System for determining a compositon of radionuclides

Claim 1

A system for determining a composition of a mineral-containing material by detecting gamma and/or x-ray radiation emitted by radionuclides in the material, comprising a detector unit which supplies an electrical signal containing information about the intensity and energy of the emitted radiation and a signal processing system by which these electrical signals are further processed for determining said composition of radionuclides, wherein the signal processing system comprises an A/D converter to which said electrical signals are applied and a first computer unit which further processes signals supplied by the A/D converter for the purpose of determining said composition of radionuclides; the first computer unit composes an energy spectrum of the detected radiation from the signals supplied by the A/D converter; and wherein the first computer unit determines the concentrations C(U), C(Th) and C(K) of the radionuclides uranium, thorium and potassium respectively according to the first algorithm and the relative masses m j ( j =a, b, c or d) of respective mineral groups which are designated a, b, c and d according to the second algorithm said second algorithm m j ( j =a, b, c or d) is determined from the equation: C.sub.p m=C wherein ##EQU3## and wherein every mineral group a, b, c or d is characterized by its three known concentrations C j (U), C j (Th) and C j (K) with j =a, b, c or d.

Claim 2

A system for determining a composition of a mineral-containing material by detecting gamma and/or x-ray radiation emitted by radionuclides in the material, comprising a detector unit which supplies an electrical signal containing information about the intensity and energy of the emitted radiation and a signal processing system by which these electrical signals are further processed for determining said composition of radionuclides, wherein the signal processing system comprises an A/D converter to which said electrical signals are applied and a first computer unit which further processes signals supplied by the A/D converter for the purpose of determining said composition of radionuclides; the first computer unit composes an energy spectrum of the detected radiation from the signals supplied by the A/D converter; and wherein the first computer unit determines the concentrations C(U), C(Th) and C(K) of the radionuclides uranium, thorium and potassium respectively according to the first algorithm and the relative masses m j ( j =a, b, c or d) of respective mineral groups which are designated a, b, c and d according to the second algorithm said second algorithm m j ( j =a, b, c or d) is determined from the equation: C.sub.p m=C wherein ##EQU3## and wherein every mineral group a, b, c or d is characterized by its three known concentrations C j (U), C j (Th) and C j (K) with j =a, b, c or d.

Claim 21

A system for determining a composition of mineral-containing material by detecting gamma and/or x-ray radiation emitted by radionuclides in the material, comprising a detector unit which supplies an electrical signal containing information about the intensity and energy of the emitted radiation and a signal processing system by which these electrical signals are further processed for determining said composition of radionuclides, wherein the signal processing system comprises an A/D converter to which said electrical signals are applied and a first computer unit with a memory for storing energy spectrum of radiation emitted by radionuclides and which further processes signals supplied by the A/D converter for the purpose of determining said composition of radionuclides; the first computer unit composes an energy spectrum of the detected radiation from the signals supplied by the A/D converter; and wherein the first computer unit determines the concentration of the radionuclides on the basis of the spectrum according to a prescribed first algorithm, wherein the first computer unit determines, according to a second algorithm, what amounts of predetermined groups of minerals are present in the material on the basis of the determined concentrations of the radionuclides in the material wherein each predetermined group of minerals comprises a group of minerals whose spectra are similar.

Claim 22

A system for determining a composition of mineral-containing material by detecting gamma and/or x-ray radiation emitted by radionuclides in the material, comprising a detector unit which supplies an electrical signal containing information about the intensity and energy of the emitted radiation and a signal processing system by which these electrical signals are further processed for determining said composition of radionuclides, wherein the signal processing system comprises an A/D converter to which said electrical signals are applied and a first computer unit with a memory for storing energy spectrum of radiation emitted by radionuclides and which further processes signals supplied by the A/D converter for the purpose of determining said composition of radionuclides; the first computer unit composes an energy spectrum of the detected radiation from the signals supplied by the A/D converter; and wherein the first computer unit determines the concentration of the radionuclides on the basis of the spectrum according to a prescribed first algorithm, wherein the first computer unit determines, according to a second algorithm, what amounts of predetermined groups of minerals are present in the material on the basis of the determined concentrations of the radionuclides in the material wherein each predetermined group of minerals comprises a group of minerals whose spectra are similar.