Engineering topics

Mitchell, S. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Mitchell, S. E..

4 records

DOE OSTI2013

X-ray Pinhole Camera Measurements

The development of the rod pinch diode [1] has led to high-resolution radiography for dynamic events such as explosive tests. Rod pinch diodes use a small diameter anode rod, which extends through the aperture of a cathode plate. Electrons borne off the aperture surface can self-insulate and pinch onto the tip of the rod, creating an intense, small x-ray source (Primary Pinch). This source has been utilized as the main diagnostic on numerous experiments that include high-value, single-shot events. In such applications there is an emphasis on machine reliability, x-ray reproducibility, and x-ray quality [2]. In tests with the baseline rod pinch diode, we have observed that an additional pinch (Secondary Pinch) occurs at the interface near the anode rod and the rod holder. This suggests that stray electrons exist that are not associated with the Primary Pinch. In this paper we present measurements on both pinches using an x-ray pinhole camera. The camera is placed downstream of the Primary Pinch at an angle of 60° with respect to the diode centerline. This diagnostic will be employed to diagnose x-ray reproducibility and quality. In addition, we will investigate the performance of hybrid diodes relating to the formation of the Primary and Secondary Pinches.

X-RAY, pinhole, camera, measurements, rod pinch di↗

DOE OSTI2013

X-ray Pinhole Camera Measurements

The rod pinch diode is made up of a cathode plate and a small diameter anode rod that extends through the cathode hole. The anode is charged positively. The rod tip is made of a high-z material which is chosen for its bremsstrahlung efficiency. When the diode is pulsed it produces an intense x-ray source used for pulsed radiography. The baseline or reference diode consists of a 0.75 mm diameter Tungsten (W) tapered anode rod which extends 10 mm through a 9 mm diameter 3 mm thick aluminum (Al) aperture. The majority of the current in the electron beam is created on the edges of the cathode aperture and when properly configured, the electrons will self insulate, travel down the extension of the rod, and pinch onto the tip of the rod. In this presentation, performance of hybrid diodes will be compared with the baseline diode.

x-ray, pinhole, camera, measurements↗

DOE OSTI2013

Direct Modeling of Scintillator Thickness for Optimal Light Output and Spatial Resolution

It is common in x-ray radiography to use scintillators (e.g., BGO or LSO) to convert x-rays to visible light, which is then recorded by an imaging system. The response of the scintillator depends fundamentally on its thickness, with respect to both its visible light emittance and its spatial resolution. This is important for optimizing light output, signal to noise ratio, or optical response time. Given that it is often cost-prohibitive to procure a variety of scintillator samples and empirically test the performance, it is essential to be able to model and accurately simulate the performance of a scintillator with respect to thickness and other properties, and a direct way of doing this is using Monte Carlo-based radiation transport codes. Such simulations can be expensive in terms of computational time, and the codes are not easily obtained. In this work we first show such simulations, and demonstrate that there is a natural trade-off between light output of a scintillator and its spatial resolution. We then derive a first-principles model that accurately approximates the light output, using straightforward calculations that can be performed quickly with any basic computing software. We compare the results to those obtained from Monte Carlo simulations and show that our simplified model can be used to analyze the tradeoff between emittance and resolution nearly as well as using a full-scale radiation transport code.

Monte Carlo methods, X-ray imaging, scintillation ↗

NASA NTRS1980

Navy LOVA propellant development

The progress realized on evaluation of inert binder, nitramine formulations is considered with respect to their development for use as low vulnerability ammunition (LOVA) propellants. Burning rate, plasticizers, crosslink agents, physical property and vulnerability studies are discussed and some preliminary conclusions presented.

Vreatt, W. H.↗