Neutron Detection Using a BoronContaining Proportional Detector

(Experiment 9)
Nuc E 450
(Radiation Statistics and Measurement)
Group 2 Members:

Daniel McMahon
Rahul Ghosh

Performed: April 14, 2015

Due: April 21, 2015
Submitted: April 21, 2015

Summary

The objective of this experiment is to study the properties of Boron trifluoride (BF 3)
and boron-lined proportional detectors in a mixed field of neutrons and gamma rays.
A plutonium-beryllium neutron source and a 60Co gamma source were used to
irradiate the two detectors submerged in a pool. The detector and neutron source
were placed at different distances away from the gamma source to achieve certain
exposure rates to the detectors and their spectrums were recorded using a
multichannel analyzer and Genie 2000 software. When the spectra were recorded,
background counts were also taken using both detectors. These graphs showed
peaks which was most likely due to the high gamma field from previous operation.
From the data collect, different spectral features were easily identified. They
included the gamma interactions peak, wall effect continuum, full-energy peaks,
recoil events, and alpha particle events.

Equipment
In this experiment, a plutonium-beryllium neutron source was suspended at a fixed
distance of 8 inches away from a boron-lined detector and Bf 3 detector in a pool. A
60
Co gamma source was suspended at a fixed point inside the pool. The detectors
and neutron source were suspended from a dolly system to allow adjustment of the
distance from the 60Co gamma source. The configuration of detectors and sources is
shown in figure 1 below. The detectors were then connected to the components
listed in Tables 1 and 2 below in the configuration shown in figure 2 just outside of
the pool.
Table 1: Station 4 equipment used in section A of this experiment with the BF 3
detector.
Device
Pre-amp
Scope
HV
MCA
Amp
SCA
Timer
NIM Bin and Power
Supply

Make
Canberra
Tektronix
Canberra
Canberra
Canberra
Ortec
Ortec
Ortec

Model
2006
TDS1002
3002D
MP2-1E
2022
550A
974
4001A

Serial Number
04049901
C030834
07033297
11065390
10062079
1046
00142642
4830

Table 2: Station 2 equipment used in section B of this experiment with the boronlined detector.
Device
Pre-amp
Scope
HV
MCA
Amp
SCA
Timer
NIM Bin and Power
Supply

Make
Canberra
Tektronix
Bertan
Canberra
Canberra
Ortec
Ortec
Ortec

Model
2006
TDS1002
323
MP2-1E
2022
550A
974
4001A

Serial Number
13000493
C030593
05161
09069696
07033171
1029
865
2075

Table 3: Radioactive sources used in the experiment with both detector systems
Neutron Source
Gamma Source
60
Co
Pu-Be
Figure 1: Shows the setup of the neutron source, boron-containing neutron
detector, and 60Co source.

Figure 1: Neutron Source Setup

Figure 2: Shows the block diagram of the detector setup for the boron proportional
detector experiment.

Figure 2: Detector system Setup

Procedure
The procedure used for this experiment followed the spring 2015 Experiment 9
Laboratory Manual. The Procedure in section A using the BF 3 detector was
conducted by group 2 while group 3 conducted section B with the boron-lined

detector simultaneously. At the end of the experiment both groups exchanged the
data they had obtained.

Data
Part A: BF3 Detector Measurements
Figure 3: Graph shows the spectrum produced by the BF3 detector in the mix field
of gamma-rays and neutrons
2250000
2000000
1750000
1500000
1250000

Counts 1000000
0 [R/hr]
750000

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

500000
250000
0
317

517

717

917 1117 1317 1517 1717 1917 2117 2317

Energy (keV)
Figure 3: BF3 Detector measured Neutron Spectrums

Figure 4: Graph shows the zoomed in spectrum of the above graph

10000
8000
6000

Counts

4000
2000
0
317

517

717

917 1117 1317 1517 1717 1917 2117 2317

Energy (keV)
0 [R/hr]

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

Figure 4: BF3 Detector measured Neutron Spectrums (Expanded)

Part B: Boron-Lined Tube Measurements

Figure 5: Graph shows the spectrum produced by the Boron-Lined detector in the
mix field of gamma-rays and neutrons
1000000
900000
800000
700000
600000

Counts

500000
0 400000
[R/hr]
300000

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

200000
100000
0

100

200

300

400

Energy (keV)
Figure 5: Boron-Lined Detector Measured Neutron Spectrums

Figure 6: Graph shows the zoomed in spectrum of the above graph

500

8000
7000
6000
5000
4000

Counts

03000
[R/hr]

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

2000
1000
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Energy (keV)
Figure 6: Boron-Lined Detector Measured Neutron Spectrums (Expanded)

Background:
Figure 7: Graph shows the neutron background count spectrum using the BF 3
7000
6000
5000
4000

Counts

3000
2000
1000
0
317

517

717

917

1117 1317 1517 1717 1917 2117

Energy (keV)
Figure 7: Neutron background spectrum w/ BF3

Figure 8: Graph shows the neutron background count spectrum using the boronlined detector

