Inspection of underwater structures

• US 4,335,308 A
• Filed: 01/08/1980
• Issued: 06/15/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AEA Technology PLC (AEA Technology Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
• Inventors: Parsons, Tony V., Caldecourt, Leonard R., Evans, Gordon V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Alfred E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Howell, Janice A.
• Application Number:
  US06/110,406
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 250/256, 250/308, 250/357, 250/358 R, 250/358 P
• US Class Current: 250/358.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/06 and measuring the absorption

Abstract

A radiation detector for use in an underwater environment, comprising a radiation detector tube having a metal case out of one end of which extends an output lead wherein the said end of the tube is encased in a resilient water-proof compound so as to prevent the ingress of water into the body of the radiation detector tube. Marine structures incorporating such radiation detectors also are described.

Claims

1. A radiation detector for use in a deep water off-shore underwater environment, comprising a hermetically sealed outer casing having a waterproof plug and socket connection for a telemetry cable, and within the outer casing, a radiation detector tube having a hermetically sealed metal case out of one end of which extends an output lead, wherein the said end of the radiation detector tube through which the output lead passes, the output lead and a portion of the plug connected to the output end are encapsulated in a resilient impervious material so as to prevent the ingress of water to the part of the radiation detector tube where the output lead emerges, and means for mechanically isolating the radiation detector tube from the outer casing.

2. A radiation detector device according to claim 1 wherein the means for isolating the radiation detector tube from the outer casing comprises a plurality of resilient spacers, the encapsulation around the output lead end of the radiation detector tube forming one of the said spacers.

3. A radiation detector according to claim 1, wherein the radiation detector tube is a Geiger-Muller counter tube.

4. A radiation detector according to claim 1, wherein the resilient impervious material is a resilient epoxy resin compound.

5. A radiation detector according to claim 1, incorporated into an off-shore exploration structure.

6. A structure for use in an off-shore exploration structure having at least one position at which it is desired to detect the presence or measure the density of a cement grout, a radiation detector positioned at that point, said radiation detector comprising a hermetically sealed outer casing having a waterproof plug and socket connection for a telemetry cable, and within the outer casing, a radiation detector tube having a hermetically sealed metal case out of one end of which extends an output lead, wherein the said end of the radiation detector tube through which the output lead passes, the output lead and a portion of the plug connected to the output end are encapsulated in a resilient impervious material so as to prevent the ingress of water to the part of the radiation detector tube where the output lead emerges, and means for mechanically isolating the radiation detector tube from the outer casing, a measuring station and a telemetry link connecting the radiation detector to the measuring station.

7. A structure according to claim 6, wherein a radiation detector is positioned opposite a source of penetrating radiation of known intensity so as to measure the density of the grout by means of the decrease in intensity of the radiation traversing a known thickness of the grout.

8. A structure according to claim 6 including at least one radiation detector positioned to sense when the surface of the grout reaches it, the grout having been rendered radioactive.

9. A structure according to any one of claims 6, 7 or 8, wherein the radiation detector tube is a Geiger-Muller counter tube.

10. A structure according to any one of claims 6, 7 or 8, wherein the resin impervious material is a resilient epoxy resin compound.

11. A structure according to any one of claims 6, 7 or 8, wherein the means for isolating the radiation detector tube from the outer casing comprises a plurality of resilient spacers, the encapsulation around the output lead end of the radiation detector tube forming one of the said spacers.