Neutron emission detector

A device for detecting neutron emission, the device comprising:

• a housing providing an enclosure and shielding from radiation other than neutron emission, the housing having a cylindrical shape and including a circumferential side wall with a first end wall and a spaced-apart second end wall coupled to opposing ends of the side wall;
• a moderator structure formed at least partially from energy absorbing material and having a solid, cylindrical shape, the moderator structure positioned within the housing with one end thereof abutting the first end wall;
• a neutron detection element including a roughly planar substrate with a plurality of openings extending between opposing surfaces thereof and a neutron reactive material deposited on the surfaces of the substrate, the neutron detection element receiving no electric voltage or current;
• and
• a plurality of plate electrodes formed at least partially from electrically conductive material and spaced apart from one another, each adjacent pair of plate electrodes capable of sustaining a voltage therebetween, wherein one neutron detection element is positioned between adjacent pairs of plate electrodes and the combination of plate electrodes and neutron detection elements is positioned adjacent an opposing end of the moderator structure.

A system for detecting neutron emission, the system comprising:

• a system housing providing an enclosure and shielding from radiation other than neutron emission, the system housing including a plurality of side walls;
• and
• a plurality of neutron detecting devices, each neutron detecting device including:
• a device housing providing an enclosure and shielding from radiation other than neutron emission, the housing having a cylindrical shape and including a circumferential side wall with a first end wall and a spaced-apart second end wall coupled to opposing ends of the side wall,
• a moderator structure formed at least partially from energy absorbing material and having a solid, cylindrical shape, the moderator structure positioned within the device housing with one end thereof abutting the first end wall,
• a neutron detection element including a roughly planar substrate with a plurality of openings extending between opposing surfaces thereof and a neutron reactive material deposited on the surfaces of the substrate, the neutron detection element receiving no electric voltage or current, and
• a plurality of plate electrodes formed at least partially from electrically conductive material and spaced apart from one another, each adjacent pair of plate electrodes capable of sustaining a voltage therebetween, wherein one neutron detection element is positioned between adjacent pairs of plate electrodes and the combination of plate electrodes and neutron detection elements is positioned adjacent an opposing end of the moderator structure,
• wherein each neutron detecting device is coupled to a side wall of the system housing and is oriented in a unique direction.