Use of Neutron Beams with Maxwellian Energy Spectrum in Transmission Study: A Simulation Study

Low-energy neutron beams from 7 Li(p,n) and 3 H(p,n) reactions have been used to calculate moisture concentration in concrete, soil, coal, wood and sugar samples over 1.0–7.0 wt% moisture using a Monte Carlo method. The neutron beams from 7 Li(p,n) and 3 H(p,n) reactions offer 3–350% higher sensitivity in moisture measurements in concrete, soil, coal and sugar samples than the 2.8-MeV neutron beams from D(d,n) reaction. The sensitivity of these neutron beams can be further enhanced by increasing the proton beams energy, but the collimated nature of the beam will be lost due to widening of neutron emission angle of the reaction. This study has shown use of the beams from 7 Li(p,n) and 3 H(p,n) reactions in higher sensitivity moisture measurement in bulk samples.