IP Library Granted Patent US 7,408,171
Granted Patent B2
US 7,408,171 · App. 11/389,323 · Granted Aug 5, 2008

Providing information

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,408,171
App. No.
11/389,323
Granted
Aug 5, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for providing information on the dispersion of a radioactive material within a matrix includes measuring emissions of a first energy, the emissions including emissions of a first type, to provide a first type value; measuring emissions of a second energy, the emissions including emissions of a second type, to provide a second type value; measuring emissions of a third energy, the emissions including emissions of a third type, to provide a third type value; the interrelationship of the values for the first type value, second type value and third type value providing information on the dispersion of the radioactive material within the matrix due to the different effects of dispersion upon those different values.

Claims (35)

1. A method for providing information on the dispersion of a radioactive material within a matrix, the method comprising:

measuring emissions of a first energy, the emissions including emissions of a first type, to provide a first type value, the emissions of the first type being K x-ray emissions from uranium, the first energy being at least one energy selected from the group consisting of 94.66 keV, 98.44 keV, 110.43 keV, 111.31 keV, 114.34 keV and 114.57 keV;

measuring emissions of a second energy, the emissions including emissions of a second type, to provide a second type value;

measuring emissions of a third energy, the emissions including emissions of a third type, to provide a third type value;

the interrelationship of the values for the first type value, second type value and third type value providing information on the dispersion of the radioactive material within the matrix.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the first energy is 98.44 keV.

3. A method according to claim 2 in which the emissions of the first energy are measured by measuring a range of energies.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which the emissions of the first energy are measured by measuring a range of energies and the range of energies has a lower limit of 96.9 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies has an upper limit of 100.4 keV−0.5 keV +5 keV.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which the second energy is 89.953 keV and/or 89.9 keV and/or 84.2 keV.

6. A method according to claim 5 in which the emissions of the second energy are measured by measuring a range of energies.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which the emissions of the second energy are measured by measuring a range of energies and the range of energies has a lower limit of 88.6 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies has an upper limit of 91.1 keV±0.5 keV.

8. A method according to claim 1 in which the emissions of the second energy are measured by measuring a range of energies and the range of energies has a lower limit of 83 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies has an upper limit of 85.5 keV±0.5 keV or an upper limit of 84.4 keV±0.1 keV.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which the third energy is 92.368 keV and/or 92.8 keV.

10. A method according to claim 9 in which the emissions of the third energy are measured by measuring a range of energies.

11. A method according to claim 1 in which the emissions of the third energy are measured by measuring a range of energies and the range of energies has a lower limit of 91.2 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies has an upper limit of 96.7 keV±0.5 keV.

12. A method according to claim 1 in which the method includes measuring one or more energies characteristic of other radioactive materials than uranium.

13. A method according to claim 12 in which, where the measurement indicates the presence of one or more other radioactive materials than uranium, the method includes measuring emissions of a fourth energy.

14. A method according to claim 13 in which the fourth energy is an energy to which the one or more other radioactive material do not contribute and/or do not cause the uranium to contribute.

15. A method according to claim 13 in which the fourth energy is 110.43 keV and/or 111.3 keV and/or 114.34 keV and/or 114.57 keV.

16. A method according to claim 13 in which the emissions of the fourth energy are measured by measuring a range of energies.

17. A method according to claim 13 in which the emissions of the fourth energy are measured by measuring a range of energies and the range of energies includes 110.43 keV and/or 111.31 keV and/or 114.34 keV and/or 114.57 keV.

18. A method for providing information on the dispersion of a radioactive material within a matrix, the method comprising:

measuring emissions of a first energy, the emissions including emissions of a first type, to provide a first type value, the emissions of the first energy being measured by measuring a range of energies, the range of energies having a lower limit of 96.9 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies having an upper limit of 100.4 keV−0.5 keV+5 keV;

measuring emissions of a second energy, the emissions including emissions of a second type, to provide a second type value, the emissions of the second energy being measured by measuring a range of energies, the range of energies having a lower limit of 88.6 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies having an upper limit of 91.1 keV±0.5 keV;

measuring emissions of a third energy, the emissions including emissions of a third type, to provide a third type value the emissions of the third energy are measured by measuring a range of energies, the range of energies having a lower limit of 91.2 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies having an upper limit of 96.7 keV±0.5 keV;

the interrelationship of the values for the first type value, second type value and third type value providing information on the dispersion of the radioactive material within the matrix.

19. A method for providing information on the dispersion of a radioactive material within a matrix, the method comprising:

measuring emissions of a first energy, the emissions including emissions of a first type, to provide a first type value, the emissions of the first type being K x-ray emissions from uranium, the first energy being at least one energy selected from the group consisting of: 94.66 keV, 98.44 keV, 110.43 keV, 111.31 keV, 114.34 keV and 114.57 keV; measuring emissions of a second energy, the emissions including emissions of a second type, to provide a second type value, the second energy being at least one energy selected from the group consisting of 89.953 keV, 89.9 keV and 84.2 keV;

measuring emissions of a third energy, the emissions including emissions of a third type, to provide a third type value, the third energy being at least one energy selected from the group consisting of 89.953 keV, 89.9 keV, 84.2 keV and 143 keV;

the interrelationship of the values for the first type value, second type value and third type value providing information on the dispersion of the radioactive material within the matrix.

20. A method for providing information on the dispersion of a radioactive material within a matrix, the method comprising:

measuring emissions of a first energy, the emissions including emissions of a first type, to provide a first type value;

measuring emissions of a second energy, the emissions including emissions of a second type, to provide a second type value, the emissions of the second energy being measured by measuring a range of energies, the range of energies having a lower limit of 88.6 keV±0.5 keV and/or the range of energies having an upper limit of 91.1 keV±0.5 keV;

measuring emissions of a third energy, the emissions including emissions of a third type;

the interrelationship of the values for the first type value, second type value and third type value providing information on the dispersion of the radioactive material within the matrix.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2015
From: BABCOCK NUCLEAR LIMITED
To: BNS NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036272/0138 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 6, 2015
From: BNS NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
To: CAVENDISH NUCLEAR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036303/0609 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 6, 2015
From: VT NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
To: BABCOCK NUCLEAR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036313/0929 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2008
From: BIL SOLUTIONS LIMITED
To: VT NUCLEAR SERVICES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 021371/0552 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF ASSIGNOR AND POSTAL CODE OF ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 018008 FRAME 0269. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE RACKMAN TO RACKHAM; CHANGE POSTAL CODE FROM CA20 IPG TO CA20 1PG. Recorded Aug 10, 2006
From: RACKHAM, JAMIE; DOCKRAY, THOMAS
To: BIL SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 018086/0689 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2006
From: RACKMAN, JAMIE; DOCKRAY, THOMAS
To: BIL SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 018008/0269 →