The samples, which were put in the same plastic container as used in gamma-ray
measurements, were placed one by one for different thicknesses between the source and the
detector. For sample systems with different thicknesses and materials, measurements were
performed. The intensities of transmitted neutrons were measured without (I0) and with (I)
placing the samples in the container. Intensities of neutrons were measured on MCA for
fixed preset time (300s) for each counting by selecting a region of pulse height spectrum
containing the thermal peak. The second run of measurements was repeated in the situation
of adding water into the container to fill the foam samples. Another three runs were
performed with by filling 1%, 2%, 3% (w/v) boric acid solution respectively into the foam
samples.
The experiments were conducted in the environment with a constant temperature of
70 ºF and a 40% humidity to avoid any shift of peak.
An important consideration is the discrimination against gamma-rays, which often are
found together with the neutron flux to be measured. This gamma radiation is produced
partly in the fission process and partly in the process of neutron capture in structural
materials; a part also comes from the radioactive daughter products of the primary fission
fragments [70]. In this experiment the gamma flux leakage from outside the beam defining
volume needs to be considered. Gamma-rays interact primarily in the wall of the counter and
create secondary electrons that may produce ionization in the gas. Because the stoPPIng
power for electrons in gases is quite low, a typical electron will deposit only a small fraction
of its initial energy within the gas before reaching the opposite wall of the counter [7]. Thus,
we should expect that most gamma-ray interactions will result in low-amplitude pulses that 68
will lie in the tail to the left of “Gamma Rejection Discriminator Level” in Figure 3.11.
Simple amplitude discrimination can then easily eliminate these gamma-rays without
sacrificing neutron efficiency.
In these measurements, the Region of Interest (ROI) was set in the ADMCA software
to discriminate gamma-rays. From observation, the ROI was decided as from channel 128 to
1023. Figure 3.19 is an example of the spectrum after discrimination of gamma-rays in one
of the measurements.
Figure 3.20 is an example of the report generated of ROI details for the above
spectrum.
Background was measured in each counting and subtracted from the total counts (Net
Area in Figure 3.21) in later calculations. The background in each counting was measured by
attaching a thin cadmium sheet to the boron collimator in Figure 3.16, which removed all the
neutrons of the beam. Figure 3.21 shows the spectrum of background in ADMCA in one
measurement. Similar ROI report was generated to get the “net area” for background.