A boron-lined proportional counter (BLPC) used in a mixed field of reactors

A boron-lined proportional counter (BLPC) with a count rate limit close to the multi-wire proportional counter was manufactured to measure the mixed field around reactors. After measurement with a standard Am-Be neutron source (activity: 100 mCi), the results show that the operating voltage of the BLPC is 800 V, the plateau length is 100 V and the slope is 13.2%/100 V. The width and rise time of the output pulse of the BLPC are 1.26 μS and 370 ns, respectively. When the BLPC works at a count rate of 1.0 × 105 count/s, the pulse pile-up probability of the BLPC is 3.6%. A clear peak can be seen in the pulse height spectrum of the BLPC. and the performances illustrate that a BLPC working in pulse mode can serve as a source range detector of reactors. (authors)