LIQUID-METAL FLOW MEASUREMENT BY NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY

Visualization of a liquid metal flow and image processing methods to m easure the vector field are carried out by real-time neutron radiograp hy. The JRR-3M real-time thermal neutron radiography facility in the J apan Atomic Energy Research Institute was used, Lead-bismuth eutectic was used as a working fluid. Particles made from a gold-cadmium interm etallic compound (AuCd3) were used as the tracer for the visualization . The flow vector field was obtained by image processing methods. It w as shown that the liquid metal flow vector field was obtainable by rea l-time neutron radiography when the attenuation of neutron rays due to the liquid metal was less than lie and the particle size of the trace r was larger than one image element size digitized for the image proce ssing.