Progress in commissioning a neutron/X-ray radiography and tomography systems at IAEA NSIL

Abstract

The Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory (NSIL) is currently establishing a Neutron Science Facility (NSF) based on two compact neutron generators: Deuterium-Deuterium (DD), resulting in 2.45 MeV neutrons, and Deuterium-Tritium (DT), resulting in 14.1 MeV neutrons, with maximum source intensities up to 5 × 106 n/s and 4 × 108 n/s over 4π, respectively. Neutron/X-ray radiography and tomography are two of the applications the NSF will be equipped with. In this paper, we report the state of the radiography and tomography system, and the neutron/X-ray radiography and tomography experiments we performed. Good radiographs and tomographs are obtained with X-ray. The spatial resolution of the X-ray radiography system is measured to be about 0.1 mm. The thermal neutron radiographs and fast neutron radiographs have proved that the DD neutron generator will be beneficial to demonstrate neutron radiography capabilities for educational purposes. Additionally, the detail of the collimator optimization of the DD neutron radiography was presented.

Design of Neutron Activation and Radiography Facilities Based on DD Generator

“…Of all irradiation chambers, fast neutrons comprise no more than 20% of all neutrons travelling through the chambers. This indicates the efficiency of high-density polyethylene in moderating fast neutrons [16][17]. Figure 8 illustrate the spatial distribution of neutrons in the room with radial beam tube while Figure 9 displays the energy distribution at the end of the radial beam tube.…”