Abstract: An embodiment of a method for restoring detector resolution in an X-Ray fluorescence instrument is described that comprises: measuring a resolution value of a detector in the X-Ray fluorescence instrument using a standard material at a first temperature; determining that the measured resolution value deviates from a target value; and adjusting the temperature of the detector to a second temperature that restores the resolution value of the detector to the target value, wherein the temperature is adjusted by an amount defined by a relationship of temperature change to the degree of deviation of detector resolution from the target value.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one X-ray source that emits X-rays toward a sample, an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) detector that detects X-ray radiation scattered from the sample, an internal standard that emits scattered X-ray radiation in response to X-rays emitted from the at least one X-ray source, and a carriage assembly that translates the at least one X-ray source and XRF detector between a sample measurement position and an internal standard measurement position.

Abstract: A thermal control apparatus adapted for use with a pressurized air supply for controlling temperature of a component includes a vortex tube having an inlet adapted for connection with the pressurized air supply, a cold air outlet, and a hot air outlet, and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cold air outlet of the vortex tube, the heat exchanger being in thermal contact with the component and thereby controlling the temperature of the component. The heat exchanger further includes a post-heat-exchange exhaust air outlet in fluid communication with an exhaust air inlet adapted to direct the exhaust air along an outside of the vortex tube.

Abstract: A particle presentation apparatus for presenting particles being conducted within a gaseous stream for instream spectroscopic elemental analysis includes a particle blending section for homogenizing the distribution particles of significantly different sizes received within a gaseous stream of randomly distributed particles; and a particle sampling section including a window that is adapted for passing a particle excitation beam, such as a laser beam, and photon emissions, and a conduit for conducting the homogenized stream of particles past the window so that a particle excitation beam passing through the window can pass into the stream of homogenized particles. The apparatus may be used in combination with a drilling machine, wherein the particle blending section is coupled to an outlet pipe of the drilling machine for receiving a said gaseous stream of randomly distributed particles that are expelled from a drill hole.

Abstract: A particle presentation apparatus for presenting particles being conducted within a gaseous stream for in-stream spectroscopic elemental analysis includes a particle blending section for homogenizing the distribution particles of significantly different sizes received within a gaseous stream of randomly distributed particles; and a particle sampling section including a window that is adapted for passing a particle excitation beam, such as a laser beam, and photon emissions, and a conduit for conducting the homogenized stream of particles past the window so that a particle excitation beam passing through the window can pass into the stream of homogenized particles. The apparatus may be used in combination with a drilling machine, wherein the particle blending section is coupled to an outlet pipe of the drilling machine for receiving a said gaseous stream of randomly distributed particles that are expelled from a drill hole.

Abstract: A modular assembly for a bulk material includes container modules defining at least one radiation source cavity, at least one radiation detector channel and a passageway disposed for enabling passage of the conveyor belt through an activation region; and radiation shielding material disposed within the container means. A lower primary module contains a first portion of the radiation shielding material and defines either the radiation source cavity or the radiation detector channel. An upper primary module contains a second portion of radiation shielding material and defines the other of either the radiation source cavity or the radiation detector channel. A set of replaceable side modules contain additional portions of the radiation shielding material.

Abstract: During the building of a mix bed of variable bulk materials, from which slices of the bulk materials are reclaimed from time to time, a computer processes composition analyses and quantity measurements to provide a real time data base of the current aggregate composition of the bulk materials in respective sectors of the mix bed and further processes current composition analyses and current quantity measurements with the real time data base to predict an aggregate composition of the bulk materials in the respective sectors of the mix bed when the respective sectors are reclaimed.

Abstract: In a bulk material analyzer in which bulk material is received in an activation region between a pair of neutron sources laterally disposed on one side of the activation region for emitting neutrons for bombarding the bulk material within the activation region to cause gamma-rays to be emitted from the bombarded bulk material and a pair of gamma-ray detectors laterally disposed on an opposite side of the activation region for detecting gamma-rays emitted from the bulk material, and in which a neutron moderator is disposed between the neutron sources and the activation region for reducing the velocity of the emitted neutrons such that the neutrons entering the activation region include thermal neutrons and faster neutrons, the uniformity of sensitivity of the bulk material analyzer to materials at different positions in a sample of the bulk material being analyzed is enhanced by controlling the proportions of thermal neutron at different positions within the sample being analyzed.

Abstract: In a bulk material analyzer in which bulk material is received in an activation region between a pair of neutron sources laterally disposed on one side of the activation region for emitting neutrons for bombarding the bulk material within the activation region to cause gamma-rays to be emitted from the bombarded bulk material and a pair of gamma-ray detectors laterally disposed on another side of the activation region for detecting gamma-rays emitted from the bulk material, a primary neutron moderator is disposed about the neutron sources for reducing the velocity of the emitted neutrons; and a secondary neutron moderator is disposed about the primary neutron moderator for further reducing the velocity of the neutrons and is further disposed adjacent the lateral edges of the activation region for channeling and reflecting the neutrons into the activation region.

