Abstract: An ultrasonic test set is calibrated in terms of its frequency characterization by establishing a response trace on a monitor screen of the test set when the probe of the test set is applied to a standard test article, a digitizing camera is arranged for scanning the trace on the test set monitor, and a digital computer receives the digital output signal on the digitizing camera and processes the signal by sampling the signal trace at discrete points with respect to time; the digital computer provides an output on output means such as a monitor screen and/or printer which provides information on the frequency characterization of the ultrasonic test device and includes a frequency spectrum. The apparatus can be implemented by a combination of commercially available and known separate elements providing a cheap and effective apparatus and method for calibration purposes.

Abstract: A vibratory processing arrangement including an apparatus comprising three main stages. Namely, a high level waste vibrating impregnator, a vibrating calciner and a vibratory powder mixer.The waste impregnator comprises a downwardly inclined trough having flexible mountings and a vibrator at its upstream end, a hood structure and a series of liquid sprays connected to a high level waste supply tube.The vibratory calciner comprises a downwardly inclined tube connected to a downstream discharge tube. The discharge tube has an inlet pipe for entry of reducing gas. The reducing gas passes upwardly through the tubes to a gas discharge take-off tube near the upstream end of the downwardly inclined tube. A vibrator is tuned to provide the desired flow rate through the downwardly inclined tube.Calcined discharged powder falls downwardly into the vibratory mixer, which has a vibratory actuator and flexible mountings.

Abstract: Particulate material is poured into a container which is decay and heat resistant, the container is sealed and subjected to axial compression at elevated temperature to cause densification of the material, there being an arrangement for preventing substantial radially outward deformation of the container during compression. An important application is to immobilization of nuclear reactor waste in a synthetic rock structure formed during the high temperature compression step, and advantageously the containers are secured within an outer metal cannister for subsequent safe handling and disposal. An important embodiment includes a bellows container which advantageously is upwardly pressed into an inverted metal cannister restrained by an upper abutment, the bellows container becoming an interference fit within the metal cannister during the final portion of compression, but the bellows container wall itself being substantially sufficient to prevent gross outward deformation of the bellows container.

Abstract: X- or .gamma.-ray scatter assemblies are used in quantitative determination of the concentration of ash in coke or coal. The assemblies each comprise an X- or .gamma.-ray source, an energy sensitive detector to detect X- or .gamma.-rays resulting from scatter in the coal or coke of X- or .gamma.-rays from the source, and shielding means adapted to reduce the intensity of direct X-rays or .gamma.-rays and to collimate partly the beam of X-rays and or .gamma.-rays to ensure maximized matched volumes for all assemblies and deep penetration in the coal. The assemblies are associated with an electronic analyzer adapted to select all or part of the detected X-ray or .gamma.-ray spectrum, thereby modifying the output of the assemblies. Two or more assemblies are employed in an apparatus and method for analyzing coal or coke.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for quantitatively determining the concentration of gaseous hydrogen fluoride in a medium containing gaseous hydrogen fluoride. The apparatus has one or two lasers (1) (2) which provides a beam (11) having two frequencies, a first frequency which is absorbed by gaseous hydrogen fluoride and a second frequency which is substantially unabsorbed by low pressure gaseous hydrogen fluoride and less absorbed than the first frequency by high pressure gaseous hyrogen fluoride or gaseous hydrogen fluoride plus other gases or vapors. Detectors (12) (15) detect the beam transmitted through the medium and calculator (18) determines the concentration from the outputs of the detectors (12) (15). The preferred lasers (1) (2) are infra red helium-neon lasers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring the concentration of a first element or group of elements having substantially similar atomic numbers in a matrix comprising other elements having substantially different atomic numbers to that or those of said first element or group of elements is diclosed. The apparatus comprises(i) a source yielding .gamma.-rays, of sufficient energy for pair production;(ii) detecting means being associated with said source and being capable of detecting 0,511 MeV annihilation radiation;(iii) first measuring means for making a measurement of or proportional to bulk density;(iv) shielding means interposed between said source and said detecting means thereby reducing the intensity of direct source .gamma.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus of elemental analysis which finds particular application in the on-line analyses of the specific energy (calorific value) of coal or coke by the determination of carbon content. Analysis is achieved by a comparison of the output of neutron inelastic scatter which produces first .gamma. rays and of scatter of second .gamma. rays. Preferably 4.43 MeV carbon .gamma. rays are used and, in addition, one or more of moisture, ash, or hydrogen content of coal or coke can be measured using 2.2 MeV hydrogen capture .gamma. rays. The method and apparatus have the advantage of providing a compensated count rate that is essentially independent of sample compaction.

