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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Commercial applications of perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) technology

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5866652

Tracer technology can be successfully applied to many leak-checking and monitoring evaluations of operating systems (e.g., building HVACs), manufacturing processes and products (e.g., air conditioners), and subsurface components and systems (e.g., underground storage tanks). Perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) technology is the most sensitive of all tracer technologies because the ambient background levels of the five (5) routinely-used PFTs are in the range of parts per 10{sup 15} parts of air (i.e., parts per quadrillion-ppq) and this technology's instrumentation can measure down to those levels. The effectiveness of this technology is achieved both in terms of cost (very little PFT need to be used) and detectability; for example, very small leaks can be rapidly detected. The PFT compounds, which are environmentally and biologically safe to use, are commercially available as are the sampling and analysis instrumentation. This presentation concerns (1) the steps being taken to commercialize this technology, (2) new applications of processes currently under study, and (3) applications in areas of use that will be particularly beneficial to the environment. 21 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
5866652
Report Number(s):
BNL-46265-Rev.9/91; CONF-9109255--2-Rev.; ON: DE92007169
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English