Robert Gordon Bennett
Published: 1970
Total Pages: 121
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The research was concerned with the temperature dependence of thermal neutron flux. In view of the excellent neutron detection capability exhibited by the Lithium Iodide Europium enriched crystal this phosphor was utilized for the investigation. A miniature crystal (4mm x 4mm) and a flexible light pipe combination was used to determine the neutron spatial distribution as a function of temperature using a Pu-Be source in a light-water medium. A separate experimental investigation, with Indium foils and activation analysis, was used to determine the temperature dependence of thermal neutron flux under the same experimental conditions as the crystal. A theoretical analysis was also conducted using Two-Group theory to obtain an expression for thermal flux with spatial and temperature dependent parameters. The results of the research indicate that the thermal neutron flux is temperature dependent in the region investigated (77 degrees - 168 degrees F). The experimental results verify the increasing trend of flux magnitude with increasing temperature, as predicted by the Two-Group solution. (Author).