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Title: Non-destructive in-situ method and apparatus for determining radionuclide depth in media

Abstract

A non-destructive method and apparatus which is based on in-situ gamma spectroscopy is used to determine the depth of radiological contamination in media such as concrete. An algorithm, Gamma Penetration Depth Unfolding Algorithm (GPDUA), uses point kernel techniques to predict the depth of contamination based on the results of uncollided peak information from the in-situ gamma spectroscopy. The invention is better, faster, safer, and/cheaper than the current practice in decontamination and decommissioning of facilities that are slow, rough and unsafe. The invention uses a priori knowledge of the contaminant source distribution. The applicable radiological contaminants of interest are any isotopes that emit two or more gamma rays per disintegration or isotopes that emit a single gamma ray but have gamma-emitting progeny in secular equilibrium with its parent (e.g., .sup.60 Co, .sup.235 U, and .sup.137 Cs to name a few). The predicted depths from the GPDUA algorithm using Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) simulations and laboratory experiments using .sup.60 Co have consistently produced predicted depths within 20% of the actual or known depth.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Clifton Park, NY
  2. West Point, NY
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
OSTI Identifier:
875044
Patent Number(s):
6518579
Assignee:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
DOE Contract Number:  
FG07-98ER62706
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
non-destructive; in-situ; method; apparatus; determining; radionuclide; depth; media; based; gamma; spectroscopy; determine; radiological; contamination; concrete; algorithm; penetration; unfolding; gpdua; kernel; techniques; predict; results; uncollided; peak; information; faster; safer; andcheaper; current; practice; decontamination; decommissioning; facilities; slow; unsafe; priori; knowledge; contaminant; source; distribution; applicable; contaminants; isotopes; emit; rays; disintegration; single; ray; gamma-emitting; progeny; secular; equilibrium; parent; sup60; sup235; sup137; cs; name; predicted; depths; monte; carlo; n-particle; transport; code; mcnp; simulations; laboratory; experiments; consistently; produced; 20; monte carlo; situ method; /250/

Citation Formats

Xu, X George, and Naessens, Edward P. Non-destructive in-situ method and apparatus for determining radionuclide depth in media. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Xu, X George, & Naessens, Edward P. Non-destructive in-situ method and apparatus for determining radionuclide depth in media. United States.
Xu, X George, and Naessens, Edward P. Wed . "Non-destructive in-situ method and apparatus for determining radionuclide depth in media". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/875044.
@article{osti_875044,
title = {Non-destructive in-situ method and apparatus for determining radionuclide depth in media},
author = {Xu, X George and Naessens, Edward P},
abstractNote = {A non-destructive method and apparatus which is based on in-situ gamma spectroscopy is used to determine the depth of radiological contamination in media such as concrete. An algorithm, Gamma Penetration Depth Unfolding Algorithm (GPDUA), uses point kernel techniques to predict the depth of contamination based on the results of uncollided peak information from the in-situ gamma spectroscopy. The invention is better, faster, safer, and/cheaper than the current practice in decontamination and decommissioning of facilities that are slow, rough and unsafe. The invention uses a priori knowledge of the contaminant source distribution. The applicable radiological contaminants of interest are any isotopes that emit two or more gamma rays per disintegration or isotopes that emit a single gamma ray but have gamma-emitting progeny in secular equilibrium with its parent (e.g., .sup.60 Co, .sup.235 U, and .sup.137 Cs to name a few). The predicted depths from the GPDUA algorithm using Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) simulations and laboratory experiments using .sup.60 Co have consistently produced predicted depths within 20% of the actual or known depth.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2003},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2003}
}