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The Practicality of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy for Aviation Security (1999) / Chapter Skim
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6 Comparison of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy and FAA-Certified Explosives-Detection Systems
Pages 26-34

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From page 26...
... The results of certification testing of the InVision CTX-5000 are classified, and some results from blind tests of the Tensor MDNR cannot be presented because they are subject to the 26 provisions of 14 CFR 191.1.i Nevertheless, because the critical aspects of the test protocol for the MDNR blind tests were consistent with those used for certification testing of the CTX-5000SP, the Pa! can be compared in a general sense.
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From page 27...
... 3 The automated Pfa is the false alarm rate prior to alarm resolution by an operator. OPERATIONS It could be argued that the most significant operational consideration for deploying explosives-detection equipment is overall cost, which includes purchase price, installation costs, personnel costs, consumables costs, and maintenance costs.
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From page 28...
... Tensor's estimate to modify baggage lines. Difficult Installations in airport terminal lobbies Difficult and behind ticket counters are relatively straightforward.
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From page 29...
... FAA requirement sometimes stretches up to 4 weeks of training. Bag throughput 200-250 CTX-5000 SP (111 bags/hour highest > 200 Tensor estimates potential of 1,674 bags/hr.
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From page 30...
... Ebco Technologies, the manufacturer of the cyclotron accelerator in the Tensor MDNR design, agrees with Tensor's estimates. The estimates do not address down time associated with the detector array or support equipment.
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From page 31...
... Therefore, it is likely that baggage jams would occur inside the vault enclosure in the proposed MDNR design, especially because of the changes in direction in the baggage line. Health and safety guidelines would prevent an airline employee from immediately entering the MDNR enclosure to clear a jam.
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From page 32...
... Regulations that address the safety of personnel and protection of the environment include the Clear Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act, and RCRA. The CFR addresses the implementation details for the production of medical isotopes and gamma irradiators.
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From page 33...
... In addition to federal regulations on the treatment and control of radioactive materials and sources, some states also have licensing and registration requirements for accelerators. The details of the system design and operation of the MDNR are at the level of conceptual design but do not address regulatory operational requirements and cannot be used as a basis for evaluating the impact of regulations.
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From page 34...
... Once an engineering-level design becomes available and implementation details have been formulated to ensure compliance with federal regulations, state regulatory agencies would have to be consulted to determine if design changes would be required for compliance with the full range of state regulations. Although none of the anticipated federal or state regulatory requirements is clearly incompatible with the efficient airport implementation of PFNTS technology, if establishing the infrastructure to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements were difficult and costly it could discourage airline and airport authorities from selecting PFNTS explosives-detection technology (even if the system met the FAA certification criteria)
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Key Terms

  • certification testing
  • tensor technology
  • throughput rate
  • blind tests
  • mean time

  • cargo screening
  • air cargo
  • baggage line
  • baggage jams
  • support equipment

  • mdnr design
  • tensor estimates
  • baggage lines
  • field tests
  • implementation details

  • tensor report
  • installation cost
  • false alarm
  • airline operations
  • gamma irradiators

  • tensor mdnr
  • sealed gamma
  • gamma source
  • blind testing
  • air carriers

  • ticket counters
  • ensure compliance
  • integrated installation
  • neutron analysis
  • linear accelerator


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