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Common Industrial Devices and Other Uses of Radioactive Sources
Radiation Source Reduction & Management
- About Source Reduction & Management
- Life-Cycle Analysis & Product Stewardship
- Sealed Radioactive Sources
- Common Industrial Uses
- Commonly-Used Radionuclides
- Alternative Technologies
- Alternatives: Development & Acceptance
- Alternative Technology Projects
- Stakeholders and Partners
and Response Orphan Source Recovery
Radioactive sources are commonly used in industrial processes to measure moisture, thickness, or other process parameters, and for such applications as inspecting welds.
On this page:
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Radioactive Sources
- Common Industrial Devices that Use Radioactive Sources
- Overview of the Use of Radioactive Sources in Industry
Advantages and Disadvantages of Radioactive Sources
In the United States, millions of radioactive sources are in use by tens of thousands of authorized users (licensees). The amount of radioactive material authorized for these licenses ranges from one-millionth of a curie, which is typical for the sources used in gauges, to millions of curries such as those used in large irradiators.
Advantages
While there are some specific advantages to using sealed sources that are distinct to various industries, the major advantages are essentially the same across all the industries. Sealed sources have the following characteristics that make their use advantageous for industry:
- Robust, sources are amenable to a variety of environments
- Reliable – while the detection of the emitted radiation can be sophisticated, the energy source is simple and can not fail
- Portable energy source not requiring other sources of energy (e.g., electricity) for operation
- Range of energies
- Easily transportable
- Interact with other media in well defined manner that facilitates various measurements
- Do not require contact with other materials or media for use
- Devices are typically easy to use and do not require sophisticated operator training
- Commercially available from a large number of vendors in a variety of forms and energies
- Mature technology
Disadvantages
There are a number of disadvantages to the use of radioactive sealed sources that are common to all industries. These include:
- Need for precautions to prevent exposure of individuals to harmful radiation
- Energy source is always “on”, thus requiring significant attention to storage
- Loss of the source can create an environmental and health hazard
- “Spent” sources require appropriate disposal
Common Industrial Devices
Portable Moisture/Density Devices
A type of industrial gauges that are small and portable. These devices contain the sources, detectors and electronic equipment necessary for the measurement. The source is physically small in size, typically a few cm long by a few cm in diameter, and may be located either completely within the device or at the end of a rod/handle assembly. The small size of the device makes it susceptible to loss of control or theft.
Industrial Fixed Gauges
Devices are of various shapes and sizes. These devices are generally designed for many years of operation with little or no special maintenance. Industrial gauges are used for process control; for measurement of flow, volume, density, or material presence; and may be placed in locations unsuitable for continuous human presence (e.g.: in a blast furnace). Consequently, they often accumulate layers of dirt, grime, grease, oil and other material that may cover any warning labels that may have been present. Depending upon the specific application, industrial gauges may contain relatively small quantities of radioactive material, or may contain sources with activities approaching 1 TBq. The devices generally are not large, but may be located some distance from the radiation detector, which may have electrical or electronic components located within the detector. A facility may have a large number of these gauges. The locations of such devices or sources within a facility may not be recognized, since the devices may be connected to process control equipment. This lack of recognition may result in a loss of control if the facility decides to modernize or terminate operations.
Industrial Radiography Cameras
These devices are generally small in terms of physical size, although the devices are usually heavy due to the shielding contained in them. The sources themselves are very small, less than 1 cm in diameter, and only a few cm long, and are attached to specially designed cables for their proper operation. The use of radiography sources and devices are very common, and their portability may make them susceptible to theft or loss. The small size of the source allows for unauthorized removal by an individual, and such a source may be placed into a pocket of a garment. Industrial radiography may also be performed in fixed installations, either using the same small portable devices, or using larger machines.
Well Logging Devices
These devices are generally found in areas where exploration for minerals is occurring, such as coal, oil, natural gas. The sources are usually contained in long (1–2 m, typically) but thin (<10 cm in diameter) devices that also contain detectors and various electronic components. The actual size of the sources inside the devices is generally small. 25 The devices are heavy, due to the ruggedness needed for the environments in which they are to be used.
Overview of Common Industrial Uses of Sealed Radioactive Sources
EPA has begun the process of evaluating some of the most common applications of sources to identify the potential for developing alternative technologies. The table below provides an overview of the major industrial applications for radioactive materials.
(Information sources: Uranium Information Center (UIC, 2001); US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, 2002).)
| Industry: Products/Services |
Use | Types of Sources |
|---|---|---|
Manufacturing:
|
Measure:
|
Gamma emitters such as:
|
Chemical Processing:
|
Measure process characteristics, such as:
|
|
Construction:
|
Measure:
|
Gamma emitters; neutron sources such as:
|
Mineral Processing:
|
|
Gamma emitters, such as:
|
Coastal Engineering:
|
Measure:
|
Gamma emitters, such as:
|
Non Destructive Examination:
|
Measure:
|
|
Oil Refining:
|
|
Gamma emitters (column scanning); neutron sources (level measurement) especially americium-241/beryllium- |
Coal Fired Boilers:
|
Measure:
|
Gamma sources such as cesium-137 with americium-241 (for ash content) |
Drilling / Borehole Logging:
|
Measure:
|
Gamma emitters, especially Cobalt-60, and neutron sources americium-241/beryllium |
Agriculture:
|
Measure:
|
Neutron sources such as:
|
Hydrology:
|
Measure:
|
neutron sources such as:
|
Consumer Products:
|
Produce an ionization current that is affected by the presence of smoke | Alpha emitter typically americium-241 |
Materials Processing:
|
Measure:
|
Gamma emitters, such as:
|
Various:
|
Power sources for applications requiring small amounts of portable energy | |
Recording Industry:
|
||
Product Labeling:
|