Method and apparatus for real-time measurement of fissile content within chemical and material handling processes

An apparatus for measuring fissile content in a process for manufacturing fissile materials wherein the process uses process vessel, the apparatus comprising:

• a neutron source capable of being modulated;
• the neutron source being selected from the group consisting of a mechanically modulated fixed neutron source, an electronically modulated fusion neutron source with a liquid target, and an electronically modulated fusion neutron source with a target formed from a material capable of taking hydrogen into solution, the target being impregnated with one or both of deuterium and tritium;
• a collimator for controlling the direction of any neutrons emanating in use from the target;
• a plurality of detector arrays positioned in predetermined locations relative to the process vessel for detecting process variables, the detectors producing signals representative of the process variables in real time;
• and
• a processor for receiving the signals and converting the detected process variables into margin to criticality measurements.

A method for measuring a margin to criticality in a process for manufacturing fissile materials wherein the process uses process vessel, the method comprising:

• pulsing neutrons from a source of neutrons;
• collimating the pulsed neutrons towards an array of process variable detectors positioned in predetermined locations relative to the process vessel;
• detecting process variables comprised of at least neutron and gamma radiation levels, the detectors producing signals representative of the process variables in real time;
• and,
• sending the real time signals to a processor wherein the processor correlates the signals to stored models of known process variables to calculate margin to criticality.