The Uranium Product Level Gauge (UPLG) is used to control uranium-product packaging so that any spills of uranium product from 200 L drums can be minimised.
Why it matters
The uranium product is hazardous from a radiation health-and-safety perspective; any clean-up of spills that occur during packaging contributes to the occupational hazard. It is important that there is the required amount of uranium product in the steel drums. The weight of the product in the drum is monitored by electronic scales during packaging. Because the bulk density of the uranium product varies, drums with the same volume of product can have different masses — one of the reasons spills happen. The RDS UPLG was designed to minimise the number of spills.
How it works
The RDS UPLG is based on the detection of the soft gamma radiation emitted by the uranium product. The gamma radiation is detected by a lead-shielded collimated “Gamma Probe” situated at the outside wall of the steel drum. When the Gamma Probe detects the product surface at the dangerous level in the steel drum, the red light is switched on, the buzzer is activated, and the UPLG shuts down the packaging system.