2014-02-01

The Bonner Spheres Spectrometer consists of a thermal neutron sensor placed at the center of a number of moderating polyethylene spheres of different diameters. From the measured readings, information can be derived about the spectrum of the neutron field where measurements were made. Disadvantages of the Bonner system are the weight associated with each sphere and the need to sequentially irradiate the spheres, requiring long exposure periods. Provided a well-established response matrix and adequate irradiation conditions, the most delicate part of neutron spectrometry, is the unfolding process. The derivation of the spectral information is not simple because the unknown is not given directly as a result of the measurements. The drawbacks associated with traditional unfolding procedures have motivated the need of complementary approaches. Novel methods based on Artificial Intelligence, mainly Artificial Neural Networks, have been widely investigated. In this work, a neutron spectrum unfolding code based on neural nets technology is presented. This code is called Neutron Spectrometry and Dosimetry with Artificial Neural networks unfolding code that was designed in a graphical interface. The core of the code is an embedded neural network architecture previously optimized using the robust design of artificial neural networks methodology. The main features of the code are: easy to use, friendly and intuitive to the user. This code was designed for a Bonner Sphere System based on a 6LiI(Eu) neutron detector and a response matrix expressed in 60 energy bins taken from an International Atomic Energy Agency compilation. The main feature of the code is that as entrance data, for unfolding the neutron spectrum, only seven rate counts measured with seven Bonner spheres are required; simultaneously the code calculates 15 dosimetric quantities as well as the total flux for radiation protection purposes. This code generates a full report with all information of the unfolding in

Effect of proton-conduction in electrolyte on electric efficiency of multi-stage solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Yoshio; Tachikawa, Yuya; Somekawa, Takaaki; Hatae, Toru; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Taniguchi, Shunsuke; Sasaki, Kazunari

2015-07-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising electrochemical devices that enable the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiencies under high operating temperatures. The concept of multi-stage electrochemical oxidation using SOFCs has been proposed and studied over the past several decades for further improving the electrical efficiency. However, the improvement is limited by fuel dilution downstream of the fuel flow. Therefore, evolved technologies are required to achieve considerably higher electrical efficiencies. Here we present an innovative concept for a critically-high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of up to 85% based on the lower heating value (LHV), in which a high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation is combined with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. Switching a solid electrolyte material from a conventional oxide-ion conducting material to a proton-conducting material under the high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation mechanism has proven to be highly advantageous for the electrical efficiency. The DC efficiency of 85% (LHV) corresponds to a net AC efficiency of approximately 76% (LHV), where the net AC efficiency refers to the transmission-end AC efficiency. This evolved concept will yield a considerably higher efficiency with a much smaller generation capacity than the state-of-the-art several tens-of-MW-class most advanced combined cycle (MACC).

Neutron detector development at Brookhaven

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, B.; Harder, J.A.; Mead, J.A.; Radeka, V.; Schaknowski, N.A.; Smith, G.C.

2003-01-01

Two-dimensional thermal neutron detectors have been the subject of research and development at Brookhaven for over 20 years. Based primarily on multi-wire chambers filled with a gas mixture containing 3 He, these detectors have been used in wide-ranging studies of molecular biology and material science samples. At each phase of development, experimenters have sought improvements in key parameters such as position resolution, counting rate, efficiency, solid-angle coverage and stability. A suite of detectors has been developed with sensitive areas ranging from 5x5 to 50x50 cm 2 . These devices incorporate low-noise-position readout and the best position resolution for thermal neutron gas detectors. Recent developments include a 1.5 mx20 cm detector containing multiple segments with continuously sensitive readout, and detectors with unity gain for ultra-high rate capability and long-term stability

AIE-doped poly(ionic liquid) photonic spheres: a single sphere-based customizable sensing platform for the discrimination of multi-analytes† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis and characterization of the AIE luminogen, experimental details, response profiles and results of the multivariate analysis. See DOI: 10.1039/c7sc02409f Click here for additional data file.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wanlin; Gao, Ning; Cui, Jiecheng; Wang, Chen; Wang, Shiqiang; Zhang, Guanxin; Dong, Xiaobiao

