Development and tests of a self-powered neutron detector with a fissile emitter

Theoretical evaluations performed at the Atominstitute indicated that a self-powered neutron detector using enriched uranium as emitter material will have a detector sensitivity two decades above other standard self-powered neutron detectors such as cobalt detectors. In addition, the application of enriched uranium will have other interesting features such as the same spectral detector response and the same burnup as the reactor fuel if the uranium composition in the emitter and in the reactor fuel elements is identical. After optimizing the detector geometry theoretically, several prototype detectors were constructed at the Atominstitute and their behaviour was tested in a TRIGA-type reactor. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical evaluations and good agreement was obtained. (author)