Nuclear Engineering and Techniques

The Nuclear Engineering and Techniques(NET) group gathered expertise in nuclearphysics, engineering and nuclear analyticaltechniques applied to several scientificdomains

Nuclear Engineering and Techniques

Researchers and pos-doc – 26PhD and MSc students – 23

Nuclear Engineering and Techniques

Researchers and pos-doc – 26PhD and MSc students – 23

Maria Isabel Dias

José Marques

Maria Isabel Prudêncio

Ulrich Wahl

Nuno Barradas

João Guilherme Correia

José Antunes

Andreas Kling

Miguel A. Reis

João Alves

Rosa Marques

Marta Almeida

Augusto D Oliveira

Raquel Crespo

Ana Fernandes

Miguel Felizardo

Thomas Girard

P. Cristina Chaves

Miguel Pereira

Joana Pereira

Ana Luisa Rodrigues

Javier Garcia Rivas

Vânia Martins

Joana Lage

Joana Coutinho

Nuno Canha

Tomoko Alice Morlat

João Ramos

Carla Reis

Tiago Faria

Vitor Manteigas

Ângelo Costa

Eric Bosne

Marcelo Barbosa

Abel Fenta

Carlos Amorim

Estela Vicente

Miguel Carvalho

Majdi Yangui

Ahmad Baklouti

Chaima Boussollaa

Carolina Correia

Inês Lopes

Ricardo Teixeira

Filipe Soares

Marta Reis

Catarina Nunes

Vincent Debut

Estela Vicente

Joseph Sadvie

Nicole Buitrago

Nuclear Engineering and Techniques

Nuclear and related

analytical techniques -high range of

scientific domains

Development of advanced

materials

Development of software

for X-ray analytical methods

The interaction of

radiation with matter-emission and detection of

radiation

Neutron transport

simulation via the

Monte Carlo method

Innovative research on

Earth Sciences and

Cultural Heritage

Environmental sciences and

air quality

Application of unique radioactive beams andnuclear techniques at ISOLDE and CERN

Establishment/application of quantitative instrumental speciation methods – alternative to traditional approaches

Development of radiation detectors forindustrial and environmental applications

Paleoenvironmentalreconstruction, georresourcesand geochemistry Compositional characterization, provenance, luminescence dating and authenticity of CH artefacts

Characterization of environmental radiation,optimization of experimental set-ups anddetector response modelling

Development of tools toassess and reduce theexposure to air pollutants

Innovative Dose Rate determination in calcite-

rich contexts

Dynamics of accumulation in archaeological

contexts

Chronology, authenticity and characterization

of Historical and Archaeological artefacts

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction

Luminescence, dosimetric and compositional studies applied to:

• Luminescence Techniques (TL-OSL)• Neutron Activation Analyses (NAA)• Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)• X-Ray fluorescence (XRF)• X-Ray diffraction (XRD)• Field gamma spectrometry (FGS)• Prompt gamma activation analyses (PGAA)• Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE)

Contribution to luminescence absolute dating in calcite-rich archaeological and geological contexts,mitigating the calcite “dilution” effect on dose rate and the overestimation of the luminescence age, byusing:• Luminescence techniques• Chemical analyses (NAA, ICP, XRF)• X-Ray diffraction• Field gamma spectrometry

Innovative dose rate determination in calcite-rich contexts

“Radionuclide Weighed” protocol

𝑹𝒘 =𝐋𝐎𝐈 %

𝟏𝟎𝟎+ 𝟏 ∗ 𝑹c

Rw - is the new weighted

radionuclides

concentration; Rc - corresponds

to the radionuclides content

obtained by chemical analyses;

LOI – loss on ignition

Collaborations:• Era Arqueologia, S.A.• ICArHEB– Univ. Algarve • GeoBioTec – Univ. Aveiro

Project:SFRH/BPD/114986/2016 - Anthropic and naturaldynamics in prehistoric ditched enclosures: infill ofnegative structures and provenance of raw materials.

Dynamics of accumulation in archaeological contexts

Collaborations:• Era Arqueologia, S.A.• ICArHEB– Univ. Algarve • Univ. Valencia, Spain• Museu de Prehistòria de València• Univ. Exeter, UK • Laboratório de Arqueociências (LARC) – DGPC• ICETA – Univ. Porto

Ongoing Projects:• SFRH/BPD/114986/2016 - Anthropic and natural dynamics in

prehistoric (Neolithic – Bronze Age) ditched enclosures: infillof negative structures and provenance of raw materials.