Abstract: A bulk material analyzer of the type in which the bulk material is transported through the material analyzer assembly on a conveyor belt between at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector, includes a plurality of lower and upper modules that contain radiation shielding material and are so shaped as to define a passageway for the conveyor belt between the upper modules and the lower modules when the upper modules are placed on the lower modules. A primary centrally located lower module also includes the radiation sources and a primary centrally located upper module also includes the radiation detectors. Some of the outwardly located modules contain less radiation shielding material. The radiation shielding material includes a plurality of personally portable blocks. The conveyor belt is supported by compressed air passed through central upper wails in the outwardly located lower modules.

Abstract: A radioactive source is mounted at one end of a rod and a ball-shaped coupler is disposed at the other end of the rod. An apparatus for handling a plurality of radioactive sources respectively mounted at one end of a plurality of rods having a ball-shaped coupler disposed at the other end of each said rod includes a shaft having a canister at one end of the shaft and a clip at another position on the shaft. The canister defines a plurality of compartments for respectively receiving a plurality of said mounted radioactive sources. The clip defines a plurality of chambers for respectively receiving a plurality of the ball-shaped couplers. The rods are flexible and semirigid and the distance between the canister and the clip is such in relation to the distance between the radioactive source and the ball-shaped coupler on the rod that the rods must be flexed after the radioactive sources are received in the compartments in order to insert the ball-shaped couplers into the chambers of the clip.

Abstract: A material analyzer includes a container; a radiation source disposed within the container; a detector disposed within the container for detecting radiation that is secondarily emitted by a material sample within an activation region located between the radiation source and the detector when the material sample is bombarded by radiation from the radiation source and for producing signals in response to said secondarily emitted radiation; a computer for processing the signals to determine the content of the material sample; and a carousel for transporting a material sample from outside the container to within the activation region. The carousel is disposed about an axis of rotation located between the activation region and a receiving region located outside the container, and has a pair of sample containment chambers that are alternately moved between the receiving region and the activation region when the carousel is rotated about said axis.

Abstract: A calibration block is used for calibrating a bulk material analyzer that has an activation region in which bulk material is received for analysis and a chute for passing the bulk material through the activation region. The block is dimensioned to be of almost the same cross-sectional size as the interior of the chute and extends both above and below the activation region when inserted in the chute. The calibration block is manufactured by (a) providing a mixture of known materials of known proportions that do not chemically react with each other, including a bonding agent; (b) homogenizing the mixture to make a thick paste in which the known materials are bound without segregation of known materials that have different densities; (c) molding the homogeneous mixture into the shape of a block having predetermined dimensions; and (d) solidifying the molded mixture to provide the calibration block.

Abstract: A complete PGNAA bulk material analyzer is self contained in a sealed and air conditioned housing. Bulk material is channeled by an open-ended vertical chute having a one-foot-by-three-foot cross-sectional dimension through an activation region between three neutron sources and two gamma ray detectors. The sources are symmetrically disposed on one of the three-foot long sides of the chute from one end of such side to the other. The detectors are symmetrically disposed on the opposite side of the chute between positions opposing the positions of the sources on the one side of the chute. The chute is dimensioned to enable free flow of various bulk materials. It handles coal of up to a top size of four inches and with typical surface moisture contents and agglomeration characteristics. The relative disposition of the sources and detectors results in the measurements being independent of the lateral distribution of the bulk material within the chute.

Abstract: A fission chamber detector system for monitoring neutron flux density in a nuclear reactor includes a preamplifier and signal conditioning unit for amplifying and conditioning neutron signal pulses produced by fission chamber detectors located adjacent the reactor core. The preamplifier and signal conditioning unit are located outside of the containment vessel for the reactor. The amplifier and signal conditioning unit amplify and condition the neutron signal pulses to provide signals that can be transmitted by twisted shielded pairs to a remotely located signal processing unit. The preamplifiers include an input stage that enables the preamplifiers to be controlled remotely to either pass or inhibit neutron signal pulses to an amplifier stage from the fission chambers, and to pass test signals to the amplifier stage.

Abstract: A fission chamber detector system for monitoring neutron flux density in a nuclear reactor utilizes a unique coaxial cable carried through a flexible metal hose to provide sufficient signal quality to allow a preamplifier and signal conditioning unit for amplifying and conditioning neutron signal pulses produced by the fission chambers to be far enough away from the fission chambers as to be located outside of the containment vessel for the reactor. Reactor power and rate-of-reactor-power-change signals produced for overlapping power ranges from a countrate circuit and a mean square voltage circuit are aligned by a voltage controlled switch and a slave switch without causing spurious transients in the rate-of-change signals. Power signal indications are provided over 12 decades.

Abstract: A bulk material analyzer of the type in which the bulk material is transported through the material analyzer assembly on a conveyor belt between at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector, includes a plurality of lower and upper modules that contain radiation shielding material and are so shaped as to define a passageway for the conveyor belt between the upper modules and the lower modules when the upper modules are placed on the lower modules. A primary centrally located lower module also includes the radiation sources and a primary centrally located upper module also includes the radiation detectors. Some of the outwardly located modules contain less radiation shielding material. The radiation shielding material includes a plurality of personally portable blocks. The conveyor belt is supported by compressed air passed through central upper wails in the outwardly located lower modules.