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US 8,912,484 B2Granted
Photomultipler-based neutron detector
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsRoman Korkin, Wolfgang Ziegler, Kenneth Stephenson
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Abstract
A neutron detector is provided which may include a neutron converting layer, and a scintillator layer adjacent the neutron converting layer. The neutron detector may further include a photomultiplier adjacent the scintillator layer. By way of example, the neutron detector may be used in a well logging apparatus to determine a neutron flux incident upon the neutron converting layer, and thereby determine the neutron porosity of a geological formation around a wellbore.
Claims7
A neutron detector comprising:
- a neutron converting layer;
- a scintillator layer adjacent said neutron converting layer;
- and
- a photomultiplier adjacent said scintillator layer, and comprising a vacuum tube including an entrance window comprising a neutron transparent material, and a photocathode layer within said vacuum tube adjacent said entrance window;
- wherein said neutron converting layer and scintillator layer are within said vacuum tube adjacent said entrance window.
2 more elements
A well logging apparatus comprising:
- a well logging tool to be conveyed within a wellbore of a subterranean formation comprising a neutron converting layer,
- a scintillator layer adjacent said neutron converting layer, and a photomultiplier adjacent said scintillator layer, wherein said photomultiplier comprises a vacuum tube including an entrance window comprising a neutron transparent material, and a photocathode layer within said vacuum tube adjacent said entrance window, and wherein said neutron converting layer and scintillator layer are within said vacuum tube adjacent said entrance window;
- and
- a processor coupled to said well logging tool.
1 more element
A neutron detection method comprising:
- exposing a neutron converting layer to a neutron source to cause the neutron converting layer to generate charged particles;
- exposing a scintillator layer adjacent the neutron converting layer to the charged particles generated by the neutron converting layer to cause the scintillator layer to generate photons;
- exposing a photomultiplier adjacent the scintillator layer to the photons generated by the scintillator layer to cause the photomultiplier to generate electrical pulses, wherein the photomultiplier comprises a vacuum tube including an entrance window comprising a neutron transparent material, and a photocathode layer within the vacuum tube adjacent the entrance window, and wherein the neutron converting layer and scintillator layer are within the vacuum tube adjacent the entrance window;
- and
- determining a neutron flux incident upon the neutron converting layer based upon the electrical pulses.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.