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Radiometric Measurement Safety, Designed Into Every System
Learn how sealed sources, engineered shielding, and external installation make radiometric measurement a safe, reliable solution for demanding process applications.
Safety Starts With the System Design
A radiometric measurement system has three essential elements:
- A sealed source housed inside a shielded source holder
- A detector mounted outside the vessel, pipe, or other container, opposite the source
- A microprocessor that converts the received energy into a usable level, density, weight, flow, or interface measurement
Because all components mount outside the process, nothing enters, touches, or contaminates the material being measured.
How Ronan Keeps Radiometric Measurement Safe
Radiometric measurement uses a nuclear source, enclosed in a sealed capsule and housed inside a shielded source holder, to make reliable measurements from outside the process.
The source emits gamma radiation from inside an enclosed durable capsule. The source holder surrounds the source with shielding and directs a collimated beam of radiation only through the intended measurement path toward the detector.
Ronan source holders are engineered to keep the source contained, shielded, and precisely directed, while helping facilities measure safely in process conditions where other instruments fail.
SAFETY IN EVERY STEP
Multiple Layers of Protection
Safety is built into every layer of the Radiometric Measurement System. The sealed source is contained within a source holder that provides shielding which meets applicable international standards for radiation limits. Together, these safeguards keep the measurement reliable while ensuring gamma energy is contained and directed only inside the intended measurement path.
Sealed source containment
The radioactive material is encapsulated in a sealed source designed for industrial use. It is not exposed to the process or released into the vessel.
Rugged, shielded housing
A durable steel or iron housing protects the sealed source from impact, fire, and harsh industrial conditions and meets applicable international standards for surface radiation limits.
Shutter control
Many source holders include a shutter that can be closed to block the beam during installation, maintenance, or other procedures.
Application-specific sizing
Source activity, shielding, beam geometry, and detector are precisely chosen for each application to ensure the minimum activity is used to produce a dependable measurement.
Lowest level sources available
Exclusive Radiation Low Level (RLL) technology utilizes lower source activity, up to one hundred times lower than traditional gauges, to make the same measurement.
Non-contact measurement
The source holder does not come into contact with the process, so it is protected from heat, pressure, abrasion, corrosion, and other harsh materials.
Partners in safety
Trained Ronan Engineers will work with your engineering and safety teams to define the optimal measurement configuration to ensure safety while obtaining reliable measurement. If you are responsible for plant safety, we will assist with ensuring your training manuals and documentation are current, and meet all pertinent regulations, and that your personnel are properly trained in radiation safety. We help you throughout the life of your system to secure the proper licensing, support a safe installation plan, establish clear procedures, train personnel, manage records, and, when needed, dispose of sources.
A facility’s radiation safety program may include:
- Appropriate licensing and a designated Radiation Safety Officer
- Site-specific operating and emergency procedures
- Personnel training for anyone who works with or near the equipment
- Routine source inventories, inspections, and leak testing as required by the license
- Clear labels, controlled access where required, and documented shutter checks
- Licensed transfer, return, replacement, or disposal at end of life
Frequently Asked Questions
Radiometric measurement is proven, regulated technology, and it is natural to have questions about how it works and how safety is managed. Find straightforward answers to common questions about sources, shielding, licensing, and system operation.
Is radiometric measurement safe for employees?
When properly designed, installed, operated, and maintained under site procedures and applicable regulations, industrial radiometric systems are designed to control radiation exposure through sealed-source containment, shielding, beam direction, and trained operation.
Does radiation contaminate the product?
No. Gamma radiation passes through the vessel and process material so the detector can measure how much energy is attenuated. It does not make the product, vessel, or surrounding equipment radioactive.
Is the source inside the vessel?
No. The source holder and detector are mounted externally. The measurement is made through the vessel wall.
Can the radiation be turned off?
The radioactive source decays continuously, but the source holder can use shielding and a mechanical shutter to secure the measurement beam when closed, according to the equipment design and site procedures.
How long does a source last?
The answer depends on the isotope, source activity, vessel geometry, and measurement requirements. Radioactive sources decay predictably over time, so source replacement is planned and handled through licensed procedures when necessary.
Who is responsible for licensing and safety procedures?
Requirements depend on the installation location and applicable regulator. The facility typically maintains its radiation safety program and designated Radiation Safety Officer. Ronan can coordinate with your team and qualified radiation-safety resources during project planning.
Need help with your measurement application?
Ronan will work closely with you to develop a reliable measurement solution for your most challenging process applications.
If you need immediate assistance, please contact us directly.
About
For more than 60 years, Ronan Engineering has manufactured reliable and leading-edge instrumentation systems. As providers of real-time monitoring and measurements of critical process control points, Ronan has kept some of the world’s largest plants, factories, and facilities running safely and efficiently. Ronan has established manufacturing, sales and service facilities in Kentucky and the United Kingdom.