Use of the HPI Model 2080 pulsed neutron detector at the LANSCE complex - vulnerabilities and counting statistics
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Amparo Corp., Sante Fe, NM (United States)
The BPI Model 2080 Pulsed Neutron Detector has been used for over seven years as an area radiation monitor and dose limiter at the LANSCE accelerator complex. Operating experience and changing environments over this time have revealed several vulnerabilities (susceptibility to electrical noise, paralysis in high dose rate fields, etc.). Identified vulnerabilities have been connected; these modifications include component replacement and circuit design changes. The data and experiments leading to these modifications will be presented and discussed. Calibration of the instrument is performed in mixed static gamma and neutron source fields. The statistical characteristics of the Geiger-Muller tubes coupled with significantly different sensitivity to gamma and neutron doses require that careful attention be paid to acceptable fluctuations in dose rate over time during calibration. The performance of the instrument has been modeled using simple Poisson statistics and the operating characteristics of the Geiger-Muller tubes. The results are in excellent agreement with measurements. The analysis and comparison with experimental data will be presented.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 420374
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-96-3596; CONF-970134-13; ON: DE97001660; TRN: 98:008269
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 30. midyear topical meeting of the Health Physics Society, San Jose, CA (United States), 5-8 Jan 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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