Speaker
Description
Michael Bunce1, David Thomas1, Graeme Taylor1, Neil Roberts1, Andrew Bennett1, Sarb Cheema1, Kimberly Ward1, Daniel Smith1, Nicola Horwood1 and Ed O’Sullivan1
1Nuclear Metrology Group, National Physical Laboratory, UK
By definition a neutron detector will detect neutrons. However, the amount of information that can be derived from a detected event depends on what is known about the characteristics of the instrument. Information on the number of neutrons detected depends on knowledge of the efficiency of the device and this requires standard fields for calibration. For spectrometers monoenergetic fields provide facilities for deriving detector response functions. Radiation protection devices require dose standards.
The National Physical Laboratory has provided industry and academia with fluence, energy, and dose standard neutron fields for characterising neutron detecting instruments since the 1960’s. Sectors such as civil nuclear power, defence, radiation-protection and fusion generation rely on NPLs facilities to innovate, operate safely and ensure traceability back to an internationally recognised UK primary standard.
A central part of the capability was the 3.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator which has been retired after over 60 years of operation. A new 2 MV Tandetron has been installed, which will use light ions to generates monoenergetic fields of neutrons ranging from a few keV to 20 MeV and intense thermal fields.
This presentation will outline the neutron capabilities of the Nuclear Metrology Group at NPL and the details of the new accelerator.