PACS Lab CT
PACS–CT Lab uses a Nikon XTH-225 ST large cabinet Computed Tomography (CT) system. It is suitable for a wide range of materials and sample sizes. The PACS–CT lab is equipped with two interchangeable sources, a standard 225 kV reflection target, operating between 30 and 225 kV, and a 225 kV Rotating Target source. The latter allows the beam to fall on a moving metal surface instead of a fixed surface yielding more effective cooling, and higher beam stability and greater resolution at higher energies than the reflection target source. This is most suitable for geological materials, larger samples, or higher-density materials.
The PACS–CT can operate with either a circular or helical stage and can hold samples up to ~ 30 cm wide by 35 cm high in a single scan. Resolution of scans depends on the size of the object and the distribution of that object onto the 2000 x 2000 pixel 16 bit detector. Typical voxel size for a 10 cm wide object is about 60 microns given a small buffer around the object, while smaller and less dense objects can achieve resolutions of a few microns. Most scans have voxel resolutions between ~20 and 100 microns.
We have developed a variety of methods to effectively image and quantitatively analyze permafrost materials using Industrial CT Scanning. A few examples can be found on the Permafrost CT page.
The Palaeontology group at the University of Alberta are regular uses of the Industrial CT scanner and we highlight some of those applications here.
Because of the potential to work with larger samples and samples of higher density, we regularly scan geological materials for users at the University of Alberta and external researchers.
The Nikon CT scanner is ideally suited to work with many engineering applications. We regularly measure 3D printed sandstone samples, Geotechnical Centrifuge samples, new concrete and ashphalt materials for various Engineering groups at the University of Alberta and industry.
