Device for neutron imagery in immersion and imaging method using said device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429529-B2
Application number	US-201214359871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2012
Priority date	Nov 22, 2011
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A device designed to be used for neutron imaging, immersed in a medium containing specimens to be analyzed, comprises a first converter comprising a first material capable of converting thermal neutron radiation into remnant beta radiation and a second converter comprising a second material capable of converting a remnant beta radiation into light radiation, the second converter being in contact with the first converter. A method is also provided for neutron imaging immersed in a medium and using the device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device designed to be used for neutron imaging immersed in a medium containing specimens to be analyzed, comprising: a first converter comprising a first material capable of converting thermal neutron radiation into remnant beta radiation by its neutron activation and a second converter comprising a second material capable of absorbing thermal neutron radiation by capture and capable of converting a remnant beta radiation into light radiation, said second converter being in contact with said first converter, and
further comprising a support comprising hydrogenated species on which said second converter is positioned, said support being transparent to said light radiation.

2. The device designed to be used in neutron imaging as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises dysprosium.

3. The device designed to be used in neutron imaging as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second converter comprises a scintillator material which is a compound containing gadolinium, which can be of the type (Tb doped) Gd 2 O 2 S.

4. The device designed to be used in neutron imaging as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the scintillator material is mixed with an organic binder.

5. The device designed to be used in neutron imaging as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first converter is of the order of a hundred microns.

6. The device designed to be used in neutron imaging as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the second converter is of the of the order of ten microns.

7. The device designed to be used in neutron imaging as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a transparent material, with hydrogenated species, of the polymethylmethacrylate type, where said support can have a thickness of the order of a few millimeters.

8. A leak-tight system designed to be used in neutron imaging immersed in a medium comprising a device as claimed in claim 1 and a vessel leak-tight to said medium, incorporating the first converter, the second converter, and the support.

9. A method for neutron imaging immersed in a medium and using a system as claimed in claim 8 , comprising:
immersing said system in a liquid medium comprising specimens to be analyzed;
irradiating said system by a flux of neutrons;
removing said system from said liquid medium;
removing said converters from said leak-tight vessel; and
recording of the scintillation generated by the second converter.

10. The neutron imaging method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the specimens to be analyzed are nuclear fuels.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Simon Eric

Classifications

• C09K11/02 Primary

  Use of particular materials as binders, particle coatings or suspension media therefor · CPC title

• G21K4/00

  Conversion screens for the conversion of the spatial distribution of X-rays or particle radiation into visible images, e.g. fluoroscopic screens (photographic processes using X-ray intensifiers G03C5/17; discharge tubes comprising luminescent screens H01J1/62; cathode ray tubes for X-ray conversion with optical output H01J31/50) · CPC title

• G01N2223/625

  nuclear fuels, laser imploded targets · CPC title

• G01N23/043

  using fluoroscopic examination, with visual observation or video transmission of fluoroscopic images · CPC title

• G01T3/06

  with scintillation detectors · CPC title