Implementation of neutron radiography in the MNSR Low Power Research Reactor

Authors

Abstract

Neutron radiography is an unique, advanced and useful non-destructive test method in various industries and researches. Nuclear reactors are powerful and stable neutron sources for the neutron radiography system. In this research, the MNSR research reactor has been used as a neutron source for a neutron radiography system, and its neutron beam parameters have been evaluated. Also, using the direct conversion method and the gadolinium converter, the neutron image was obtained in its neutron beam and the image quality of the neutron was evaluated using the standard image quality standard ASTM-E545. The results of the measurements show that the neutron flux of the system in the maximum reactor power is equal to 3×105 n.cm-2.s-1 and the collimation ratio is 100. Image quality evaluation also showed that the obtained image has a V quality category based on the ASTM-E545 standard.
 

Keywords


[1] International Atomic Energy Agency, Neutron Imaging: A Non-Destructive Tool for Materials Testing, IAEA TECDOC 1604, Vienna, (2008). [2] M. Dinca, M. Pavelescu and C. Iorgulis. Collimated neutron beam for neutron radiography, Romanian Journal of Physics, 51(3) (2006) 435–441. [3] H. Berger. Advances in neutron radiographic techniques and applications: a method for nondestructive testing, Applied radiation and isotopes, 61 (2004) 437–442. [4] AEOI, Isfahan Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) Safety Analysis Report (SAR), AEOI Internal Report. NSTRI, Iran (2011). [5] P. Kandlakunta, L.R. Caon and P. Mulligan. Measurement of internal conversion electrons from Gd neutron capture, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 705 (2013) 36–41. [6] S.W. Morgan and J.C. King. Neutron Beam Characterization of the Neutron Beam Facilities at the GSTR TRIGA Reactor, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 104 (2011) 205–206. [7] T. Nemec, J.J. Rant, E. Kristof and B. Glumac. Characterization of the Ljubljana TRIGA thermal column neutron radiographic facility, Second Regional Meeting of the nuclear society of Slovenia, Portoroz, Slovenia (1995). [8] American Society for Testing and Materials International, Standard Method for Determining Image Quality in Direct Thermal Neutron Radiographic Examination, Standard ASTM E545-05 (2005). [9] American Society for Testing and Materials International, Standard Test Method for Determining Neutron Fluence, Fluence Rate, and Spectra by Radioactivation Techniques, ASTM International, ASTM Standard E261-10, (2010). [10] F.Y. Hsu, M.C. Chiu, Y.L. Chang, C.C. Yu and H.M. Liu. Estimation of photon and neutron dose distributions in the THOR BNCTtreatment room using dual TLD method, Radiation Measurements 43 (2008) 1089–1094. [11] H.R. Vega-Carrilloa, K.A. GuzmanGarcia, E. Gallego and A. Lorente. Passive neutron area monitor with pairs of TLDs as neutron detector, Radiation Measurements 69 (2014) 30–34.