A simple and inexpensive design of radioactive source for accurate level and height gauging in petrochemical industries

Q4 Engineering
S.Z. Islami rad , R. Gholipour Peyvandi
{"title":"A simple and inexpensive design of radioactive source for accurate level and height gauging in petrochemical industries","authors":"S.Z. Islami rad ,&nbsp;R. Gholipour Peyvandi","doi":"10.1016/j.measen.2025.101817","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Radiation sources are used for measurement and control of industrial processes, determining the height of materials inside the vessel, analyzing the composition and structure of materials, and detecting defects in industrial processes due to the complexity of the production process. In petrochemical industries, the height of urea in a vessel can be measured using the nuclear level gauging method, which is a non-destructive technique. Therefore, the energy of the gamma emitting source, the design, and arrangement of the source geometry (including the point or rod sources), and the detector material (NaI (Tl) crystal or plastic scintillator) are crucial parameters. In this research, a nuclear level gauge, including the source, detector, and reactor containing urea and gases at high temperatures and pressures, was simulated by MCNPX Monte Carlo code and the results were compared and validated with experimental values. Then, the detector's response was evaluated and optimized based on the different arrangements of the radioactive source and its distances, as well as the type and geometry of the detector, and the best arrangement was selected. The comparison of the simulation results and the resulting analysis indicated that using point sources at specific distances (three points) instead of rod sources is a viable alternative due to its simpler structure, higher accuracy and stability, and lower production cost compared to the high cost of rod sources. Additionally, for accurate level and height gauging, rod detectors should be replaced with point detectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34311,"journal":{"name":"Measurement Sensors","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101817"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Measurement Sensors","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266591742500011X","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"Engineering","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Radiation sources are used for measurement and control of industrial processes, determining the height of materials inside the vessel, analyzing the composition and structure of materials, and detecting defects in industrial processes due to the complexity of the production process. In petrochemical industries, the height of urea in a vessel can be measured using the nuclear level gauging method, which is a non-destructive technique. Therefore, the energy of the gamma emitting source, the design, and arrangement of the source geometry (including the point or rod sources), and the detector material (NaI (Tl) crystal or plastic scintillator) are crucial parameters. In this research, a nuclear level gauge, including the source, detector, and reactor containing urea and gases at high temperatures and pressures, was simulated by MCNPX Monte Carlo code and the results were compared and validated with experimental values. Then, the detector's response was evaluated and optimized based on the different arrangements of the radioactive source and its distances, as well as the type and geometry of the detector, and the best arrangement was selected. The comparison of the simulation results and the resulting analysis indicated that using point sources at specific distances (three points) instead of rod sources is a viable alternative due to its simpler structure, higher accuracy and stability, and lower production cost compared to the high cost of rod sources. Additionally, for accurate level and height gauging, rod detectors should be replaced with point detectors.
一种简单、廉价的放射源设计,用于石油化工行业的精确液位和高度测量
辐射源用于工业过程的测量和控制,确定容器内材料的高度,分析材料的成分和结构,以及检测工业过程中由于生产过程的复杂性而产生的缺陷。在石油化工行业中,可以使用核液位计法测量容器内尿素的高度,这是一种无损技术。因此,伽马发射源的能量、源的几何形状(包括点源或棒源)的设计和排列以及探测器材料(NaI (Tl)晶体或塑料闪烁体)是至关重要的参数。利用MCNPX蒙特卡罗程序对含尿素和高温高压气体的核液位计的源、探测器和反应器进行了模拟,并与实验值进行了对比验证。然后,根据辐射源的不同布置方式及其距离、探测器的类型和几何形状,对探测器的响应进行评价和优化,选择出最佳布置方式。仿真结果与分析结果的对比表明,使用特定距离(三个点)的点源代替棒源是一种可行的替代方案,因为它结构更简单,精度和稳定性更高,并且与高成本的棒源相比,生产成本更低。此外,为了准确测量水平面和高度,应该用点检测器代替棒检测器。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
Measurement Sensors
Measurement Sensors Engineering-Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
CiteScore
3.10
自引率
0.00%
发文量
184
审稿时长
56 days
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信