4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5

Counts

2
1.5
1
0.5
0

100

200

300

400

500

Energy (keV)
Figure 8: Neutron background spectrum w/ boron-lined detector

Analysis of Data
1. Describe what is meant by pile-up and space charge effects in
a proportional detector.
Gamma-rays interacting with the detector wall materials and fill gas create
secondary electrons that may cause ionization in the gas. This produces small
amplitude pulses that appear in the lower energy range of the spectrum and
can be discriminated by the LLD of an MCA.
2. Is there any evidence of pile-up or space charge effects in your
spectra obtained in Part A and/or Part B?
In both sections A and B, space charge effects can be seen as a very large
peak in the energies lower than 700 keV. As the detectors are moved closer
to the gamma source the pile-up becomes more evident with extremely
high peaks. Space charge effects appear as the gamma-ray exposure rate
increases transforming the steps of the wall effect continuum in the Bf 3
spectrum into a slope while distorting the counts and energy levels of the
boron-lined detector.
3. What effect do high gamma fields have on the practical operation
and use of each type of boron-containing detector?
In the boron-lined detector, the high gamma fields can interact with the
detector and cause the performance to deteriorate. However, in the BF 3
detectors case, it does not do that. Therefore, the BF 3 detectors are better at
handling high gamma fields.
4. Plot the spectrum for BF3 and boron-lined detector (Part A and Part
B) and label each feature. Compare the experimental pulse height
spectra to the theoretical spectra in Knoll.

Figure 8: Shows the graph of the neutron spectrum measured by the BF 3

Detector with labeled feature(s)
2250000
2000000
1750000
1500000

Gamma
Interactions

1250000

Counts

1000000
0 [R/hr]
750000

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

500000
250000
0
317

517

717

917 1117 1317 1517 1717 1917 2117 2317

Energy (keV)
Figure 9: BF3 Detector measured Neutron Spectrums

Figure 9: Shows the graph of the zoomed-in neutron spectrum measured by

the BF3 Detector with labeled feature(s)

10000
9000

Full-energy

8000
7000

Exited-state

6000
5000

Counts

Ground-

4000
3000
2000
1000
0
317

517

717

917

1117 1317 1517 1717 1917 2117 2317

Energy (keV)
0 [R/hr]

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

Figure 10: BF3 Detector measured Neutron Spectrums (Expanded)

Figure 10: Shows the graph of the neutron spectrum measured by the
Boron-lined Detector with labeled feature(s)
1000000
900000
800000
700000 Gamma
600000 Interactions

Counts

500000
400000
0 [R/hr]
300000

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

200000
100000
0

100

200

300

400

500

Energy (keV)
Figure 11: Boron-Lined Detector Measured Neutron Spectrums

Figure 11: Shows the graph of the zoomed-in neutron spectrum measured
by the Boron-lined Detector with labeled feature(s)

8000

Recoil

7000
6000
5000

Counts

4000
03000
[R/hr]

50 [R/hr]

100 [R/hr]

300 [R/hr]

2000
1000
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Energy (keV)
Figure 12: Boron-Lined Detector Measured Neutron Spectrums (Expanded)

The experimental spectra that was collected during this lab was similar to the
spectra in knoll and pages 525 and 530. The only discrepancy between the
experimental and theoretical spectra was in the boron-line detector data. For
the theoretical spectrum in knoll, the alpha particle events were flat. In the
experimental spectra, the alpha particle events looked more like peaks.
5. Discuss the use of the BF3 or boron-lined detector for thermal
neutron flux monitoring during reactor startup. Hint: after
shutdown, a reactor has a high field due to previous reactor
operation.
The high field is shown in figure 7 when taking the background count after
taking the spectra of both the BF3 and boron-lined detectors. In the
background neutron spectra, there is, what looks like a gamma ray pulse.
These is the high field that remains due to previous reactor operation.
6. If you were using a single channel analyzer, what LLD setting (in
channels) would you select if the BF3 or boron-lined detector were to
be used in a high field?

If the BF3 was used in a high field, a LLD setting of 614 keV would be
appropriate. If the boron-lined detector was used, then 100 keV should
be appropriate. These settings would distinguish the neutron pulses
from the gamma pulses.

7. Why was the neutron background so low? What are the natural
sources of neutron radiation?
Water has a relatively high neutron absorption cross section and is able to
absorb most of the neutrons before they make it to the detector resulting in a
very low neutron background. The natural sources of are Uranium, Polonium,
and Cobalt.

Conclusions:
BF3 and boron-lined proportional detectors have limited use in high gamma
radiation fields. Gamma-ray pile-up can cause space charge effects that distort the
neutron spectrum of these boron-containing detectors. This effect can be seen in
figure 4 for the 300 R/hr spectrum. The wall effect continuum is going away and
the two plateau are combining together.
The data collected using the BF3 and boron-lined detectors displayed spectra that
were very similar to the spectra in Knoll. The different spectral features (gamma
interactions, wall effect continuum, Full-energy peaks, recoil events, and alpha
particle events) were all easily identified in the spectra.
When taking the background counts, it displayed, what looked like, a gamma
interaction peak. It was concluded that this peak is due to the high gamma-field
that remains from the previous reactor operation. That is why the rest of the
neutron spectrum does not show in the background count. This experiment

helped students get familiarized with the BF3 boron-lined detectors. Both
detectors produced good results.