Reusable radioactive material shipping container including cartridge and injector

A container for holding a radioactive substance to be injected directly into a flow stream includes a cartridge portion, defined by a receptacle member having a cavity in which the substance is to be carried and a channel through which the substance is to be injected into the flow stream, and an injector portion, defined by a plunger member retained within the cavity of the receptacle member. One or more end closure members can be connected, such as by clamps, to one or more respective ends of the receptacle body. In certain embodiments a valve is disposed in the channel of the receptacle member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a container for a radioactive substance 
and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a container for 
connecting to a flow line extending between a blending tub and a well 
head. 
Throughout an oil or natural gas well's life, there may be the need to 
"tag" a particular operation with one or more liquefied or slurried 
radioactive tracer sources. These operations include fracturing, 
acidizing, cementing and others known to the art. One particular type of 
tracer source is a proppant, such as sand, coated or otherwise containing 
a radioactive isotope. Once such a source becomes entrapped or deposited 
in fractures or voids in the well bore, subsequent gamma ray logging 
operations can be used to locate where such source is entrapped or 
deposited, thereby providing information related to how effective the 
particular operation was. 
The use of radioactive sources can create problems in shipping and using 
the sources. For example, in shipping a radioactive substance, suitable 
shipping containers meeting governmental regulations must be used. These 
shipping containers have frequently been of the type requiring manual 
handling by personnel at a camp site or well site in transferring the 
radiactive substance from each of the containers to a blending tub or 
other reservoir used in a method for injecting a radioactive mixture into 
a well. Such handling can lead to personnel, equipment and environmental 
exposure to, and contamination by, the radioactivity. 
I am aware of three methods for adding a radioactive source to one or more 
other materials which are to be mixed and conveyed into a well. One of 
these methods includes manually adding the tracer source, such as from 
glass bottles, into the mixing tub of a blender unit, a cement unit or 
other source equipment from which the resultant mixture is ultimately to 
be pumped into the well. This is likely the easiest method to use; 
however, it also likely poses the greatest risk of an accident resulting 
in exposure and contamination to personnel and the environment. Because 
the mixing tub into which the radioactive substance is poured is at or 
near the head of the flow stream ultimately moved into the well through 
suitable conduits and pumps, this is also the method which contaminates 
the most equipment generally not dedicated solely to use with the 
radioactive substances. 
A second method utilizes a low pressure injector to inject the radioactive 
tracer source before one or more high pressure pumps used to pump a 
mixture from a blending unit into a well. Such an injector unit is usually 
skid-mounted and transported in a utility trailer. This unit typically 
comprises a diaphgram pump, a reservoir funnel, a metering valve, a visual 
sight tube, valves, and a length of transfer hose for injecting the tracer 
source into the flow stream flowing between the blending unit and the high 
pressure pump. This type of unit may weigh about 400 pounds and cost 
between $7,000.00 and $10,000.00. Although this unit eliminates 
contamination of the upstream blending equipment and an upstream portion 
of the suction line of the high pressure pumps, which upstream components 
would be contaminated by the first-mentioned method, this second method 
still requires personnel to manually open the shipping containers and 
transfer the radioactive isotope to the reservoir funnel. Therefore, there 
is still a significant risk of human and environmental contamination. 
Furthermore, the high pressure side of the pumping equipment is still 
contaminated. The equipment of the injector unit and the transfer hose are 
also contaminated and thus need to be carefully handled even though they 
are dedicated to this specific use and are not intended to be used with 
non-radioactive substances that might thereby by contaminated by residue 
in the injector unit. Furthermore, the injector unit of this type of 
method is not designed to transport the radioactive tracer material from 
location to location. The tracer must be carried in separate containers 
and transferred to the unit at the well site. 
A third method uses a high pressure liquid tracer injection trailer 
including a dual reservoir tracer container meeting governmental 
regulations so that it can be used to transport the radioactive source. A 
particular embodiment of this container is designed to receive a separate 
container which includes a radioactive material-loaded syringe carried in 
a protective housing directly connectible to the dual reservoir container. 
The injection unit of this third method also includes a metering pump, a 
high pressure metering-dilution pump, and a hose to transfer the tracer 
source to the well head. Such a trailer can weigh between 3,000 and 3,500 
pounds and cost between $25,000.00 and $30,000,00. This unit is designed 
to inject only a liquid tracer source, not a slurry type of source. 
