Performance of Neutron Radiography Systems Using Particle Accelerators

The most crucial element of building a useful neutron radiography system is an intense source of neutrons. Among nuclear reactions employing accelerators, the 9Be(d,n)10B reaction is probably the best method for generating neutrons for radiography. This is due to its superior yield of neutrons that can be efficiently moderated and very low gamma-ray contamination. This has been demonstrated using a KN-4000 Van de Graaff accelerator coupled to an IRT Model ANR-100 moderator-collimator assembly, and excellent quality radiographs have been obtained. The Radio Frequency Quadrupole Linear Accelerator is found to be capable of providing an intense source of neutrons using the same reaction and is recommended for neutron radiography applications.