Ionising radiation metrology for the metallurgical industry

Abstract

Abstract. Every year millions tons of steel are produced worldwide from recycled scrap loads. Although the detection systems in the steelworks prevent most orphan radioactive sources from entering the furnace, there is still the possibility of accidentally melting a radioactive source. The MetroMetal project, carried out in the frame of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), addresses this problem by studying the existing measurement systems, developing sets of reference sources in various matrices (cast steel, slag, fume dust) and proposing new detection instruments. This paper presents the key lines of the project and describes the preparation of radioactive sources as well as the intercomparison exercises used to test the calibration and correction methods proposed within the project.

Interlaboratory comparison on 137Cs activity concentration in fume dust

“…First, the current status of radioactivity monitoring in European metal foundries was established concluding, among other facts, that there is a lack of traceable calibration standards for radioactivity measurement in cast steel, slag and fume dust matrices. The project responded to the identified needs by developing optimized radioactivity measurement systems and traceable calibration standards of these three matrices, which were also used to validate the proposed calibration methods of such systems (García-Toraño et al, 2014a). In this context an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) was conducted for the determination of the 137 Cs activity concentration in the fume dust standard.…”