• Archaeological study project in the middle Paleolithic site ofthe Cova del Puntal del Gat, Valencia

• Absolute dating by luminescence of dune deposits sealingMesolithic archaeological contexts

• Dynamic of accumulation and absolute dating of Romanditches at NW of Iberian Peninsula

Contribution to the establishment of luminescence absolute dating, nature and deposition rates in archaeological ditches, by using:• Luminescence techniques• Chemical analysis (NAA, ICP, XRF) • X-Ray diffraction• In situ gamma spectrometry

Contribution to the establishment of chronology, production technology, provenance and trade routes, by using:• Luminescence techniques• Neutron activation analyses• Prompt gamma activation analyses• PIXE• X-ray diffraction

Chronology, authenticity and characterization of Historical and

Archaeological artefacts

Collaborations:• Institute for Particle and Nuclear

Physics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

• Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

• Univ. Aberta• Inst. História Arte da Fac. Ciências

Sociais e Humanas - Univ. Nova de Lisboa

• Era Arqueologia, S.A.• ICArHEB– Univ. Algarve • UNIARQ – Univ. de Lisboa

Ongoing Projects - IPERION CH H2020- VISUAL - Santa Vitória - utensils and ornaments of an enclosure site- BELLPEN - Bell beakers and Penha-type ceramics from the NW Iberia: provenance and circulation issues - SYMBOLART - The pre-historical symbolic artefacts from Vila Nova de São Pedro, Portugal: fingerprinting a production center

Collaborations:• Univ. Huelva, Spain• Univ. Barcelona, Spain• Univ. Sevilla, Spain• Instituto Dom Luís – Univ. Lisboa• GeoBioTec - Univ. Aveiro• Univ. Atacama, Chile• Univ. Valência, Spain

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on geochemistry, mineralogy

and dosimetry by luminescenceOngoing Project:• Prevención de desastres sísmicos en las Béticas Orientales mediante la

integración de paleosismología, geodesia GPS, reevaluación del peligrosísmico y concienciación social (PREVENT; CGL2015-66263-RMINECO/FEDER)

By using:• Luminescence

techniques• Chemical

analysis (NAA, ICP, XRF)

• X-Ray diffraction• In situ gamma

spectrometry

Although there is a great deal of improvement with respect to control strategies of anthropogenic

emissions in Europe, the citizens exposure to air pollutants is still very high.

PollutantEU reference value (µg m-3)

Urban population

exposure (%)

WHO AQG(µg m-3)

Estimate exposure (%)

PM10 Day (50) 13-19 Year (20) 42-52

PM2.5 Year (25) 6-18 Year (10) 74-81

NO2 Year (50) 7-8 Year (50) 7-8

< 5 % 5-50 % 50-75 % > 75 %KEY

Table 1: Percentage of the urban population in the EU-28 exposed to air pollutants concentrations above the EU and WHO reference concentrations

(2015-2017)Source: Air Quality in Europe – 2019 Report, EEA Report | No 10/2019

Motivation

Air quality management in European cities

Air pollution is a major cause of premature deaths and is the single largest environmental health risk

in Europe.

Proportion of population affected

Severity of the effect

premature deathhospital admission

emergency room visitphysician office visit

reduce physical activitymedication use

respiratory symptomsimpaired lung function

Subclinical (subtle) effects

Figure 1: Air Pollution Health PyramidSource: Samet & Krewski (2007)

Figure 2: Air Pollution – The Silent KillerSource: WHO (2018)

In 2016, in the Eu-28, exposure to PM2.5 and

NO2 was responsible for the premature death of

310000 and 241000 people, respectively.

Motivation

In urban environments, Air Quality

Monitoring Stations are the traditional

way to assess air quality.

Fig 3: Air Quality Monitoring Station(Avenida da Liberdade)

Problem 1: The monitoring stations fail to

account for all the components of daily

exposure.

Problem 2: There is a lack of knowledge about

the spatial distribution of air pollutants in cities.

Problem 1: The monitoring stations fail to account for all the components of daily exposure.

• Air Quality Monitoring Stations fail to account for all the components of daily exposure.

– People spend more than 90% indoor.

– There is a huge heterogeneity in the time-activity patterns of the population.

