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Title: Accelerating fissile material detection with a neutron source

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1632545

A method of discriminating fissile material from non-fissile material with a digital data acquisition system that collects data at high rate, and processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detect excess grouped neutrons to identify fission. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and inducing neutron emission therefrom, and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple of less than one part per million. A neutron count histogram and Poisson count distribution are overlaid to provide a visual indication of the difference in correlation of natural and induced emitted neutrons from the radiation source to characterize the neutron source as fissile material or non-fissile material.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC52-07NA273
Assignee:
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (Livermore, CA)
Patent Number(s):
10,557,950
Application Number:
15/865,099
OSTI ID:
1632545
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 01/08/2018
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (5)