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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

A SEARCH FOR VERY HIGH ENERGY GAMMA RAYS FROM THE MISSING LINK BINARY PULSAR J1023+0038 WITH VERITAS

The binary millisecond radio pulsar PSR J1023+0038 exhibits many characteristics similar to the gamma-ray binary system PSR B1259–63/LS 2883, making it an ideal candidate for the study of high-energy nonthermal emission. It has been the subject of multiwavelength campaigns following the disappearance of the pulsed radio emission in 2013 June, which revealed the appearance of an accretion disk around the neutron star. We present the results of very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray observations carried out by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System before and after this change of state. Searches for steady and pulsed emission of both data sets yield no significant gamma-ray signal above 100 GeV, and upper limits are given for both a steady and pulsed gamma-ray flux. These upper limits are used to constrain the magnetic field strength in the shock region of the PSR J1023+0038 system. Assuming that VHE gamma rays are produced via an inverse Compton mechanism in the shock region, we constrain the shock magnetic field to be greater than ∼2 G before the disappearance of the radio pulsar and greater than ∼10 G afterward.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

INTEGRAL Detection of the First Prompt Gamma-Ray Signal Coincident with the Gravitational-wave Event GW170817

We report the INTernational Gamma-ray Astrophysics Laboratory ( INTEGRAL ) detection of the short gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A (discovered by Fermi -GBM) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 4.6, and, for the first time, its association with the gravitational waves (GWs) from binary neutron star (BNS) merging event GW170817 detected by the LIGO and Virgo observatories. The significance of association between the gamma-ray burst observed by INTEGRAL and GW170817 is 3.2σ, while the association between the Fermi -GBM and INTEGRAL detections is 4.2σ. GRB 170817A was detected by the SPI-ACS instrument about 2 s after the end of the GW event. We measure a fluence of (1.4 ± 0.4 ± 0.6) × 10{sup −7} erg cm{sup −2} (75–2000 keV), where, respectively, the statistical error is given at the 1σ confidence level, and the systematic error corresponds to the uncertainty in the spectral model and instrument response. We also report on the pointed follow-up observations carried out by INTEGRAL , starting 19.5 hr after the event, and lasting for 5.4 days. We provide a stringent upper limit on any electromagnetic signal in a very broad energy range, from 3 keV to 8 MeV, constraining the soft gamma-ray afterglow flux to <7.1 × 10{sup −11} erg cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} (80–300 keV). Exploiting the unique capabilities of INTEGRAL , we constrained the gamma-ray line emission from radioactive decays that are expected to be the principal source of the energy behind a kilonova event following a BNS coalescence. Finally, we put a stringent upper limit on any delayed bursting activity, for example, from a newly formed magnetar.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2011

Sky and Elemental Planetary Mapping Via Gamma Ray Emissions

Low-energy gamma ray emissions ((is) approximately 30keV to (is) approximately 30MeV) are significant to astrophysics because many interesting objects emit their primary energy in this regime. As such, there has been increasing demand for a complete map of the gamma ray sky, but many experiments to do so have encountered obstacles. Using an innovative method of applying the Radon Transform to data from BATSE (the Burst And Transient Source Experiment) on NASA's CGRO (Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory) mission, we have circumvented many of these issues and successfully localized many known sources to 0.5 - 1 deg accuracy. Our method, which is based on a simple 2-dimensional planar back-projection approximation of the inverse Radon transform (familiar from medical CAT-scan technology), can thus be used to image the entire sky and locate new gamma ray sources, specifically in energy bands between 200keV and 2MeV which have not been well surveyed to date. Samples of these results will be presented. This same technique can also be applied to elemental planetary surface mapping via gamma ray spectroscopy. Due to our method's simplicity and power, it could potentially improve a current map's resolution by a significant factor.

