The Benefit of Gamma Scanning to the Chemical Process Industry

Abstract

Gamma scanning as an on-line, non-intrusive, diagnostic tool for the chemical process industry (CPI) was pioneered more than 20 years ago by Dupont. In the early 1970's, the technique was considerably advanced by AECL at CRNL for use in the Canadian heavy water industry. Gamma scanning gives unique hydraulic performance data on operating towers and has been used very extensively by Ontario Hydro a BHWP and by AECL, with the Nova Scotia Research Foundation, at PHHW and GBHWP, Specifically, it has been used to diagnose the cause of unstable operation, refine the use of antifoams and to give essential tray performance data. This latter has allowed AECL at CRNL to develop the most sophisticated tray design capability available for GS heavy water plant operation.

The unique value of gamma scanning and its successful use at the heavy water plants led AECL, in 1981, to consider its broader application to the CPI world wide on a commercial basis. Since that time, very successful scans have been conducted at the Imperial Oil refineries at Dartmouth and Sarnia. The Dow Chemical plant in Sarnia and the Gulf Oil Refinery in Montreal.

This paper details the gamma scanning technique, indicating its range of application and describing case histories of its spin-off application to the chemical processing industry.