2017-01-01

By simultaneously exploiting the unique properties of ionic liquids and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens, as well as photonic structures, a novel customizable sensing system for multi-analytes was developed based on a single AIE-doped poly(ionic liquid) photonic sphere. It was found that due to the extraordinary multiple intermolecular interactions involved in the ionic liquid units, one single sphere could differentially interact with broader classes of analytes, thus generating response patterns with remarkable diversity. Moreover, the optical properties of both the AIE luminogen and photonic structure integrated in the poly(ionic liquid) sphere provide multidimensional signal channels for transducing the involved recognition process in a complementary manner and the acquisition of abundant and sufficient sensing information could be easily achieved on only one sphere sensor element. More importantly, the sensing performance of our poly(ionic liquid) photonic sphere is designable and customizable through a simple ion-exchange reaction and target-oriented multi-analyte sensing can be conveniently realized using a selective receptor species, such as counterions, showing great flexibility and extendibility. The power of our single sphere-based customizable sensing system was exemplified by the successful on-demand detection and discrimination of four multi-analyte challenge systems: all 20 natural amino acids, nine important phosphate derivatives, ten metal ions and three pairs of enantiomers. To further demonstrate the potential of our spheres for real-life application, 20 amino acids in human urine and their 26 unprecedented complex mixtures were also discriminated between by the single sphere-based array. PMID:28989662

Printed freeform lens arrays on multi-core fibers for highly efficient coupling in astrophotonic systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietrich, Philipp-Immanuel; Harris, Robert J; Blaicher, Matthias; Corrigan, Mark K; Morris, Tim M; Freude, Wolfgang; Quirrenbach, Andreas; Koos, Christian

2017-07-24

Coupling of light into multi-core fibers (MCF) for spatially resolved spectroscopy is of great importance to astronomical instrumentation. To achieve high coupling efficiencies along with fill-fractions close to unity, micro-optical elements are required to concentrate the incoming light to the individual cores of the MCF. In this paper we demonstrate facet-attached lens arrays (LA) fabricated by two-photon polymerization. The LA provide close to 100% fill-fraction along with efficiencies of up to 73% (down to 1.4 dB loss) for coupling of light from free space into an MCF core. We show the viability of the concept for astrophotonic applications by integrating an MCF-LA assembly in an adaptive-optics test bed and by assessing its performance as a tip/tilt sensor.

ICSC – Policy for energy saving and increase of efficiency in Russia in the spheres of construction, housing and community amenities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boyarinov Andrey

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Russia’s GDP energy intensity today is approximately 2.5–3.5 times higher than that of economically developed countries. To increase its economic competitive ability, Russia needs to achieve energy efficiency in different spheres, including construction, housing and community amenities. Close examination of implemented management measures and world experience revealed that in order to achieve a further energy efficiency increase Russia needs to boost economic interest of the participants concerned and to form effective mechanisms of economic management, and this should be done along with improvement of administrative governance. The paper focuses on the barriers that hamper economic motivation and provides recommendations for energy efficiency increase. Even partial implementation of suggested measures, in our opinion, will increase energy efficiency in the spheres of construction and housing accommodation, which is illustrated through the example of a residential building located in Yekaterinburg (Russia, Middle Urals.

Neutron spectrometry in mixed fields: characterisation of the Ra-1- reactor workplace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregori, B.; Carelli, J.; Cruzate, J.; Papadopulos, S.

2006-01-01

The characterisation of the neutron spectrum of a workplace is an essential dosimetric tool for improving the assessment of the personal equivalent dose of the workers. In addition, if the operational conditions of the facility are well defined, the set of field spectra obtained may be used as a reference for comparing the performance of different type of neutron detectors. Recently, using a neutron spectrometric system based on a set of moderated spheres with 3 He detector, the characterisation of the neutron spectra in workplaces of the Argentine Reactor No. 1 (R.A. -1) has been carried out. The spectrometric system consists of 12 spheres made of the high density polyethylene d mean δ =0.95 g cm 3 , with diameters between 3'' and 12'' and a proportional counter of 3 He, 4 atm of nominal pressure, Centronic trade mark, located in the centre of the spheres. The neutron response matrix was calculated using the M.C.N.P. -I.V.B. code and E.N.D.F./B-VI library in the energy range between thermal neutron and 100 MeV. The neutron spectrum was unfolded using the M.A.X.E.D. unfolding code. The validation of the spectrometric system was performed at Cea-Cadarache (France) with of 252 Cf, Am Be, and 252 Cf + D 2 O sources. Therefore, in this work, the spectral fluence of the field in the selected points of the facility (R.A.-1) has been presented and the ambient dose equivalent, H *(10), and the personal dose equivalent, Hp(10), have been derived from the neutron fluence, applying ICRP-74 recommended fluence to dose conversion factors. The quantities evaluated have uncertainties less than 15%, which is considered good enough for radiation protection requirements. (authors)

