Radioisotope gauge

Radioisotope gauges for measuring mass per unit area (sometimes also called thickness gauges ) are unequalled in their performance and are used in almost every kind of industry in which sheet material is produced. In the paper industry, not only the mass per unit area of the paper sheet itself is measured by radioisotope gauges, the... 

In the plastics industry, radioisotope gauges are used to improve the uniformity of the product, and hence savings can be made in raw material and in energy needed for production. 

In metal coating, such as galvanising or tin-coating of steel plate, the exact amount of coating must be applied. A surplus of material is extremely expensive undercoating results in complaints and early corrosion. Through the use of radioisotope gauges. 

The most important component of a neutron gauge is the source of neutrons. Radioisotopic neutron sources are radioactive isotopes which either in combination with other stable elements or by their own decay emit neutrons. The attractiveness of these encapsulated sources is their small size and weight and complete absence of operational problems. Until about 1970 the most widely used of such sources has been an... 

With the availability of small, relatively intense radioisotopic neutron sources, radiation gauging with neutrons has become an important technique in the inspection of energetic materials. Applications have included nondestructive measurement of moisture in expls, determination of charge weight and fill height in sealed ammo cartridges and in detection of concealed expls... 

Several radioisotopes are used to ensure safety in industry and transportation. For example, iridium-192 is used to verify the structural integrity of aircraft, ships, bridges, and other structures, for weld inspection, and other purposes. Califomium-252 is used to gauge the moisture content of soil in road construction and the building industries. 

Density gauges based on the absorption of gamma radiation are used wherever the automatic determination and control of the density of liquids, solids, or slurries is important. The oil industry relies heavily on such instmments. Other applications are in the handling of slurries in mineral processing or even in the food industry. One of the earliest users of radioisotope instmments was the tobacco industry, where density gauges make sure the right amount of tobacco is packed into each cigarette. 

Radiation gauging pertains to the use of penetrating radiation, in particular as emitted from radionuclides or radioactive isotopes, for the measurement of particular properties of a material or system. Such properties may include density, thickness, mass, volume, composition, uniformity, etc. In addition to the use of nuclear radiation from radioisotopes instead of X-rays from machine generators, the other distinguishing difference from Radiography is that electronic detectors are employed instead of flhn to measure the transmitted or scattered radiation... 

Elsewhere, the industrial use of radioisotopes rests on the fact that radiation loses energy as it passes through substances. Manufacturers have consequently been able to develop gauges to measure the thickness and density of products and, using radioisotopes as imaging devices, to check finished products for flaws and other sources of weakness. For their part, the fossil fuel industries involved both in mining and oil and gas exploration are using radioactive waves that measure... 

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