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2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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Dry Ice Blasting: A Game-Changer for Safe Cleaning and Decontamination in Nuclear Power Plants
The nuclear energy industry is critical not only for meeting the world’s growing demand for electricity but also for advancing global decarbonization goals. As the sector evolves—through life extensions of existing plants, decommissioning, innovations like small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors, and new facility construction—the need for safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible maintenance and decommissioning continues to grow. Whether a plant is coming online, operating beyond its original design life, or entering decommissioning, cleanliness and operational integrity remain non-negotiable. That’s where dry ice blasting stands out—a powerful, safe cleaning method ideally suited for the high-stakes demands of nuclear environments.
Mahmoud I. Abbas
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 1 | October 2009 | Pages 41-44
Detectors | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (Part 1) / Radiation Measurements and Instrumentation | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9098
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The full-energy peak (photopeak) efficiency and peak-to-total ratio of a closed-end coaxial high-purity germanium detector were calculated and compared with the experimental measurements in the energy range between 60 and 1863 keV. The attenuation of photons by the source itself (self-absorption), the source container, and the detector end cap materials is also included. Many experimental readings have been taken for the source-detector system used in this investigation. By comparison, the calculated and experimental full-energy peak efficiency and peak-to-total ratio values are in good agreement; the overall percentage error is <3%.
