TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY

Narrow Access Gamma Spectrometry Sample Changer

 This technology is a new design sample changer that can transfer the v-vials down the tube, position for counting, remove it, and replaces it, thereby drastically increasing the efficiency of the process.

Opportunity:   Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), is offering the opportunity to enter into a license and/or collaborative research agreement to commercialize the Narrow Access Gamma Spectrometry Sample Changer.

Overview:        This technology is a new design for an automatic sample changer that communicates with the spectrometer multi-channel analyzer to place a new sample in front of the detector at the time that the count is completed. Without this design, long count times mean that personnel would need to come out to the site and manually change samples to improve efficiency. INL’s program has hundreds of particles to be counted at 10 hours per particle. This automatic system will allow drastically increased efficiency and more data acquisition.   

Description:    A 6 position sample supply drops a vial into a sample positioning holder that is mounted to a flexible timing belt that is driven into the interior of the collimator tube where a limit switch stops it in front of the detector window. When the count is complete, the multi-channel analyzer sends a signal to the changer to operate the belt motor, bringing the holder to the drop out slot where the vial is discharged. A new sample drops by gravity into the next holder position and is moved to the detector window. This design is unique because it is adapted to work in a hot cell. It takes up a minimum of hot cell space, allowing high activity samples to be measured without regular manual human interaction.

Benefits:          Benefits include:

• Increased efficiency
• Simplicity
• Dimensional flexibility
  • Greater applicability than existing designs
• Increased data acquisition

Applications:   Applications include:

• Gamma Ray Spectrometry
  • Used on TRISO particles that are manually handled in miniature v-vials

Development Status:  TRL 8. The actual system has completed tests and demonstration.  

INL is seeking to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available.

Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Kala Majeti at [email protected] or 248-877-8866.