Neutron detection based on superheated materials

Conference · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

OSTI ID:6872098

Sisk, D R; Swinth, K L ^[1]; Apfel, R E ^[2]

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1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
2. Apfel Enterprises Inc., New Haven, CT (US)

The environmental and radiation responses of the Active Personnel Dosimeter/Superheated Drop Detector (APD/SDD) combination have been evaluated at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy's Neutron Measurement and Evaluation Program. This paper provides results of the evaluation and discusses possible improvements for the current system. Radiation detection based on the radiation sensitivity of superheated liquids has been studied for some time. A liquid is superheated if it exists as a liquid at a temperature-pressure state normally associated with the vapor phase of that material. The liquid does not vaporize because there are no bubble nucleation sits in the sample. These sites usually exist in microscopic cracks on solid container surfaces, in crevices of imperfectly wetted solid particles suspended in the liquid, or as a result of the radiation-matter interaction producing a microbubble that is large enough for bubble growth to be thermodynamically favorable. By suspending small drops of superheated liquid in an immiscible, inert, impurity-free medium, potential for bubble nucleation by the first two mechanisms is eliminated. Therefore, each drop becomes a miniature radiation detector.

• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6872098
• Report Number(s): CONF-900143--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Journal Volume: 37:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Control Systems
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
440102* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Radiation Dosemeters
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
654003 -- Radiation & Shielding Physics-- Neutron Interactions with Matter
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
BATTELLE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORIES
BUBBLES
DETECTION
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
DOSES
DOSIMETRY
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
HEATING
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
INTERACTIONS
LIQUIDS
MATTER
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DOSIMETRY
NUCLEAR SUPERHEATING
PERSONNEL DOSIMETRY
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DOSES
SUPERHEATING
THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSIMETRY
TRANSDUCERS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS