System and method for internal inspection of rail components

• Main Authors: Grissom, Gregory Thomas, Nimmagadda, Jyothier, Jordan, Kelly Alexander, Baciak, James Edward, Cui, Shuang, Manuel, Michele Viola, Belcher, Jeb E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.12.2018
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION; MEASURING; OTHER AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT FOR RAILWAYS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RAILWAYS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

An internal imaging system has a radiation source and a plurality of detectors positioned to receive portions of the plurality of collimated beams that have been attenuated by interaction with the target. The radiation source is configured to irradiate a target with a plurality of collimated beams of radiation. Two of the plurality of collimated beams of radiation may have different beam shapes. Another internal imaging system includes a radiation source configured to irradiate a target with at least one collimated beam of radiation and at least one detector. A planar rotating collimator is positioned adjacent to the radiation source and is configured to form the at least one collimated beam. The at least one detector is positioned to receive attenuated portions of the at least one collimated beam. The radiation source may be or include a neutron source. The detectors may be or include a plurality of neutron converters.