RTFI Q&E (CTMS 308196) PARTICIPANT INFORMATION INTENSIFYING SCREENS Intensifying screens are used to intensify the image in a radiograph. The two types of intensifying screens are fluorescent and lead foil. Lead foil screens are the types used in Saudi Aramco. Lead foil screens have three main functions: © To absorb the longer wavelength scattered radiation © To intensify the primary radiation more than the scattered radiation © To increase the photographic action on the film by emitting electrons The screens are required to be in direct contact of the film in front of and behind the film. The front screen serves as an intensifier and the back screen absorbs backscatter. Since most of the intensifying action of lead screens is from emitting electrons, care should be taken in handling of lead screens. If the screens become scratched, the resultant image on the film will be dark due to the concentrated emission of electrons. If there is dirt, lint or grease on the screen, the image will be light due to less emission of electrons. See Figure 18 below. Figure 18, aRTFI Q&E (CTMS 308196) PARTICIPANT INFORMATION FILM PROCESSING After completing the radiographic exposure of the test object, the film requires processing to make the image visible. This is achieved in a darkroom by processing the film through a series of chemicals and water, then dried, The temperature of all the chemicals and water used in processing should be maintained within approximately £5°F of the developer temperature. The darkroom is equipped with safelights that allow the technician to have working visibility in the darkroom. 2BRTEI Q&E (CTMS 308196) PARTICIPANT INFORMATION DEVELOPING Developing film is the process of reducing silver bromide particles in the exposed portion of the film to black metallic silver. The first step is to remove the film from its holder. For manual processing, the film is attached to a hanger then immersed into the developer solution. Optimal developing time is 5 minutes @ 68°F. Time and temperature constraints should be closely maintained. Typical developing times and temperatures are listed in the table below. DEVELOPER TEMPERATURE DEVELOPMENT TIME (in °F) (in minutes) 60 85 65. 6 68 5 70 45 75 3.25 If the developer is excessively cold or the developing time is too short, the film density will be light. Conversely, if the developer is excessively warm or the developing time is too long, the film density will be dark. While immersed in the developer, the technician should agitate the film initially to remove air bubbles and then agitate the film approximately every minute thereafter to obtain uniform development of the film. If the film is not agitated, there will be a tendency for each area of the film to affect development of the area immediately below it. With use, the developer activity becomes slower and longer developing times are required until the developer has to be replenished or replaced. Exhausted developer will cause a film to have insufficient density and may cause the film to have a brownish appearance. After developing, the film is then immersed into an acidic stop bath solution for thirty to sixty seconds to stop the developing action. If a stop bath is not available, the film should be immersed and agitated in water for a minimum of two minutes.RTFI Q&E (CTMS 308196) PARTICIPANT INFORMATION FIXING The film Is then immersed into a fixer solution. The purpose of fixing is to remove all of the undeveloped silver bromide, leaving the developed silver as a permanent image and also to harden the film. The time it takes the film to lose its yellow milkiness color in the fixer tank is referred to as the clearing time. This is when the fixer is dissolving the undeveloped silver bromide. The clearing time is approximately one to five minutes, depending on the freshness of the fixer. The film should remain in the fixer at least twice the clearing time in order to harden, but not more than fifteen minutes. Insufficient fixing time does not allow the film to clear, causing an overall streaking appearance on the film. As with developing, the film should be initially agitated and every minute thereafter to promote even fixing of the film. The usefulness of fixer is ended when it has lost its acidity or when clearing requires an unusually long time and it should be replaced. Also, when the fixer becomes exhausted, the film has a tendency to have color stains.RTFI Q&E (CTMS 308196) PARTICIPANT INFORMATION RINSING After fixing, the film undergoes a washing process to remove the fixer solution from the film. The wash tank should be large enough to handle a number of film going through the developing and fixing process so as not to be overcrowded. The hourly flow of fresh water to the wash tank should be at least four to eight times the volume of the tank. The film should stay in the wash tank from twenty to thirty minutes to remove all traces of processing chemicals. After rinsing, the film should be dipped into a wetting agent to prevent the film from having water spots after drying. a