Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis system

US5539788A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Westinghouse Electric Company LLC · US

Inventors

• Frank H. Ruddy · Monroeville, US
• Thomas V. Congedo · Pittsburgh, US
• David C. Grant · Blacksburg, US
• Edward J. Lahoda · Wilkinsburg, US
• Joseph L. Gonzalez · North Versailles, US
• John G. Seidel · McCandless, US
• John Bartko · Monroeville, US
• David F. McLaughlin · Oakmont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 8, 1992
• Grant date: Jul 23, 1996
• Expiry date: Oct 8, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2223/601
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for determining depth profiles of concentrations of hazardous elements in soils comprises a neutron source for generating neutrons of a first energy level and irradiating a volume of soil with the neutrons. Nuclear reactions are effected within the soil and gamma radiation is emitted from the soil. The system also includes an array of gamma detectors for detecting gamma radiation emitted from the soil; source electronics for controlling the width of regularly repeated pulses of neutrons generated by the neutron source; detector electronics associated with the gamma detectors for amplifying and digitalizing signals generated by the gamma detectors and storing data representing the digitalized signals; spectral analysis software for analyzing the data and determining the concentrations of selected target elements in the soil; and an acquisition interface module (AIM). The AIM controls the timing of the source and detector electronics such that the neutron source generates neutrons in regularly repeated bursts of a prescribed pulse width and the detectors and detector electronics detect gamma rays during a plurality of time intervals associated with the burst and acquire grou…