Integrated and Special Systems | ORTEC Scientific Equipment

Integrated Systems

ISG Working ORTEC strives to meet your measurement needs in every aspect. If one of our standard solutions is not the answer, we have the expertise, equipment, and commitment to design and develop robust solutions that satisfy your particular application requirements. This is the primary role of our Integrated System Group (ISG) which provides the following services:

Integration and Test of standard products to ensure proper equipment configuration, software installation, and verification of warranty specifications as applicable.
Design and develop custom software and hardware solutions to meet special application needs.
Assemble and test special systems associated with the following applications:
- Counting Labs
- Whole Body Counting
- In-Situ waste and contamination
- On-Line Process Monitoring
- Air Sample Collection
- Homeland Security

On-Line Monitoring Systems

ORTEC is a specialist in on-line spectroscopy systems used for monitoring Nuclear Power Plant fuel integrity, radioactivity release to the environment, and processes such as radioactive liquid clean-up or material separations. These systems are supplied in a variety of standard configurations based on high or low resolution detectors (HPGe, NaI, and others) with computer or hardware based electronics and control systems that may be modified to comply with additional customer specifications. The following are a few examples of deployed on-line monitoring systems currently in use.

Sentinel Digital Failed Fuel Spectrometer (Model OS5400) This extremely stable and reliable system monitors concentrations of fission and activation products in reactor plant systems to detect degradation in the fuel boundary integrity based on key isotope activity levels and their relative abundances. The FINESS System is an excellent example of this type of system. This monitors concentrations of fission and activation products in reactor plant systems to detect degradation in the fuel boundary integrity based on key isotope activity levels and their relative abundances. The is an excellent example of this type of system. More about the Sentinel Digital Failed Fuel Spectrometer.

OS5500 Clamp-On Water Monitoring System Ideal for monitoring gamma activity of water and other system fluids flowing continuously through a pipe. Potential users include nuclear power plants, waste reprocessing facilities, and DOE facilities. Contact your local sales representative for more details of this product.

Plutonium Process Monitoring System Developed specifically for monitoring at a plutonium processing facility, this system exemplifies our commitment to meet your specific application needs. The application includes process controls such as I/O for valve manipulations or alarms, activity trends, QA monitoring, and data storage for post-processing data review. Contact your local sales representative for more details of this product.

Fuel Rod Scanning System Developed specifically for trending activity levels at thousands of positions along nuclear fuel rods using multiple detectors to minimize the travel length of the rod. Systems such as this can be integrated with motion control systems and modified to interface with your systems to provide automated alarms and other process control functions. Contact your local sales representative for more details of this product.

ASC2 Automatic Sample Changer Sample changers are ideal for labs processing a large number of samples with minimal operator interaction allowing for routine counting outside of normal working hours – without the extra labor costs. ORTEC offers a standard sample changer package in the ASC2 with a variety of ORTEC detector and electronics configurations as well as our flagship GammaVision spectroscopy software and GVAutomationPack productivity software. ORTEC software and systems can also be integrated with sample changers from other vendors such as Gamma Products. More about the ASC2 Automatic Sample Changer.

Coincidence Timing Systems A wide range of applications require the measurement of event times to nanosecond or picosecond resolution. The event may be the arrival time of an electronic pulse, or the time at which a photon or charged particle strikes a detector. Typical applications are in LIDAR, time-correlated single-photon counting, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, fluorescence lifetime spectrometry, and detection of gamma-rays, neutrons, alpha particles, beta particles, and ions from nuclear decays. ORTEC offers several fully-tested, turn-key systems.

Compton Suppression Counting Systems Compton-Suppression Systems are used to reduce the background continuum for low-background counting, thus improving the Minimum Detectable Activity and overall spectrum quality – particularly for small volume samples such as air filters and petri dishes. ORTEC has supplied dozens of Compton-Suppression Systems throughout the world to meet the demanding needs of very low background counting applications. We offer standard lab configurations as well as portable systems depending on your needs. We have evaluated a large variety of HPGe detectors with a range of performance parameters in efficiency, resolution, and Peak-to-Compton values to determine the optimal combinations of instrumentation to achieve the best overall performance. More about Compton Suppression Counting Systems. More about Portable Compton Suppression Counting Systems.