Design and performance of high-pressure PLANET beamline at pulsed neutron source at J-PARC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hattori, T.; Sano-Furukawa, A. [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Quantum Beam Science Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Arima, H. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Komatsu, K. [Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Yamada, A. [University of Shiga Prefecture, Shiga 522-8533 (Japan); Inamura, Y.; Nakatani, T. [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Seto, Y. [Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Nagai, T. [Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan); Utsumi, W. [Quantum Beam Science Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Iitaka, T. [Computational Astrophysics Laboratory, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Kagi, H. [Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Katayama, Y. [Quantum Beam Science Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Inoue, T. [Geodynamic Research Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Otomo, T. [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 205-001 (Japan); Suzuya, K. [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Kamiyama, T. [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 205-001 (Japan); Arai, M. [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Yagi, T. [Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2015-04-21

PLANET is a time-of-flight (ToF) neutron beamline dedicated to high-pressure and high-temperature experiments. The large six-axis multi-anvil high-pressure press designed for ToF neutron diffraction experiments enables routine data collection at high pressures and high temperatures up to 10 GPa and 2000 K, respectively. To obtain clean data, the beamline is equipped with the incident slits and receiving collimators to eliminate parasitic scattering from the high-pressure cell assembly. The high performance of the diffractometer for the resolution (Δd/d~0.6%) and the accessible d-spacing range (0.2–8.4 Å) together with low-parasitic scattering characteristics enables precise structure determination of crystals and liquids under high pressure and temperature conditions.

Design and performance of high-pressure PLANET beamline at pulsed neutron source at J-PARC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, T.; Sano-Furukawa, A.; Arima, H.; Komatsu, K.; Yamada, A.; Inamura, Y.; Nakatani, T.; Seto, Y.; Nagai, T.; Utsumi, W.; Iitaka, T.; Kagi, H.; Katayama, Y.; Inoue, T.; Otomo, T.; Suzuya, K.; Kamiyama, T.; Arai, M.; Yagi, T.

2015-01-01

PLANET is a time-of-flight (ToF) neutron beamline dedicated to high-pressure and high-temperature experiments. The large six-axis multi-anvil high-pressure press designed for ToF neutron diffraction experiments enables routine data collection at high pressures and high temperatures up to 10 GPa and 2000 K, respectively. To obtain clean data, the beamline is equipped with the incident slits and receiving collimators to eliminate parasitic scattering from the high-pressure cell assembly. The high performance of the diffractometer for the resolution (Δd/d~0.6%) and the accessible d-spacing range (0.2–8.4 Å) together with low-parasitic scattering characteristics enables precise structure determination of crystals and liquids under high pressure and temperature conditions

Measurement of the neutron detection efficiency of a 80% absorber-20% scintillating fibers calorimeter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anelli, M.; Bertolucci, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Via E.Fermi 40, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); Bini, C., E-mail: cesare.bini@roma1.infn.i [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Universita di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); Branchini, P. [INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale, 84 I-00146 Roma (Italy); Corradi, G.; Curceanu, C. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Via E.Fermi 40, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); De Zorzi, G.; Di Domenico, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Universita di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); Di Micco, B. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' Roma Tre' , Via della Vasca Navale, 84 I-00146 Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale, 84 I-00146 Roma (Italy); Ferrari, A. [Institute of Safety Research and Institute of Radiation Physics, Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, PF 510119, 01314 Dresden (Germany); Fiore, S. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Universita di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); Gauzzi, P., E-mail: paolo.gauzzi@roma1.infn.i [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Universita di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, P.le A.Moro, 2 I-00185 Roma (Italy); Giovannella, S.; Happacher, F. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Via E.Fermi 40, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); Iliescu, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Via E.Fermi 40, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); ' Horia Hulubei' National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O. Box MG-6 Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); Luca, A.; Martini, M.; Miscetti, S. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Via E.Fermi 40, I-00044 Frascati (Italy)

2011-01-21

The neutron detection efficiency of a sampling calorimeter made of 1 mm diameter scintillating fibers embedded in a lead/bismuth structure has been measured at the neutron beam of The Svedberg Laboratory at Uppsala. A significant enhancement of the detection efficiency with respect to a bulk organic scintillator detector with the same thickness is observed.

Hierarchical FeTiO3-TiO2 hollow spheres for efficient simulated sunlight-driven water oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Taoran; Chen, Yajie; Tian, Guohui; Wang, Jian-Qiang; Ren, Zhiyu; Zhou, Wei; Fu, Honggang

2015-10-14

Oxygen generation is the key step for the photocatalytic overall water splitting and considered to be kinetically more challenging than hydrogen generation. Here, an effective water oxidation catalyst of hierarchical FeTiO3-TiO2 hollow spheres are prepared via a two-step sequential solvothermal processes and followed by thermal treatment. The existence of an effective heterointerface and built-in electric field in the surface space charge region in FeTiO3-TiO2 hollow spheres plays a positive role in promoting the separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. Surface photovoltage, transient-state photovoltage, fluorescence and electrochemical characterization are used to investigate the transfer process of photoinduced charge carriers. The photogenerated charge carriers in the hierarchical FeTiO3-TiO2 hollow spheres with a proper molar ratio display much higher separation efficiency and longer lifetime than those in the FeTiO3 alone. Moreover, it is suggested that the hierarchical porous hollow structure can contribute to the enhancement of light utilization, surface active sites and material transportation through the framework walls. This specific synergy significantly contributes to the remarkable improvement of the photocatalytic water oxidation activity of the hierarchical FeTiO3-TiO2 hollow spheres under simulated sunlight (AM1.5).

