US5982838A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and portable apparatus for the detection of substances by use of neutron irradiation
Assignee: Western Kentucky University
•
Filing: 1997-06-19
•
Granted: 1999-11-09
•
Expires: 2017-06-19
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method and portable apparatus which is used to detect substances, such as explosives and drugs, by neutron irradiation. The apparatus has a portable neutron generating probe and corresponding controllers and data collection computers. The probe emits neutrons in order to interrogate an object. The probe also contains gamma ray detectors for the collection of gamma rays from fast neutron, thermal neutron and neutron activation reactions. Data collected from these detectors is sent to the computer for data de-convolution then object identification in order to determine whether the object being interrogated contains explosives or illicit contraband.
Inventors
- 👤 George Vourvopoulos
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:51
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21K; G21K5/00; G21K5/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A portable pulsed neutron detection system for detection of specific elements in an object, comprising: a manually transportable probe, said probe having a pulsed neutron generator and at least one gamma ray detector; a controller operably connected to said pulsed neutron generator for varying the intensity and pulse characteristics of said pulsed neutron generator so as to emit a beam of neutrons from said generator; a data acquisition system operably connected to said at least one gamma ray detector for collecting data measured by said detector; and, means to analyze said data corresponding to fast neutron reactions, thermal neutron reactions and activation neutron reactions to determine the chemical composition of said object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A portable pulsed neutron detection system for detection of specific elements in an object, comprising: a manually transportable probe, said probe having a pulsed neutron generator and at least one gamma ray detector; a controller operably connected to said pulsed neutron generator for varying the intensity and pulse characteristics of said pulsed neutron generator so as to emit a beam of neutrons from said generator; a data acquisition system operably connected to said at least one gamma ray detector for collecting data measured by said detector; and, means to analyze said data corresponding to fast neutron reactions, thermal neutron reactions and activation neutron reactions to determine the chemical composition of said object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said probe is further comprised of: a cylindrical housing containing said neutron generator and said at least one gamma ray detector; shielding material separating said gamma ray detector and said neutron generator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said shielding is lead.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said shielding is bismuth.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said shielding is positioned around said at least one gamma ray detector about 235 degrees.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said probe is encased in a stainless steel cylindrical housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one gamma ray detector is bismuth germanate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one gamma ray detector is gadolinium orthosilicate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said data acquisition system further comprises a computer to process signals supplied by said at least one gamma ray detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said computer generates a fitted spectrum of gamma rays at each energy channel by the equation: f[i]=Σ.sub.k c.sub.k *m.sub.k [i]+α*bg[i] where f is the number of counts in the i-th energy channel of the fitted spectrum, c k is the multiplication coefficient for the response spectrum of the k-th element, m k [i] is the number of counts in the i-th channel of the response spectrum of the k-th element, α is the multiplication coefficient of the background, and bg[i] is the number of counts in the i-th energy channel of the background.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said m k [i]'s are determined by measuring the spectrum of a sample containing only one chemical element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said coefficients c k and α are determined by the least squares method, minimizing the general X 2 equation: X.sup.2 =Σ.sub.i (y.sub.i -f[i]).sup.2 /σ.sub.i.sup.2 where y i and σ i are the measured counts in the i-th energy channel and the statistical error respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said controller separates pulses from said neutron generator by between 85 and 90 microseconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said pulsed neutron generator is a deuterium-tritium neutron generator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said generator emits neutrons at about 14 MeV.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said generator produces pulses between about 10 kHz and 14 kHz.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one gamma ray detector measures fast neutron reactions, thermal neutron reactions and activation neutron reactions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2965757A
Cited
US3648515A
Cited
US3832545A
Cited
US3942003A
Cited
US4264823A
Cited
US4363965A
Cited
US4464569A
Cited
US4527058A
Cited
US4587424A
Cited
US4661701A
Cited
US4710946A
Cited
US4756866A
Cited
US4882121A
Cited
US4810876A
Cited
US4864142A
Cited
US5040200A
Cited
US5293414A
Cited
US5124554A
Cited
US5200626A
Cited
US5247177A
Cited
US5251240A
Cited
US5159617A
Cited
US5235185A
Cited
US5479023A
Cited
US5434408A
Cited
US5282235A
Cited
US5446288A
Cited
US5440118A
Cited
US5781602A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-08 | 2003-05-10 | 2003-11-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-08 | 2007-05-10 | 2007-11-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-08 | 2011-05-10 | 2011-11-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |