Advanced Data Manager technology offers reliability and cost savings to a chemical plant
Located in Monroe, North Carolina, Goulston Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of surface modification technologies for fiber lubricant products […]
It can be concerning when your legacy radiometric system measurement point begins to drift or fail.
When instances like this happen, it can be easy to assume that the entire system needs replacement. This would include not only the costly replacement and disposal of both the source and source container but the cost of upgrading to a new detector as well.
To alleviate this challenge, introduce technology that can ensure that your source’s life is extended. Endress+Hauser’s Gammapilot FMG50 offers a highly sensitive scintillator detector that reliably measures gamma radiation, requiring roughly an 80% lower dose rate compared to other legacy detectors such as the Geiger-Mueller detector, Ionization Chamber, or a flexible scintillation detector.
The sensitivity of a detector determines the minimum dose rate needed for a reliable gamma radiometric measurement. Since legacy detectors are not nearly as sensitive as the Gammapilot FMG50, a higher dose rate is required for accurate and valid gamma radiation measurements. To achieve the proper dose rate levels, one of two radioactive isotopes can be selected, either cesium-137 or cobalt-60.
The selection of either isotope is based on the specific application. The most important distinctions between the two are the half-life and penetration power. Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years while cobalt-60 has a half-life of 5.2 years. Another important distinction is that cobalt-60 has a higher penetration power, so less activity is needed to penetrate through more material. In contrast, a higher activity level of cesium-137 would be needed to achieve the same effect. The higher the radioactive activity, the higher the dose rate.
As legacy systems age, the performance of the system drops. This is typically the result of a combination of issues, but most notable are the effects of a lower dose rate due to the continued decay of radioactive sources or the continued degradation of the detector due to age. Previously, it was mentioned that a higher dose rate was needed for adequate measurement, so in these cases, a higher activity source must be commissioned. Although the dose rate might not be high enough to achieve a reliable measurement with the legacy detector, using the sensitive FMG50 you can ensure the continued use of the legacy source.
Endress+Hauser has a dedicated team who can make the proper calculations to determine if the legacy systems source has enough radiation activity strength for continued use. We also can conduct on-site visits to make visual inspections of the source container’s integrity and survey the measurement range area to record current local dose rate readings at the detector.
Located in Monroe, North Carolina, Goulston Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of surface modification technologies for fiber lubricant products […]
Technology you can trust in hazardous areas, critical applications and highly regulated industries The process control industries are characterized by […]
Instruments are vital in process environments because their measurements directly impact product quality and operational safety. However, even the most […]
Comments