Nuclear techniques for on-line analysis in the mineral and energy industries

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:182041

Sowerby, B D; Watt, J S ^[1]

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1. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Menai (Australia)

Nuclear techniques are the basis of many on-line analysis systems which are now widely used in the mineral and energy industries. Some of the systems developed by the CSIRO depend entirely on nuclear techniques; others use a combination of nuclear techniques and microwave, capacitance, or ultrasonic techniques. The continuous analysis and rapid response of these CSIRO systems has led to improved control of mining, processing and blending operations, with increased productivity valued at A$50 million per year to Australia, and $90 million per year world wide. This paper reviews developments in nuclear on-line analysis systems by the On-Line Analysis Group in CSIRO at Lucas Heights. Commercialised systems based on this work analyse mineral and coal slurries and determine the ash and moisture contents of coal and coke on conveyors. This paper also reviews two on-line nuclear analysis systems recently developed and licensed to industry, firstly for the determination of the mass flow rates of oil/water/gas mixtures in pipelines, and secondly for determination of the moisture, specific energy, ash and fouling index in low rank coals.

• OSTI ID: 182041
• Report Number(s): CONF-940501--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Journal Issue: Suppl.1 Vol. 70; ISSN TANSAO; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
40 CHEMISTRY
66 PHYSICS
ASH CONTENT
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COAL
COKE
FLOW RATE
FOULING
FUEL SLURRIES
GAMMA RADIATION
MEASURING METHODS
MOISTURE GAGES
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
PIPELINES