Tech Explained: Neutron Imaging

I was exploring tech for some non-destructive testing and came across Neutron Imaging. Felt it was interesting enough to discuss on a post.

Neutron imaging uses neutrons to probe inside objects by interacting with atomic nuclei, so it reveals light elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron) hidden in heavy metals. The tech dates back to the 1940s, when early work produced the first radiographs of mechanical parts.

In a typical setup, reactors or accelerators generate neutrons, moderators slow them, and collimators shape a focused beam. As neutrons pass through a sample, materials attenuate them differently. A scintillator converts transmitted neutrons into light, which is recorded by a camera for 2D images.

The science behind it is all about contrast mechanisms and energy dependence. Materials rich in hydrogen show up dark, while dense metals can be almost transparent. Thermal and cold neutrons (at energies around 0.025 eV or lower) give high spatial resolution, whereas fast neutrons (in the MeV range) penetrate thicker samples but sacrifice some contrast. By rotating the object and collecting many 2D images, you can reconstruct a 3D map of internal features, much like a CT scan.

Compared to X-rays, which excel at imaging heavy elements and bone due to interactions with electrons, neutron imaging complements them by highlighting light, often organic, materials inside metal casings. So both these techs are complimentary. Check the images for differences.

It has applications in visualization of internal components in automotive and aerospace industries to detect defects, and assesses hydrogen distribution in fuel cells as well as lithium concentration, Li-metal anode structures, and electrolyte dispersion in Li-ion batteries. I do think they have a use case in airport baggage screening machines to see what X-ray/CT machines fail to capture. But might be too bulky/expensive for routine checks.

PS: Neutron imaging can even map water intake inside a plant root, something X-rays simply can’t capture.

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Back To Basics: RTD

This week lets discuss RTDs or Resistance Temperature Detectors.

They’re simple sensors where the resistance of a metal element changes predictably with temperature. So how does it work? As the temperature rises, the vibrations in the metal lattice increase, scattering electrons and raising resistance, which can be measured. They are not thermocouples. A thermocouple uses two dissimilar metals, while an RTD uses a resistive wire element.

RTD

Sensing wires in RTDs are typically made from metals like platinum (Pt), Nickel, or Copper. Common ones are named Pt100 and Pt1000 because they indicate the resistance at a base temperature of 0 °C – Pt100 has 100Ω resistance, and Pt1000 has 1000Ω. So Pt1000 will have higher resolution. IEC 60751 is the international standard that specifies the temperature‑vs‑resistance relationship, accuracy tolerance classes (e.g. Class A, Class B) for industrial platinum RTDs. Based on construction type, Platinum RTDs can be wire-wound around a substrate, thin film pattern deposited on a substrate, or coiled wire type.

RTDs are split based on sensing wire configurations, as 2-wire, 3-wire, and 4-wire types. The 2-wire RTD is the simplest and cheapest, but it includes lead wire resistance in its measurement, causing accuracy limitations. The 3-wire RTD compensates for lead wire resistance by measuring the resistance in the third wire, significantly increasing accuracy for most industrial applications. The 4-wire RTD provides the highest accuracy by fully eliminating lead wire resistance errors, making it ideal for precision measurements.

RTDs particularly superior in precision applications ranging from -200 °C to 600 °C compared with thermocouples. Its output is linear, and Platinum elements change very little over time, minimizing recalibration frequency. Very good for long term use with minimal drift under 0.1 °C in industrial and medical devices.

Practical tip: choose wire-wound elements for stability, thin-film for quick response and compactness, or coiled-film if you need the best of both worlds, especially under vibration.

Try them out in your projects if you haven’t already. ????

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