An automated delayed neutron counting system for mass determinations of special nuclear materials

An automated delayed neutron counting (DNC) system has been developed at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) to enhance nuclear forensics capabilities pertaining to special nuclear material analysis. The system utilises the SLOWPOKE-2 Facility at RMC as a neutron source and 3He detectors. System control and data acquisition occur through a LabVIEW platform. The time dependent count rate of the delayed neutron production has been examined for 235U, using certified reference materials. Experimental validation according to ISO 17025 protocols suggests typical errors and precision of −3.6 and 3.1%, respectively, and a detection limit of 0.26 μg 235U.