3D imaging of gas bubbles in nuclear waste containers via Muon Scattering Tomography

Mohammed Mhaidra; Ahmad Alrheli; Dominic Barker; Chiara De Sio; Daniel Kikola; Anna K Kopp; Patrick Stowell; Lee Thompson; Jaap J Velthuis; Michael Weekes; Magdalena J Dobrowolska

doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105803

3D imaging of gas bubbles in nuclear waste containers via Muon Scattering Tomography

Mohammed Mhaidra^*, Ahmad Alrheli, Dominic Barker, Chiara De Sio, Daniel Kikola, Anna K Kopp, Patrick Stowell, Lee Thompson, Jaap J Velthuis, Michael Weekes, Magdalena J Dobrowolska

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Physics

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Abstract

Due to perpetual radiation exposure, radioactive waste stored in bituminized containers can generate various gases, which may pose significant safety and handling concerns for storage facilities. This paper introduces a novel 3D imaging method that uses muon scattering tomography to detect and map gas bubbles. Our study demonstrates that this technique can detect gas volumes as small as 0.55 L at a 95% confidence level after 27 days of muon exposure in a 200 L bituminized waste container. Our approach is versatile and can be applied to various waste management scenarios and other industries for gas and void control.

Original language	English
Article number	105803
Number of pages	16
Journal	Progress in Nuclear Energy
Volume	186
Early online date	6 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105803
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 6 May 2025

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© 2025 Elsevier Ltd

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Accepted author manuscript, 5.59 MBLicence: CC BY

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title = "3D imaging of gas bubbles in nuclear waste containers via Muon Scattering Tomography",

abstract = "Due to perpetual radiation exposure, radioactive waste stored in bituminized containers can generate various gases, which may pose significant safety and handling concerns for storage facilities. This paper introduces a novel 3D imaging method that uses muon scattering tomography to detect and map gas bubbles. Our study demonstrates that this technique can detect gas volumes as small as 0.55 L at a 95% confidence level after 27 days of muon exposure in a 200 L bituminized waste container. Our approach is versatile and can be applied to various waste management scenarios and other industries for gas and void control.",

author = "Mohammed Mhaidra and Ahmad Alrheli and Dominic Barker and {De Sio}, Chiara and Daniel Kikola and Kopp, {Anna K} and Patrick Stowell and Lee Thompson and Velthuis, {Jaap J} and Michael Weekes and Dobrowolska, {Magdalena J}",

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year = "2025",

month = may,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105803",

language = "English",

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journal = "Progress in Nuclear Energy",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - 3D imaging of gas bubbles in nuclear waste containers via Muon Scattering Tomography

AU - Mhaidra, Mohammed

AU - Alrheli, Ahmad

AU - Barker, Dominic

AU - De Sio, Chiara

AU - Kikola, Daniel

AU - Kopp, Anna K

AU - Stowell, Patrick

AU - Thompson, Lee

AU - Velthuis, Jaap J

AU - Weekes, Michael

AU - Dobrowolska, Magdalena J

PY - 2025/5/6

Y1 - 2025/5/6

N2 - Due to perpetual radiation exposure, radioactive waste stored in bituminized containers can generate various gases, which may pose significant safety and handling concerns for storage facilities. This paper introduces a novel 3D imaging method that uses muon scattering tomography to detect and map gas bubbles. Our study demonstrates that this technique can detect gas volumes as small as 0.55 L at a 95% confidence level after 27 days of muon exposure in a 200 L bituminized waste container. Our approach is versatile and can be applied to various waste management scenarios and other industries for gas and void control.

AB - Due to perpetual radiation exposure, radioactive waste stored in bituminized containers can generate various gases, which may pose significant safety and handling concerns for storage facilities. This paper introduces a novel 3D imaging method that uses muon scattering tomography to detect and map gas bubbles. Our study demonstrates that this technique can detect gas volumes as small as 0.55 L at a 95% confidence level after 27 days of muon exposure in a 200 L bituminized waste container. Our approach is versatile and can be applied to various waste management scenarios and other industries for gas and void control.

U2 - 10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105803

DO - 10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105803

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 0149-1970

VL - 186

JO - Progress in Nuclear Energy

JF - Progress in Nuclear Energy

M1 - 105803

ER -

3D imaging of gas bubbles in nuclear waste containers via Muon Scattering Tomography

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