Monte carlo calculation of energy-dependent response of high-sensitive neutron monitor, HISENS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imanaka, Tetsuji; Ebisawa, Tohru; Kobayashi, Keiji; Koide, Hiroaki; Seo, Takeshi; Kawano, Shinji

1988-01-01

A highly sensitive neutron monitor system, HISENS, has been developed to measure leakage neutrons from nuclear facilities. The counter system of HISENS contains a detector bank which consists of ten cylindrical proportional counters filled with 10 atm 3 He gas and a paraffin moderator mounted in an aluminum case. The size of the detector bank is 56 cm high, 66 cm wide and 10 cm thick. It is revealed by a calibration experiment using an 241 Am-Be neutron source that the sensitivity of HISENS is about 2000 times as large as that of a typical commercial rem-counter. Since HISENS is designed to have a high sensitivity in a wide range of neutron energy, the shape of its energy dependent response curve cannot be matched to that of the dose equivalent conversion factor. To estimate dose equivalent values from neutron counts by HISENS, it is necessary to know the energy and angular characteristics of both HISENS and the neutron field. The area of one side of the detector bank is 3700 cm 2 and the detection efficiency in the constant region of the response curve is about 30 %. Thus, the sensitivity of HISENS for this energy range is 740 cps/(n/cm 2 /sec). This value indicates the extremely high sensitivity of HISENS as compared with exsisting highly sensitive neutron monitors. (Nogami, K.)

The use of multi-energy-group neutron diffusion theory to numerically evaluate the relative utility of three dial-detector neutron porosity well logging tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zalan, T.A.

1988-01-01

Multi-energy-group neutron diffusion theory is used to numerically evaluate the utility of two different dual-detector neutron porosity logging devices, a 14 MeV (accelerator) neutron source - epithermal neutron detector device and a 4 MeV neutron source - capture gamma-ray detector device, relative to the traditional 4 MeV neutron source - thermal neutron detector device. Fast and epithermal neutron diffusion parameters are calculated using Monte Carlo - derived neutron flux distributions. Thermal parameters are calculated from tabulated cross sections. An existing analytical method to describe the transport of gamma-rays through common earth materials is modified in order to accommodate the modeling of the 4 MeV neutron - capture gamma-ray device. The 14 MeV neutron - epithermal neutron device is found to be less sensitive to porosity than the 4 MeV neutron - capture gamma-ray device, which in turn is found to be less sensitive to porosity than the traditional 4 MeV neutron - thermal neutron device. Salinity effects are found to be comparable for the 4 MeV neutron - capture gamma-ray and 4 MeV neutron - thermal neutron devices. The 4 MeV neutron capture gamma-ray measurement is found to be deepest investigating

A systematic approach to personnel neutron monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, R.V.; Hankins, D.E.

1980-01-01

In selection, calibration and interpretation of personnel neutron dosimeters used in radiation protection, adequate attention is often not given to matching the characteristics of the dosimeter with the quality of the neutron field. A particular concern is the use of albedo detectors which have little energy response similarity to the neutron dose equivalent conversion curve. At the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory we have developed a system for dosimeter calibration and neutron field characterization using Bonner spheres and remmeters. Rapid surveys of the work area with detectors in 3-in and 9-in polyethylene spheres establish a qualitative estimate of spectral variation found in the facility. We also use this data to determine the appropriate albedo dosimeter calibration factors. At several locations representing the spectral range, multisphere spectra measure-ments are made and the spectrum weighted dose equivalent rates calculated. These rates are compared with survey instrument results to establish correction factors for the relative over- or under-response expected from these instruments, particularly in highly moderated neutron fields where remmeters overrespond. We also use the spectral information to determine the appropriateness of dosimeters considered for future use. This technique has been applied at power reactors to provide information valuable to selection of proper personnel dosimeters. We find that the spectral range is sufficiently narrow that albedo detectors can be used with confidence. On the other hand, most of the dose occurs at energies below the effective threshold NTA film. (author)

Development of highly effective neutron shields and neutron absorbing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuda, K.; Matsuda, F.; Taniuchi, H.; Yuhara, T.; Iida, T.

