Intercomparison of Tc, F and In activity measurements with radionuclide calibrators in Belgian hospitals.

This study presents current status of performance of radiopharmaceutical activity measurements using radionuclide calibrators in Belgium. An intercomparison exercise was performed among 15 hospitals to test the accuracy of Tc, F and In activity measurements by means of radionuclide calibrators. Four sessions were held in different geographical regions between December 2013 and February 2015.

Metrology for decommissioning nuclear facilities: Partial outcomes of joint research project within the European Metrology Research Program.

Decommissioning of nuclear facilities incurs high costs regarding the accurate characterisation and correct disposal of the decommissioned materials. Therefore, there is a need for the implementation of new and traceable measurement technologies to select the appropriate release or disposal route of radioactive wastes. This paper addresses some of the innovative outcomes of the project "Metrology for Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities" related to mapping of contamination inside nuclear facilities, waste clearance measurement, Raman distributed temperature sensing for long term repository integrity monitoring and validation of radiochemical procedures.

Qualification of a precision pattern dispenser.

In order to automate sample preparation processes, a precision pattern dispenser was designed to reproducibly dispense radioactive solutions at pre-defined positions. It is composed of an automatic liquid sample handling unit coupled to an XYZ table. Qualification tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the instrument and to assess the compliance with the requirements, in particular trueness (< 2%) and repeatability (< 1%).

Photon emission intensities in the decay of U-235.

New measurements of photon emission intensities in the decay of U-235 were performed. Source was prepared by deposition of a U-235 solution on glass plate. Standardization was carried out by defined solid angle alpha counting, giving the reference activity with 0.

Experimental evaluation of gamma fluence-rate predictions from Argon-41 releases to the atmosphere over a nuclear research reactor site.

An experimental study of radionuclide dispersion in the atmosphere has been conducted at the BR1 research reactor in Mol, Belgium. Artificially generated aerosols ('white smoke') were mixed with the routine releases of (41)Ar in the reactor's 60-m tall venting stack. The detailed plume geometry was measured with remote sensing (Lidar) of the aerosol plumes while surface radiation levels were measured under the plume using gamma detectors at downwind distances of up to 1500 m from the release point.