Abstract: A Technetium-99m generator has a matrix having a compound of molybdenum-99 bound into or forming the matrix, the compound of the molybdenum-99 being substantially insoluble in an eluant which can be used in a radiopharmaceutical and the molybdenum compound permitting diffusion of technetium-99m therethrough and elution therefrom. The molybdenum compound can be a monomolybdate, an isopolymolybdate or a heteropolymolybdate and zirconium molybdate is preferred although other cation molybdates may be used. Methods of preparation of the generator include dissolving irradiated molybdenum trioxide in alkaline solution and precipitating the molybdate at a selected pH and packing the precipitate in finely divided form into a column. Alternatively the generator may be formed from a non-radioactive, molybdenum compound and activated later when desired by passing a solution of a compound of molybdenum-99 through the column.

Abstract: A generator for liquid containing .sup.99m Tc has an adsorbant bed of alumina, zirconia or the like and has associated therewith a quantity of an electron scavenging compound of a rare earth, silver or gold so as to maintain elution efficiency during the working life of the generator. The compound may be a rare earth oxide such as ceric oxide typically present as a coating on alumina particles in an amount of about 0.1% by weight or a compound such as silver chloride present in quantities typically of about 5%. The eluant may be sodium or potassium perchlorate in water.

Abstract: A complex of a chelating agent is formed and labelled with technetium-99m. The chelating agent is either an ethylenediamine carboxylic acid or its salt having a phenolic group at each end of the molecule such as EDDHA and HBED or alternatively the phenolic amino carboxylic acid or its salt having a single phenolate group such as HBG or HBS. The complex is a stannous complex which when labelled with technetium-99m has a good balance of lipo-solubility and waater-solubility to permit hepato-biliary imaging. The radiopharmaceutical may be useful for assessing hepatobiliary function in animals including human beings. A particularly useful chelating agent is ethylene-bis-(.alpha.-imino-2-hydroxy-5-bromophenyl acetic acid).

Abstract: A method of analysing coal or coke wherein the concentration of ash or mineral matter in coal or coke is determined from (i) the result of a measurement of transmission or scatter of X-rays or .gamma.-rays of a first energy chosen such that there is significant difference in absorption of radiation per unit weight in coal matter and mineral matter excluding iron, combined with (ii) the result of at least one further measurement of transmission or scatter of X-rays or .gamma.-rays at different energy/energies so chosen that there is significant difference in absorption of radiation per unit weight of coal matter and mineral matter and that the relative absorption per unit weights by said coal matter and said mineral matter at any one energy is significantly different from the relative absorption at each other energy including said first energy, and/or (iii) the result of a measurement of iron concentration by neutron capture .gamma.-ray techniques.

Abstract: A radiopharmaceutical for use on animals including human beings comprises a metal chelate in which the chelating agent is a phenolic amino carboxylic acid or an alkali salt thereof, and the metal is a pharmaceutically acceptable radio isotope such as technetium-99m. The chelating agent may be advantageously an ethylenediamine carboxylic acid or its salt having a phenolic group at each end of the molecule such as EDDHA and HBED or alternatively the phenolic amino carboxylic acid or its salt may have a single phenolate group such as HBG or HBS. The pharmaceutical has a balance of lipo-solubility and water-solubility to permit hepato-biliary imaging.

Abstract: A uniform source of nuclear radiation is produced by converting a convertible surface portion of a body. The conversion can be by chemical combination or reaction, neutron bombardment, ion exchange of an element present in the convertible material with a solution of radio-active ions of the element or by permitting the radio active particles to be embodied into the surface portion. A preferred embodiment utilises conventional photographic film in which the silver halide grains are treated chemically with a radio-active material.

Abstract: A logarithmic ratemeter has a plurality of bistable devices each having two inputs the first of which is connected to a common input line for receiving voltage pulses from a detector of atomic particles and the second of which is connected to a secondary pulse train. The secondary pulse trains for the bistable devices are all different but maintain a constant frequency relationship to one another. Each bistable device produces an output signal the level of which indicates whether the device is in its first or second state and means are provided for summing the average values of the outputs of the bistable devices so as to provide an output signal which is a logarithm of the pulse rate received at the common input.

Abstract: The present invention is a detector suitable for an apparatus for the absolute measurement of the mass flow rate of a gas by injecting a radioactive tracer isotope, with a known activity relative to a standard, into the flowing gas and measuring the activity when a small sample representative of the flowing gas is removed at a sampling point downstream of the injection point at a sufficient distance to ensure a homogeneous mixture of the tracer isotope with the flowing gas.

Abstract: The production of UF.sub.6 in which UF.sub.4 is reacted with air or oxygen in the presence of a catalyst at 500.degree. to 700.degree.C. The solid byproduct of this reaction is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst at 400.degree. to 600.degree.C. Fresh UO.sub.3 may also be reduced with hydrogen in the same reactor as UO.sub.2 F.sub.2. The reduction product or products are reacted with hydrogen fluoride at 400.degree. to 600.degree.C, producing UF.sub.4 which would be recycled for further reaction to produce UF.sub.6.