Research and Development of a Non-Destructive Inspection Technique with a Compact Neutron Source

Abstract

Neutrons have the power to penetrate metals or heavy elements such as calcium, silicon, and iron. Neutrons also have high sensitivity, so they can be used to detect elements such as boron and chlorine. An accelerator-driven, compact neutron system has been developed in RIKEN for practical use on job sites.In this paper, a pixel imaging detector for fast neutrons with energy levels above 1 MeV is developed and used to produce images of an iron rod and air pockets through 30 cm of concrete. Also, the salt concentrations of 4 cm- and 5 cm-thick mortar blocks are measured, and a correlation diagram is obtained for up to 1 kg/m3.

High-Definition Pulsed Neutron Imaging with High-Frame-Rate Camera Using Center-of-Gravity and Super-Resolution Processing for Bright Spots from Image Intensifier

“…The RIKEN accelerator-driven compact neutron source (RANS) is one of the first compact neutron sources that has been developed especially for practical industrial use in the field of manufacturing and non-destructive inspections on-site [6]. RANS generates pulsed neutrons from a Be (p, n) reaction with 7 MeV and 100 A proton beams.…”

Nondestructive Measurement Method to Detect Water/Void inside Slabs using Compact Neutron Source by Backscattered Neutrons

“…In the conventional nondestructive inspection method using neutron transmission, the sample should be interposed between a neutron source and a detector (de Beer et al 2004;Justnes et al 1994;Kawabata et al 2004;Otake et al 2017). however, the applicable environment is limited.…”

Study of a collimation method as a nondestructive diagnostic diagnostic technique by PGNAA for salt distribution in concrete structures at RANS

“…Non-destructive technique without core sampling is desirable to assay many structures. To meet the demand, we have started the development of on-site non-destructive technique for salt distribution in concrete by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) at the RIKEN acceleratordriven compact neutron source (RANS) [5]. So far, we have experimentally confirmed that RANS provides suitable neutron fluxes to detect small enough amounts of chlorine within the marginal concentration of around 1.2 kg/m 3 to involve steel corrosion, by applying PGNAA to 4x4x4cm 3 mortar bricks of different chloride ion concentrations from 0.36 to 5.1 kg/m 3 [6,7].…”