BATSE (the Burst and Transient Source Experiment)↗
DOE OSTI2016

Inspection of a LOCA test rod at the Halden reactor project using gamma emission tomography

The LOCA test series IFA-650 conducted at the OECD Halden Reactor Project (HRP) has provided unique data on the performance of fuel rods during LOCA transients. One focus of the current investigations is the performance of the fuel in the ballooning stage of the LOCA transient. In this stage, relocation of fuel material is a possibility, in which case pellet fragments fall down to fill the void introduced by the increased volume of the ballooned cladding. This increases the heat load in that region, further promoting corrosion of the cladding. A special concern in the case of high-burnup fuels is the increasing number of small fuel fragments, which may be expected to cause a higher packing fraction in the ballooned region. In this work, a novel technique is presented for assessing the average density of the fuel material in the ballooned region of LOCA test rods. The investigation is based on non-destructive gamma emission tomography measurements, using the dedicated instrument recently developed at the HRP in collaboration with Westinghouse (Sweden) and Uppsala University. In this approach, the gamma radiation field surrounding the test rod has been measured with a narrowly collimated HPGe detector. Tomographic reconstruction of the data was performed, providing the radial gamma-ray source distribution within the measured volume, which reveals the fuel fragment distribution. From this, the density of the fuel in the measured volume (i.e., the packing fraction) may be calculated. The technique has been used to investigate a LOCA test rod of the Halden Reactor Project LOCA series. The LOCA experiment was carried out about one month prior to the gamma tomography examination. The results show that the distribution of the relocated fuel can be imaged using gamma rays from fission products. The reconstructions of the 662 keV rays from {sup 137}Cs and 1596 keV from {sup 140}Ba/La are demonstrated. In addition, the peaks of activation products offer valuable information on the location of the test rig structures, which may be utilized in a quantitative tomographic reconstruction to assess the spatially resolved packing fraction. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Gamma emission tomography measurements of fuel assemblies at the Halden reactor

Gamma emission tomography measurements have been performed at the Halden Reactor Project using a dedicated instrument, which utilizes a high-resolution gamma-ray detector allowing for spectroscopic analysis of the measurement data. Measurements have been performed on two fuel assemblies consisting of 9 and 13 rods, respectively, in order to characterize the rod-wise radioactive source distribution (i.e. fission and activation products) within the fuel. The 9-rod fuel assembly consisted of five fuel rods at 50 MWd/kgUO{sub 2} and four fuel rods at 26 MWd/kgUO{sub 2}, where all rods had cooled for approximately 22 years at the time of measurement. The rods in the 13-rod assembly all had a burnup of ∼4.5 MWd/kgUO{sub 2}, and cooled for approximately 1.5 years at the time of measurement. In this paper, the tomographic data was reconstructed using the Filtered Backprojection technique, where no consideration to gamma-ray attenuation in the fuel was given. Due to the varying burnup and cooling times between the assemblies, the spectroscopic data also varied between the respective sets of measurements. The high-resolution detector used in the measurements allowed for tomographic reconstruction of many gamma-ray peaks corresponding to various fission products and activation products present in the fuel and structural materials. For instance the gamma tomography technique has shown rod-wise variation in the contents of fission products between the high-burnup and low-burnup rods. The rod-internal distribution of fission products was also observed where the volatile fission product {sup 137}Cs is observed to have migrated to the outer pellet surface in fuel rods in the 9-rod assembly, and where the gaseous fission product {sup 85}Kr is observed to have a uniform distribution in each fuel rod's gas plenum.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

