BAUER PROTECTS AGAINST RADIOACTIVITY
The Institute for Nuclear Medicine at the University of Tübingen relies on BAUER gas-tight helium compressors to neutralize radioactively contaminated air. Cutting-edge imaging procedures including positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) provide doctors with outstandingly effective tools, especially in tumour diagnosis. For these procedures, glucose-based radionuclides are processed in “hot cells” for use as biomarkers in diagnostics; their distribution throughout the body can provide indications of the presence of diseased tissue. However, this processing produces volatile radioactive substances which contaminate the air in the hot cells.
The radionuclides have extremely short half-lives and quickly decay, so that this radioactive contamination is only short-lasting, but until decay is over the contaminated air must not be released to the outside. It is stored in high-pressure storage tanks until it is safe. Compression is performed by a gas-tight sealed helium compressor which compresses the gas to 200 bar. An identical second system provides the necessary backup and takes over when maintenance work is due.
