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Title: Neutron Transport Characteristics of a Nuclear Reactor Based Dynamic Neutron Imaging System

Abstract

An advanced dynamic neutron imaging system has been constructed in the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) for nondestructive testing and multi-phase flow studies in energy and environmental applications. A high quality neutron beam is required with a thermal neutron flux greater than 5.0 x 10{sup 6} n/cm{sup 2}-s and a collimation ratio of 120 at image plane to promote high-speed neutron imaging up to 2000 frames per second. Neutron source strength and neutron transport have been experimentally and numerically investigated. Neutron source strength at the beam tube entrance was evaluated experimentally by measuring the thermal and fast neutron fluxes, and simple analytical neutron transport calculations were performed based upon these measured neutron fluxes to predict facility components in accordance with high-speed dynamic neutron imaging and operation safety requirements. Monte-Carlo simulations (using MCNP-4B code) with multiple neutron energy groups have also been used to validate neutron beam parameters and to ensure shielding capabilities of facility shutter and cave walls. Neutron flux distributions at the image plane and the neutron beam characteristics were experimentally measured by irradiating a two-dimensional array of Copper foils and using a real-time neutron radiography system. The neutron image characteristics -- such as neutron flux, image size, beam qualitymore » -- measured experimentally and predicted numerically for beam tube, beam shutter and radiography cave are compared and discussed in detail in this paper. The experimental results show that thermal neutron flux at image plane is nearly uniform over an imaging area of 20.0-cm diameter and its magnitude ranges from 8.0 x 10{sup 6} - 1.0 x 10{sup 7} n/cm{sup 2}-sec while the neutron-to-gamma ratio is 6.0 x 10{sup 5} n/cm{sup 2}-{mu}Sv. (authors)« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L9 (Canada)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
The ASME Foundation, Inc., Three Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990 (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
20995602
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 14. international conference on nuclear engineering (ICONE 14), Miami, FL (United States), 17-20 Jul 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; COPPER; DISTRIBUTION; FAST NEUTRONS; IMAGES; MONTE CARLO METHOD; NEUTRON BEAMS; NEUTRON FLUX; NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY; NEUTRON SOURCES; NEUTRON TRANSPORT; OPERATION; REACTORS; SAFETY; SHIELDING; SHUTTERS; THERMAL NEUTRONS; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS

Citation Formats

Khaial, Anas M, Harvel, Glenn D, and Chang, Jen-Shih. Neutron Transport Characteristics of a Nuclear Reactor Based Dynamic Neutron Imaging System. United States: N. p., 2006. Web.
Khaial, Anas M, Harvel, Glenn D, & Chang, Jen-Shih. Neutron Transport Characteristics of a Nuclear Reactor Based Dynamic Neutron Imaging System. United States.
Khaial, Anas M, Harvel, Glenn D, and Chang, Jen-Shih. 2006. "Neutron Transport Characteristics of a Nuclear Reactor Based Dynamic Neutron Imaging System". United States.
@article{osti_20995602,
title = {Neutron Transport Characteristics of a Nuclear Reactor Based Dynamic Neutron Imaging System},
author = {Khaial, Anas M and Harvel, Glenn D and Chang, Jen-Shih},
abstractNote = {An advanced dynamic neutron imaging system has been constructed in the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) for nondestructive testing and multi-phase flow studies in energy and environmental applications. A high quality neutron beam is required with a thermal neutron flux greater than 5.0 x 10{sup 6} n/cm{sup 2}-s and a collimation ratio of 120 at image plane to promote high-speed neutron imaging up to 2000 frames per second. Neutron source strength and neutron transport have been experimentally and numerically investigated. Neutron source strength at the beam tube entrance was evaluated experimentally by measuring the thermal and fast neutron fluxes, and simple analytical neutron transport calculations were performed based upon these measured neutron fluxes to predict facility components in accordance with high-speed dynamic neutron imaging and operation safety requirements. Monte-Carlo simulations (using MCNP-4B code) with multiple neutron energy groups have also been used to validate neutron beam parameters and to ensure shielding capabilities of facility shutter and cave walls. Neutron flux distributions at the image plane and the neutron beam characteristics were experimentally measured by irradiating a two-dimensional array of Copper foils and using a real-time neutron radiography system. The neutron image characteristics -- such as neutron flux, image size, beam quality -- measured experimentally and predicted numerically for beam tube, beam shutter and radiography cave are compared and discussed in detail in this paper. The experimental results show that thermal neutron flux at image plane is nearly uniform over an imaging area of 20.0-cm diameter and its magnitude ranges from 8.0 x 10{sup 6} - 1.0 x 10{sup 7} n/cm{sup 2}-sec while the neutron-to-gamma ratio is 6.0 x 10{sup 5} n/cm{sup 2}-{mu}Sv. (authors)},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20995602}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006},
month = {Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006}
}

Conference:
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