Abstract:
A method and apparatus for the non-destructive assay of nuclear reactor fuels. Neutron irradiation of the fuel emits fission neutrons and gammas in groups of two to three neutrons and about five gammas for each fission and these neutrons and gammas are detected in a coincident counting system to obtain a quantitative assay of the fissionable species in the fuel. The proportions of various fissile isotopes in a fuel sample are also detected by coincident counting at a plurality of coincidence levels.
Abstract:
A passive moisture meter measures the number of thermal neutrons present in a material as a result of natural radiation, such as cosmic rays, to determine the moisture content of the material. The thermal neutron flux in a control region of known moisture content is also measured to determine the magnitude of the highenergy neutron flux developed by the natural radiation.
Abstract:
Measuring mass flow rate of a fluid material having a high scattering cross section for fast high energy neutrons by radiating the material with such neutrons which are slowed to lower energy thermal neutrons and detecting the thermal neutrons downstream to effect a determination therefrom of the mass flow rate. For a more accurate determination of the mass flow rate, a second thermal neutron detector downstream has its output compared to the first detector output. Further, a gamma source and detector is employed to derive the density of the material and to obtain the velocity thereof by division of the mass flow by the density.