A system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a generator-detector configured to be attached to a pipe. The generator-detector is configured to measure the concentration of mercury in the pipe in a non-destructive manner. A method is also disclosed.

A sensor apparatus includes a sensor head and a measurement unit. The sensor head includes a first probe and a second probe. The first probe includes a first tiny antenna section for transmission and a second tiny antenna section for transmission. The second probe is arranged at a predetermined distance from the first probe, and includes a first tiny antenna section for reception and a second tiny antenna section for reception. The measurement unit generates a measurement signal that includes information regarding characteristics of a propagation of an electromagnetic wave in a medium between the first tiny antenna section for transmission and the first tiny antenna section for reception, and information regarding characteristics of the propagation of the electromagnetic wave in the medium between the second tiny antenna section for transmission and the second tiny antenna section for reception. The first probe and the second probe have different probe lengths, or a distance between the first tiny antenna section for transmission and the first tiny antenna section for reception, and a distance between the second tiny antenna section for transmission and the second tiny antenna section for reception are different from each other.

A method for detecting the maximum potential presence of a material in an object. The method includes obtaining raw x-ray image data comprising a plurality of pixels for the object from an X-ray scanning device, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels has associated therewith an attenuation value and an effective atomic number (Z.sub.eff) for the pixel. The method further includes converting, for each pixel having a Z.sub.eff value greater than a threshold effective atomic number (Z.sub.eff-threshold), the Z.sub.eff at the pixel to the Z.sub.eff-threshold while applying a correction factor to the attenuation value for the pixel to bring the attenuation value into correspondence with the conversion of the Z.sub.eff value for the pixel and determining a maximum potential amount of the material present at each pixel based on the corrected attenuation value at the pixel. This renders material more apparent in visual display.

Provided is a portable XRF data screening method for heavy metal contaminated soil, relating to the technical field of heavy metal contamination test. The method includes the following steps: (1) laboratory test; (2) XRF test; and (3) calculation of a recheck interval: dividing test data into four areas by a contaminant screening value X.sub.c as a horizontal line and a correlation-derived site screening value as a vertical line to calculate the recheck interval. The method is simple and efficient, and is beneficial to saving investigation costs and shortening a project cycle.

A system for processing meat pieces includes a radiation inspection apparatus configured to receive a primary stream of meat pieces conveyed by a conveyor and to detect trim products containing undesired objects; a reject device; a control unit configured to operate the reject device using the detected undesired objects as an operation parameter such that the meat pieces containing the undesired objects are separated from the primary stream of trim products; an object remover configured to remove the undesired objects from the meat pieces separated from the primary stream of trim products; and a recirculation apparatus configured to receive the meat pieces after undergoing the object remover and recirculate it as a secondary stream into the radiation inspection apparatus. The secondary stream is separated from the primary stream, and the radiation inspection is configured to detect whether any remaining undesired objects are in the secondary stream.

An inspection apparatus includes an image generation unit, an image processing unit and an inspection unit. The image generation unit is configured to develop one dimensional transmission signal of an article to be inspected passing through an irradiation line of electromagnetic wave into a two dimensional image on a memory. The image processing unit is configured to perform image processing on a partial image every time the partial image including a part of article to be inspected is generated in the image generation unit. The inspection unit is configured to inspect a quality of the partial image after image processing, based on one or more processing results of the image processing unit.

This application relates to apparatus and method for x-ray fluorescence analysis. There is provided an X-ray fluorescence analysis apparatus for analysing a sample, The X-ray fluorescence analysis apparatus comprises an X-ray source, a measurement chamber for holding the sample in air, and an X-ray detector. The X-ray source is arranged to irradiate the sample with a primary X-ray beam, to cause the sample to fluoresce. The X-ray detector is arranged to detect characteristic X-rays emitted by the sample and to determine a measured X-ray intensity associated with the characteristic X-rays. An X-ray filter, which transmits the primary X-ray beam, is arranged between the X-ray source and the sample. The X-ray source comprises an anode of material having an atomic number that is less than 25. The X-ray fluorescence analysis apparatus further comprises a sensor arrangement configured to sense air pressure and air temperature. A processor receives the measured X-ray intensity. The processor also receives air pressure data and air temperature data from the sensor arrangement. The processor is configured to carry out a compensation calculation for adjusting the measured X-ray intensity using the air pressure data and the air temperature data.

An X-ray fluorescence analyzer according to an embodiment includes a sample box configured to accommodate a liquid sample, an X-ray generation unit configured to irradiate an X-ray to one side surface of the inside of the sample box, and a detector disposed along one side surface of the sample box at which a distance of a fluorescent X-ray emitted from the inside of the sample box to the outside of the sample box is shortest in order to minimize absorption of the fluorescent X-ray emitted out of the sample box in the air, when the X-ray irradiated by the X-ray generation unit reacts with the liquid sample inside the sample box to emit the fluorescent X-ray out of the sample box, the detector being configured to detect the fluorescent X-ray.

A method for the X-ray inspection of products of a predefined product type including at least one first component and one second component having different absorption coefficients for X-radiation. X-radiation with a spectral range is transmitted through a product to be examined. The X-radiation that has passed through the product is detected by means of a spectrally resolving X-ray detector. The spectrally resolving X-ray detector assigns the X-ray quanta to a number of energy channels and generates image data which for each pixel include spectral values for selected or all energy channels and/or total spectral values for one or more groups of adjacent energy channels. At least one mapping rule is used to process the image data to form a total image, where each mapping rule is designed such that spectral values or total spectral values are mapped onto a total image value of an image point.

A method and system for diagnosing a condition of an engine is described herein. The method comprises obtaining a sample of lubricating fluid from the engine, filtering the sample to obtain a plurality of particles from the lubricating fluid, determining surface chemical compositions for the plurality of particles, comparing the surface chemical compositions to at least one reference chemical composition associated with corrosion of the engine, determining a level of corrosion of the engine based on the comparing, and diagnosing a condition of the engine based on the level of corrosion.