The LIFE Index-Air project aims to develop an innovative and versatile decision

support tool for policy makers that will help them identify measures to improve

air quality and quantitatively assess their impact on the health and well-being

of the population.

Problem 1: The monitoring

stations fail to account for all

the components of daily

exposure.

LIFE Index-Air highlights the

importance of assessing the

personal integrated exposure

to particles as it is a key

determinant of the dose

received by an individual and

thus influences the health

impacts.

Problem 2: There is a Lack of knowledge about the spatial distribution of air pollutants in cities.

• In cities like Lisbon, there are a limited amount of Air Quality Monitoring Stations due to their

high acquisition and maintenance costs, generating a lack of knowledge about the spatial

distribution of air pollutants in the city of Lisbon.

ExpoLIS aims to develop an air quality exposure sensing system, and to deploy

it on public transportation (buses) to obtain the real-time air pollution

distribution in urban areas, generating massive air pollution data sets and to

provide a health-optimal routing service to the population.

Problem 2: There is a Lack of knowledge about the spatial distribution of air pollutants in cities.

The sensor nodes are being deployed on top of buses

belonging to CARRIS.

18 sensor nodes• GPS

• Pollutants monitoring

sensors (CO, NO2

and PM)

• Temperature and relative humidity

sensors

ExpoLIS will develop an Android App for public sharing of the air quality results in the city of

Lisbon and will create a health-optimal routing service provided to Lisbon citizens.

Prospective Work

What?

• LIFE Index-Air tool implementation;

• Characterization of air quality in the city of Lisbon;

• Assessment of exposure in different commuting modes;

• Assessment of how the new mobility technologies are and will affect air quality.

How?

• Techniques for sampling and chemical analysis of air pollutants;

• Modelling tools;

• Interaction with Stakeholders.

Explosive nucleation of a superheated oil droplet (van Limbeek, DOI: 10.1063/1.4820014).

Superheated droplet detectorsproduced at C2TN.

Introduction

Alpha particle detectionusing superheated droplets

SIMPLE: Superheated Instrumentfor Massive Particle Search

19

ADONICS: Alpha Detection onIntegrated Circuits

Highlight #1Patent submission

“A composition to detect alphaemitters in liquids by spectroscopy, and a method towards thecomposition implementation andmeasurement of the emittedenergies”

“...applicable to aquous solutions, biological fluids and efluents fromnuclear technology, in the contextof radiological protection, environmental monitoring andradiological emergency.”

Submitted to the Natl. Inst. Intelectual Property (INPI).

(colaboration with TT/INP of IST)

Highlight #2Monosize droplets production

21

1. Motivation

Improve the energy resolutionof the alpha spectrometer.

2. Challenge

Current methods: continuoussize distributions (10-100 mm) or large droplet sizes (>100 mm).

3. Approach

Microfluidic instrumentation.

Tested with convent-ional emulsions.

Mono-size droplet generator.

Spectrum of a Thorium liquid sample.

Emulsion obtained by the shearing of superheatedC2ClF5 in a viscous gel (dia. 10-100 mm).

Highlight #2Monosize droplets production

Oil-in-water emulsion, obtained with themicrofluidic device (dia. 30 mm).

Highlight #3Droplet growth modelling

1. Motivation

Understand the physicsunderlying alpha-neutrondiscrimination.

2. Challenge

Existing models, based oninertial or diffusion growth, failto reproduce the generallyobserved processes.

3. Approach

Dynamic model yielding a simple formulation.

Describes the growth as a function of time and thegeneral shape of the pressuresignal.

0

5

10

15

20

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4

time (msec)

y = m1 + m2*(1 - exp(-m3*x))

ErrorValue

0,35782-1,0619m1

0,3373319,493m2

0,0967642,5173m3

NA10,429Chisq

NA0,99485R

Water drop into hot oil without explosion

)1(,

t

mb eRR

l

v

lplD

p

Tc22

22

,

3

3

2

Models of a non-explosive (up) and an explosive(down) nucleation of superheated water in oil.

Highlight #4New underground facility

1. Motivations

Conduction of experiments at lowradiation background.

Access forbidden to the facilityusually employed in France (construction works).

2. Requirements

As deep as possible.

Structural materials low in U andTh contaminants.

Good accessibility and conditions.

3. Solution

Rocksalt mine in Campina de Cima, Loulé, Portugal (explored by Bondalti).

THANK YOU