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What is NDT?
Neutrons, like X-rays and gamma rays, pass through solid material and with suitable conversion screens can produce an electronic or
photographic image similar in nature to those produced in X-radiography.
X-rays, being electromagnetic waves, react primarily with the electron shells of elements and are increasingly attenuated as the number of
electrons (atomic number) and the density increases.
Neutrons, being neutral particles of very large mass compared to electrons, react primarily with the nucleus of elements; the interaction varies
even between isotopes of the same element and the attenuation characteristic is largely unrelated to atomic number. Low-energy neutrons in
particular (so called thermal and cold neutrons with energies less than 0.025 eV) demonstrate very different and at times complementary
characteristics to X-rays, being very strongly absorbed by hydrogen, boron, cadmium, gadolinium and a few other elements, but not by the
common engineering metals (including aluminium, iron and lead). This means that by thermal neutron radiography, small amounts of
hydrogenous material such as corrosion products, oil, water, explosive and plastic materials can be detected inside metal assemblies.
Neutron radiography is used to detect corrosion products and examine complex castings (such as turbine blades), explosive fillings (and
particularly for continuity in detonator cords), nuclear fuel elements, adhesive bonds and quality assurance checks for assembly of critical
components (such as those used in space applications).
Sources of neutrons for radiography are:
a) Atomic reactors
b) Particle accelerators
c) Radioisotopes (notably 252Californium).
The most intense sources are reactors but proton and heavier ion accelerators of even modest energies (as low as 3 MeV) can be used to
generate intense beams of neutrons, which can be used to provide good quality radiographs and electronic images. Real-time imaging,
stereoscopy and tomography are within the capability of some of these small accelerators (see: Real-time radiography).
Some work is underway to provide mobile systems for operation at dispersed sites.
Neutron Radiography
Basic Principles
Neutron radiography is a nondestructive testing
technique similar but complementary to conventional
radiography. Like other forms of energy, the penetrating
radiation can be studied to reveal clues about the internal
structure of the object. Whereas the attenuation of X-rays in
materials increases with increasing atomic number of the
absorbing material, the mass attenuation coefficients of the
elements for thermal neutrons, if arranged in order of
increasing atomic number of the absorber, appear almost
completely random.
This apparently random distribution of attenuation
coefficients with atomic number occurs because neutron
absorption does not depend on the electron structure of the atom
as does the absorption of X-rays, but on interaction with the
atomic nucleus. As a result, certain light elements such as
hydrogen, lithium and boron, and some rare earth elements such
as gadolinium, dysprosium and indium have high or very high
thermal neutron absorption.1
The ability to image low atomic number materials in the presence of a
high atomic number matrix can be of considerable interest in a variety of
industries. Rubber, plastic or wood can be observed in specimens made of
steel, aluminum or lead. The hydrogenous explosive charge can be seen inside
a brass shell casing. Fluid levels can be seen inside high atomic number
containers such as steel or lead. Corrosion and water entrapment can easily be
seen inside metal structures such as honeycomb aircraft assemblies.
Neutron Imaging
Images from neutron radiography are obtained in two
principal ways:
1- direct method, the film is actually present in the
neutron beam during exposure and involves
converting the transmitted portion of the neutron
beam into a type of radiation that will expose a
photographic emulsion.
2- indirect, or transfer method, the film exposure is
made by autoradiography of a radioactive, image
carrying metal screen.
The two techniques are illustrated in Figure 12.1.
Direct sensitivity of film to neutrons is relatively low.
Therefore, conversion or intensifying screens are used
with both techniques.
For the direct exposure method these screens increase the
detector response by the emission of radiation that the
adjacent film is sensitive to.
Neutron Gaging
Neutron gaging is the measurement of attenuation of a collimated, small diameter beam of radiation as it is transmitted
through a specimen. It has been used for static gaging of discrete assemblies and for continuous scanning of long objects for
acceptable uniformity. The gaging technique can test items of greater thickness than can be tested with neutron radiography.