# US 10,310,107 B1 · Calibration and measurement method and system for piping radioactivity contamination

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- Number: US 10,310,107 B1
- Document ID: US10310107B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/121,709
- Filed: 2018-09-05
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-05
- Assignees: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
- Applicants: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
- Inventors: Ming-Chen Yuan; Chin-Hsien Yeh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310107B1

## CPC

- G01T 7/005: {calibration techniques (stabilization of spectrometer G01T1/40)}
- G01N 23/04: and forming images of the material
- G01T 1/167: Measuring radioactive content of objects, e.g. contamination (whole body counters G01T1/163)
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A calibration and measurement system for measuring a radioactive specific activity of an analyte pipe includes a calibration pipe, a standard radiation source, a radiation detector, a robot connected and a processing unit. The diameter of the inner wall of the calibration pipe is the same as the analyte pipe. The standard radiation source is surfaced over the inner wall of the calibration pipe and with a standard radioactive activity of a radioactive nuclide. The radiation detector is with a detection efficiency for detecting radiation. The radiation detector is for measuring the standard radioactive activity of the radioactive nuclide and a calibration net count rate thereof or measuring a radiation net count rate of the analyte pipe. The robot is connected with the radiation detector and moves in the calibration pipe or the analyte pipe. The processing unit calculates the detection efficiency and the radioactive specific activity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A calibration and measurement method for piping radioactivity contamination, the calibration and measurement method measuring a radioactive specific activity of an analyte pipe, comprising:
providing a calibration pipe, the diameter of the inner wall of the calibration pipe being the same as the analyte pipe;
providing a standard radiation source being with a standard radioactive activity of a radioactive nuclide;
surfacing the standard radiation source over the inner wall of the calibration pipe;
providing a radiation detector and a robot, the robot connected with the radiation detector;
placing the radiation detector and the robot into the calibration pipe;
operating the radiation detector to measure the standard radioactive activity of the radioactive nuclide and a calibration net count rate thereof;
calculating a detection efficiency of the radiation detector according to the ratio of the calibration net count rate to the standard radioactive activity;
placing the radiation detector and the robot into the analyte pipe;
operating the robot to drive the radiation detector moving in the analyte pipe;
operating the radiation detector to measure a radiation net count rate of the analyte pipe; and
calculating the radioactive specific activity of the analyte pipe with the ratio of the radiation net count rate to the detection efficiency.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The calibration and measurement method of claim 1, wherein the standard radiation source is Cobalt-60, Caesium-137, Europium-152 or Americium-241.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The calibration and measurement method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing a lighting unit and a photographing unit;
setting the lighting unit and the photographing unit on the front side of the robot;
operating the lighting unit to illustrate the inner wall of the analyte pipe; and
operating the photographing unit to capture an image of the inner wall of the analyte pipe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The calibration and measurement method of claim 1, wherein the radiation detector is columnar or discoidal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The calibration and measurement method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing a plurality of casters and setting the casters on the radiation detector; and
adjusting the position of the casters to make each of the casters abut against the inner wall of the analyte pipe or the calibration pipe, and to make the radiation detector be positioned at the center of the section of the analyte pipe or the calibration pipe.

### Claim 6

A calibration and measurement system for piping radioactivity contamination, the calibration and measurement system measuring a radioactive specific activity of an analyte pipe, comprising:
a calibration pipe, the diameter of the inner wall of the calibration pipe being the same as the analyte pipe;
a standard radiation source surfaced over the inner wall of the calibration pipe, the standard radiation source being with a standard radioactive activity of a radioactive nuclide;
a radiation detector with a detection efficiency for detecting radiation, the radiation detector for measuring the standard radioactive activity of the radioactive nuclide and a calibration net count rate thereof, or for measuring a radiation net count rate of the analyte pipe;
a robot connected with the radiation detector and for moving in the calibration pipe or the analyte pipe; and
a processing unit for calculating the detection efficiency according to the ratio of the calibration net count rate to the standard radioactive activity; and the processing unit for calculating the radioactive specific activity according to the ratio of the radiation net count rate to the detection efficiency.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The calibration and measurement system of claim 6, wherein standard radiation source is Cobalt-60, Caesium-137, Europium-152 or Americium-241.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The calibration and measurement system of claim 6, further comprising:
a lighting unit disposed on the front side of the robot for illustrating the inner wall of the analyte pipe; and
a photographing unit disposed on the front side of the robot for capturing an image of the inner wall of the analyte pipe.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The calibration and measurement system of claim 6, wherein the radiation detector is columnar or discoidal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The calibration and measurement system of claim 6, further comprising:
a plurality of casters disposed on the radiation detector, each of the casters abut against the inner wall of the analyte pipe or the calibration pipe, so as the radiation detector being positioned at the center of the section of the analyte pipe or the calibration pipe.