Regional Training Course on Radiotracer Techniques for Leak Detection
On October 21-24, 2019, the Laboratory of Nuclear Techniques in cooperation with the Laboratory of Diagnostic Methods (DML) organized a meeting under frame of IAEA RER1020 regional project "Developing Radiotracer Techniques and Nuclear Control Systems for the Protection and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Ecosystems". The subject of the course concerned the use of radiotracer techniques in leak testing of industrial installations. Representatives of the following countries took part in it: Croatia, Greece, Russia, Turkey, Hungary, and Romania. Prof. Jovan Thereska, an expert of the International Atomic Energy Agency on this subject, also participated in this event. Foreign delegates presented their research focused on using of radioisotopes and nuclear techniques. Professor Thereska presented to all participants basic knowledge about radiotracer methods with particular regard to their industrial use, for example, for testing leakage in heat exchangers or underground pipelines. On behalf of INCT, Mr. Cezary Nobis, the representative of the research team performing leakage control of industrial facilities, talked about the practical aspects of diagnostic facilities and technological installations using the radiotracer method which had been developed at the Institute. The invited guests also had the opportunity to visit selected laboratories located at the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology. An important part of the Workshop was the inter-laboratory comparison of leak testing performed on a demonstration installation simulating a real industrial facility. The purpose of this comparison was to confirm the proficiency of the Diagnostic Methods Laboratory (DML) in leakage control. The experiments were performed by Mr. Jovan Thereska using equipment belonging to the IAEA. The comparison showed the compliance of the results obtained by DML and the expert, what was confirmed by the handing over of an appropriate certificate to DML employees issued by the ISTRA organization - International Society for Tracer and Radiation Applications (https://istra-society.org). On the last day of the meeting, 13 participants took the competence checking exam in the field of radiotracer methods, obtaining certificates of competence.
