A dual-parameter multichannel analyzer using a personal computer

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.31096· OSTI ID:5781550

Akimoto, T; Murai, I; Chaki, S; Ogawa, Y; Shoji, I

The design of a practical system for measuring two-parameter signals is reported. To obtain constantly changing energy spectra of nuclear reactor assemblies due to repeated insertion of pulsed neutron sources, the simultaneous acquisition of time and energy data are needed. A computer-based dual-parameter multichannel pulse-height analyzer (MCA) has been developed; it employs a personal computer, two analog-to-digital converters (ADC's), and a parallel interface board for handling these signals. The system showed excellent performance characteristics with a minimum data processing time of about 14 /mu/s; a maximum conversion gain of 2/sup 18/ channels (for example, 512 x 512 ch); a count capacity of 2/sup 32/-1/ch(2/sup 16/-1/ch at 512 x 512 ch); and the time required for graphic display of approximately 3 s/2/sup 16/ dots (contour display) or about 0.1 s/(2/sup 16//16) dots (isometric display). Large data arrays were handled dynamically with a segment register. The data processing speed was improved by transferring the data from the ADC to the central processing unit (CPU) in 16-bit words and simultaneously reading the status flag and the data. The graphic display process was speeded up by writing the data bit corresponding to the locations directly into the graphic video random access memory (VRAM). The system is simple to operate, and by changing the memory size and coincidence resolution time by software operations, it is highly flexible.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (USA). Dept. of Biology
• OSTI ID: 5781550
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States), Vol. 36:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
MULTI-CHANNEL ANALYZERS
DESIGN
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR MONITORING SYSTEMS
ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTERS
COMPUTER GRAPHICS
DATA PROCESSING
DISPLAY DEVICES
ENERGY SPECTRA
NEUTRON SOURCES
PERSONAL COMPUTERS
COMPUTERS
DIGITAL COMPUTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
MICROCOMPUTERS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PARTICLE SOURCES
POWER PLANTS
PROCESSING
PULSE ANALYZERS
RADIATION SOURCES
REACTORS
SPECTRA
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
220400* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Control Systems
220300 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements