Raman probe could cut cost of nuclear decommissioning

Raman spectroscopy is one of the most effective techniques for identifying specific chemical compounds but is rarely used in nuclear decommissioning because access constraints and high radiation fields can prevent the spectrometer from working at its typical effective range.

Space particles help detect uranium and manage nuclear material

Now, a team from Jacobs and Tonbridge, Kent-based IS Instruments have designed a new type of Raman system which can detect a weak laser signal several metres from the target. The team has found also a way to mount the Raman probe onto a remotely operated vehicle or robot arm, which enables the probe to get within two metres of the target and send a signal down an optical cable to the main Raman instrument positioned tens of metres away.

“Standard equipment often cannot detect specific chemical agents, either because it can’t get close enough or because the signals are crowded out by the overall radiation levels,” said Clive White, Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions International Senior Vice President. “This new type of Raman system is an important breakthrough for the nuclear industry because it provides greater certainty about the presence of hazardous materials in high radiation waste facilities, making the materials easier, cheaper and safer to detect.”