AN ELECTRON-TRACKING COMPTON TELESCOPE FOR A SURVEY OF THE DEEP UNIVERSE BY MeV GAMMA-RAYS

Photon imaging for MeV gammas has serious difficulties due to huge backgrounds and unclearness in images, which originate from incompleteness in determining the physical parameters of Compton scattering in detection, e.g., lack of the directional information of the recoil electrons. The recent major mission/instrument in the MeV band, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory/COMPTEL, which was Compton Camera (CC), detected a mere ∼30 persistent sources. It is in stark contrast with the ∼2000 sources in the GeV band. Here we report the performance of an Electron-Tracking Compton Camera (ETCC), and prove that it has a good potential to break through this stagnation in MeV gamma-ray astronomy. The ETCC provides all the parameters of Compton-scattering by measuring 3D recoil electron tracks; then the Scatter Plane Deviation (SPD) lost in CCs is recovered. The energy loss rate (dE/dx), which CCs cannot measure, is also obtained, and is found to be helpful to reduce the background under conditions similar to those in space. Accordingly, the significance in gamma detection is improved severalfold. On the other hand, SPD is essential to determine the point-spread function (PSF) quantitatively. The SPD resolution is improved close to the theoretical limit for multiple scattering of recoil electrons. With such a well-determined PSF, we demonstrate for the first time that it is possible to provide reliable sensitivity in Compton imaging without utilizing an optimization algorithm. As such, this study highlights the fundamental weak-points of CCs. In contrast we demonstrate the possibility of ETCC reaching the sensitivity below 1 × 10{sup −12} erg cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} at 1 MeV.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A new gamma-ray detector, 3-dimension, fast scanning table for pulse-shape analysis

The state-of-the art gamma-ray spectrometers such as AGATA and GRETA are using position sensitive multi-segmented HPGe crystals. Pulse-shape analysis (PSA) allows to retrieve the localisation of the gamma interactions and to perform gamma-ray tracking within germanium. The precision of the localisation depends on the quality of the pulse-shape database used for comparison. The IPHC laboratory developed a new fast scanning table allowing to measure experimental pulse shapes in the whole volume of any crystal. The results of the scan of an AGATA 36-fold segmented tapered coaxial detector are shown here, 48580 experimental pulse shapes are extracted within 2 weeks of scanning. These data will contribute to AGATA PSA performances, but have also applications for gamma cameras or Compton-suppressed detectors. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Application of artificial neural network to prompt gamma neutron activation analysis for chemical warfare agents identification

The Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) is a commercialized system developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to examine chemical warfare agents (CWA) non-destructively, utilizing Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) techniques. The PINS system takes advantage of a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrum from a mechanically-cooled high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, and gamma-ray peak analysis provides input to its chemical identification logic with a probabilistic decision tree (PDT). The effectiveness of the chemical identification algorithm is determined by the availability of a wide range of data to train the algorithm to identify chemical-fills with accuracy. INL has a collection of gamma-ray spectra of various chemical-fills from the field-deployed PINS systems over the years, and it was envisaged to leverage such a database with the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique. Therefore, an ANN-based chemical identification algorithm was developed as an independent verification of the current algorithm. The ANN-based algorithm’s performance was evaluated against the U.S. Army blind test data, and results were presented and discussed in this study.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2024

Periodic Gamma-Ray Modulation of the Blazar PG 1553+113 Confirmed by Fermi-LAT and Multiwavelength Observations

A 2.1 yr periodic oscillation of the gamma-ray flux from the blazar PG 1553+113 has previously been tentatively identified in ∼7 yr of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. After 15 yr of Fermi sky-survey observations, doubling the total time range, we report >7 cycle gamma-ray modulation with an estimated significance of 4σ against stochastic red noise. Independent determinations of oscillation period and phase in the earlier and the new data are in close agreement (chance probability <0.01). Pulse timing over the full light curve is also consistent with a coherent periodicity. Multiwavelength new data from Swift X-Ray Telescope, Burst Alert Telescope, and UVOT, and from KAIT, Catalina Sky Survey, All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae, and Owens Valley Radio Observatory ground-based observatories as well as archival Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer satellite-All Sky Monitor data, published optical data of Tuorla, and optical historical Harvard plates data are included in our work. Optical and radio light curves show clear correlations with the gamma-ray modulation, possibly with a nonconstant time lag for the radio flux. We interpret the gamma-ray periodicity as possibly arising from a pulsational accretion flow in a sub-parsec binary supermassive black hole system of elevated mass ratio, with orbital modulation of the supplied material and energy in the jet. Other astrophysical scenarios introduced include instabilities, disk and jet precession, rotation or nutation, and perturbations by massive stars or intermediate-mass black holes in polar orbit.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Plausible indication of gamma-ray absorption by dark matter in NGC 1068

