TY - JOUR A1 - Kolkoori, Sanjeevareddy A1 - Wrobel, Norma A1 - Hohendorf, Stefan A1 - Redmer, Bernhard A1 - Ewert, Uwe T1 - Mobile high-energy X-ray radiography for nondestructive testing of cargo containers N2 - Radiologic evaluation techniques are nondestructive testing (NDT) used to detect the bulk of explosives and contraband materials in large objects. As compared to conventional low-energy (<450 key) X-ray imaging, high-energy (>1 MeV) digital X-ray radiography is required for the NOT of large containers because of the need for high penetration through thick materials, sensitivity, and the ability to distinguish between low-and high-Z materials. Mobile, high-energy, and high-resolution radiologic techniques are useful to detect contraband and threat materials in digital radiographic images of containers with complex packing. This paper presents a mobile, high-energy X-ray radiographic technique for the in-field nondestructive inspection of cargo containers. The developed experimental technique consisted of a betatron as a high-energy (7.5 MeV) X-ray source and a high-resolution (400 mu m) matrix detector for the digital X-ray imaging. In order to evaluate the detection efficiency and image quality of the measurement technique, a test specimen was proposed that was made of a 3 mm thick steel container with an inner dimension of 60 x 30 x 40 cm(3) comprising different low-and high-Z materials. Image quality indicators were used to assess the essential image quality parameters such as image basic spatial resolution, effective attenuation coefficient, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Experimental investigations were performed on a 6.1 m sea freight container with mockup dangerous materials in complex packing. Preliminary experimental results showed that the proposed technique was able to distinguish between liquids and solids, as well as detect contraband materials. Furthermore, a remarkable SNR of 400 was achieved in the measured digital X-ray images. The influence of temperature on X-ray radiation dose rate at different X-ray energies was also investigated. Finally, important applications of the proposed technique in the context of maritime security are discussed. KW - Nondestructive testing KW - NDT KW - Digital radiography KW - High-energy X-ray imaging KW - Betatron KW - Digital detector arrays KW - Container inspection KW - Contraband detection KW - Image quality KW - SNR PY - 2015 SN - 0025-5327 VL - 73 IS - 2 SP - 175 EP - 185 PB - Society for Nondestructive Testing CY - Columbus, Ohio AN - OPUS4-32521 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schumm, A. A1 - Martin, E. A1 - Beaumont, M. A1 - Ewert, Uwe A1 - Kolkoori, Sanjeevareddy A1 - Zscherpel, Uwe A1 - Wrobel, Norma A1 - Redmer, Bernhard T1 - A comparative study on the performance of digital detector systems for high energy applications N2 - For cast components reaching or exceeding total material thicknesses of 150mm, high energy sources such as linear accelerators or Betatrons are required in order to obtain reasonable exposure times. In this study, the performance of digital detector systems, involving imaging plates (IP) and digital detector arrays (DDA), was evaluated with respect to the testing class B requirements as formulated in the standard EN ISO 17636-2. As a reference, traditional radiographic film and a Cobalt-60 source was used. With film exposures, testing class B was achieved with Co-60 and Betatron (7.5 MV) at longer exposure times. The preliminary results show that the testing class B was not obtained with the examined digital detector arrays (DDA) and the high resolution imaging plates (IP) , even at 40, 60 and 80 minutes exposure time with a 7.5 MV Betatron. Class A was achieved using high resolution imaging plates with optimized metal filters between object and IPs and a high resolution DDA with intermediate Cu filters. Class A was also achieved applying a DDA with lower basic spatial resolution than required by Table B.13 of EN ISO 17636-2, but using the compensation principle as described in this standard. The next generation of digital detector arrays might potentially be able to obtain class B performance with the expected spatial resolution and sensitivity improvements. T2 - ECNDT 2014 - 11th European conference on non-destructive testing CY - Prague, Czech Republic DA - 06.10.2014 KW - Radiography KW - Image quality KW - Betatron KW - Digital detector array (DDA) KW - Casting KW - Standards KW - High energy radiography KW - Comparison of detectors KW - Steel weldment PY - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-323075 UR - https://www.ndt.net/?id=16394 SN - 1435-4934 VL - 19 IS - 12 SP - 1 EP - 6 PB - NDT.net CY - Kirchwald AN - OPUS4-32307 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zscherpel, Uwe A1 - Schumacher, David A1 - Redmer, Bernhard A1 - Ewert, Uwe A1 - Ullberg, C. A1 - Weber, N. A1 - Pantsar, T. T1 - Digital radiology with photon counting detectors N2 - The progress in X-ray detector electronics (sensitivity and speed) allows meanwhile fast single photon detection by a matrix detector. Combined photon counting and energy discrimination is implemented in the electronic circuit of each detector pixel. The company XCounter developed detectors based on CdTe single crystals, which can be tiled to larger areas and have a pixel size of 100ìm. The largest area available in beginning of 2014 is 50x75 mm². These detectors have very promising properties, which make them very suitable for NDT applications: 1. A CdTe attenuation layer of 750 µm thickness allows efficient X-ray detection up to ca. 300 keV. In counting mode only photon noise is important; no other detector noise sources need to be considered. There is no Offset signal without radiation. 2. Each of the detector pixels has two energy thresholds. These can be used for dual energy imaging for materials separation. Also the suppression of scattered radiation by energy thresholding will improve the image contrast sensitivity. First experiments will be presented which demonstrate the advantages of this new detector technology over the conventional charge integrating detectors. A challenge is the development of a modified detector calibration procedure, which becomes critical at longer exposure times. T2 - ECNDT 2014 - 11th European conference on non-destructive testing CY - Prague, Czech Republic DA - 06.10.2014 KW - Materials characterization KW - Radiographic testing (RT) KW - Digital detector array KW - Photo counting KW - Image quality KW - Calibration KW - Dual-energy KW - Energy discrimination KW - Digital radiology KW - Detectors PY - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-323063 UR - https://www.ndt.net/?id=16709 SN - 1435-4934 N1 - Geburtsname von Schumacher, David: Walter, D. - Birth name of Schumacher, David: Walter, D. VL - 19 IS - 12 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - NDT.net CY - Kirchwald AN - OPUS4-32306 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -