Probe for contamination detection in recyclable materials

A neutron detection system for detection of contaminants contained within a bulk material, comprising:

• at least one neutron generator for neutron bombardment of said bulk material;
• at least one gamma ray detector for detection of gamma rays emitted by contaminants within said bulk material responsive to said neutron bombardment,
• structure for analyzing gamma ray data communicably connected to said gamma ray detector, said structure for analyzing gamma ray data adapted to determine the presence of at least one contaminant in said bulk material, and
• structure for removing detected contaminants from said bulk material.

A neutron detection system, comprising:

• at least one neutron generator for neutron bombardment of a material;
• at least one gamma ray detector for detection of gamma rays emitted by said material responsive to said neutron bombardment;
• a neutron reflector for reflecting at least a portion of neutrons which pass through said material back into said material, said neutron reflector disposed on an end of said material distal to an end of said material which receives an initially incident neutron beam emitted from said neutron generator;
• structure for analyzing gamma ray data communicably connected to said gamma ray detector, said structure for analyzing gamma ray data adapted to determine the presence of at least one substance in said material, and
• structure for scanning a neutron beam emitted from said neutron generator across said material to identify discrete portions in said material having said substance, said scanning having components in at least two orthogonal planes.

A neutron detection system, comprising:

• at least one neutron generator for neutron bombardment of a bulk material during recycling;
• at least one gamma ray detector for detection of gamma rays emitted by said bulk material responsive to said neutron bombardment;
• structure for analyzing gamma ray data communicably connected to said gamma ray detector, said structure for analyzing gamma ray data adapted to determine the presence of at least one contaminant in said bulk material, and
• structure for scanning a neutron beam emitted from said neutron generator across a portion of said bulk material to identify portions of said bulk material having contaminants.

A method for identifying discrete locations of contaminants in materials for recycling, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bulk material for recycling;
• providing at least one neutron generator for neutron bombardment of said bulk material, and at least one gamma ray detector for detection of gamma rays emitted by contaminants within said bulk material, and structure for analyzing gamma ray data communicably connected to said gamma ray detector, said structure for analyzing gamma ray data adapted to determine the presence of at least one contaminant in said bulk material;
• irradiating a first portion of said bulk material with said emitted neutrons;
• determining the presence and concentration of said contaminants in said first portion from gamma rays emitted from said first portion;
• moving said neutron generator to permit irradiation of an other portion of said bulk material, said other portion different from said first portion;
• irradiating said other portion of said bulk material with said emitted neutrons, and
• determining the presence and concentration of said contaminants in said other portion from gamma rays emitted from said other portion.