Prompt Neutron Multiplicity Measurements with Portable Detectors
Mobile detection of kilogram quantities of special nuclear materials (SNM) during maritime transportation is a challenging problem for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Counting neutrons emitted by the SNM and partitioning them from background neutrons of multiple origins is the most effective passive means of detecting the SNM. Unfortunately, neutron detection, counting, and partitioning in a maritime environment is complex due to the presence of spallation neutrons (commonly known as “ship effect”) and to the complicated nature of the neutron scattering in that environment. This work studied the possibilities of building a prototype neutron detector using boron- 10 (10B) as the converter in a novel form factor called “straws” that would address the above problem by examining multiplicity distributions of neutrons originating from a fissioning source. Currently, commercially manufactured fission meters (FM) are available that separate cosmic neutrons from non-cosmic neutrons and quantitatively determine the strength of a fissioning source; however, these FMs use 3He, which is becoming increasingly difficult to procure; also the size and weight of a commercial FM is not conducive to manual neutron detection operations in a maritime environment. The current project may provide a near-term solution to the crisis that has arisen from the global scarcity of 3He by offering a viable alternative to the FM. The prototype detector provides a large-area, efficient, lightweight, more granular neutron responsive detection surface (to facilitate imaging) to ease the application of the new FMs. A novel prototype fission meter is being designed at National Security Technologies, LLC, using a thin uniform coating of 10B as neutron converter (only 1 micron thick) inside a large array of thin (4 mm diameter) copper tubes. The copper tubes are only 2-mil thick, and each holds the stretched anode wire under tension and high voltage. The tubes are filled with proportional counter gas (a mixture of 90% Ar and 10% CO2). The tubes operate in proportional counter mode and attract mobile charged particles (alpha-particles) created in the nuclear interaction 10B(n, a)7Li. Several MCNPX calculations covering the substantial design parameter space of neutron multiplicity detectors have been performed and are presented. Our detector’s thermal neutron detection efficiency is compared to two Ortec commercial products, the Fission Meter and Detective-EX. Pulse height spectra originating from the charged particles created in the nuclear reaction 10B(n, a) 7Li* + 2.310 MeV (94%) – excited state (1) and 10B(n, a) 7Li + 2.792 MeV (6%) – ground state (2) are examined, and the response to incident gamma rays are demonstrated.
- Research Organization:
- Nevada Test Site (NTS), Mercury, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC52-06NA25946
- OSTI ID:
- 1055657
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/25946-1270
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the SPIE, Vol. 8142, Issue 1; Conference: SPIE Conference; August 21-25, 2011; San Diego, CA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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