Specialists from Russia’s Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), commissioned Rosatom fuel company TVEL, have developed a technology for non-destructive testing of containers for radioactive waste. The technology makes it possible to obtain accurate data on the composition of packaging without opening it, which increases safety and reduces economic costs.
It takes less than two hours to check one container, which allows up to 4-5 control operations to be carried out in one shift. All this greatly increases reliability and safety during the final isolation of radioactive waste at storage points and reduces possible environmental risks for operating personnel and the population.
The technology developed at TPU is based on the use of a betatron as an x-ray source and includes: an automation and safety system, related structural elements and a TPU-designed software package.
A betatron is a type of cyclic particle accelerator. Electrons are injected into a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber (torus) and are forced into a circular orbit by a magnetic field. It functions like a transformer, with the electrons in the vacuum chamber acting as the secondary coil and the windings around the core acting as the primary coil.
The TPU installation operates like inspection systems at airports or borders. The betatron produces secondary x-rays that penetrate the container. The tomograph determines the morphology of the contents with high accuracy, as a result of which organic matter, metal, plastic, liquid, and so on are highlighted in different colours in the final image. These materials have different densities, structures and, accordingly, the degree of radiation absorption.
The uniqueness of our system lies in the idea itself, in the use of the betatron as a radiation source, and in the overall design of the system including, of course, the software,” said German Filippov, project manager and head of the international scientific and educational laboratory of non-destructive testing at TPU. “All this together made it possible to create a system that not only quickly and remotely scans the container, but also clearly defines the contents.”
The introduction of the installation at Rosatom enterprises will eliminate the need to open containers to check the morphological composition and integrity of the packaging.
