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5 March 2025
Institute of Physics, London
Europe/London timezone
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Stereo-scintillator detector arrangement for radioactive source localisation and characterisation within confined pipe networks

5 Mar 2025, 13:15
45m
Institute of Physics, London

Institute of Physics, London

37 Caledonian Road London N1 9BU, UK
Poster Presentation Lunch and Posters

Speaker

Andrew Parker

Description

We present a radioactive source localisation method within confined pipework using dual, low-volume, low-cost scintillator detectors. The proximity of cooling circuit pipework to operating nuclear reactor cores makes the pipe material susceptible to neutron activation (e.g. 60Co). This can create unknown volumes of radwastes that need to be characterised to plan for decommissioning. The complex geometry of thick metal pipework and surrounding systems renders external measurement of radioactive contamination difficult, so internal investigation is required.

Utilising small, novel, pipe-navigating robots as a deployment platform, we have implemented two, uncollimated <18 cm3, <0.09 kg CeBr3 scintillators in a stereo arrangement. Simulation and preliminary experimental results of the setup using 70 cm long section of steel pipe (Ø 227 mm, 17 mm wall thickness) have shown that the activity and polar distribution of single, point sources can be determined within 20±5 degrees by exploiting the collimating effect of the robotic platform and comparing the photopeak count recorded by either detector. Combined with the path-of-travel data of the robot along the pipe, the location of radioactive point sources can be ascertained to within a circular region on the pipe wall with diameter 45±10 mm and whether sources are located on the internal or external surface of the pipe wall, through analysis of the Peak-to-Compton ratios.

Further work is ongoing to improve the measurement accuracy by refinement of the detector setup and applying machine learning to the spectral data post-processing. In addition, we are exploring the capabilities of the robotic platform to operate Compton imaging-based systems.

Author

Co-authors

Dr Bogdan Piotr (University of Liverpool) Dr Ioannis Tsitsimpelis (Lancaster University) Prof. Malcolm Joyce (Lancaster University) Dr Mario Gianni (University of Liverpool)

Presentation materials