Neutron safety applications

The Focus Fusion approach to generating energy limits the creation of neutrons.  In fact, we essentially eliminate them.  Just because we avoid neutrons doesn’t mean we think they’re evil.  In fact, there are some cool uses for neutrons.  There is, for example, the neutron bath method being developed by Livermore scientists to scan cargo suspected of carrying fissile material.

How it works:

The Livermore system would bathe suspicious containers in neutrons to actively search for nuclear materials. A truck carrying a container laden with suspicious cargo would be towed over a generator that would bombard the container with neutrons. It would then be towed through an array of detectors, much like driving through a car wash. If the neutrons encountered any fissile material shielded and hidden among the container’s contents—whether produce, clothing, electronics, lumber, automotive parts, or other consumer goods—the interaction would induce tiny fission reactions. These reactions would produce the telltale delayed gamma rays of nuclear materials, which would be picked up by the detectors.