Nuclear material detection system

• US 20060269033A1
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sagamore Adams Laboratories, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sagamore Adams Laboratories, LLC
• Inventors: Taleyarkhan, Rusi P.
• Application Number:
  US11/337,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20060269033A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/153
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/167 Measuring radioactive content of objects, e.g. contamination whole body counters G01T1/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 3/00 Measuring neutron radiation G01T5/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A system to detect or generate nuclear particles includes an enclosure which holds a fluid in a metastable state. The interaction of a nuclear particle with the fluid creates a respective vapor pocket that can be seen, and results in a shock wave that can be heard and recorded. The level of tension metastability in combination with agents, such as Be and B atoms, and surfactants that minimize evaporation losses is associated with a particular type of nuclear particle.

Claims

1. A system for detecting nuclear particles comprising:

an enclosure which generates neutrons upon interaction with alpha particles and which holds a pretreated fluid in combination with an additive to detect thermal energy level neutrons through absorption; and

a motor coupled to the enclosure, the motor spinning the enclosure to pretension the fluid into a metastable state, the interaction of the nuclear particle with the fluid in the metastable state creating a respective vapor pocket, the creation of the vapor pocket resulting in a shock wave, the intensity of the shock wave being associated with a particular type of nuclear particle.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a spinner with a re-circulating arrangement to allow as-needed continuous operation such that gas bubbles that nucleate upon nuclear particle detection are swept away leaving the enclosure continuously filled with liquid to detect nuclear particles.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a secondary removable and rotatable enclosure surrounding the first enclosure, the secondary enclosure having windows to permit directional passage of neutrons, gamma rays, and alpha particles to decipher the direction of a nuclear particle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the waiting time for detection is controllable.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the detection waiting time to detect MeV energy neutrons is about 20 s for a tension metastable state of about −

3 bar for liquids including Freon-113, isopentane, and trimethyl borate.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the detection of MeV energy neutrons waiting time for tensioned metastable liquids including Freon-113, isopentane and trimethyl borate is less than about 1 millisecond for a tension metastable state of about 4.5 bar.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosure is provided with a coating selected from the group consisting of Be and B to enable detection of alpha particles.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment uses at least one of pre-compression, degassing or filtration or a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the tensioned liquid includes B-10, such as trimethyl borate, or the additive in the tensioned metastable liquid contains Li-6, B-10 to enable detection of thermal energy neutrons that are in the eV energy range.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosure includes a surfactant and valving system to minimize or eliminate liquid loss via evaporation and improve wettabilility.

11. A system for detecting nuclear particles comprising:

an enclosure which holds a pretreated fluid; and

a generator coupled to the enclosure, the generator inducing acoustic pressure oscillations of the desired shape, amplitude and frequency in the fluid to pretension the fluid into a metastable state, the interaction of the nuclear particle with the fluid in the metastable state creating a respective vapor pocket, the creation of the vapor pocket resulting in a shock wave, the intensity of the shock wave being associated with a particular type of nuclear particle.

12. The sytem of claim 11 further comprising a secondary removable and rotatable enclosure surrounding the first enclosure, the secondary enclosure having windows to permit directional passage of neutrons, gamma rays, and alpha particles to decipher the direction of a nuclear particle,

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the pretreatment uses at least one of pre-compression, degassing or filtration or a combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the fluid includes one or more additives to absorb low energy neutrons resulting in alpha recoils which then result in nucleation and detection.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more additives is selected from the group consisting of boron and trimethyl borate.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the additive is B-10.

17. A method for detecting nuclear particles comprising:

generating neutrons in an enclosure, the neutrons being generated upon interaction with alpha particles, the enclosure holding a pretreated fluid in combination with an additive to detect thermal energy level neutrons through absorption; and

pretensioning the fluid into a metastable state, the interaction of the nuclear particle with the fluid in the metastable state creating a respective vapor pocket, the creation of the vapor pocket resulting in a shock wave, the intensity of the shock wave being associated with a particular type of nuclear particle.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the pretensioning is produced by spinning the enclosure.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the pretensionning is produced by an acoustic generator.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising deciphering the direction of a nuclear particle through windows of a secondary enclosure, the windows permitting directions passage neutrons, gamma rays, and alpha particles.