Bionetics’ Experience in Radioactive Applications

Bionetics has been custom designing and manufacturing flowmeters for challenging applications for over 50 years. Industrial environments exposed to radiation come with particularly stringent requirements for radiation hardened materials and instrument design. Bionetics has been able to engineer instruments to meet these challenges and exceed them, with instruments operation without error for over 10 years in high radiation environments and handling radioactive liquids and gases.

Bionetics offers different levels of radiation hardened instruments depending on the strength of the radioactive environment and the desired lifespan of the instrument. Instruments are rated for total absorbed dose aver the life of the instrument. One of Bionetics’ meters was even deployed to measure the cooling fluid of a on the outlet of a research reactor.

• Standard Commercial Sensors: Rated for 15,000 Rad
• Low Rad Sensors: Rated for 30,000,000 Rad
• High Rad Sensors: Rated for 1,000,000,000 Rad

One of the most challenging radioactive applications of Bionetics’ flowmeters is for the control of Uranium Hexafluoride, or UF6 in enrichment facilities. Bionetics has been supplying Rheotherm® UF6 meters since the 1990’s. With no mechanical parts or stressed components, our flow meters can remain in service for decades, minimizing the need for maintenance or replacement and providing long-term cost savings. Bionetics has received customer feedback that our meters continue to perform in challenging radioactive applications where other meters cannot survive.

Example Applications of Rheotherm® Flow Instruments in the Nuclear Industry

1. A clean up site is using Rheotherm® flow meters to measure flow rate of high rad clean up systems and waste (150 Mrad over 10 years). Products range from ½” in-line sensors to insertion flow switches. Sensors measure DI water, radioactive caustic fluids and radioactive gas. Several systems are mounted outdoors.

Rheotherm® advantages:

• Maintenance free
• Low-pressure drop
• Radiation hardened design
• Weather/spray down proof
2. A research facility uses Rheotherm® flow meters to measure the flow of heavy water at 2,000 psi pressure. A TU3 /8 transducer is used to measure a flow range of 40-400 LPH.

Rheotherm® advantages:

• Non-intrusive low flow measurement
• High-pressure capability
3. An electric utility has used Rheotherm® flow meters for over fifteen years to monitor the flow of air that is cycled through a post-accident containment area of their nuclear plant. A TU¼ transducer is used to measure a flow range of 0.3-3 SCFM. The air could be highly radioactive in the event of an accident.

Rheotherm® advantages:

• Non-intrusive flow measurement
• Long-term reliability
• Radiation resistance
4. An electric company used Rheotherm® air flow sensors since 1984 to monitor vent gas. The sensor is located in an area that is exposed to radiation, so reliability is critical.

Rheotherm® advantages:

• Sensitivity to low gas velocity
• Long-term reliability
• Radiation resistance

At Bionetics, our advanced flow meters are trusted by facilities worldwide to provide accurate, reliable data that ensures optimal performance and compliance with stringent nuclear safeguards. By offering precise measurement capabilities, we help support the safe and efficient process operation.