NGC 1068 is the brightest extragalactic source in high-energy neutrinos as seen by IceCube, yet the accompanying gamma-ray flux is orders of magnitude weaker. It has been argued that this indicates that the bulk of neutrinos and gamma rays are emitted in the innermost vicinity of the central supermassive black hole, which is transparent to neutrinos, but opaque to gamma rays. Even in such extreme scenarios for the acceleration of cosmic rays, astrophysical models typically overestimate the low-energy gamma-ray flux and/or require some fine-tuning in the physical parameters. Here, in this work, we suggest instead that the dark matter surrounding the supermassive black hole may absorb the gamma rays, inducing the observed deficit. We show that for a dark matter–photon scattering cross section in the range σ DM−γ /m DM ≃ 10 −28 −10 −30 cm 2 /GeV, Fermi-LAT measurements can be well reconciled with IceCube data. We also present some simple particle physics examples that achieve the correct spectral energy dependence while respecting complementary constraints.

Active Galactic Nuclei↗
DOE OSTI2014

Gamma ray irradiated AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles with enhanced gas sensor properties

AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method and irradiated by various doses of gamma ray. The products were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction, UV–vis absorption spectrum and transmission electron microscope. The results revealed that the crystal structure, morphology and size of the samples remained unchanged after irradiation, while the intensity of UV–Vis spectra increased with irradiation dose increasing. In addition, gamma ray irradiation improved the performance of gas sensor based on the AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles including the optimum operating temperature and sensitivity, which might be ascribed to the generation of defects. - Graphical abstract: Gamma ray irradiation improved the performance of gas sensor based on the AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles including sensitivity and optimum operating temperature, which might be ascribed to the generation of defects. - Highlights: • AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized and irradiated with gamma ray. • AgFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were employed to fabricate gas sensors to detect ethanol. • Gamma ray irradiation improved the sensitivity and optimum operating temperature.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Microstructural evolution and micromechanical properties of gamma-irradiated Au ball bonds

The effect of gamma radiation on the mechanical and structural properties of gold ball bonds was investigated. Gold wires from thermosonic wire bonding were exposed to gamma rays from a Cobalt-60 source at a low dose (5 Gy). The load–depth curve of nanoindentation for the irradiated gold wire bond has an apparent staircase shape during loading compared to the as-received sample. The hardness of the specimens calculated from the nanoindentation shows an increase in value from 0.91 to 1.09 GPa for specimens after exposure. The reduced elastic modulus for irradiated specimens significantly increased as well, with values from 75.18 to 98.55 GPa. The change in intrinsic properties due to gamma radiation was investigated using dual-focused ion beam and high-resolution transmission electron microscope analysis. The dual-focused ion beam and high-resolution transmission electron microscope images confirmed the changes in grain structure and the presence of dislocations. The scanning electron microscope micrographs of focused ion beam cross sections showed that the grain structure of the gold became elongated and smaller after exposure to gamma rays. Meanwhile, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy provided evidence that gamma radiation induced dislocation of the atomic arrangement. - Highlights: • Nanoindentation technique provides a detailed characterisation of Au ball bond. • P–h curve of irradiated Au ball bond shows an apparent pop-in event. • Hardness and reduced modulus increased after exposure. • Elongated and smaller grain structure in irradiated specimens • Prevalent presence of dislocations in the atomic arrangement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica

