Portable X-ray Radiography

LaSalle County StationLaSalle County StationPortable X-Ray Portable X-Ray

RadiographyRadiography

John GumnickRadiation Protection Superintendent

RPM Working MeetingBruce Power

July 15 & 16, 2008

Portable X-Ray Radiography Portable X-Ray Radiography LaSalle County StationLaSalle County Station

2RPM Working Meeting - Bruce Power

GoalsGoals• Maintain or improve

safe radiography controls

• Reduce dose • Maintain quality • Reduce the exclusion

zones• Reduce costs • Take advantage of

new technology


Equipment UsedEquipment Used• XRS-3 Portable X-ray tube

• Powered by a 14v battery

• No dose when not in operation

• Maximum 6-7 second shot

• Portable (12 pounds)

• Cost per unit is approx 6K

• Remote firing switch

• Easy to use

• Safe to use



Equipment UsedEquipment Used• VMI Digital RT

Processing Station

• No chemicals

• Immediate results

• Phosphor imaging plates.

• Less dose to expose plates.

• Email images.


Test Set-UpTest Set-Up• 4 weld mockups made

(1”-4”) • Pre-job brief conducted• ALARA brief conducted• LaSalle RP documented

surveys• Various shots taken at

mockups• Shot in the IRSF

(concrete) bldg.


Goals ReviewedGoals ReviewedMaintain or improve RT controls• No dose when unit is not in operation• Only can fire for 6 second shots • No cranking or source guide tubes needed.• Battery can be removed and unit does not operate.• Remote firing device must be held down to operate,

when released unit shuts down.• Alarm sounds when unit is in operation.• Lights flash on generator when unit is in operation.

RPM Working Meeting - Bruce Power 8

Goals ReviewedGoals Reviewed

Lower Dose• Task completed with two RPTs rather than

15

• Dose from actual radiography source ~0 mrem

• Validated TLD and Ion Chamber response

• Developed operational procedures for field use



Maintain Quality • 1-3” pipe requires 2 shots at 99 pulses (12

seconds)

• 4” pipe is at the upper range of applicability.

• Saw the defects that were implanted on test pieces

• Wall profiling or FAC is the quality reviewed

• ASME shots would still need additional testing





Reduce Exclusion Zones• Entire Heater Bay (BWR) does NOT have

to be entirely locked down for this examination.

• Restriction of turbine floors (PWR) can be reduced to small controlled areas.


Goals ReviewedGoals ReviewedReduction of Costs• Without shutting the heater bays down one

day of outage time could potentially be saved. ($1M/day)

• Reduction of RP coverage. 10-15 personnel could be reduced to 1 RP technician. $15-20K each time used.

• Can shoot through insulation and is portable. Reduction of contractor costs. $1-5K per joint

• Does not decay like a source. Would last longer



Technology Improvements• With the use of this new X-Ray tube and

digital RT system this has great potential to save dose, money and increase safety while maintaining the quality that is needed.

• Purchased two units and implemented for FAC radiography inspections.


LimitationsLimitations• Walkdowns needed for unit applicability.

• Contingency FAC plans for joints we are not able to access and shoot.

• Unit is fragile. This is why two units should be available on site.

• Ion-chamber instrumentation is needed to monitor.

• 4” and above or pipe thickness greater than 1” is the upper limit of applicability.


L2R11 ResultsL2R11 Results• 33 FAC radiographs completed in one shift

• Total crew 2 technicians, 4 radiographers

• No reshots needed

• No disruption of scheduled Heater Bay work during radiography

• Total savings ~750k

• Total dose 12 mrem, essentially the background dose from 1 shift in the Heater Bay for 6 people