1993-01-01

A wide range of materials, including polymers and hydrogen-occluded alloys that might be usable as the neutron shielding material were examined. And a wide range of materials, including aluminum alloys that might be usable as the neutron-absorbing material were examined. After screening, the candidate material was determined on the basis of evaluation regarding its adaptabilities as a high-performance neutron-shielding and neutron-absorbing material. This candidate material was manufactured for trial, after which material properties tests, neutron-shielding tests and neutron-absorbing tests were carried out on it. The specifications of this material were thus determined. This research has resulted in materials of good performance; a neutron-shielding material based on ethylene propylene rubber and titanium hydride, and a neutron-absorbing material based on aluminum and titanium hydride. (author)

EURISOL-DS Multi-MW Target Neutronic Calculations for the Baseline Configuration of the Multi-MW Target

CERN Document Server

Herrera-Martínez, A

2006-01-01

This document summarises the study performed within the Task #2 of the European Isotope Separation On-Line Radioactive Ion Beam Facility Design Study (EURISOL DS) [1] to design the Multi-MW proton-to-neutron converter. A preliminary study [2] was carried out in order to understand the nature of the interactions taking place in the proton-to-neutron converter and their impact on the design of the facility. Namely, the target dimensions and material composition, type of incident particle, its energy and the beam profile were analysed in the aforementioned technical note, and their optimum values were suggested in the conclusions. The present work is based on the results of the previous study and uses the same methodology, namely Monte Carlo simulations with FLUKA [3]. This note describes the performance of a Hg target design and addresses more detailed issues, such as the composition of the fission target and use of a neutron reflector. It also attempts to integrate those components together and estimate the wh...

A High Temperature-Tolerant and Radiation-Resistant In-Core Neutron Sensor for Advanced Reactors. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Lei [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States); Miller, Don [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)

2015-01-23

The objectives of this project are to develop a small and reliable gallium nitride (GaN) neutron sensor that is capable of withstanding high neutron fluence and high temperature, isolating gamma background, and operating in a wide dynamic range. The first objective will be the understanding of the fundamental materials properties and electronic response of a GaN semiconductor materials and device in an environment of high temperature and intense neutron field. To achieve such goal, an in-situ study of electronic properties of GaN device such as I-V, leakage current, and charge collection efficiency (CCE) in high temperature using an external neutron beam will be designed and implemented. We will also perform in-core irradiation of GaN up to the highest yet fast neutron fluence and an off-line performance evaluation.

A High Temperature-Tolerant and Radiation-Resistant In-Core Neutron Sensor for Advanced Reactors. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Lei; Miller, Don

2015-01-01

The objectives of this project are to develop a small and reliable gallium nitride (GaN) neutron sensor that is capable of withstanding high neutron fluence and high temperature, isolating gamma background, and operating in a wide dynamic range. The first objective will be the understanding of the fundamental materials properties and electronic response of a GaN semiconductor materials and device in an environment of high temperature and intense neutron field. To achieve such goal, an in-situ study of electronic properties of GaN device such as I-V, leakage current, and charge collection efficiency (CCE) in high temperature using an external neutron beam will be designed and implemented. We will also perform in-core irradiation of GaN up to the highest yet fast neutron fluence and an off-line performance evaluation.

An ultracold neutron (UCN) detector with Ti/ sup 6 LiF multi-layer converter and sup 5 sup 8 Ni reflector

CERN Document Server

Maier-Komor, P; Bergmaier, A; Dollinger, G; Paul, S; Petzoldt, G; Schott, W

2002-01-01

High efficient detectors for ultracold neutrons (UCN) must be developed for the new high flux neutron source Forschungsreaktor Muenchen II (FRM II). On silicon PIN diodes 76 mu g/cm sup 2 sup 5 sup 8 Ni was deposited as a UCN reflector. On this 100 double layers of sup n sup a sup t Ti (4.7 mu g/cm sup 2) and sup 6 LiF (1.8 mu g/cm sup 2) were deposited to function as a UCN converter. On top of this, 33 double layers of sup n sup a sup t Ti (3.4 mu g/cm sup 2) and sup 6 LiF (0.92 mu g/cm sup 2) were condensed in addition to provide sensitivity to very low-energy UCN. Finally, 6.0 mu g/cm sup 2 sup n sup a sup t V was deposited to protect the multi-layers. Vanadium has nearly zero optical potential for UCN and thus should not hinder their transmission. Since no expensive isotopes were involved, a source to substrate distance of 24 cm could be chosen, leading to excellent uniformity. The setup designed for deposition under ultrahigh vacuum conditions and the evaporation procedures are described.