Because this unit injects the radioactive material the closest to the well 
head of the three mentioned methods, this method produces the least 
contamination of equipment located at the well site. Furthermore, this 
unit can legally transport the radioactive tracer source; however, loading 
of the tracer source is still to be conducted by personnel at a field camp 
(such as by means of the syringe-carrying housing) and not at a central 
production location where the safest procedures may most likely be 
observed. 
Thus, although the three methods do have respective advantages and the 
third-mentioned method likely creates the least likelihood for personnel, 
environmental and equipment contamination, even it still is generally 
implemented by transferring radioactive substances at locations where the 
safest handling precautions might not or cannot be observed. Therefore, 
there is the need for an improved container which overcomes shortcomings 
of the aforementioned techniques by functioning both as a carrying 
cartridge in which a radioactive substance can be legally transported and 
as an injector from which the radioactive substance can be injected 
directly into the mixture flowing into the well bore in such a manner to 
reduce the risk of personnel, equipment and environmental exposure and 
contamination. Such a container should be designed so that it is to be 
loaded at a central loading facility to obviate any transfers by personnel 
at a field camp or well site or other location where proper handling 
procedures may be more likely ignored or impossible to follow. The 
container should be designed so that its contents can be unloaded directly 
into the flowing stream of material between a blending tub and a well head 
to reduce the amount of contaminated equipment and to reduce the risk of 
exposing or contaminating personnel or the environment. The container 
should be able to hold and inject a premixed slurry as well as a 
radioactive source in more fluid form. The container should not require 
its own pumping equipment or hoses to be operational, thereby reducing the 
size and cost of the unit. The container should be constructed to meet 
pertinent governmental regulations for radioactive material shipping 
containers so that it can be used to transport a radioactive substance 
from the loading site to the use site. The container should be adaptable 
to both high and low pressure usage and to usage at various rates of 
injection. The container should be relatively lightweight and inexpensive 
and yet be reusable to further enhance its economic aspects. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention overcomes the above-noted and other shortcomings of 
the prior art and meets the aforementioned needs by providing a novel and 
improved resuable radioactive material shipping container including 
cartridge and injector. The cartridge feature of the invention is 
preferably to be loaded at a central loading facility to obviate the need 
to transfer a radioactive substance into the container by personnel at a 
location which might not be as carefully controlled, such as a field camp 
or well site. The injector feature of the container permits the 
radioactive substance to be unloaded directly into a flowing stream of 
material, such as between a blending tub and a well head. Various types of 
substances can be contained and injected using the present invention. 
Examples include a liquid radioisotope or a premixed radioactive slurry. 
The container is intended to meet pertinent governmental regulations for 
containing and transporting radioactive material. The container is a 
self-contained unit which need not be accompanied by, or skid-mounted 
with, dedicated pumping equipment or hoses. The container can, however, be 
used in either high or low pressure situations, and it can accommodate 
various rates of injection. The container is preferably constructed so 
that it is relatively lightweight and inexpensive, but reusable. 
In the particular environment where a radioactive substance is to be 
injected into a flow line extending between a blending tub and a well 
head, the container of the present invention comprises receptacle means 
for holding a radioactive slurry and displacement means, mounted in the 
receptacle means, for displacing at least a portion of a radioactive 
slurry from the receptacle means into the flow line when the container is 
connected to the flow line and a radioactive slurry is in the receptacle 
means. The receptacle means includes an elongated body having a cavity in 
which a radioactive slurry is to be held, which body also has a lower end 
connectible to the flow line. This body includes a channel extending from 
the cavity, in which channel a valve forming another part of the body is 
disposed in a preferred embodiment. This displacement means includes a 
plunger member slidably retained in the cavity of the body. It is 
contemplated that the present invention has more general utility as will 
become more apparent in the following description of the preferred 
embodiments. 
From the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to 
provide a novel and improved reusable radioactive material shipping 
container including cartridge and injector. Other and further objects, 
features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent 
to those skilled in the art when the following description of the 
preferred embodiments is read in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 generally identifies a container 
of the present invention. The different embodiments of the container are 
identified by the reference numeral 2 followed by a respective letter 
suffix. Because the embodiments have several features in common, these 
will be described first. Each of these common features will be identified 
by a respective reference numeral, but in the drawings the numeral will be 
followed by the appropriate letter for that respective embodiment. 
Following the description of the several common features, each particular 
embodiment will be described as to its unique or distinguishing features. 
