Measuring tool for irradiation source and method for measuring radiation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022011455-A1
Application number	US-201917309324-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2019
Priority date	Nov 23, 2018
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A measuring tool (1) for measuring a delivered dose of radiation emitted by at least one electron beam emitter (2a-b) in an irradiation area (2) used to sterilise packaging material to be later formed into a package is provided. The measuring tool (1) comprises: at least one transducer (3) configured to convert a characteristic of the delivered dose of radiation to another characteristic; a frame (5) configured to hold the at least one transducer (3) and insert the at least one transducer (3) into the irradiation area (2); and at least one connector (7) configured to allow signal transfer from the at least one transducer (3) to a read-out system (9) remote of the irradiation area (2). Use of said tool and a method for calibrating a radiation dose emitted by at least one electron beam emitter (2a-b) in an irradiation area (2) used to sterilise packaging material to be later formed into a package are also provided.

First claim

1 . A measuring tool for measuring a delivered dose of radiation emitted by at least one electron beam emitter in an irradiation area used to sterilise packaging material to be later formed into a package, the measuring tool comprising:
at least one transducer configured to convert a characteristic of the delivered dose of radiation to another characteristic; a frame configured to hold the at least one transducer and insert the at least one transducer into the irradiation area; and at least one connector configured to allow signal transfer from the at least one transducer to a read-out system remote of the irradiation area.

2 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one transducer is a thermocouple coupled with at least one metallic plate.

3 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one transducer is a charge collector comprising at least one metallic or semiconducting element.

4 . The measuring tool according to claim 3 , wherein at least one charge collector comprises at least one metallic or semiconducting wire inserted into a hollow tube of shielding with at least one slit.

5 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one transducer is a scintillator.

6 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one transducer is a thin film solid state detector.

7 . The measuring tool according to claim 6 , wherein at least one thin film solid state detector comprises at least two active layers arranged at different distances from the electron beam emitter.

8 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transducer is coupled to a cooling element;
wherein the cooling element is coupled to a metallic plate to be inserted into the irradiation area and configured to keep the metallic plate at a fixed temperature.

9 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transducer further comprises a shielding with at least one slit.

10 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one transducer comprises:
at least one shielding layer directly exposed to impinging radiation; at least one active layer for detecting radiation; and at least one intermediate insulating layer between the shielding layer and the active layer.

11 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a shutter that allows for alternatingly exposing at least one transducer to the irradiation area.

12 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a motor being configured to provide automated insertion of the at least one transducer into the irradiation area.

13 . The measuring tool according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a handle configured to assist during the insertion of the at least one transducer into the irradiation area and to stabilise the frame while in use.

14 . Use of a measuring tool according to claim 1 in order to measure a radiation dose emitted by at least one electron beam emitter in an irradiation area.

15 . A method for calibrating a radiation dose emitted by at least one electron beam emitter in an irradiation area used to sterilise packaging material to be later formed into a package; the method comprising:
inserting at least one transducer into the irradiation area using a frame; measuring the delivered dose of radiation emitted in the irradiation area using the at least one transducer; and transmitting the measurement to a read-out system remote of the irradiation area using at least one connector.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Lavalle Marco
• Veronese Giulio Paolo

Classifications

• G01T1/29 Primary

  Measurement performed on radiation beams, e.g. position or section of the beam; Measurement of spatial distribution of radiation · CPC title

• B65B55/08

  by irradiation · CPC title

• G01T1/023

  Scintillation dose-rate meters · CPC title

• G01T7/005 Primary

  calibration techniques (stabilization of spectrometer G01T1/40) · CPC title

• G01T1/026

  Semiconductor dose-rate meters · CPC title