The multi-sphere technique. 1 - general characteristics and applications; La technique multisphere. 1 - caracteristiques generales et applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaborcwski, H [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Cadarache (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1965-07-01

A study is made of the general characteristics and the applications of the multisphere technique for flux measurements, dosimetry and the spectrometry of neutron sources ranging from thermal, up to 7 MeV neutrons. We give the equations relating to three fluxmeters (proportional long counters) for the measurements of the flux. Other equations have been derived : 1 - for multi-collision rad and rem dosimetry and first collision rad dosimetry; 2 - for the spectrometry and dosimetry of neutrons in five energy bands using a method similar to that used by threshold detectors. (author) [French] Nous etudions les caracteristiques generales et les applications de la technique multisphere pour les mesures de flux, la dosimetrie et la spectrometrie des sources de neutrons depuis les thermiques jusqu'a 7 MeV. Nous donnons les equations relatives a trois fluxmetres (longs compteurs equivalents) pour les mesures en flux. D'autres equations ont ete derivees: 1 - pour la dosimetrie en rad et en rem de multicollision et en rad de premiere collision; 2 - pour la spectrometrie et la dosimetrie des neutrons en cinq bandes energetiques suivant une methode voisine de celle utilisee par detecteurs a seuil. (auteur)

Spatial distribution of moderated neutrons along a Pb target irradiated by high-energy protons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fragopoulou, M.; Manolopoulou, M.; Stoulos, S.; Brandt, R.; Westmeier, W.; Kulakov, B.A.; Krivopustov, M.I.; Sosnin, A.N.; Debeauvais, M.; Adloff, J.C.; Zamani Valasiadou, M.

2006-01-01

High-energy protons in the range of 0.5-7.4 GeV have irradiated an extended Pb target covered with a paraffin moderator. The moderator was used in order to shift the hard Pb spallation neutron spectrum to lower energies and to increase the transmutation efficiency via (n,γ) reactions. Neutron distributions along and inside the paraffin moderator were measured. An analysis of the experimental results was performed based on particle production by high-energy interactions with heavy targets and neutron spectrum shifting by the paraffin. Conclusions about the spallation neutron production in the target and moderation through the paraffin are presented. The study of the total neutron fluence on the moderator surface as a function of the proton beam energy shows that neutron cost is improved up to 1 GeV. For higher proton beam energies it remains constant with a tendency to decline

Critical Dimensions of Water-tamped Slabs and Spheres of Active Material

Science.gov (United States)

Greuling, E.; Argo, H.: Chew, G.; Frankel, M. E.; Konopinski, E.J.; Marvin, C.; Teller, E.

1946-08-06

The magnitude and distribution of the fission rate per unit area produced by three energy groups of moderated neutrons reflected from a water tamper into one side of an infinite slab of active material is calculated approximately in section II. This rate is directly proportional to the current density of fast neutrons from the active material incident on the water tamper. The critical slab thickness is obtained in section III by solving an inhomogeneous transport integral equation for the fast-neutron current density into the tamper. Extensive use is made of the formulae derived in "The Mathematical Development of the End-Point Method" by Frankel and Goldberg. In section IV slight alterations in the theory outlined in sections II and III were made so that one could approximately compute the critical radius of a water-tamper sphere of active material. The derived formulae were applied to calculate the critical dimensions of water-tamped slabs and spheres of solid UF{sub 6} leaving various (25) isotope enrichment fractions. Decl. Dec. 16, 1955.

Neutronics of pulsed spallation neutron sources

CERN Document Server

Watanabe, N

2003-01-01

Various topics and issues on the neutronics of pulsed spallation neutron sources, mainly for neutron scattering experiments, are reviewed to give a wide circle of readers a better understanding of these sources in order to achieve a high neutronic performance. Starting from what neutrons are needed, what the spallation reaction is and how to produce slow-neutrons more efficiently, the outline of the target and moderator neutronics are explained. Various efforts with some new concepts or ideas have already been devoted to obtaining the highest possible slow-neutron intensity with desired pulse characteristics. This paper also reviews the recent progress of such efforts, mainly focused on moderator neutronics, since moderators are the final devices of a neutron source, which determine the source performance. Various governing parameters for neutron-pulse characteristics such as material issues, geometrical parameters (shape and dimensions), the target-moderator coupling scheme, the ortho-para-hydrogen ratio, po...

