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    He3 Neutron Proportional Counters PDF

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    He3 Neutron Proportional Counters PDF

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    He3 Neutron Proportional Counters PDF

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    Helium-3 Neutron Proportional Counters Applications Halium-3 Neutron Detectors are largely sensitive to therral ‘Routrons and are typically used wit a neutron moderator. For this reason, He-3 Proportional Counters are well sulted for measuring substrates high in hydrogan, such as water and oil, where the substrate being measured acts as the ‘moderator. In fact, TGM's Ho-3 detectors are widely used in combination with a fast neutron source to measure the ‘mosture content in sol and in concrete. They are also Used to measure the oll content within the strata of an il Well wie itis being criled! Other applications include Nuclear Material Assay, Where multiple He-3 Detectors ave used in a coincidence Gircuit to determine the amount of fissionable material Such devioas are used to monitor the enrichment process ‘of nuclear {ua fabrication oF to determine an unknown ‘amount of fssionable material suspended in a substrate. Nuclear Material Assay devices are aiso used in Safeguard ‘applications — vertying the world's inventory of fssionable materia, Theory of Detection Helum:@ Proportional Counters utiize the He® (op) H reaction forthe detection of thermal neutrons. He® + n! (thermal) > H! +H? +Q. where Q = 764KeV. “The energy of the reaction is carried away as kinetic ‘energy of the daughter products, which move in opposite directions, He-3 Neutron Detectors provide an output pulse which is proportional to 764KeV for thermal neutrons. The cross section of He-S for thermal neutrons is 5390 bams. “The cross section follows a 1/\ relationship (v = neutron velocty) up to about 0.2 MeV. ‘The ionization potential of helium is approximately 256V; this means that a gas muttpcation of about 20 yields a charge per pulse of the order of 0.1 pico coulomb (assum- ing that all the energy of the He-3 daughter products are ‘deposited within the gas volume. fone increases the vot- ‘age on the tube, the gas mutipication will ncrease, how- ‘ever in an extreme case Ifetine wil be decreased. A gas gan of 20s a compromise It provides a conveniént pu'se ize 10 werk with a the optimum energy resolution without sacrffcing ifetime, TGM has developed He-3 Detectors without the use of polyatomic quench gas for exceptional tong Ite.* * "Design of He-3 Neutron Detectors without the use of poly- ‘atomic quench gases" paper presented at IEEE "94 Nuclear Science Symposian, Energy Peak and Wall Effect Only a single ful eneray peak will be observed for neutron ‘energies that are small compared with 764KaV. On the left of the full energy peak there is a region known as the “wall cffect” which contains two discontinuous steps (see figure 7) Figure 7 Helium-3 neutron spectrum as viewed ‘on a Multichannel Analyzer. ‘The wal elfect arises because the proton and trton laughter produats ofthe reaction have discrete energies (673KeV and 191KeV respectively} and their ranges in the ‘Getector are usually larger than the dimensions of the detector. When one of the daughter products collides with ‘he wal of he detector, its energy is oisinated and does not contribute to the full energy peak, thus creating the discrete steps inthe spectrum (see foure 7). In some cases it is desirable to reduce the wal effect. This can be accomplished in three ways: (1) Increase the diameter of the detector such that the ratio Of daughter products coliding with the wall as compared to events that have the ful energy deposited in the gas volume are reducest (2) increase tho gas pressure to reduce the range ofthe daughter products in the gas volume, (G) Include an amount of a heavier gas in the admixture to hrorease the stopping power of the gas, It the size and fil pressure are fixed by other considera- tions (e.9 sensitivity), the addition of a heavier gas is the ‘common alternative. (Please note, adding a heavier gas, vill Incease the gamma sensitivity of the detector.) Helium-3 Sensitivity The sensitivity ofa He-S Detector to thermal neutrons is 2 ‘unction ofthe amount of He-3 gas and increases with gas pressure fora fixed volume. Figures 8 and 8 ave graphs of sensitivity per centimeter (crn) active length for differant detector diameters at various pressures. To determine sen- sitivity, multiply the sensitivity per cm for a particular tube ameter by the active lengt in om, Please note that the sensitivities are quoted fora standard gas fling of He-3 ‘and carbon dioxide. a special gas modureis used which utlizes a large