Industrial analysis possibilities using long-life sealed-tube neutron generators

Production and applications of neutrons using particle accelerators

“…The GP-ENG shares operational flexibility in common with the P-ENG but is generally designed to optimize neutronic performance rather than compromising in this area to achieve a lower weight for portability. [96][97][98][99] In practice, this optimization for performance results in systems with similar pulsing capabilities to portable systems but with maximum neutron yields three to five times higher, approaching 1 × 10 9 neutrons per second using DT fusion. The 1 × 10 9 neutrons per second (DT) value is important because it is at this level that a general transition is made in current generation ENG designs from the ability to rely on passive cooling to the need to use active cooling (for the target and often the ion source).…”

“…A quickly growing application area for electronic neutron generators is industrial bulk material analysis (BMA). [217][218][219][220][221][222][223][224] In this application a neutron generator, producing O(10 8 ) neutron per second, is used together with a specially engineered moderating structure to generate a mixed-energy neutron spectrum. In most cases this moderating assembly is co-located with a conveyor belt carrying a raw material such as mineral ore, coal, scrap metals, or cement raw materials together with one or more gamma-ray detectors.…”