Patent ID: 8044366

Claim:
A method for applying dead-time corrections to a passive neutron multiplicity counter, the dead-time parameters comprising: a characteristic dead time parameter (“τ”); an empirical Doubles dead-time parameter (“τ D ”); and an empirical Triples dead-time parameter (“τ T ”), the method comprising: (a) determining an expected count range of the passive neutron multiplicity counter; (b) measuring one or more 252 Cf sources within the count range; (c) determining a non-dead-time corrected Singles, Doubles, and Triples rate for the one or more sources; (d) calculating the Doubles to Singles ratio; (e) calculating the Triples to Singles ratio; (f) calculating the Triples to Doubles ratio; (g) determining a minimum chi-square distribution of the Doubles to Singles ratio, the Triples to Singles ratio, and the Triples to Doubles ratio by adjusting the dead-time correction parameters τ, τ D , and τ T ; (h) establishing optimum dead-time correction parameters for τ, τ D , and τ T by noting the corresponding values that yielded the minimum chi-square distribution of the ratios; and (i) applying the optimum dead-time correction parameters to the calibration of the passive neutron multiplicity counter.