Industrial uses

Gamma ray logging is a method of measuring naturally occurring gamma radiation to determine what types of rock or sediment are in a borehole or drill hole. Gamma ray logging, like other types of well logging, is done by lowering an instrument down the drill hole and recording gamma radiation variation with depth.

Thickness gauge is a measuring instrument to measure a material’s thickness.

An irradiator will expose an object to gamma radiation. Some applications of this technology include sterilizing medical equipment, or irradiating food to help preserve it. The objects that are irradiated do not become radioactive, and afterwards no radioactive material is deposited on the irradiated material.

Spinning wheel gauges, sometimes referred to as “nuclear gauges”, are used to measure thickness, density or make-up of a wide variety of materials or surfaces. These gauges are also used to measure road surfaces during road construction.

Industrial irradiators use sources that emit very high levels of penetrating ionizing radiation in a range of applications, e.g. to sterilize medical products, for food preservation and in the curing of resins and surface coatings.

A calibration source is a radioactive source that has been designed for routine checking and calibration of radiation detection instrumentation.

Conveyor gauges are used in industry to continuously monitor the level of liquids in drums and other vessels; the density of materials in containers; the thickness of plates, sheets, coating; or the raw material quantities and components on conveyor belts. These gauges detect beta radiation to measure the thickness of paper products or gamma radiation to measure liquid levels and the thickness of metals or other products.

Fixed radiation gauges are used in civil construction, oil, petroleum and mining industries to monitor the density or mass of material flowing through pipework.

These gauges typically are fitted with a small radioactive source that emits a beam of gamma radiation.

A dredger gauge is used to ensure optimum ratios between the solid concentration and flow rate during dredging operations.

An RTG is an electric generator that converts heat from a radioactive source to electricity.

RTGs have been used as power sources in satellites, space probes, and unmanned remote facilities. They are deployed to provide a small amount of power without no maintenance in situations, such as deep space, where solar panels will not provide power.