Characterisation of neutron fields at the n-lab, a fast neutron facility at the University of Cape Town.

The n-lab is a fast neutron facility based in the Department of Physics, University of Cape Town, offering collimated neutron beams produced by an MP 320 deuterium-tritium sealed tube neutron generator, and a 220 GBq americium-beryllium radioisotopic source. Characterisations of the spatial and energy distributions of the fast neutron beams were performed using an EJ-301 organic liquid scintillator detector and digital data acquisition system. Neutron energy spectra were obtained through unfolding analyses with MAXED, and a Monte Carlo approach to the propagation of uncertainties was implemented.

Standard method for performing positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) measurements of froth flotation at PEPT Cape Town.

Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is a technique for measuring the motion of tracer particles in systems of flow such as mineral froth flotation. An advantage of PEPT is that tracer particles with different physical properties can be tracked in the same experimental system, which allows detailed studies of the relative behaviour of different particle classes in flotation. This work describes the standard operating protocol developed for PEPT experiments in a flotation vessel at PEPT Cape Town in South Africa.

Measuring prompt gamma-ray emissions from elements found in tissue during passive-beam proton therapy.

Prompt gamma detection during proton radiotherapy for range verification purposes will need to operate in both active and passive treatment beam environments. This paper describes prompt gamma measurements using a high resolution 2″ × 2″ LaBrdetector for a 200 MeV clinical passive-scatter proton beam. These measurements examine the most likely discrete prompt gamma rays emitted from tissue by detecting gammas produced in water, Perspex, carbon and liquid-nitrogen targets.

Extending the life of SnOGe/Ga generators used in the radiolabelling of ion exchange resins.

The SnOGe/Ga generator system is widely used in medical imaging to provide a regular supply of the radionuclide Ga (T = 68.3 min) for positron emission tomography (PET). These generators are also used to supply Ga for the fabrication of tracer particles for application in positron emission particle tracking (PEPT).

A PEPT algorithm for predefined positions of radioisotopes relative to the tracer particle.

PEPT has been used to study the flow of material in a wide range of industrial systems. Usually, by invoking the ergodic assumption for the behaviour of the flow field, a single tracer, tracked over a sufficiently long period, can be used to characterize the velocity field of a steady state system. Starting with a known distribution of positron-emitting-radioisotope within the tracer particle, an optimised Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) algorithm for determining the centroid of the tracer is presented.