Development of a 6LiF/ZnS-based Neutron Multiplicity Counter

Conference · Thu Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2015.7581917· OSTI ID:1334888

Stave, Sean C.; Behling, Richard S.; Bernacki, Bruce E.; Bliss, Mary; Cowles, Christian C.; Kouzes, Richard T.; Lintereur, Azaree; Robinson, Sean M.; Siciliano, Edward R.

Abstract–Neutron multiplicity counters are used in safeguards to provide rapid assay of samples which contain an unknown amount of plutonium in a potentially unknown configuration. A project at PNNL is using regular and nickel-quenched 6LiF/ZnS neutron-scintillator sheets and wavelength shifting plastic for light pipes in place of 3He. A combination of laboratory and modeling work predicts a LiF/ZnS-based system to be able to match or exceed the performance of the best 3He-based systems available. Also, the Ni-quenched material is expected to allow for improved neutron/gamma-ray discrimination at twice the event rate relative to the non-Ni-quenched LiF/ZnS. A new system based on the LiF/ZnS material is under construction and components are being used to optimize the detection efficiency and neutron/gamma-ray discrimination properties. Components of the new system are partially constructed and undergoing performance testing utilizing high-speed digitizers with field programmable gate arrays to perform the neutron/gamma-ray discrimination. The expected performance of the full-scale system is expected to be nearly the same as for 3He-based systems and is due for completion in 2016.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1334888
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-114809; DN2001000
• Resource Relation: Conference: IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC 2015), October 31-November 7, 2015
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English