Operating principle of Nuclear Level Sensors

Nuclear based level measurement sensors can be used for point as well as continuous level measurement applications.  The concept of nuclear level sensors is based on the fact that certain types of nuclear radiation easily penetrate the walls of industrial vessels, but is attenuated by traveling through the bulk of material stored within those vessels. By placing a radioactive source on one side of the vessel and measuring the radiation making it through to the other side of the vessel, an approximate indication of level within that vessel may be obtained. Other types of nuclear radiation are scattered by process material in vessels, which means the level of process material may be sensed by sending radiation into the vessel through one wall and measuring back scattered radiation returning through the same wall.

In a typical industrial nuclear level measurement sensor shown below

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