Pulsatile Neutron Source for Nuclear Material Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies are inadequate for reliably detecting nuclear materials concealed in containers using portable, non-destructive methods, as they struggle to distinguish secondary neutrons from primary neutrons, leading to ineffective detection.
Innovation Solution
A nuclear material detection device that generates neutrons in a pulsatile manner, using a fusion reaction of deuterium atoms, and performs a reactor noise analysis process to exclude data affected by primary neutrons, enhancing the capability to detect nuclear materials and allowing for practical use in portable devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a neutron source generates neutrons continuously, then the detection system can maintain constant monitoring capability, but the primary neutrons create background noise that masks secondary neutrons from nuclear fission
Solution Approach 1:
The neutron source is operated in a pulsatile manner, generating neutrons in periodic pulses rather than continuously. This allows the detection system to measure neutron counts during intervals between pulses when primary neutron emission is minimal, thereby reducing background noise and improving the detectability of secondary neutrons from nuclear fission.
2Measurement precision
If a large size particle accelerator is used to generate strong radiation for detecting nuclear material, then the detection capability is improved, but the device becomes non-portable and difficult to put to practical use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the large, expensive particle accelerator with a compact, portable neutron source that has sufficient detection capability for practical applications. While the neutron source has limited lifespan compared to a particle accelerator, it provides adequate detection precision in a portable form factor, making it suitable for field use in container inspection and nuclear material detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively enhances the detection of nuclear materials by reducing the impact of primary neutrons, improving reliability and enabling the use of smaller, more portable detection systems, which can identify concealed nuclear materials with increased accuracy and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a fusion reaction of reacting two deuterium atoms
Implementation Method 2
secondary neutrons generated through a nuclear fission reaction of the nuclear material
Data Source
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AI summary
A nuclear material within a container is to be detected. Included are: a neutron source for generating neutrons emitted toward the container; a detection section capable of detecting neutrons including primary neutrons emitted from the neutron source and secondary neutrons generated through a nuclear fission reaction of the nuclear material; and a processing section for performing a reactor noise analysis process based on data obtained through detecting of neutrons by the detection section. The neutron source generates neutrons in a pulsatile manner. The processing section performs the reactor noise analysis process based on data obtained by excluding, from time series data obtained through detecting of neutrons by the detection section, data of a time range including a generation time of the neutrons generated by the neutron source in the pulsatile manner.