Performance evaluation of a combined neutron and x-ray digital imaging system

Abstract

A neutron and X-ray combined computed tomography system (NXCT) has been developed 1 at the Missouri University of Science & Technology. It is believed that it will provide a superior method for non-destructive testing and evaluation. The system is housed within the Missouri University of Science & Technology Reactor (MSTR) and is the first such imaging platform and synthesis method to be developed. The system utilizes neutrons obtained directly from the reactor core and X-rays an X-ray generator. Characterization of the newly developed digital imaging system is imperative to the performance evaluation, as well as for describing the associated parameters. The preliminary evaluation of the NXCT system was performed in terms of image uniformity, linearity and spatial resolution. Additionally, the correlation between the applied beam intensity, the resulting image quality, and the system sensitivity was investigated. The combined neutron/X-ray digital imaging system was evaluated in terms of performance parameters and results are detailed. The MTF of the X-ray imaging module was calculated using the Edge method. The spatial frequency at 10% of the MTF was found to be 8 lp/mm, which is in agreement with the value of 8.5 lp/mm determined from the square wave response method. The highest detective quantum efficiency of the X-ray imaging module was found to be 0.13. Furthermore, the NPS spectrum for the neutron imaging module was also evaluated in a similar way as the X-ray imaging module. In order to improve the image quality of the neutron imaging module, a pin-hole mask phantom was used to correct the geometrical non-linearity of the delay line anode readout. The non-linearity correction of the delay line anode readout has been shown through the corrected images of perforated cadmium strip and electroformed phantom.

Local liquid velocity measurement in trickle bed reactors (TBRs) using the x-ray digital industrial radiography (DIR) technique

“…Figure 2(b) shows the plotted profile line which shows 28% difference between the two peaks (figure 2(c)).Here, 20% of the modulation (MTF 20% ) was 6.25 l p/mm (11D). This finding is in agreement with those published by bothYagi et al (2004) and Teledyne Rad-icon Imaging Corp (2013) for MTF 20% Sinha et al (2013). found the MTF to be between 8 and 8.5 lp mm −1 at MTF 10% .…”

“…The measured MTF 20% values suggest that the setup enabled the smallest discernible object to be between 80 and 100 μm. More detailed, quantitative evaluations on the same detector model, such as the noise power spectrum (NPS) and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) have been published previously(Sinha et al 2013, Yagi et al 2004, Teledyne Rad-icon Imaging Corp 2013.…”