Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is a technique which allows the high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of particulate and multiphase systems, including systems which are large, dense, and/or optically opaque, and thus difficult to study using other methodologies. In this work, we bring together researchers from the world's foremost PEPT facilities not only to give a balanced and detailed overview and review of the technique but, for the first time, provide a rigorous, direct, quantitative assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of all contemporary PEPT methodologies. We provide detailed explanations of the methodologies explored, including also interactive code examples allowing the reader to actively explore, edit and apply the algorithms discussed. The suite of benchmarking tests performed and described within the document is made available in an open-source repository for future researchers.
For over 20 years the University of Birmingham has been using positron-emitting radioactive tracers to study engineering processes. The imaging technique of positron emission tomography (PET), widely used for medical applications, has been adapted for these studies, and the complementary technique of positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) has been developed. The radioisotopes are produced using the Birmingham MC40 cyclotron, and a variety of techniques are employed to produce suitable tracers in a wide range of forms. Detectors originally designed for medical use have been modified for engineering applications, allowing measurements to be made on real process equipment, at laboratory or pilot plant scale. This paper briefly reviews the capability of the techniques and introduces a few of the many processes to which they have been applied.
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