Description
The PIPE SCANNER Automatic Pipe Contamination Monitoring System is an automated pipe monitoring system developed to perform radioactive contamination scanning on the internal and external surfaces of pipes originating from nuclear facility decommissioning projects.
The PIPE SCANNER assists in the high-precision and repeatable inspection of pipe surfaces. With its adaptable structure based on pipe geometry and contamination type, the system can be utilized in radioactive waste management and release processes.
The system consists of a main rail, a support column with two horizontal arms where detectors are mounted, and two movable pipe support units with adjustable rotation mechanisms. After the pipe is placed on the supports, the measurement cycle is automatically executed by software and PLC.
Prior to measurement, preliminary checks such as pipe diameter, length, and surface roughness are performed using optical devices. Upon completion of the checks, the pipe length is automatically divided into sub-sections to be scanned by the system.
Plastic scintillator detectors are positioned in pairs at the ends of the two arms, performing scans to view both the internal and external surfaces of the pipe. The support station moves along the rail, collecting separate radiometric data from each sub-section of the pipe.
At the end of the measurement, the PIPE SCANNER can detect contamination hot spots and generate a scanning report. Safety devices and an environmental infrared barrier assist in preventing hazardous interactions between the operator and the machine.
Key Features
- Automatic contamination scanning on internal and external pipe surfaces
- 4 units of 25 × 5 × 2 cm plastic scintillator detectors
- Detector support system moving on the main rail
- Movable pipe supports and automatic rotation mechanism
- Optical diameter, length, and surface roughness inspection
- Sub-section based measurement and hot spot detection
- PLC-controlled automatic measurement cycle
- 0.14 Bq/cm² MDA value for Co-60 in 1 minute
Application Areas
- Radioactive Waste Management
- Radioactive Waste Characterization
- Pipe Contamination Control
- Surface Contamination Measurements
- Clearance Measurements
- Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Projects
- Nuclear Power Plants
- Nuclear Facilities and Research Reactors