Status of the neutron detector NeuLAND in 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miki, Kenjiro; Caesar, Christoph; Scheit, Heiko [IKP, TU-Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Aumann, Thomas [IKP, TU-Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); GSI, Darmstadt (Germany); Boretzky, Konstanze; Heil, Michael; Simon, Haik [GSI, Darmstadt (Germany); Gasparic, Igor [RBI, Zagreb (Croatia); Collaboration: R3B-Collaboration

2015-07-01

We report on the present status of the new neutron detector NeuLAND designed for the R3B facility at FAIR. The NeuLAND is a segmented large-volume plastic scintillation detector with a designed volume of 2.5(width) x 2.5(height) x 30 (depth) m{sup 3}, which will provide high efficiency, good timing resolution and high multi-neutron resolving power. Ten planes of scintillator walls, corresponding to the depth of 0.5 m, have been constructed and tested so far. The performance of this NeuLAND demonstrator was studied with fast neutrons from heavy-ion beams in GSI. The {sup 48}Ca, {sup 58}Ni and {sup 236,238}U beams with incident energies from 400 to 800 MeV/u were impinged on C, Pb, or U target, and neutrons produced around 0 degrees were detected by the NeuLAND. Neutron hit distributions were obtained for one and multiple neutron events, allowing us for detailed response studies. An excellent timing resolution of typically 150 psec (σ) was determined online. The presentation includes the detailed explanation of the experimental setups and obtained results. The outlook comprises further NeuLAND construction and data taking during the next year.

The response of a Bonner sphere spectrometer to charged hadrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agosteo, S.; Dimovasili, E.; Fasso, A.; Silari, M.

2004-01-01

Bonner sphere spectrometers (BSSs) are employed in neutron spectrometry and dosimetry since many years. Recent developments have seen the addition to a conventional BSS of one or more detectors (moderator plus thermal neutron counter) specifically designed to improve the overall response of the spectrometer to neutrons above 10 MeV. These additional detectors employ a shell of material with a high mass number (such as lead) within the polyethylene moderator, in order to slow down high-energy neutrons via (n,xn) reactions. A BSS can be used to measure neutron spectra both outside accelerator shielding and from an unshielded target. Measurements were recently performed at CERN of the neutron yield and spectral fluence at various angles from unshielded, semi-thick copper, silver and lead targets, bombarded by a mixed proton/pion beam with 40 GeV per c momentum. These experiments have provided evidence that under certain circumstances, the use of lead-enriched moderators may present a problem: these detectors were found to have a significant response to the charged hadron component accompanying the neutrons emitted from the target. Conventional polyethylene moderators show a similar behaviour but less pronounced. These secondary hadrons interact with the moderator and generate neutrons, which are in turn detected by the counter. To investigate this effect and determine a correction factor to be applied to the unfolding procedure, a series of Monte Carlo simulations were performed with the FLUKA code. These simulations aimed at determining the response of the BSS to charged hadrons under the specific experimental situation. Following these results, a complete response matrix of the extended BSS to charged pions and protons was calculated with FLUKA. An experimental verification was carried out with a 120 GeV per c hadron beam at the CERF facility at CERN. (authors)

The response of a bonner sphere spectrometer to charged hadrons.

Science.gov (United States)

Agosteo, S; Dimovasili, E; Fassò, A; Silari, M

2004-01-01

Bonner sphere spectrometers (BSSs) are employed in neutron spectrometry and dosimetry since many years. Recent developments have seen the addition to a conventional BSS of one or more detectors (moderator plus thermal neutron counter) specifically designed to improve the overall response of the spectrometer to neutrons above 10 MeV. These additional detectors employ a shell of material with a high mass number (such as lead) within the polyethylene moderator, in order to slow down high-energy neutrons via (n,xn) reactions. A BSS can be used to measure neutron spectra both outside accelerator shielding and from an unshielded target. Measurements were recently performed at CERN of the neutron yield and spectral fluence at various angles from unshielded, semi-thick copper, silver and lead targets, bombarded by a mixed proton/pion beam with 40 GeV per c momentum. These experiments have provided evidence that under certain circumstances, the use of lead-enriched moderators may present a problem: these detectors were found to have a significant response to the charged hadron component accompanying the neutrons emitted from the target. Conventional polyethylene moderators show a similar behaviour but less pronounced. These secondary hadrons interact with the moderator and generate neutrons, which are in turn detected by the counter. To investigate this effect and determine a correction factor to be applied to the unfolding procedure, a series of Monte Carlo simulations were performed with the FLUKA code. These simulations aimed at determining the response of the BSS to charged hadrons under the specific experimental situation. Following these results, a complete response matrix of the extended BSS to charged pions and protons was calculated with FLUKA. An experimental verification was carried out with a 120 GeV per c hadron beam at the CERF facility at CERN.