Highlights: • The present article reports the effect of gamma irradiation on the dielectric relaxation characteristics of muscovite mica. • Dielectric and electrical relaxations have been analyzed in the framework of dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and Cole–Cole formalisms. • The frequency dependent electrical conductivity has been rationalized using Johnsher’s universal power law. • The experimentally measured electric modulus and conductivity data have been fitted using Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation function. - Abstract: In the present research, the dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica was studied in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz–10 MHz and temperature range of 653–853 K, using the dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and conductivity formalisms. The dielectric constants (ϵ′ and ϵ′′) are found to be high for gamma irradiated muscovite mica as compared to the pristine sample. The frequency dependence of the imaginary part of complex electric modulus (M′′) and dc conductivity data conforms Arrhenius law with single value of activation energy for pristine sample and two values of activation energy for gamma irradiated mica sample. The experimentally assessed electric modulus and conductivity information have been interpreted by the Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation explanation. Using the Cole–Cole framework, an analysis of real and imaginary characters of the electric modulus for pristine and gamma irradiated sample was executed which reflects the non-Debye relaxation mechanism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structural and optical effects induced by gamma irradiation on NdPO{sub 4}: X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and luminescence study

Highlights: • Inorganic NdPO{sub 4} crystal was grown first time using potassium polyphosphate (K{sub 6}P{sub 4}O{sub 13}) flux. • NdPO{sub 4} crystal is insoluble in water, non-hygroscopic and high radiation resistance favoring for actinides host. • Actinide immobilization can be made at 1273 K. • High yield of 1061 nm photon emission. - Abstract: Rare earth orthophosphate (NdPO{sub 4}) monazite single crystals were grown using high temperature flux growth method employing K{sub 6}P{sub 4}O{sub 13} (K{sub 6}) as molten solvent. Their structural parameters were studied using single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The grown crystals were examined by SEM and EDX techniques for their homogeniousity and inclusion in the crystals. The influence of gamma irradiation in structural and optical absorption properties were studied by the powder XRD, FTIR and reflectance spectroscopy. The effect of gamma irradiation on luminescence properties was recorded. No significant structural change is observed up to 150 kGy gamma dose. The gamma ray induced charge trap in the crystal was saturated to 40 kGy dose. The luminescence intensity decreases with an increase in the irradiation. The emission of luminescence intensity stabilizes above 40 kGy gamma dose.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Methodology for inferring reactor core power distribution from an optical fiber based gamma thermometer array

Here, a 4-step data analytic methodology has been devised for the purpose of inferring the distribution of power in a reactor core, based on the response of an array of optical fiber based gamma thermometers (OFBGTs). This data analytic methodology is crucial for the development of a system of OFBGTs for the purpose of calibrating local power range monitors in boiling water reactors. Such a system would be an improvement to the present calibration system in boiling water reactors, in terms of safety, efficiency, and permanence. The first step of this methodology is to establish an energy balance method. In this method, one uses MCNP to determine response functions, which allow one to convert from gamma thermometer response to power. The gamma thermometers and the reactor core are segmented, such that each gamma thermometer segment provides an estimate of power for each reactor core segment. The estimates of power for the reactor core segments (hereafter referred to as fuel assembly segments) are calculated based on the measured response of the gamma thermometers. The second step of the methodology is to employ a weighting scheme to combine the estimates of the power of the various fuel assembly segments, based on the response of the various OFGBT segments and the incremental dose rates of the various fuel assembly segments to the OFBGT segments. The third step is to iteratively calculate the estimates of the power of the fuel assembly segments, until a convergence criterion is met, which indicates that the calculation has converged. The fourth and final step of the methodology is to estimate the uncertainty of the power for each fuel assembly segment. The mathematical basis for this step is not the focus of this paper. We have used a 3-D homogeneous reactor model to demonstrate the data analytic methodology; and have found that the data analytic methodology operates as intended.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Quantitative analysis of changes in antioxidant in crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) cable insulation material exposed to heat and gamma radiation

