Thermal neutron counting and gamma-ray peak identification from fusion reactions, using a Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator
(2022) FYSK02 20212Nuclear physics
Department of Physics
- Abstract
- This thesis work focuses on the categorisation of a Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator, at the Nuclear Applications Laboratory, Lund University. To that end, the goals of this work focuses on the re-development of the pre-existing infrastructure surrounding the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator for the purposes of internally irradiating samples, and the subsequent categorisation of the new configuration for extraction of fast neutrons. The purpose of this is to expand the potential applications, such as for neutron time-of-flight studies. To fully take advantage of the re-development, the neutron cave housing the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator needs to also retain the ability to internally irradiate samples. The reconfiguration of the... (More)
- This thesis work focuses on the categorisation of a Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator, at the Nuclear Applications Laboratory, Lund University. To that end, the goals of this work focuses on the re-development of the pre-existing infrastructure surrounding the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator for the purposes of internally irradiating samples, and the subsequent categorisation of the new configuration for extraction of fast neutrons. The purpose of this is to expand the potential applications, such as for neutron time-of-flight studies. To fully take advantage of the re-development, the neutron cave housing the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator needs to also retain the ability to internally irradiate samples. The reconfiguration of the neutron cave was achieved by placing the neutron box containing the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator atop a turntable assembly, where the fast neutrons are guided with a collimated exit port out of the neutron cave. Next, to categorise the new configuration, two separate sets of measurements were taken: thermal-neutron counting was performed using a He-3 proportional counter on 15 positions corresponding to a grid; and γ-ray measurements were achieved using a HPGe detector at one fixed position of the grid. The analysis of the thermal-neutron counting measurements yielded a fitting function that provides a reasonable prediction of the thermal-neutron count rate in the laboratory space. The analysis of the background and background-corrected γ-ray spectrum yielded identification of γ-rays from thermal-neutron capture reactions, and fast-neutron induced reactions. Two potential γ-rays candidates from DT fusion from the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator were also identified, which might serve the purpose of neutron time-of-flight studies. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- The Sun is hot, very hot even, with a core temperature of 1.57e7 ◦C. Suppose there was a device that emits temperatures five orders of magnitude hotter than the Sun, now that’s hot. But that’s exactly what the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator does! It produces neutrons, a particle part of the atom (which is the building block of the universe), that has kinetic energies equivalent to that temperature. Although, one might ask, how? Much like how the Sun generates energy by smashing particles against each other, so called fusion reactions, the neutron generator smashes deuterium and tritium, both heavier cousins of the hydrogen atom, to produce these highly-energetic neutrons.
Here at the Nuclear Applications Laboratory in Lund University,... (More) - The Sun is hot, very hot even, with a core temperature of 1.57e7 ◦C. Suppose there was a device that emits temperatures five orders of magnitude hotter than the Sun, now that’s hot. But that’s exactly what the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator does! It produces neutrons, a particle part of the atom (which is the building block of the universe), that has kinetic energies equivalent to that temperature. Although, one might ask, how? Much like how the Sun generates energy by smashing particles against each other, so called fusion reactions, the neutron generator smashes deuterium and tritium, both heavier cousins of the hydrogen atom, to produce these highly-energetic neutrons.
Here at the Nuclear Applications Laboratory in Lund University, we use these neutrons for both research and educational purposes. The neutron cave, where the neutron generator is housed in, was originally used for a single application within the cave. This project, however, aims to re-develop the neutron cave such that the neutrons are extracted outside the cave. Why would we want to do that, you may ask? That’s because we want to extend the use of a pre-existing infrastructure, so that a larger variety of research can be done. Before such research can begin, it is important to know how the new configuration affects the laboratory space.
This goal of this work is then to take measurements of effects that neutrons have on the laboratory space, analysing and drawing conclusions from the measurements, thereby laying the foundations for future research work. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9076027
- author
- Ti, Auden LU
- supervisor
-
- Robert Frost LU
- organization
- course
- FYSK02 20212
- year
- 2022
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9076027
- date added to LUP
- 2022-03-01 11:44:49
- date last changed
- 2022-03-01 11:44:49
@misc{9076027,
abstract = {{This thesis work focuses on the categorisation of a Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator, at the Nuclear Applications Laboratory, Lund University. To that end, the goals of this work focuses on the re-development of the pre-existing infrastructure surrounding the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator for the purposes of internally irradiating samples, and the subsequent categorisation of the new configuration for extraction of fast neutrons. The purpose of this is to expand the potential applications, such as for neutron time-of-flight studies. To fully take advantage of the re-development, the neutron cave housing the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator needs to also retain the ability to internally irradiate samples. The reconfiguration of the neutron cave was achieved by placing the neutron box containing the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator atop a turntable assembly, where the fast neutrons are guided with a collimated exit port out of the neutron cave. Next, to categorise the new configuration, two separate sets of measurements were taken: thermal-neutron counting was performed using a He-3 proportional counter on 15 positions corresponding to a grid; and γ-ray measurements were achieved using a HPGe detector at one fixed position of the grid. The analysis of the thermal-neutron counting measurements yielded a fitting function that provides a reasonable prediction of the thermal-neutron count rate in the laboratory space. The analysis of the background and background-corrected γ-ray spectrum yielded identification of γ-rays from thermal-neutron capture reactions, and fast-neutron induced reactions. Two potential γ-rays candidates from DT fusion from the Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator were also identified, which might serve the purpose of neutron time-of-flight studies.}},
author = {{Ti, Auden}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Thermal neutron counting and gamma-ray peak identification from fusion reactions, using a Sodern Genie-16 Neutron Generator}},
year = {{2022}},
}