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Title: Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles

Abstract

Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. A continuous air monitoring sampler is described for use in detecting the presence of alpha-emitting aerosol particles. An inlet fractionating screen has been demonstrated to remove about 95% of freshly formed radon progeny from the aerosol sample, and approximately 33% of partially aged progeny. Addition of an electrical condenser and a modified dichotomous virtual impactor are expected to produce considerable improvement in these numbers, the goal being to enrich the transuranic (TRU) fraction of the aerosols. This offers the possibility of improving the signal-to-noise ratio for the detected alpha-particle energy spectrum in the region of interest for detecting TRU materials associated with aerosols, thereby enhancing the performance of background-compensation algorithms for improving the quality of alarm signals intended to warn personnel of potentially harmful quantities of TRU materials in the ambient air.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2]
+ Show Inventor Affiliations
  1. Santa Fe, NM
  2. College Station, TX
  3. Bryan, TX
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
868381
Patent Number(s):
5128539
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
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DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
apparatus; reduced; background; measuring; radiation; activity; aerosol; particles; continuous; air; monitoring; sampler; described; detecting; presence; alpha-emitting; inlet; fractionating; screen; demonstrated; remove; 95; freshly; formed; radon; progeny; sample; approximately; 33; partially; aged; addition; electrical; condenser; modified; dichotomous; virtual; impactor; expected; produce; considerable; improvement; goal; enrich; transuranic; tru; fraction; aerosols; offers; possibility; improving; signal-to-noise; ratio; detected; alpha-particle; energy; spectrum; region; materials; associated; enhancing; performance; background-compensation; algorithms; quality; alarm; signals; intended; warn; personnel; potentially; harmful; quantities; ambient; radon progeny; virtual impactor; alarm signal; particle energy; continuous air; aerosol particle; energy spectrum; signal-to-noise ratio; aerosol particles; ambient air; air monitor; noise ratio; reduced background; measuring radiation; radiation activity; monitoring sample; air monitoring; aerosol sample; /250/73/

Citation Formats

Rodgers, John C, McFarland, Andrew R, Oritz, Carlos A, and Marlow, William H. Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
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Rodgers, John C, McFarland, Andrew R, Oritz, Carlos A, & Marlow, William H. Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. United States.
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Rodgers, John C, McFarland, Andrew R, Oritz, Carlos A, and Marlow, William H. Wed . "Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868381.
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@article{osti_868381,
title = {Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles},
author = {Rodgers, John C and McFarland, Andrew R and Oritz, Carlos A and Marlow, William H},
abstractNote = {Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. A continuous air monitoring sampler is described for use in detecting the presence of alpha-emitting aerosol particles. An inlet fractionating screen has been demonstrated to remove about 95% of freshly formed radon progeny from the aerosol sample, and approximately 33% of partially aged progeny. Addition of an electrical condenser and a modified dichotomous virtual impactor are expected to produce considerable improvement in these numbers, the goal being to enrich the transuranic (TRU) fraction of the aerosols. This offers the possibility of improving the signal-to-noise ratio for the detected alpha-particle energy spectrum in the region of interest for detecting TRU materials associated with aerosols, thereby enhancing the performance of background-compensation algorithms for improving the quality of alarm signals intended to warn personnel of potentially harmful quantities of TRU materials in the ambient air.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}
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Works referenced in this record:

An Evaluation of Unattached Radon (and Thoron) Daughter Measurement Techniques
journal, January 1982

Experimental Measurements of the Diffusion Coefficient of 212Pb
journal, January 1989

Plutonium Aerosol Size Characteristics
journal, January 1974

An on-Line Monitor for Alpha-Emitting Aerosols
journal, January 1978

Continuous Monitor for Prompt Detection of Airborne Plutonium
journal, January 1966

The ZPR-9 Airborne Plutonium Monitoring System
journal, January 1976

On Improving the Validity of Wire Screen “Unattached” Fraction Rn Daughter Measurements
journal, January 1989

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