Optimization of artificial neural networks for the reconstruction of the neutrons spectrum and their equivalent doses; Optimizacion de redes neuronales artificiales para la reconstruccion del espectro de neutrones y sus dosis equivalentes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes A, A.; Ortiz R, J. M.; Reyes H, A.; Castaneda M, R.; Solis S, L. O.; Vega C, H. R., E-mail: art8291@hotmail.com [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Ingenieria Electrica, Av. Lopez Velarde No. 801, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2014-08-15

In this work was used the robust design methodology of artificial neural networks to determine a good topology of net able to solve with efficiency the problems of neutrons spectrometry and dosimetry. For the design of the topology of optimized net 36 different net architectures based on an orthogonal arrangement with a configuration L{sub 9}(3{sup 4}), L{sub 4}(3{sup 2}) were trained. For the training of the neural networks, was used a computer code developed in the ambient of Mat lab programming, which automates the process and analysis of the information, reducing the time used in this activity considerably for the investigator. For the training of the propagation nets forward was utilized a neutrons spectrum compendium published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, where of the total 80% was used for the training and 20% for the test, it trained with an inverse propagation algorithm being the entrance data the count rates corresponding to the 7 spheres of the spectrometric system of Bonner spheres, as exit data, the neural network obtains the neutrons spectrum expressed in 60 energy groups and are calculated of simultaneous way 15 dosimetric quantities. (Author)

An efficient and cost-effective microchannel plate detector for slow neutron radiography

Science.gov (United States)

Wiggins, B. B.; Vadas, J.; Bancroft, D.; deSouza, Z. O.; Huston, J.; Hudan, S.; Baxter, D. V.; deSouza, R. T.

2018-05-01

A novel approach for efficiently imaging objects with slow neutrons in two dimensions is realized. Neutron sensitivity is achieved by use of a boron doped microchannel plate (MCP). The resulting electron avalanche is further amplified with a Z-stack MCP before being sensed by two orthogonally oriented wire planes. Coupling of the wire planes to delay lines efficiently encodes the position information as a time difference. To determine the position resolution, slow neutrons were used to illuminate a Cd-mask placed directly in front of the detector. Peaks in the resulting spectrum exhibited an average peak width of 329 μm FWHM, corresponding to an average intrinsic resolution of 216 μm. The center region of the detector exhibits a significantly better spatial resolution with an intrinsic resolution of <100 μm observed.

The importance of anisotropic scattering in high energy neutron transport problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prillinger, G.; Mattes, M.

1984-01-01

To describe the highly anisotropic scattering of very fast neutrons adequately the transport code ANISN has been improved. Fokker-Planck terms have been introduced into the transport equation which accurately describe the small changes in energy and angle. The new code has been tested for a d(50)-Be neutron source in a deep penetration iron problem. The influence of the forward peaked elastic scattering on the fast neutron spectrum is shown to be significant and can be handled efficiently in the new ANISN version. Since common cross-section libraries are limited by Legendre expansion, or by their upper energy boundary, or exclude elastic scattering above 20 MeV a special library has been created. (Auth.)

High-speed motion neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bossi, R.H.; Barton, J.P.; Robinson, A.H.

1982-01-01

A system has been developed to perform neutron radiographic analysis of dynamic events having a duration of several milliseconds. The system has been operated in the range of 2000 to 10,000 frames. Synchronization has provided high-speed motion neutron radiographs for evaluation of the firing cycles of 7.62-mm munition rounds within a thick steel rifle barrel. The system has also been used to demonstrate its ability to produce neutron radiographic movies of two-phase flow. The equipment includes a TRIGA reactor capable of pulsing to a peak power of 3000 MW, a neutron beam collimator, a scintillator neutron conversion screen coupled to an image intensifier, and a 16-mm high-speed movie camera. The peak neutron flux incident at the object position is about 4 X 10 11 n/cm 2 X s with a pulse, full-width at half-maximum, of 9 ms. Modulation transfer function techniques have been used to assist optimization of the system performance. Special studies have been performed on the scintillator conversion screens and on the effects of statistical limitations on information availability

MIMO processing based on higher-order Poincaré spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Gil M.; Muga, Nelson J.; Pinto, Armando N.

2017-08-01

A multi-input multi-output (MIMO) algorithm based on higher-order Poincaré spheres is demonstrated for space-division multiplexing (SDM) systems. The MIMO algorithm is modulation format agnostic, robust to frequency offset and does not require training sequences. In this approach, the space-multiplexed signal is decomposed in sets of two tributary signals, with each set represented in a higher-order Poincaré sphere. For any arbitrary complex modulation format, the samples of two tributaries can be represented in a given higher-order Poincaré sphere with a symmetry plane. The crosstalk along propagation changes the spatial orientation of this plane and, therefore, it can be compensated by computing and realigning the best fit plane. We show how the transmitted signal can be successfully recovered using this procedure for all possible combinations of tributaries. Moreover, we analyze the convergence speed for the MIMO technique considering several optical-to-noise ratios.

Scintillation neutron detector with dynamic threshold