In the framework of the PREDIS EU project, a wireless battery-operated gamma-ray detection system was developed in order to provide a medium-to-long-term monitoring system for radioactive waste drums. It was initially proposed to monitor the gamma radioactivity outcoming from steel drums containing cemented radwaste, even though it could be usefully employed in a wider range of applications. Gamma rays are penetrating and convey information from the drum's internal structure, as the count rate measured on the surface depends on the thickness and density of the crossed materials. A number of sensors arranged around a drum, typically four units, provide indications of the emission anisotropy, and any sensitive change in the measured count rate would hint at some anomaly, thus triggering a suitable inspection by operators.
Keywords: cemented radwaste drum; gamma-ray counter; radwaste monitoring; wireless radiation sensor.