Non-destructive inspection method and device

• US 8,680,477 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Nose, Hiroyuki, Kuwabara, Hajime, Kobayashi, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): TANINGCO, MARCUS H
• Application Number:
  US13/501,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20120199754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 250/393
• US Class Current: 250/393
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/222 using neutron activation analysis [NAA]

Abstract

A method of non-destructive inspection of a subject body including one or more elements comprises irradiating the subject body with a neutron ray along an axis line passing through a reference point; synchronously detecting gamma rays from directions inclined at equal angles to the axis line at a plurality of measurement points disposed to have equivalent intervals radially from the axis line, respectively; measuring the detected gamma rays in a plurality of energy ranges; determining whether measured values in the respective energy ranges are beyond thresholds; determining energy ranges where all the measured values are beyond the thresholds; analyzing a type of an element from the determined energy ranges; and detecting a location of the analyzed type of the element in the subject body on the basis of the reference point, the respective measurement points, a relative position relative to a surface of the subject body, and the directions.

Claims

1. A method of non-destructive inspection of a subject body including one or more elements, comprising the steps of:

irradiating the subject body with a neutron ray along an axis line passing through a reference point;

synchronously detecting gamma rays from directions inclined at equal angles to the axis line at a plurality of measurement points disposed to have equivalent intervals radially from the axis line, respectively;

measuring the detected gamma rays in a plurality of energy ranges;

determining whether measured values in the respective energy ranges are beyond thresholds;

determining energy ranges where all the measured values are beyond the thresholds;

analyzing a type of an element from the determined energy ranges; and

detecting a location of the analyzed type of the element in the subject body on the basis of the reference point, the respective measurement points, a relative position relative to a surface of the subject body, and the directions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a position radiating the neutron ray relative to the subject body is successively changed along the surface of the subject body to execute the respective steps.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one selected from the group consisting of a distance from the reference point to the subject body along the axis line, a distance from the axis line to the respective measurement points, and the direction of the gamma ray, is successively changed to execute the respective steps.

4. A device of non-destructive inspection of a subject body including one or more elements, comprising:

a neutron ray source having a reference point and disposed so as to irradiate the neutron ray along an axis line passing through the reference point;

a plurality of gamma ray monitors configured to respectively detect gamma rays from directions inclined at equal angles to the axis line, the gamma ray monitors being disposed at a plurality of measurement points having equivalent intervals radially from the axis line;

a plurality of wave height analyzers configured to respectively measure the detected gamma rays in a plurality of energy ranges respectively, the wave height analyzers being respectively electrically connected with the gamma ray monitors;

a controller configured to determine whether measured values in each energy ranges are beyond thresholds or not, determine an energy range where all of the measured values are beyond the thresholds, analyze a type of an element from the determined energy range, and detect a location of the analyzed type of the element in the subject body on the basis of the reference point, the respective measurement points, a relative position relative to a surface of the subject body, and the directions.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the respective gamma ray monitors are configured to be capable of changing one selected from the group consisting of a distance from the reference point to the subject body along the axis line, a distance of the respective measurement points from the axis line, and the direction of the gamma ray.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a mobile pedestal configured to be movable on the subject body, on the mobile pedestal the neutron ray source and the respective gamma ray monitors are installed.