Boron-lined ion chambers for reactor applications

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:arial;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">Ion chambers for reactor control and safety instrumentation have been indigenously developed. The chambers are used for on-line neutron flux measurement in reactor out-of-core location. The chambers have a rugged mechanical design with integral mineral insulated cable assembly capable of operating in hostile environment. The electrodes were coated with 350 mg of 92% enriched elemental boron-10 and the theoretically expected neutron sensitivity of 2.9 x 10^-14A/nv has been achieved. Tests on one of the chambers show good saturation at 1.o x 10⁸<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";="" mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" new="" roman";="" mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">nv. If necessary, the chamber can be operated at neutron flux of the order of 1.0 x 10¹¹nv.</span></span>