Neutron radiography at the SCK/CEN

Neutron radiography has become in recent years a very important method of nondestructive testing in industry and research. The earliest practical application of neutron radiography has probably been the inspection of highly radioactive material: originally irradiated reactor fuels. Applications then progressed to other nuclear and industrial inspection problems. Neutron radiography and the conventional X-ray or gamma techniques are complementary. Some of the most important application fields of neutron radiography are: the detection of light elements (H, Li, B,...) with a very high scattering of absorption cross section for thermal neutrons; the nondestructive control of fuel before and after irradiation; controls where a distinction has to be made between isotopes of the same element (235U and 238U, 10B and 11B,...) and between components of a similar atomic number (Fe and Zn); the control of materials with a high density; the study of corrosion in closed structures; the control of the homogeneity of foreign materials in alloys,.... (author)