DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE RADIATION DETECTORS
The project is funded under the "SmartInvest LT+" measure under Priority 1 "Promotion of Research, Experimental Development and Innovation" of the 2014-2020 Operational Programme for Investment of European Union Funds.
- Funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
- The title of the project is "Development of innovative radiation detectors".
- The project promoter is UAB Polimaster Europe.
- The total value of the project is EUR 1 053 567,00.
- The European Regional Development Fund will provide funding of EUR 431 912,02.
- The project will be implemented from 06 May 2022 to 31 August 2023.
Polimaster Europe is a developer and manufacturer of radiation detection equipment with regional production and distribution centres in Western and Eastern Europe and North America.
Spectroscopic radiation detectors are needed and used in every country in the world that may be exposed to radiation hazards. The Spectroscopic Personal Radiation Detector (SPRD) has recently become one of the most common tools for detecting and identifying radiation sources. The increasing advantages of SPRDs in detecting radionuclides such as nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, unknown or specially disguised sources for border security applications are fueling the growth of the SPRD market. The main challenges that exist in the spectroscopic personal radiation detectors market are the detection of nuclear threats. The main restraint affecting the use of spectroscopic personal radiation detectors is that the neutron detectors used in SPRD are small and not very sensitive. These neutron detectors cannot detect plutonium, which can pose a nuclear threat in sensitive locations such as border areas, fire and safety, etc. Radionuclide Identification Devices (RIIDs) are devices designed to identify and locate radioactive isotopes by measuring gamma and neutron radiation. RIIDs are used by specially trained radiological emergency workers, firefighters, policemen, customs officers, and hazardous materials emergency response division (HazMat) teams. RIIDs are larger, more sensitive and more accurate than SPRDs, but require specialist level training to operate. Specialists with RIIDs are called upon when an unidentified radioactive source is found by first-responders and its hazard level needs to be measured in order to develop a targeted plan to eliminate the hazard of the radioactive source. The main reasons for non-compliance with the standard for existing RIIDs on the market are the long list of nuclear isotopes that the instrument must identify. In most cases, the current instruments on the market do not have the capability to identify special nuclear fuel materials such as Uranium, Plutonium or Thorium, as these are extremely difficult to obtain for testing.
Given these limitations in the radiation detector market with regard to the detection of radiation sources and the identification of radionuclides, and the company's excellent knowledge of the global market, the company has the necessary resources and plans for consistent growth, The project plans to develop a Spectroscopic Personal Radiation Detector (SPRD) and a Radionuclide Identification Device (RIID) for the rapid and easy detection and identification of the original source of radiation hazard and for the detailed assessment of the radiation isotope and activity and the level of hazard.
The project includes research for the development and validation of innovative products under laboratory conditions and experimental development for the creation and demonstration of a prototype of innovative products under realistic operating conditions. The project will also include the development of R&D&I infrastructure, i.e. the acquisition of equipment and infrastructure necessary to carry out the R&D activities of the project. Polimaster Europe, UAB focuses on the segment dealing with the detection of radiation or its sources, and the products developed under the project will be targeted at first responders, i.e. fire brigades, police, customs, army, border guards. The devices are also needed and used in nuclear power plants, scientific laboratories, material processing plants and other institutions where radiation sources are handled. The devices developed within the project will not only allow to stand out from other solutions available on the market, but will also allow the user to quickly and easily locate and identify the initial source of the radiation hazard, and a trained specialist to perform the source analysis.
The aim of the project is to maximise the company's innovation potential.