Quantitative analysis of the antioxidant poly(1,2-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline) (pTMQ) was conducted on pristine, thermally-aged, and gamma radiation-aged commercial cross-linked polyethylene-(XLPE-)based cable insulation material aged at temperatures 60, 90, and 115?°C, with gamma radiation exposure dose rates of 0, 120, 300, and 540?Gy/h for 15 days. The quantification of antioxidant was performed using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS). Oxidation induction time (OIT) was measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and correlation was made between the quantified depletion of antioxidant and measured OIT. It was observed that, in the case of isothermal aging, the quantity of antioxidant and OIT decreased with increasing gamma radiation dose. In the case of samples exposed to the same gamma radiation dose, the quantity of antioxidant and OIT were observed to decrease with increasing aging temperature. Depletion in the quantity of antioxidant relative to that in the pristine material ranged from 7 to 93% for differently aged samples. The measured decline in OIT ranged from 0 to 80%. Change in the quantity of antioxidant in the material was observed to follow the same trend as the change in OIT when the samples were aged under various conditions. The observations are explained in terms of the reaction between the antioxidant and free radicals created during exposure of the samples to thermal and gamma radiation.

Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, an↗
DOE OSTI2016

Detection of very high energy gamma-ray emission from the gravitationally lensed blazar QSO B0218+357 with the MAGIC telescopes

QSO B0218+357 is a gravitationally lensed blazar located at a redshift of 0.944. The gravitational lensing splits the emitted radiation into two components that are spatially indistinguishable by gamma-ray instruments, but separated by a 10–12 day delay. In July 2014, QSO B0218+357 experienced a violent flare observed by the Fermi-LAT and followed by the MAGIC telescopes. The spectral energy distribution of QSO B0218+357 can give information on the energetics of z ~ 1 very high energy gamma-ray sources. Furthermore, the gamma-ray emission can also be used as a probe of the extragalactic background light at z ~ 1. MAGIC performed observations of QSO B0218+357 during the expected arrival time of the delayed component of the emission. The MAGIC and Fermi-LAT observations were accompanied by quasi-simultaneous optical data from the KVA telescope and X-ray observations by Swift-XRT. We construct a multiwavelength spectral energy distribution of QSO B0218+357 and use it to model the source. The GeV and sub-TeV data obtained by Fermi-LAT and MAGIC are used to set constraints on the extragalactic background light. We detected very high energy gamma-ray emission from the direction of QSO B0218+357 by the MAGIC telescopes during the expected time of arrival of the trailing component of the flare, making it the farthest very high energy gamma-ray source detected to date. We also observed emission spans the energy range from 65 to 175 GeV. The combined MAGIC and Fermi-LAT spectral energy distribution of QSO B0218+357 is consistent with current extragalactic background light models. The broadband emission can be modeled in the framework of a two-zone external Compton scenario, where the GeV emission comes from an emission region in the jet, located outside the broad line region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Comparison of electrical capacitance tomography and gamma densitometer measurement in viscous oil-gas flows

Multiphase flow is a common occurrence in industries such as nuclear, process, oil and gas, food and chemical. A prior knowledge of its features and characteristics is essential in the design, control and management of such processes due to its complex nature. Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) and Gamma Densitometer (Gamma) are two promising approaches for multiphase visualization and characterization in process industries. In two phase oil and gas flow, ECT and Gamma are used in multiphase flow monitoring techniques due to their inherent simplicity, robustness, and an ability to withstand wide range of operational temperatures and pressures. High viscous oil (viscosity > 100 cP) is of interest because of its huge reserves, technological advances in its production and unlike conventional oil (oil viscosity < 100 cP) and gas flows where ECT and Gamma have been previously used, high viscous oil and gas flows comes with certain associated concerns which include; increased entrainment of gas bubbles dispersed in oil, shorter and more frequent slugs as well as oil film coatings on the walls of flowing conduits. This study aims to determine the suitability of both devices in the visualization and characterization of high-viscous oil and gas flow. Static tests are performed with both devices and liquid holdup measurements are obtained. Dynamic experiments were also conducted in a 1 and 3 inch facility at Cranfield University with a range of nominal viscosities (1000, 3000 and 7500 cP). Plug, slug and wavy annular flow patterns were identified by means of Probability Mass Function and time series analysis of the data acquired from Gamma and ECT devices with high speed camera used to validate the results. Measured Liquid holdups for both devices were also compared.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