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{sup 3}He Replacement for Nuclear Safeguards Applications- an integrated test program to compare alternative neutron detectors

Abstract

During the past several years, the demand for {sup 3}He gas has far exceeded the gas supply. This shortage of {sup 3}He gas is projected to continue into the foreseeable future. There is a need for alternative neutron detectors that do not require {sup 3}He gas. For more than four decades, neutron detection has played a fundamental role in the safeguarding and control of nuclear materials at production facilities, fabrication plants and storage sites worldwide. Neutron measurements for safeguards applications have requirements that are unique to the quantitative assay of special nuclear materials. These neutron systems measure the neutron multiplicity distributions from each spontaneous fission and/or induced fission event. The neutron time correlation counting requires that two or more neutrons from a single fission event be detected. The doubles and triples neutron counting rate depends on the detector efficiency to the 2nd and 3rd power, respectively, so low efficiency systems will not work for the coincidence measurements, and any detector instabilities are greatly amplified. In the current test program, we will measure the alternative detector properties including efficiency, die-away time, multiplicity precision, gamma sensitivity, dead-time, and we will also consider the detector properties that would allow commercial production to safeguards  More>>
Authors:
Menlove, H. O.; Henzlova, D.; Evans, L. G.; Swinhoe, M. T.; Marlow, J. B. [1] 
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Safeguards Science and Technology Group, Los Alamos, (United States)
Publication Date:
Dec 15, 2011
Product Type:
Journal Article
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: ESARDA Bulletin; Journal Volume: 46
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; ATOMIC ENERGY CONTROL; GAS TRACK DETECTORS; HELIUM 3; NEUTRON DETECTORS; PRR REACTOR; RADIATION DETECTORS; SAFEGUARDS
OSTI ID:
22129283
Country of Origin:
Italy
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: ISSN 0392-3029; TRN: IT1300124084406
Availability:
Available from https://esarda.jrc.ec.europa.eu/images//Bulletin/Files/B_2011_046.pdf
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
page(s) 12-19
Announcement Date:
Sep 19, 2013

Citation Formats

Menlove, H. O., Henzlova, D., Evans, L. G., Swinhoe, M. T., and Marlow, J. B. {sup 3}He Replacement for Nuclear Safeguards Applications- an integrated test program to compare alternative neutron detectors. Italy: N. p., 2011. Web.
Menlove, H. O., Henzlova, D., Evans, L. G., Swinhoe, M. T., & Marlow, J. B. {sup 3}He Replacement for Nuclear Safeguards Applications- an integrated test program to compare alternative neutron detectors. Italy.
Menlove, H. O., Henzlova, D., Evans, L. G., Swinhoe, M. T., and Marlow, J. B. 2011. "{sup 3}He Replacement for Nuclear Safeguards Applications- an integrated test program to compare alternative neutron detectors." Italy.
@misc{etde_22129283,
title = {{sup 3}He Replacement for Nuclear Safeguards Applications- an integrated test program to compare alternative neutron detectors}
author = {Menlove, H. O., Henzlova, D., Evans, L. G., Swinhoe, M. T., and Marlow, J. B.}
abstractNote = {During the past several years, the demand for {sup 3}He gas has far exceeded the gas supply. This shortage of {sup 3}He gas is projected to continue into the foreseeable future. There is a need for alternative neutron detectors that do not require {sup 3}He gas. For more than four decades, neutron detection has played a fundamental role in the safeguarding and control of nuclear materials at production facilities, fabrication plants and storage sites worldwide. Neutron measurements for safeguards applications have requirements that are unique to the quantitative assay of special nuclear materials. These neutron systems measure the neutron multiplicity distributions from each spontaneous fission and/or induced fission event. The neutron time correlation counting requires that two or more neutrons from a single fission event be detected. The doubles and triples neutron counting rate depends on the detector efficiency to the 2nd and 3rd power, respectively, so low efficiency systems will not work for the coincidence measurements, and any detector instabilities are greatly amplified. In the current test program, we will measure the alternative detector properties including efficiency, die-away time, multiplicity precision, gamma sensitivity, dead-time, and we will also consider the detector properties that would allow commercial production to safeguards scale assay systems. This last step needs to be accomplished before the proposed technologies can reduce the demand on {sup 3}He gas in the safeguards world. This paper will present the methodology that includes MCNPX simulations for comparing divergent detector types such as {sup 10}B lined proportional counters with {sup 3}He gas based systems where the performance metrics focus on safeguards applications.}
journal = []
volume = {46}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Italy}
year = {2011}
month = {Dec}
}