Patent ID: 7897934
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
1. A process for exposure and measurement of neutron induced effects on objects to be examined comprising the steps of: (a) providing an exposure and measurement apparatus comprising a neutron interrogation system with an elongated neutron source selected from the group consisting of radionuclides and an electrically powered nuclear reaction confining device with steady or pulsed output; (b) operating the exposure and measurement apparatus to examine a plurality of objects selected from the group consisting of objects in relative motion with respect to the exposure and measurement apparatus and objects of large size with respect to the exposure and measurement apparatus by using the neutron interrogation system to provide a neutron emission having substantially linear topology and an initially uniform flux along a longitudinal axis of the source for neutron interrogation of the objects to be interrogated, the neutron emission being conveyed at a rate compatible with specifications selected from the group consisting of industrial production line specifications and security checking system performance specifications; wherein the objects to be scanned are arranged to move along a locus or parallel set of loci that either is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the source or traces a spiral about the longitudinal axis of the source while progressing from a first end of the neutron interrogation system to a second end of the neutron interrogation system to thereby extend or dilate the duration of immersion in and exposure to a field of neutrons generated by the source so as to effectively accumulate dose and corresponding neutron interactions for measurement by an array of nuclear physics scanning station sensors and data processing instrumentation; wherein the nuclear physics sensors and data processing instrumentation multiplex individual sensor data to provide refined results and accumulate the refined results so as to associate a statistical measurement result with a single object or zone that travels through the neutron interrogation system in order to identify any object or zone that has an anomalous signature of measured parameters; and wherein the plurality of objects are contained within a large object having a size and mass great to make expedient moving the exposure and measurement apparatus concurrently with the large object so as to mitigate stop-start movements of the container relative to the operating neutron interrogation system.