(102f) Gamma Scanning Fundamentals - Confirmed!

One of the most common process troubleshooting applications, especially when it comes to separation and fractionation equipment is gamma scanning.  Gamma scans provide a density profile of the internal process of operating distillation columns and other process vessels.  The density profile can be used to diagnose the hydraulic operating conditions of mass transfer devices such as damage to internals, flooding, degree of entrainment or weeping, liquid levels on trays and distributors, liquid distribution through packed beds, etc.

There were research and development experiments with gamma scanning back during its development years in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  One scanning service provider, Tru-Tec, performed some tests using a glass column at Koch Research facilities in the mid 1980’s.  But since that time it appears no basic development or confirmation work has been done.  During these intervening years radiation detector technology has been improved. 

Tracerco performed a series of gamma scans with the cooperation of Koch-Glitsch on one of their pilot plant towers equipped with trays.  A series of scans was done under varying operating conditions in order to correlate scan results with verified process conditions.  The results learned, or re-learned, will be presented here.