Muon Imaging of Hydrotreatment Reactors

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Martínez-Rivero, Rafael Armando, Sarmiento-Cano, Christian, Catillo-Morales, Diego, Perea-Pérez, Jorge, Baldovino-Medrano, Victor, Sanabria-Gómez, Jose David, Núñez, Luis Alberto
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Martínez-Rivero, Rafael Armando
Sarmiento-Cano, Christian
Catillo-Morales, Diego
Perea-Pérez, Jorge
Baldovino-Medrano, Victor
Sanabria-Gómez, Jose David
Núñez, Luis Alberto
author_facet Martínez-Rivero, Rafael Armando
Sarmiento-Cano, Christian
Catillo-Morales, Diego
Perea-Pérez, Jorge
Baldovino-Medrano, Victor
Sanabria-Gómez, Jose David
Núñez, Luis Alberto
contents This study presents the design and simulation-based validation of a muon imaging system tailored for potential applications in industrial hydrotreatment units. The system is built around a two-panel plastic scintillator hodoscope, equipped with silicon photomultipliers and read-out via a CAEN FERS-A5202 acquisition system. The detector was calibrated using a stepwise ``staircase'' method and characterized under open-sky and controlled conditions. We conducted muon flux attenuation measurements to validate its response using variable lead shielding. We found agreement with simulations generated using the MEIGA framework and realistic cosmic ray spectra from the ARTI simulation chain. With the detector response validated, we modelled muon transmission through a realistic 3D representation of a hydrotreatment tower, incorporating internal variations in catalyst bed density. By reconstructing angular muon fluxes and computing relative attenuation maps, we demonstrated the system's capability to detect internal density contrasts. Simulation results indicate that 20~hours of exposure to vertical muon flux is sufficient to retrieve structural information. In comparison, inclined configurations (30$^\circ$ and 60$^\circ$ from vertical) require extended exposure times--up to 8~days--yet remain feasible within industrial monitoring schedules. These findings highlight the feasibility of muography as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for complex industrial infrastructure. The proposed system shows strong potential for real-time monitoring of catalyst bed integrity and long-term structural analysis in high-pressure chemical reactors.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_15103
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Muon Imaging of Hydrotreatment Reactors
Martínez-Rivero, Rafael Armando
Sarmiento-Cano, Christian
Catillo-Morales, Diego
Perea-Pérez, Jorge
Baldovino-Medrano, Victor
Sanabria-Gómez, Jose David
Núñez, Luis Alberto
Instrumentation and Detectors
Applied Physics
This study presents the design and simulation-based validation of a muon imaging system tailored for potential applications in industrial hydrotreatment units. The system is built around a two-panel plastic scintillator hodoscope, equipped with silicon photomultipliers and read-out via a CAEN FERS-A5202 acquisition system. The detector was calibrated using a stepwise ``staircase'' method and characterized under open-sky and controlled conditions. We conducted muon flux attenuation measurements to validate its response using variable lead shielding. We found agreement with simulations generated using the MEIGA framework and realistic cosmic ray spectra from the ARTI simulation chain. With the detector response validated, we modelled muon transmission through a realistic 3D representation of a hydrotreatment tower, incorporating internal variations in catalyst bed density. By reconstructing angular muon fluxes and computing relative attenuation maps, we demonstrated the system's capability to detect internal density contrasts. Simulation results indicate that 20~hours of exposure to vertical muon flux is sufficient to retrieve structural information. In comparison, inclined configurations (30$^\circ$ and 60$^\circ$ from vertical) require extended exposure times--up to 8~days--yet remain feasible within industrial monitoring schedules. These findings highlight the feasibility of muography as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for complex industrial infrastructure. The proposed system shows strong potential for real-time monitoring of catalyst bed integrity and long-term structural analysis in high-pressure chemical reactors.
title Muon Imaging of Hydrotreatment Reactors
topic Instrumentation and Detectors
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.15103