New chemical analyzer wins Top Industry Practices award for nuclear power plant safety

19 May 2006

Arizona Public Service Company, in cooperation with Symphotic TII Corporation of Camarillo, California, has been awarded the 2006 Top Industry Practices Vendor Award (TIP) by the Nuclear Energy Institute for its InSITE^tm remote chemical analyzer.  Using technology in development for future chemical analysis of minerals on Mars, Symphotic TII has developed an instrument that identifies unknown deposits found in nuclear power plants.  This system operates with a remote probe so that removal of deposit samples is unnecessary.  The technique is particularly useful in identifying reactor coolant solution leaks that require prompt attention.

“Reactor coolant leaks leave a white boric acid deposit which is corrosive to components of the reactor, but not every deposit is boric acid.  Sometimes white paint can be mistaken for a boric acid deposit.” says Troy Wilfong, a Technical Adviser at the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Station.  “The Symphotic Tii instrument should soon become a must have tool for all Pressurized Water Reactor Power Plants.  Application of this technology both increases plant safety and reduces maintenance costs.”

According to Jack Roberts, President of Symphotic TII Corporation, “This spectroscopic technique uses a laser light to analyze unknown stains.  We have seen this technique proposed for planetary exploration by NASA, but we are the first to apply it in nuclear power plant operational safety.  Because it does not require removing a sample from inside the power plant, it saves workers from potential exposure to radiation, and gives instant answers about potential leaks.”

The TIP award was presented in San Francisco on May 18, 2006 by the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Symphotic TII Corporation produces custom spectroscopy products, lasers, and imaging products, including the AquaRAD^tm radiation tolerant color camera system.