Before describing the structures of the embodiments, it is to be noted that 
the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5 and 10-11 are low pressure (e.g., less than 
400 pounds per square inch) embodiments contemplated to be used with a tee 
connector 4 forming part of a carrier line extending between a blending 
tub 6 and a well head to which a material, comprising a mixture of 
materials from the blending tub 6 and a radioactive substance from the 
container 2, is flowed by a pump 8 as illustrated in FIG. 6. This 
environment illustrated in FIG. 6 represents how the present invention can 
be used to radioactively "tag" material in fracturing, acidizing, 
cementing or otherwise suitably treating an oil or gas well; however, the 
container 2 can be used in other environments where a radioactive 
substance needs to be transported and injected into a flow stream. Whereas 
the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5 and 10-11 are low pressure types, the 
embodiments shown in FIGS. 7-9 and 12-14 are for high pressure usage in a 
manner analogous to the overall system illustrated in FIG. 6 or otherwise. 
Broadly, each of the embodiments shown in the drawings includes a cartridge 
portion and an injector portion. Also sometimes included are one or more 
end closures for capping the ends of the cartridge portion. 
The cartridge portion includes receptacle means 10 for holding the 
radioactive substance, such as a liquid radioactive isotope or a viscous 
radioactive slurry. Each of the receptacle means for the illustrated 
embodiments is defined by an elongated body including side wall means for 
defining a single cavity 12 encompassed by a radioactivity barrier. Thus, 
the body has a radioactivity confining volume defined in it so that a 
radioactive substance can be protectively held in the body. It is to be 
noted that each cavity 12 can be designed to receive a removable, 
pressure-balanced cartridge insert as a radioactive substance containing 
liner for the cavity 12 (an example of such insert is shown in FIG. 13, to 
be described subsequently hereinbelow). 
Extending from the cavity 12 of each embodiment is a channel 14 defined 
through the outlet or lower end of the body of the respective receptacle 
means 10. This lower end is connectible to a carrier through which a 
material can be flowed, which flowing material is the flow stream into 
which the radioactive substance is to be injected from the container 2. An 
example of such a carrier is the flow system illustrated in FIG. 6. 
The receptacle means 10 of the illustrated embodiments has an end opposite 
the lower end through which the channel 14 is defined. This opposite end 
is referred to herein as a displacement means drive end because it is the 
end through which a suitable drive mechanism, such as of a type 
subsequently described, is inserted into the receptacle means 10 for 
actuating the injector portion of the present invention. 
The injector portion of the container 2 includes displacement means, 
mounted in the receptacle means 10 so that it is disposed in the 
radioactivity confining volume, for displacing at least a portion of the 
radioactive substance from the volume of the receptacle means 10 into the 
carrier flow line when the container 2 is connected to the carrier flow 
line and a radioactive substance is in the receptacle means. Thus, the 
present invention directly injects the radioactive substance into a moving 
stream of material which is flowing through the carrier flow line. 
The displacement means of each of the illustrated embodiments includes a 
plunger member, or piston, 16 slidably disposed in the cavity 12. Each 
displacement means also includes a retaining member 18 connected to the 
body of the receptacle means 10 to limit the extent to which the plunger 
member 16 can slide in one direction relative to the body. The retaining 
member 18 has a central opening 20 defined therethrough, thus giving the 
retaining member 18 an annular shape. The retaining member 18 is connected 
near the displacement means drive end of the receptacle means 10 so that a 
suitable plunger drive means can communicate with the plunger member 16 
through the opening 20. The retaining member 18 is releasably connected 
(such as by a threaded connection) to this end of the body of the 
receptacle means 10 on one side of the plunger member 16. 
One or more end closures of the container 2 can be used for closing or 
capping the outlet end and/or the discharge means drive end of the 
receptacle means 10. Such a closure may not be needed with some 
embodiments or applications, or such a closure may be needed only at a job 
site or also, or alternatively, during transportation. One embodiment of a 
pair of end closures is illustrated in FIG. 1. The type of end closure 
shown in FIG. 1 includes a releasable closure means 22 for enclosing the 
outlet end of the body of the receptacle means 10. The means 22 includes 
an end cap 24 and clamp means 26 for clamping the end cap 24 to the body. 
In the illustrated embodiment the clamp means 26 is a Victaulic clamp; 
however, other suitable types, such as threaded or union types, can be 
used if the body is suitably adapted to receive such closures. The end 
closure of FIG. 1 also includes releasable closure means 28 for enclosing 
the displacement means drive end of the body of the receptacle means 10. 
