Thursday 2/13/2014

The Radiation Application Development Co
 

The Radiation Application Development Co. was founded in 2011 with the aim of developing peaceful applications of nuclear technology in the fields of healthcare, medicine, agriculture, environmental protection, security and scientific research. Most commonly used applications of radiation in medicine are radiotherapy and radiopharmaceuticals production, in healthcare are sterilization of medical equipments, repelling agricultural pests, and shelf-life extension of food products, in industry are improving polymer mechanical properties, ion implantation, industrial radioisotopes production, and non-destructive testing, and in environmental protection are water and soil treatment and disinfection of municipal, industrial and hospital wastes.

The company (as a subsidiary of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran), possessing electron and gamma irradiation facilities and also quality control labs as well as having obtained international standards and certificates, can provide irradiation services for a wide range of products and materials. Having created a technical engineering department, it can also design and construct various types of irradiation facilities.

 

Vision

In order to develop and expand the application of radiations in the fields of healthcare, medicine, industry, agriculture, environmental protection, security and scientific research, the company intends to become the main, authentic and leading reference in the field of radiation applications development in the country and also in the region by monitoring the needs of society and existing capabilities.

 

Mission

Main activities in the field of radiation applications are: feasible study, design, construction, inspection, testing, procurement, technology transfer, obtaining necessary permits, developing relevant standards, training, commissioning and decommissioning, provision of radiation services and utilization of radiation facilities (including research reactors, irradiation facilities (electron, X and gamma), radioactive sources) in accordance with national and international standards, which aimed at improving quality of life, increasing revenue, helping to resolve problems and requests of target industries, environmental protection, commercialization, private sector activation, achieving modern technologies, increasing scientific and technical capacity of employees, and employing private knowledge-based companies.

In this regard, main company's activities are as follows:

Carrying out any activities for launching, safe operation, maintenance, upgrading and updating, supplying raw materials and equipment, and utilizing radiation systems in accordance with the plans of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran under the supervision of the country's nuclear safety organization.

Expanding the applications of irradiation in the country and also in the region by creation and utilization of new radiation facilities, as well as integrated management of existing facilities to increase Iran's radiation capacity.

Purchase, design and manufacture of equipment and instruments required for radiation facilities with various applications.

Marketing in regards to radiation services and commercialization of radiation applications.

Supervision on and collaboration with activities and projects related to irradiation facilities.

Guidance, counseling and training for employers, manufacturers and applicants for the safe and standard use of irradiation facilities.

Providing licensing services related to radiation equipment and facilities.

 


Tehran gamma irradiation facility

 

Tehran gamma irradiation facility can provide commercial irradiation services in range of low doses (up to 10KGy) and high doses (up to 25KGy).

Irradiation services:

Irradiation of foods significantly decreases the bacterial load and increases the shelf-life. Irradiation of cosmetics and disposable medical equipment are implemented for sterilization.

The products that can be irradiated at Tehran gamma irradiation facility are as follows:

- Different types of food (in packages) including nuts, beans, seeds, spices, food powders.

- Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals

- Disposable medical equipment such as bandages, gauze sterile, cotton thread.

- Herbal

Laboratories can provide irradiation quality control services:

-  Microbiology and foods laboratories: The labs can provide microbial load measurement, appropriate minimum and maximum dose determination, and making decisions regarding the effects of irradiation on the products. These are equipped with laminar fume hoods, autoclaves, ovens, chemical hoods, incubators (generally CO2 with fridge), colony counters, and etc.

Polymer laboratory: material identification, determination of material strength against radiation, and maximum dose. This lab is equipped with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), compression, thermal analysis (DSC), molecular mass calculation, and chemical hoods.

Dosimetry lab: measurement and control of irradiation process, determination of required irradiation time for foods and medical instruments and so on, equipped with EPR and spectrophotometer.

 

Bonab gamma irradiation facility
 

The design and construction of Bonab Gamma Irradiation facility started 2010 and in 2014 it has become operational. This facility is equipped with dosimetry, microbiology, and polymer labs. This facility compared to Tehran irradiation facility has more radiation capacity and more advanced conveyor system which makes lower dose irradiation possible.

Followings agricultural, industrial, and medical products are abundant in this region.

- Agricultural and horticultural products such as raisins, dried apricot and almonds, potatoes, onion, garlic, beans, and etc.

- Medical and sanitary products: syringes, sutures, sterilized gas, baby powder, cosmetics, and etc.

Table below shows overall specification of this facility briefly. It is used for sterilization of disposable medical instruments, food shelf life extension, and etc.

Gamma Irradiation Facility Specification
 

Facility Type

Pool Panoramic

Source Capacity

Capacity: 500KCi, Dose: 10KGy

Source Type

Cobalt 60

Max. Source Capacity

1000KCi

System Operation

4 mode Continual

Conveyor System

Power & Free Monorail

Package Dimension

45*45*45 cm

Max. Product Density

0.38 gr/cm3

Shielding

2 meter Concrete

 
 

Qazvin electron irradiation facility
 

Qazvin Rhodotron Irradiation Facility is located at Emam Khomeini Science and Technology Town of Qazvin province with 6 hectares in size. The most important section of this facility is its irradiator source which is an electron accelerator (Rhodotron type) with power of 100Kw and maximum energy of 10Mev that is placed at accelerator vault. 

