摘要
The acquisition of neutron time spectrum data plays a pivotal role in the precise quantification of uranium via prompt fission neutron uranium logging(PFNUL).However,the impact of the detector dead-time effect remains paramount in the accurate acquisition of the neutron time spectrum.Therefore,it is imperative for neutron logging instruments to establish a dead-time correction method that is not only uncomplicated but also practical and caters to various logging sites.This study has formulated an innovative equation for determining dead time and introduced a dead-time correction method for the neutron time spectrum,called the“dual flux method.”Using this approach,a logging instrument captures two neutron time spectra under disparate neutron fluxes.By carefully selecting specific“windows”on the neutron time spectrum,the dead time can be accurately ascertained.To substantiate its efficacy and discern the influencing factors,experiments were conducted utilizing a deuterium-tritium(D-T)neutron source,a Helium-3(3He)detector,and polyethylene shielding to collate and analyze the neutron time spectrum under varying neutron fluxes(at high voltages).The findings underscore that the“height”and“spacing”of the two windows are the most pivotal influencing factors.Notably,the“height”(fd)should surpass 2,and the“spacing”twd should exceed 200μs.The dead time of the 3 He detector determined in the experiment was 7.35μs.After the dead-time correction,the deviation of the decay coefficients from the theoretical values for the neutron time spectrum under varying neutron fluxes decreased from 12.4%to within 5%.Similarly,for the PFNUL instrument,the deviation in the decay coefficients decreased from 22.94 to 0.49%after correcting for the dead-time effect.These results demonstrate the exceptional efficacy of the proposed method in ensuring precise uranium quantification.The dual flux method was experimentally validated as a universal approach applicable to pulsed neutron logging instruments and holds immense significance for uranium exploration.
基金
supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42374226)
Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.20232BAB201043 and 20232BCJ23006)
Nuclear Energy Development Project(20201192-01)
National Key Laboratory of Uranium Resource Exploration-Mining and Nuclear Remote Sensing(ECUT)(2024QZ-TD-09)
Fundamental Science on Radioactive Geology and Exploration Technology Laboratory(2022RGET20).
作者简介
Yan Zhang yanzhang@ecut.edu.cn;Bin Tang tangbin@ecut.edu.cn。