Positron Lifetime Picosecond Timing System (PLS-SYSTEM) These systems are useful in testing predictions of quantum theory with regard to the differences between electron and positron interactions with matter, as well as the study of various material structures and processes. Historically, defect studies in metals have been a major application area for positron lifetime techniques. More recently, this work has extended to defect studies in alloys and non-metals as well as some biological systems. More about the Positron Lifetime Picosecond Timing System.

OS1700 Tritium Collector The OS1700 collects tritium from gaseous and vapor systems using a two-stage collection process for the accurate determination of tritium in elemental and oxide forms. It is designed for unattended, continuous operation so that an average concentration of tritium-in-air over a suitable sampling interval, typically one week, can be easily obtained. At the end of the sampling period, an operator can measure the amount of tritium that has been captured by removing the sampler vials and placing them into a liquid scintillation counter. Apart from adding the scintillation cocktail, there is no need for any processing of the sample as is typical with desiccant collectors. Contact your local sales representative for more details of this product.

GammaScreen-8 Gross Gamma Screening Counter The Gross Gamma Screening system is intended for the rapid screening of urine samples for the presence of elevated radioactivity in a post-radiological event scenario. This system allows up to eight urine samples to be counted simultaneously in discretely shielded 3” x 3” NaI Well detectors to quickly identify elevated radioactivity from personnel in the exposed population. This screening process provides critical information to Emergency Response Agencies and is accomplished with minimal operator training. More about the GammaScreen-8 System.

In-Vivo Counting Systems These systems include low (NaI) and high (HPGe) resolution solutions for measurements in Whole Body, Thyroid, and Lung Counting applications using our robust Renaissance software package. Standard system configurations include Scanning Beds, Chairs, and our walk-through StandFast. More about In-Vivo Counting Systems.

In-Situ Measurement Systems These systems include solutions for measurements in Non-Destructive Waste Characterization and Field Measurement applications using our robust Isotopic software package. Standard system configurations include the Iso-Cart, Techni-Cart, and the rugged digiDart spectrometer. More about In-Situ Measurement Systems.

Homeland Security Systems These systems include low (NaI) and high (HPGe) resolution radioactivity monitoring solutions for traffic and personnel portals, mobile search systems, and hand-held identifiers. More about Homeland Security Systems.

Chemical Weapons Assay Systems The Portable Isotopic Neutron-Spectroscopy (PINS) Chemical Assay System identifies chemical contents of munitions and other containers safely and reliably using non-destructive, non-contact methods. More about the PINS Chemical Weapons Assay System.

Process Steps

The Integrated Systems Group follows a comprehensive approach to project management to ensure that your requirements are understood, implemented, and tested to the highest quality standards. The following is a summary of the process steps typically implemented for Integrated and Custom systems:

Step 1 Consulting: The System definition is the primary key to the success of any project - particularly for complex systems. Our Technical Staff can help refine the project definition to ensure that the scope is clear and concise including site visits up front when necessary.

Step 2 Proposal: After the system and options have been defined, we provide a complete proposal including equipment, pricing, and supporting documentation such as schematics, product specifications, and equipment qualifications as applicable.

Step 3 Design Review: We encourage your input for the design of custom systems to ensure that our vision is in line with your expectations. We also develop and review QA plans as applicable.

Step 4 Manufacturing: As building occurs, customer visits are encouraged to review progress. Occasionally, during construction, "a better way" comes to mind and changes are considered.

Step 5 Testing: In addition to component and system testing, we frequently perform a formal Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) with your participation or observation. Systems can be calibrated at the factory using NIST traceable standards from our inventory, or during the site installation using your reference sources.

Step 6 On-Site Installation and Testing: Our technicians assist with installation and run the system through its paces on site. For some applications an on-site test procedure similar to the FAT is approved by you to ensure that the extent of the testing is well-defined prior to the installation.

Step 7 Documentation: Documentation delivered with your system includes suggested spare parts, electrical diagrams, schematics, trouble-shooting guidelines, preventive maintenance guidelines, and step-by-step operating instructions as applicable for the proposed system.

Step 8 System Support: All of our products, whether components, instruments, or systems, have standard warranties that can be extended with a wide variety of service contract options. In addition, our highly qualified technical staff is always available for telephone or email support at no additional cost.