A system discriminating fissile material from nonfissile material wherein a digital data acquisition unit collects data at high rate, and processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detect excess grouped neutrons to identify fission. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and inducing neutron emission therefrom, and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple of less than one part per million. A neutron count histogram and Poisson count distribution are overlaid to provide a visual indication of the difference in correlation of natural and induced emitted neutrons from the radiation source to characterize the neutron source as fissile material or non-fissile material.

A method of discriminating fissile material from non-fissile material with a digital data acquisition system that collects data at high rate, and processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detect excess grouped neutrons to identify fission. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and inducing neutron emission therefrom, and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple of less than one part per million. A neutron count histogram and Poisson count distribution are overlaid to provide a visual indication of the difference in correlation of natural and induced emitted neutrons from the radiation source to characterize the neutron source as fissile material or non-fissile material.

A neutron detector system for discriminating fissile material from non-fissile material wherein a digital data acquisition unit collects data at high rate, and in real-time processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detecting excess grouped neutrons to identify fission in the unknown source. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple on the order of less than one part per million. Certain voltage multiplier circuits, such as Cockroft-Walton voltage multipliers, are used to enhance the effective of series resistor-inductor circuits components to reduce the ripple associated with traditional AC rectified, high voltage DC power supplies.

A cosmogenic neutron sensor includes a hydrogen-sensitive neutron detector orientable above a measurement surface. A neutron shield is positionable on the hydrogen-sensitive neutron detector. The neutron shield is positioned to interact with at least a portion of cosmogenic neutrons propagating in a direction of the hydrogen-sensitive neutron detector.

A moderated neutron detector includes a neutron detector having a first volume. A moderating enclosure is positioned around the neutron detector and encloses a second volume. The second volume is between 2 and 80 times larger than the first volume. A method for increased neutron detection includes the following steps: positioning a neutron detector within a moderating enclosure, wherein the neutron detector has a first volume, wherein the moderating enclosure encloses a second volume, and wherein the second volume is between 2 and 80 times larger than the first volume; increasing a quantity of neutrons impingent upon the neutron detector; and measuring the quantity of neutrons impinging upon the neutron detector.

A nondestructive inspecting device 1 is provided with: a neutron beam emitting unit 10 capable of emitting a neutron beam in a prescribed emission direction D1; a gamma ray detecting unit 20 capable of detecting a gamma ray incident from a prescribed detection direction D2 intersecting the emission direction D1; a device housing 30 which covers the neutron beam emitting unit 10 and the gamma ray detecting unit 20, and in which an opening portion 30a is formed in the emission direction D1 and the detection direction D2; an outer shutter 31 for opening and closing the opening portion 30a of the device housing 30; an external dose monitor 41 for detecting a radiation dose inside the device housing 30; an internal dose monitor 42 for detecting a radiation dose outside the device housing 30; and a control unit 40 for prohibiting opening of the outer shutter 31 if the radiation dose detected by at least either of the dose monitors 41, 42 exceeds a predetermined threshold.

The present disclosure discloses a photoneutron source and a neutron inspection system. The photoneutron source comprises: an electron accelerating tube for accelerating an electron beam; an X-ray converting target, and the electron beam accelerated by the electron accelerating tube bombards the X-ray converting target to generate X-rays; a photoneutron target, and the X-rays enters the photoneutron target to generates photoneutrons; and a neutron modulation housing provided outside the photoneutron target, and the neutron modulation housing comprises a neutron collimation port for outputting photoneutrons. The present disclosure may directly output a desired neutron beam from the neutron collimation port of the photoneutron source.

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. A radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function may calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge that determines a moisture property of the material. An electromagnetic field generator may generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material. An electromagnetic sensor may determine a frequency response of the material to the electromagnetic field across the several frequencies.

Methods and systems for quantitatively determining pack density within a section of a wellbore are disclosed. The method compares acquired pulsed neutron measurements to models of the section having zero pack density and one hundred percent pack density and extrapolates the measured pulsed neutron data between those two extremes to quantitatively determine pack density. The methods and systems allow hydrocarbon saturation and pack density to be determined in a single trip of a pulsed neutron tool.

A gamma ray scintillation spectrometer is disclosed in which an inorganic scintillation crystal has a channel extending therethrough for receiving a sample into, and disposing a sample out of, the scintillation crystal. The spectrometer further includes a photomultiplier tube optically coupled to the scintillation crystal to detect photons generated by the scintillation crystal. A system and a method for using the gamma ray scintillation spectrometer are also provided.