The closure means 28 is identical to the closure means 22 in the 
embodiment shown in FIG. 1 so that the closure means 28 includes an end 
cap 30 and clamp means 32 for clamping the end cap 30 to the body of the 
receptacle means 10. In the illustrated embodiment the end caps 24, 30 are 
lined with lead to provide a protective radioactivity barrier across the 
respective ends of the receptacle means 10. Other types of end closures or 
members will be described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 10-14. 
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the receptacle means 10a more 
particularly includes inner means for defining the cavity 12a and for 
defining the outlet channel 14a extending from the cavity 12a. The 
receptacle means 10a also includes outer means, disposed externally of the 
inner means, for defining the radioactivity barrier which confines 
radioactivity within the cavity 12a. 
The inner means includes an inner tubular support member 34 having an inner 
surface 36 defining the cavity 12a. A lower portion of the surface 36 is 
threaded as indicated by the reference numeral 38. Spaced radially 
outwardly from the surface 36 by an annular shoulder surface 40 is a 
cylindrical surface 42 having a threaded portion 44. A radial annular 
surface 46 extends from the perimeter of the surface 42 opposite the 
perimeter intersecting with the surface 40 to a cylindrical surface 48 
which extends from the surface 46 to an annular end surface 50 of the 
support member 34. A radially extending annular surface 52 extends from 
the opposite end of the surface 36 to a cylindrical surface 54 having a 
threaded portion 56. The surface 54 terminates at an annular end surface 
58 of the support member 34. 
Other surfaces of the support member 34 include an outer cylindrical 
surface 60 from one end of which a beveled surface 62 extends outwardly 
and from the other end of which a beveled surface 64 extends outwardly. 
The beveled surface 62 extends from the surface 60 to a radial annular 
surface 66. The surface 66 intersects a surface 68 in which a 
circumferential groove 70 is defined. The surface 68 intersects a radial 
annular surface 72 which extends into a circumferential groove 74 
receiving a sealing ring 76. The groove 74 is defined in a cylindrical 
surface 78 extending between the end surface 58 and the annular surface 
72. The other beveled surface 64 extends from the surface 60 to a radial 
annular surface 80 which terminates in a cylindrical surface 82 having a 
circumferential groove 84 defined therein. The surface 82 intersects a 
radial annular surface 86 extending into a circumferential groove 88 
defined in a cylindrical surface 90 intersecting the lower end surface 50. 
The groove 88 receives a sealing ring 92. 
The upper annular surface 72 provides a shoulder used as a stop or abutment 
surface against which the end cap 30 is placed when it is to be held by 
the clamp 32. An inner surface of the end cap 30 is sealingly engaged by 
the seal ring 76 to prevent leakage into or out of the receptacle means 
10a through the end cap 30. A similar sealing connection is obtained 
between an inner surface of the end cap 24 and the seal member 88. The end 
cap 24 abuts the shoulder surface 86 when the end cap 24 is held to the 
receptacle means 10a by the clamp 26. 
Forming another part of the inner means of the receptacle means 10a of the 
FIG. 1 embodiment is a channel member 94 having the outlet channel 14a 
defined therein. Part of the channel 14a shown in FIG. 1 includes a valve 
seat portion 96. The channel member/valve seat means 94 is releasably 
connected to the tubular support member 34 by a threaded connection 
between a threaded surface 98 of the channel member 94 and the threaded 
surface portion 38 of the support member 34. This threaded connection is 
sealed by a sealing ring 100 disposed in a circumferential groove 102 
formed in a cylindrical surface 104 of the channel member 94. The threaded 
surface 98 is a portion of the surface 104. The sealing ring 100 sealingly 
engages the surface 36 of the support member 34 when the channel member 94 
is connected to the support member 34. The sealed connection between these 
two members is also obtained by the engagement of a seal member 106 with 
the surface 42 of the support member 34. The seal member 106 is carried in 
a circumferential groove defined in a cylindrical surface 108 of the 
channel member 94. The surface 108 is radially spaced outwardly from the 
surface 104 by an annular surface 110. 
The channel member 94 includes intersecting frusto-conical surfaces 112, 
114 defining the valve seat. As oriented in FIG. 1, extending below the 
surface 114 is a cylindrical surface 116 from which a threaded surface 118 
is radially offset. The surface 118 terminates at a bottom indentation 
defined by a radial annular surface 120 and a cylindrical surface 122. A 
bottom radial annular surface 124 extends from the surface 122. 
