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Steel Measurement System (SMS)

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SMS is an on-line spectroscopy system to measure radioactivity in metals. This system is available in a normal or automatic (conveyor or drawer) configuration.

Features

Special made for the metal factories
Manual or automatic version available
Multichannel based electronics
High sensitivity
Easy to use
Privileged options are password protected
Flexible alarm settings

Introduction

To answer the demands of the customer 4 models are available: SMS-MX, SMS-ACX, SMS-APX and SMS-ADX (X=2 = 2” x 2” and X=3 = 3” x 3” NaI detector).

SMS-MX

This is a manual system based on a NaI(Tl) detector 2” x 2” (SMS-M2) or 3” x 3” (SMS-M3), lead shield, model 727/R, the Canberra uniSPEC, a personal computer with printer and dedicated, easy to use, software.

SMS-ACX

This is a full automatic system, controlled by a robotic system. The system includes 3 “ x 3” NaI(Tl) detector, lead shield (2”), the Canberra uniSPEC, a personal computer, easy to use software, conveyor
(59 cm) and sample separator.

SMS-APX: Automatic (Pneumatic) Radioactive Measurement System SMS-APX

This is a full automatic system, controlled by a robotic system. The system includes 3“ x 3” NaI(Tl) detector, lead shield (3”), the Canberra uniSPEC, a personal computer, easy to use software, and pneumatic operated drawer for the sample loading.

SMS-ADX

Same as the SMS-APX system, but with manual instead of pneumatic tray.

Description

Canberra has more than 30 years of experience in Nuclear Spectroscopy with installations in every lab of the globe.

The Steel Measurement System is Canberra’s dedicated system to measure the radioactivity in metal samples.Reaching the lowest levels of sample activity (Bq/g) is of vital importance for the production of metal.

To reach this low level, also known as Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA.) Canberra is using a system based on Multichannel Analyser (MCA) technology, rather than using total gamma measurement based on discriminators.

The MDA (MDA»B/T*E where B=Background activity in the lab, T=Measurement time and E=Efficiency of the detector) depends on the amount of environmental radiation (not originating from the metal sample). For reasons that the MDA needs to be as low as possible, the background in the lab, coming partly from the natural activity (Potassium) in the walls and partly from cosmic radiation, needs to be minimized. Thanks to the MCA design, the potassium can be fully discriminated, while the lead shield surrounding the detector will decrease for a big part the cosmic radiation.

The MDA is also inverse proportional to the measurement time and efficiency. The measurement time is user definable via the software, while the efficiency is determined by the design of the measurement geometry, mainly the NaI detector and the sample.

The NID (Nuclide Identification) measurement mode allows a nuclide specific search and activity calculation, based upon the Canberra Genie-2000 algorithms. The ROI (Region Of Interest) measurement mode on the other hand gives a rough estimate of every activity increase. Both methods can be combined to complete each other.

Calibration

Correct calibration of the sample measurement system is one of the major points for a successful and correct measurement.

Producing a correct calibration source is very difficult for reason that the source needs to have the same dimensions and density as the sample. Furthermore the radioactivity needs to be homogeneously distributed in the standard. As a replacement for the calibration source, Canberra is using a unique method based on mathematics. A mathematical model of the sample is generated via the input of its dimensions, density, sample to detector distance and detector type.

Alarm

An alarm is generated by the system when the activity of a given nuclide or the ROI intensity exceeds a user-defined level.

Sensitivity (MDA)

0,3 Bq/g ⁶⁰Co-equivalent or less for 30 s measuring time and depending on the background (typical MDA value of 0,2 Bq/g in 30 s).

Specifications

• Detector: NaI(Tl) with 2” x 2” or 3” x 3” crystal dimensions.
• Shielding: 5 - 10 cm.
• MCA: CANBERRA uniSPEC or equivalent Canberra spectroscopy chain.
• Computer: IBM compatible PC with Windows XP Pro.
• S500 or S502 Genie-2000 basic spectroscopy
• Optional S501 Genie-2000 gamma analysis
• Optional S505 Genie-2000 QA package
• Special RMS software with many options: manual measurement, automatic measurements under control of several robot types, calibrations, background analysis, QA checks of the system, logbook, spectrum re-analysis, database utilities for analysis results (summaries, tables, plots, export to Excel, …), send results to server, …