Following pictures demonstrate different sections of Rhodotron irradiation facility.

Rhodotron Accelerator:

At the center of an irradiation facility, there is a high energy particle beam source. In gamma facilities, the radiation source is Cobalt-60 cells which emit gamma ray, while in electron radiation facilities, the source is a high power and energy accelerator placed at the accelerator vault. 

Irradiation Section:

Accelerated electrons move to beam exit window. In this section, electron beam sweeps a defined rectangular area alternatively. The products needed to be irradiated move to this area and gain the required dose.   

Auxiliary System Room:

Auxiliary accelerator systems such as high voltage transformers, cooling systems, ozone extraction and etc. are placed at this section.

Control and Monitoring Room:

In this room, control and monitoring systems as well as power supply cabinets of the irradiation and product handling systems are stored. All accelerator parameters including beam current, power, vacuum intensity, scan length and etc. are monitored.

Product Handling and Conveyor System:

Under no circumstances do personnel enter the irradiation room during BEAM ON status. Due to that, products must be handled and transferred by an automatic conveyor system to avoid radiation hazard. Loading and unloading can be done in the storehouse.   

Product Storehouse

Storehouse is divided into two sections: irradiated and non-irradiated product section. 

Office Rooms and Labs:

Office rooms and laboratories are located beside the storehouse.
 


Radiation Applications

Medical application

Radiation can be used for both therapy and diagnostic. Radiotherapy is the method in which high-energy X-ray or electron beam is used to destroy tumors and radiopharmaceuticals can be applied for diagnostic. X-ray and gamma radiations, as well as electron, proton, ion, and even neutron beams are widely used for medical applications.

In order to produce radiopharmaceuticals, variety of radiation generators from particle accelerators to research reactors can be used. In case of radiotherapy, radiation can either be directly applied as a source into the body and the tumor like BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) or applied from outside of the body from X-ray generators, radioactive sources, or reactors. Radiotherapy, considering the type of radiation, can be divided into X-ray therapy, proton-therapy, ion-therapy, gamma-therapy, BNCT, and neutron therapy. Nowadays, many medical imaging systems also need ionizing radiations such as CT (computed tomography), PET (positron emission tomography), SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography). Thus, medial applications of radiation require sophisticated and high-tech systems such as research reactors or particle accelerators.

Radiotherapy along with chemotherapy and surgery is widely suggested by doctors. Therefore there has been a significant growth and improvement in radiotherapy systems such medical linear accelerators and recently large hadron-therapy cyclotrons and synchrotrons. 

 

healthcare and well-being application

One of the main applications of nuclear technology that directly affects general health and well-being of the society is sterilization of products. Irradiation is used for sterilization of medical instruments and hygiene of food and agricultural products.

Food irradiation is performed for increasing the shelf lives of different types of food products and lowering their bacteria level.

In agriculture, seeds are irradiated in order to optimize harvesting and destroying their parasites.   

Irradiation is taken place for sterilization of medical instruments such as disposable medical supplies, syringes and sutures, sterilized gas, and etc. Irradiation unlike other sterilization methods is really reliable and environmentally friendly. 

Irradiation by either x-rays, electron beams, or gamma-rays is currently used for hygiene and well-beings of societies throughout the world. 


Industial application

 

Nuclear technology has plenty of applications in industry some of which is unique.

In oil industries, well digging and non-destructive tests are the main applications of irradiation. Industrial radioisotopes can be used for density, depth and surface measurements.

Irradiation of polymeric products can not only modify physical and mechanical properties of them but also create added value. Tires irradiation causes cross-linking which increases the mechanical strength and life time of tires.

Irradiation has played a significant role in advances in electronics and semi-conductors in a way that ICs and chipsets are now widely produced by ion-implantation techniques.

Cable and wire production facilities, car manufacturers, gem stones production industries apply irradiation for modification or even creation.

Environmental application

Today, environmental pollution due to excessive use of fossil fuels becomes a major crisis. Nuclear technology is capable of producing large scale electricity without having the drawbacks of environmental pollution. New ADSRs (Accelerator Driven Subcritical Reactor) can produce electricity even without leaving any nuclear waste.  

Flue gas destructive and poisonous agents can be significantly reduced by irradiation. 

Waste water and polluted soil treatment as well as hospital-base, industrial, and municipal waste management using irradiation techniques can be very effective and affordable.

Research & science application

Scientific discoveries never stop and in order to keep the pace of finding new things, one needs to apply more sophisticated and more precise instruments. Nowadays, most high-end large-scale scientific projects are related to nuclear physics and massive laboratories; the largest of which is CERN; are now in operation or is going to be operational to help scientists do experimental researches on materials and fundamental physics. These laboratories apply machines that produce radiation of various kinds.

Researches on finding new materials or even creating new ones; using ion implantation; are almost impossible without radiations. Other than that, archeologists have to apply radiation techniques in order to measure exact age of an antique piece.

Security application

Today, it becomes very important and vital for governments to inspect goods at customs to prevent trafficking. Nuclear technology; particularly irradiation; is widely used at customs for cargo inspection because of its precision, reliability, and detection speed. Moreover, specific topographies using radiations is also performed in the field of security. 

For more information, please visit www.radi-co.ir