Forming still another part of the inner means of the receptacle means 10a 
shown in FIG. 1 is valve means 126 for holding the radioactive substance 
in the volume of the cavity 12a until the plunger member 16a is moved to 
displace the radioactive substance through the channel 14a. In the FIG. 1 
embodiment the valve means 126 is disposed in the outlet channel 14a 
defined through the channel member 94. Thus, the valve means 126 is 
disposed in a portion of the inner means defining part of the side wall 
means which in turn is part of the body of the receptacle means 10a. The 
valve means 126 forms the other part of the body of the receptacle means 
10a. 
The valve means 126 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a spherical 
valve member 128 and means for biasing the valve member 128 against the 
valve seat portion 96 of the tubular assembly comprising the support 
member 34 and the channel member 94. The biasing means of the FIG. 1 
embodiment includes a ball retaining shaft 130 having a conical surface 
132 defining a cavity in which a portion of the valve member 128 is 
received. The opposite end of the shaft 130 has a threaded surface 134 to 
which a containment ring 136 is connected after the shaft 130 has passed 
through a central aperture of a ball and spring retainer member 138. 
The ball and spring retainer member 138 is threadedly connected to the 
channel member 94 by threaded engagement with the threaded surface 118 of 
the channel member 94. The retainer member 138 has spaced outer flange 
portions 140 (see FIG. 2) which are received in the depression defined by 
the surfaces 120, 122. A seal member 142 is held between the retainer 
member 138 and the channel member 94 to provide a seal therebetween. 
The containment ring 136 engages a protuberant circular ridge 144 of the 
ball and spring retainer member 138. The containment ring 136 is held 
against the protuberance 144 by the force of a compression spring 146 
mounted concentrically about the shaft 130. When the force of the spring 
146 is overcome by a force applied to the top of the valve member 128, the 
spring 146 is compressed so that the shaft 130 is moved downwardly as 
viewed in FIG. 1. This moves the containment ring 136 away from the ball 
and spring retainer member 138 to allow the radioactive substance within 
the cavity 12a to flow through the channel 14a and out openings 148 (see 
FIG. 2) defined through the retainer member 138. 
The outer means of the body of the receptacle means 10a includes an outer 
sleeve member 150 mounted around the tubular support member 34 in the 
embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The sleeve member 150 is molded or otherwise 
formed to fit flush against the surfaces 60, 62, 64, 66, 80 with an inner 
cylindrical surface 152 adjacent the surface 60 and an outer cylindrical 
surface 154 in alignment with the surface 68, 82 of the support member 34. 
The sleeve member 150 is made of any suitable radioactivity blocking 
material, such as lead. 
In the FIG. 1 embodiment, the plunger member 16a is held near the top of 
the cavity 12a by the retaining member 18a, which retaining member 18a has 
a plurality of lugs 156 for facilitating threading and unthreading the 
member 18a to and from the threaded surface 56 of the support member 34. 
When the retaining member 18a is threaded to this surface, a lower surface 
158 of the retaining member 18a abuts the radial annular surface 52 of the 
support member 34. The aperture 20a defined through the retaining member 
18a allows the plunger drive means to connect with the plunger 16a, such 
as by means of a threaded connection with a threaded surface 160 formed 
into the body of the plunger member 16a. Seal members 162, 164 are mounted 
in circumferential grooves defined around the exterior of the plunger 
member 16a. 
The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 
as indicated by the use of like reference numerals but with the "b" suffix 
used with this second-described embodiment. This distinction between the 
FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 embodiments is that the FIG. 3 embodiment has an 
integral inner tubular support member 163 having its own integral inner 
surface defining the channel 14b and valve seat 96b rather than having a 
separable or releasable channel member as used in the FIG. 1 embodiment. 
The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is similar to the FIG. 1 embodiment except 
that the FIG. 4 embodiment has a channel member 165 which simply provides 
the channel 14c without a corresponding valve seat because no valve is 
used in the FIG. 4 embodiment. Rather, a plug 166 and a containment ring 
168 are used to close openings 170 defined through the channel member 165. 
The openings 170 define parts of the channel 14c which is also defined in 
part by a conical surface 172 and a cylindrical surface 174 of the channel 
member 165. 
