Jack J Young

US Patent:

42517249, Feb 17, 1981

Filed:

Jan 23, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/871759

Inventors:

Nicholas Vagelatos - San Diego CA
Donald K. Steinman - San Diego CA
Joseph John - San Diego CA
Jack C. Young - Escondido CA

Assignee:

IRT Corporation - San Diego CA

International Classification:

G01V 500
B01D 5944

US Classification:

250264

Abstract:

A nuclear method and apparatus determines the temperature of a medium by injecting fast neutrons into the medium and detecting returning slow neutrons in three first energy ranges by producing three respective detection signals. The detection signals are combined to produce three derived indicia each systematically related to the population of slow neutrons returning from the medium in a respective one of three second energy ranges, specifically exclusively epithermal neutrons, exclusively substantially all thermal neutrons and exclusively a portion of the thermal neutron spectrum. The derived indicia are compared with calibration indicia similarly systematically related to the population of slow neutrons in the same three second energy ranges returning from similarly irradiated calibration media for which the relationships temperature, neutron absorption cross section and neutron moderating power to such calibration indicia are known. The comparison indicates the temperature at which the calibration indicia correspond to the derived indicia and consequently the temperature of the medium. The neutron absorption cross section and moderating power of the medium can be identified at the same time.