quantity of another gas e.g. argor) then the following graph serves as a good approximation i only the amount of He-3 is considered. Special Applications For Nuclear Material Assay appications where timing is atical for coincidence measurernents, the detector needs to be customized by design and gas fling to give a wery fast pulse while maintaining the necessary sensiity and ‘operating votage. The time characteristics ofthe output pause are governed by the charge collection time within the etector, and are optimized by choosing anode size and {gas mixtures to provide the most rapid avalanche propage- tion and recovery. The important characteristics are defined as follows: (1) Rise time reer tothe leading edge of the puse without regard to pulse potarty tis the time interval between the pulse at 10% and 80% of the ful amptude ) sitter time is the maximum time between the ionizing ‘vent in the gas and the formation of the votage pulse. Variation of Sensitivity with Fill Pressure alm) Senkivty Porm Aatve Lena oes ae oT ean R Tot! Fl Pressure (Arnone) Figure 8 Helium-3 sensitivity per unit iength for increasing gas pressure, For low sensitivity applications figure 9 is @ granh of sens ity per cm active length for fil pressures 1-2 atmospheres. 00" by Mg oe be ay ‘Hes Pressure, teapheres Figure 9 Helium-3 sensitivity per unit tenath for low gas pressures: BF3 Neutron Proportional Counters Applications Like Helum-S, Soron Tiifuoride (BF3) Proportional Counters are largely sensitive to Thermal Neutions. Typical appica tions include: Thermal Neutron Diffraction, Spectroscopy, Industrial Gauging and Neutron Monitoring. Because TGM's BF Proportional Counters can be used in gamma ftds up to 100 Fi, they are well suited for measuring neutrons in mixed waste, Theory of Detection BF neutron Proportional Counters utilize the B'°(n,alpha) LU reaction. BM +n! +L + alpha +a {n. 99% of the reactions Q = 2.31 MeV, leaving the Lithium nucide in the frst excited state, The other 7% of the reactions have Q = 2.79 MeV, with the Lithium nuclide In the ground state. ‘The energy from the reaction with a thermal neutron {s shared as kinetic energy of the daughter products. ‘The reaction products are 0.84 MeV and 1.47 MeV for the Lithium nucle and alpha particle respectively BF3 compared to He-3 Neutron Detectors BF; neutron detectors contain boron enriched to >90% B"”. ‘The thermal neutron cross section for Bis 3840 bams. This is considerably less than the oross section of He-3 for ‘thermal neutrons. The eros section drops off as 1/v up to about 0.1 MeV (v = neutron velocity) ‘Compared to Hs", B'° has a lower cross section for thermal neutrons, making BFs detectors less sensitive. ‘The one advantage is that the Q of the neutron reaction is ‘much larger than for He-3, making it is easier lo discriminate against gamma pulses with a BF; tube. BF; detectors can easly be used in gamma fluxes of 100 Fur and will give alien excess of 10" rom? (ifetime defined as a 10% reduction in original sensitivity). Compared to Ha-3, BF detectors function at much higher operating votages. if more than 2-2.5 KV is neces- say, tis recommended thal a guard ring be used on the node insulator. Guard rings prevent electrical leakage ‘across the insulator contrioutng tothe noise level of the signal fom the detector. Helium-3 Neutron Proportional Counters — ] He-3 Gas Pressure, Sensitivity and Operating Voltage TOM Part Length 2 ATM 4aT™ 6 AT™ 8AT™ 10AT™ Number (ox = 152) fox = 304) ocx = 456) xx = 608) xxx = 780) | Operating Operating | Operating | Operating Replace the wa. in Dia. Voltage | Dia. Voltage | Dia. Voltage | Dia, Voltage fsach part number | 0.5 = 950 05 = 1160 | 05 = 1950 with the numioer o78=1000 | o75= 1200 | 075= 1400 spetied under 19 =110 | 10 1.0 = 1450 He-S Gas Pressure 18 =140 | 15 1.5 = 1600 20 =1500_| 20 202 — 0.5" Dia, Tubes ‘parnw ___epsinw "7Hedinodt3 38 a1 - Heo 13 78 12 _ BEHaGo0W/ 13 18 wv | SOH8/e0/13 25 34 40 075" Dia, Tubes | inches cost cosine eosin psi 7HeGinn'9 | 30 4.0 48 77 98 n Le 15HeShoo/19 eo| 90 5 1s | 2 ca _25HeG/wo/19 108 16 [2 32 _ @ 40 SOHeBAco/19 ja7| 90 at 6 7 at 1" Dia, Tubes techos epslnw palo epeiny costo — SbHeaionl2s | 38 62) 97 16 19 [ee 127Heaion2s | 50 62| 13 2 5 x 1SHeshon/25 | 5.9 7.9 16 24 30 35 DeHeshoa/26 | 88 118| 28 o 0 | —BoHeaieni2s [197 217) 60 at o (ow TOOHedoa/25 | 994 414) 101 161 198 234 125H03/00/26 [492 512/126 | 302 248 “202 1.5" Dia. Tubes | manos pain pain pal ci ‘Sieohease [59 79, 90 6 st 8 _25Heioni9e [98 118) St 74 6 | % SoHeGronss [19:7 217| 101 “|i 181 126 10Hesino38 | 304 414/200 207 a2 363 372 1.25% Dia. Spherical | inches pain oan spo’ 43 50/39 59 ‘A He-9 detectors sted are made of Stainless 20a Tubes _|_etee | coun

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