The channel member 165 has a cylindrical outer surface 176 in which a 
circumferential groove 178 is defined. A seal member 180 is mounted in the 
groove 178 to engage the surface 36c of the support member 34c of the FIG. 
4 embodiment. A radial annular surface 182 extends from the surface 176 to 
a surface 184. A radial annular surface 186 extends from the surface 184 
to a cylindrical surface 188, which surface 188 terminates in an end 
surface 190 against which the containment ring 168 abuts when it is held 
by the plug 166. 
The channel member 165 is held in the position shown in FIG. 4 relative to 
the support member 34c by an annular retainer ring 192 having a 
construction similar to the retainer ring 18a shown in FIG. 1. 
The channel member 165 is shown in FIG. 4 as defining the channel 14c with 
a relatively large diameter. Illustrated in FIG. 5 is an alternative 
channel member 194 defining the channel 14c with a smaller diameter. Thus, 
the channel members 165, 194 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 are 
representative of a plurality of channel members having similar outer 
shapes so that they can be selectably or interchangeably used with the 
remainder of the container 2c illustrated in FIG. 4. Each of these 
alternative channel members would have a respectively sized channel 
defined therein. The selected one of the channel members would be 
releasably connected to the support member 34c in the same way in which 
the member 165 is shown connected in FIG. 4. 
A contemplated preliminary production version of a low pressure embodiment 
of the present invention is shown in FIG. 10. This embodiment is 
identified by the reference numeral 2g. As shown by the use of like 
reference numerals, this embodiment includes the same general components 
as the previously described embodiments; this embodiment also has many of 
the same specific structural elements or shapes as the previously 
described embodiments as is apparent from the drawings. This embodiment, 
however, is particularly of a type having an integral inner means wherein 
the cavity 12g and the channel 14g are both formed by a single integral 
member 217 having a generally cylindrical shape with its two end portions 
having larger outer diameters than its central portion. A cylindrical 
barrier member is disposed in the recess defined along the central portion 
between the larger end portions. The lower end portion of this integral 
member 217 is shown connected to a tee connector 218 by a suitable clamp 
220, such as a 31/2-inch Victaulic clamp with seal. Formed in this lower 
end portion of the inner body is a threaded portion 222 of the axial 
channel 14g. The portion 222 can be used to receive a plug (not shown) to 
provide a stopper at the lower end of the channel 14g. 
When the container 2g is connected to the tee connector 218 so that it is 
ready to use, the opposite end of the container 2g has a suitable 
injection cap 224 connected at that end by a suitable clamp 226, such as a 
Victaulic clamp with seal identical or similar to the clamp 220. The cap 
224 has a central, axial aperture 228 through which the drive means can be 
communicated to the plunger 16g shown retained in the axial cavity 12g by 
the retaining member or collar 18g. 
When the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is to be transported, the apertured 
injection cap 224 is replaced by a closed closure cap 28g as shown in FIG. 
11. The closure cap 28g is connected to a transportation housing 230, such 
as a DOT (Department of Transportation) type 7A transportation container. 
The housing 230 has a cylindrical construction with a hollow interior near 
the bottom of which an annular shoulder 232 extends radially inwardly from 
the outer cylindrical wall of the housing 230. The shoulder 232 provides a 
lower support atop which the container 2g sits as shown in FIG. 11 when 
the container 2g is lowered down through the open top end of the housing 
230 before the cap 28g is connected to the housing by a suitable clamp 
234, such as a 41/2-inch Victaulic clamp with seal. The housing 230 has a 
removable handle 236. 
When the container 2g is received within the housing 230, an annulus 238 is 
defined between the outer surface of the container 2g and the inner 
surface of the housing 230. An absorbent material can be placed in this 
annular region 238 if needed. 
A pipe plug 240 is shown in FIG. 11 connected into the threaded portion 222 
of the channel 14g. 
The upper end of the housing 230 has a thicker portion 242 defining a 
centralizing structure for the housing 230. This thicker portion 242 has 
an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the 
container 2g to provide lateral support to the container 2g when it is 
received in the housing 230. 
