Study of a loop heat pipe using neutron radiography.

An explanation is given of what a loop heat pipe (LHP) is, and how it works. It is then shown that neutron imaging (both real time neutron radioscopy and single exposure neutron radiography) is an effective experimental tool for the study of LHPs. Specifically, neutron imaging has helped to identify and correct a cooling water distribution problem in the condenser, and has enabled visualization of two-phase flow (liquid and vapor) in various components of the LHP.

Development of neutron radioscopy for the inspection of CF188 flight control surfaces.

Neutron radioscopy, using a cooled charged coupled device (CCD) camera and a neutron-sensitive scintillation screen, was developed at the SLOWPOKE-2 Facility at the Royal Military College (RMC) to detect water ingress into the composite layers and the aluminium honeycomb core in flight control surfaces on the CF188 Hornet aircraft. The response of the CCD camera system was tested at different neutron fluxes utilising the SLOWPOKE-2 at RMC and the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor at Pennsylvania State University.

Analysis and testing of the divergence and alignment indicator using the Penn State neutron radiography beam.

The divergence and alignment indicator (DAI) was developed to test the alignment of the imaging plane in a neutron beam and to determine the divergence angle of the beam. The construction of the device was intentionally kept simple to allow ease of implementation. The DAI consists of an aluminum plate and rods, and cadmium wire for contrast.

Modulation transfer function technique for real time radioscopic system characterization.

At the University of Virginia neutron radiography facility, a modulation transfer function technique has been developed that can easily predict and compare the resolving characteristics of the real time system and the individual system components. We desired a simple method by which new system components could be analyzed to determine their image transfer characteristics and to estimate how they would affect the composite system during data acquisition. The method employed measures a small set of constant system parameters related to data collected across a cadmium cut-edge aperture.