The Uranium Product level Gauge (UPLG) is used to control uranium product packaging so any spills of uranium product from 200 liter drums could be minimized.
The uranium product is hazardous material from the radiation health and safety point of view and any clean-up of spills of uranium product that occur during packaging contribute to the occupational hazard. It is important that there is a required amount of the uranium product in steel drums. The weight of the product in the drum is monitored by electronic scales during packaging. Considering that the bulk density of uranium product varies drums with the same volume of the product may have different mass. This is one of the reasons why spills happen.
The RDS UPLG was designed to minimize the number of spills.
The RDS UPLG is based on the detection of the soft gamma radiation emitted by the uranium product. The gamma radiation is detected by the lead shielded collimated 'Gamma Probe' situated at the outside wall of the steel drum. When the 'Gamma Probe' detects the product surface at the dangerous level in the steel drum the red light will be switched on, the buzzer will be activated and the UPLG will shut down the packaging system.