Because the embodiments of the container 2 shown in FIGS. 1-5 and 10-11 are 
for low pressure usage such as in an environment illustrated in FIG. 6, 
the selected one of the embodiments is connected through the tee connector 
4 on the low pressure side of the pump 8, that is between the blending tub 
6 and the pump 8. The usage illustrated in FIG. 6 requires minimal time to 
connect, and thus personnel will be subjected to a risk of exposure to 
radioactivity for a shorter time. Only minimal connect time is needed 
because the container 2 can be quickly connected to the tee connector 4 by 
any suitable known coupling, such as a Victaulic clamp connector similar 
to the clamps 26, 32 shown in FIG. 1 for connecting the end caps to the 
body of the container. By connecting the container 2 directly to the tee 
connector 4, the radioactive substance in the cavity 12 can be injected 
directly into the flow stream flowing through the tee connector 4 from the 
blending tub 6 to the pump 8. This obviates the need for additional 
pumping or conduit equipment which is required in some previous types of 
injection systems. Prior to being connected to the tee connector 4, the 
container 2 protectively houses the radioactive substance by means of the 
radioactivity barrier and either the valve or plug used in the particular 
embodiment. 
Once the container 2 is mounted on the tee connector 4, the substance is 
injected by applying a suitable plunger drive means to the plunger member 
16. By using an appropriate drive means, the radioactive substance can be 
injected over a wide range of injection rates. Examples of suitable drive 
means include a fluid pressure, a power screw, a power cylinder, or a 
metering pump applied or connected to the plunger member 16 through the 
aperture or opening 20 in the retaining member 18. Such means can also 
include a suitable control device such as a motor, a pump, a hand wheel 
crank, a metering valve or an electronic controller. Whatever drive means 
is used, it causes the plunger member 16 to be moved through the cavity 
12, pushing the radioactive substance ahead of it through the channel 14 
and into the flow stream moving through the tee connector 4. 
Once the container 2 has been used, it is disconnected from the tee 
connector 4 and returned to the primary supplier of the radioactive 
substance for reloading so that the container 2 is reusable. 
Although FIG. 6 represents low pressure usage of the container 2 because of 
its placement between the blending tub 6 and the pump 8, the container 2 
can be adapted for high pressure usage such as would be needed with the 
flow stream discharged from the pump 8 to the well. Five such adaptations 
are illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 and 12-14. 
The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 has an integral inner body 196 in which both 
the cavity 12d and the channel 14d are defined. An outer radioactivity 
barrier 198 is mounted on the inner member 196. The plunger member 16d is 
held in the cavity 12d by the retaining member 18d of a modified form 
compared to those previously described. This modified form is apparent in 
FIG. 7. 
The container 2d is mounted on a tee connector 200 by a suitable high 
pressure connector such as a hammer-type WECO coupling 202. This 
connection is sealed by a seal ring 204. 
The embodiments of the containers shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 are substantially 
identical except for a different type of adapter used to mate the 
respective container with a respective tee connector. In the FIG. 8 
embodiment the carrier flow line connector is a 3-inch BIG INCH connector 
206, and in the FIG. 9 embodiment the flow line connector is a 4-inch BIG 
INCH connector 208. The container 2e shown in FIG. 8 has a single 
cylindrical integral body 210 defining its receptacle means. The member 
210 is made sufficiently thick and of a suitable substance so that the 
cavity 12e, the channel 14e and the radioactivity barrier are all defined 
by the single integral body 210. The container 2e is connected to the 
connector 206 by a suitable Gray lock 212 utilizing a suitable sealing 
adapter 214. 
The container 2f shown in FIG. 9 is similar to the container 2e. It is 
likewise connected by a Gray lock to its connector 208, but with a 
different size of sealing adapter 216. 
The embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is somewhat identical to that shown in FIG. 
7 as is apparent from the drawings. This embodiment of FIG. 12 includes 
the same general elements as the previously described embodiments as 
indicated by the use of the same reference numerals, but having the suffix 
"h". The embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is also shown having a displacement 
cap 244 connected by a wing connector 246 to the top end of the container 
2h. The displacement cap 244 has a central, axial aperture 248 through 
which a suitable drive means can be communicated to the plunger member 
16h. In other respects the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is the same as that 
shown in FIG. 7 except for minor variations apparent from the drawings, 
such as a threaded portion 250 at the end of the channel 14h and a 
threaded portion 252 in the retainer member 18h. 
An embodiment similar to the one shown in FIG. 12 but having a removable, 
reusable cartridge insert 254 is shown in FIG. 14. The insert 254 is shown 
by itself in FIG. 13. The insert 254 includes a cylindrical lower portion 
256 through which the channel 14i is axially defined. The lower end of the 
channel 14i has a threaded portion 258 for receiving a closure plug. 
