Experience in isotope leak-proof control of engineering objects - technical and economical aspects

One of the basic uses of the tracer methods for commercial purposes is the leak-proof control and determination of location of possible leakages in engineering objects. The works in this area - development of methods and equipment, and its practical use - are being conducted at the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology in Warsaw. The paper presents the division of engineering objects according to their suitability for leak proof testing with tracer methods, alternative traditional methods, sensitivity levels and the technical effects achieved with both method groups, plus the attempts to determine the economical effects of the tracer method. The introduction to the paper describes the method of field preparation of gaseous radioactive tracer, i.e. methyl bromide CH3Br labelled with bromine 82Br isotope. (author)