Threadedly connected to the lower portion 256, in a sealed fashion 
including an O-ring 260, is a cylindrical upper portion 262 in which the 
elongated cavity 12i is axially defined. When connected, the portions 256, 
262 form a continuous, or aligned, cylindrical outer surface. The portion 
262 integrally defines the retainer member 18i for the plunger member 16i 
disposed in the cavity 12i. The plunger member 16i is insertable and 
removable by disconnecting the lower and upper portions 256, 262 and 
moving the plunger member 16i through the disconnected, open lower end of 
the upper portion 262. The upper portion 262 also integrally defines the 
displacement cap portion serving the same function as the separate 
displacement cap 244 shown in FIG. 12. 
The insert 254 is shown in FIG. 14 assembled with a support sleeve 264. The 
sleeve 264 has a threaded external surface 266 to which a wing nut 268 
associated with the insert 254 is connectible and from which it is 
disconnectable to connect and disconnect the insert 254 with the remainder 
of the container 2i. The sleeve 264 is analogous to the inner tubular 
members of the other described embodiments except that it is made to 
receive the insert 254 as opposed to itself defining the cavity 12 in 
which the radioactive substance is contained. A radioactivity barrier wall 
270 is shown mounted on the sleeve 264. A wing nut 272 is used to connect 
the sleeve 264 to a suitable tee connector 274. 
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, the respective tee connectors 
can be connected to the high pressure end of a pump corresponding to the 
pump 8 shown in the FIG. 6 system. 
As between at least certain of the different embodiments of the container 
2, it is preferable to use different sizes or types of outlet ends which 
interface with the tee connectors so that a low pressure type, for 
example, cannot be inadvertently used where a high pressure type is 
needed. 
Although the various embodiments of the present invention can be 
constructed of different materials and in different sizes, a few exemplary 
parameters will be given for purposes of illustration but without any 
intention of limiting the scope of the present invention. Specific 
embodiments of the low pressure types of container could be constructed to 
weigh less than approximately 50 pounds. For example, a 3/16-inch 
stainless steel element could be used for the inner tubular member 34 
shown in FIG. 1. A 3/4-inch lead sleeve could be used for the sleeve 150. 
These elements could be made so that the overall container 2a would be 
approximately 123/4 inches in length and contain approximately 600 cc of 
volume in its cavity 12a (it is to be noted that if more capacity is 
needed in any particular application, two or more of the containers 2 can 
be connected in series or parallel to provide the appropriate quantity). 
For high pressure applications using an embodiment of the type illustrated 
in FIG. 7 including inner and outer members, an illustrative inner member 
could be approximately 1/2-inch thick and an illustrative outer member 
could be approximately 5/8-inch thick. The inner member could be of 
stainless steel having an inner cavity-defining surface plated with a 
suitable substance to reduce abrasion which could result from the high 
pressure injection of any abrasive substance carried in the cavity of such 
a container. Such a high pressure container might by approximately 20 
inches long and weigh approximately 80 pounds. 
Although each of the described embodiments has a generally cylindrical 
shape, other shapes could likely be used. Furthermore, each of the 
described embodiments provides a primary containment volume for holding 
and carrying a radioactive substance; however, each can be used with 
another, outer housing so that a secondary containment volume is provided, 
such as is illustrated in FIG. 11. 
From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a 
radioactivity substance container which is reusable. It can be used to 
transport and inject liquefied or slurried radioactive substances (such as 
liquid, or solid, or liquid/solid, or gelled liquid radioactive tracers to 
be used in tagging fracturing, acidizing or cementing materials pumped 
into a well) in compliance with pertinent governmental regulations. The 
construction of the inventive container permits it to be loaded at a safe 
central loading facility and to be unloaded directly into a flow stream so 
that personnel, equipment and environmental exposures to and 
contaminations by radioactivity are reduced or eliminated. The container 
is relatively lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture and does not 
require implementation on a dedicated skid or trailer having its own pumps 
and transfer hoses, and yet the design of the invention is readily 
adaptable for use with either high pressure or low pressure flow streams. 
The radioactive substance to be injected into such flow streams can be 
injected at various rates of injection by using any suitable drive means 
which can be made to act upon the plunger contained internally within the 
container of the present invention. 
Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and 
attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent 
therein. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described 
for the purpose of this disclosure, changes in the construction and 
arrangement of parts can be made by those skilled in the art, which 
changes are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by 
the appended claims.