Continuous air monitor correlation to fixed air sample data at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Conference · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:10157076

Whicker, J J

Continuous air monitoring instruments (CAMS) deployed in laboratories in the TA-55 plutonium facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) alarmed less than 33 percent of the time when fixed air sample measurements in the same laboratory showed integrated concentrations exceeding 500 DAC-hrs. The purpose of this study was to explore effects of non-instrument variables on alarm sensitivities for properly working CAMS. Non-instrument variables include air flow patterns, particle size of released material, and the energy of the release. Dilution Factors (DFs) for 21 airborne releases in various rooms and of different magnitudes were calculated and compared. The median DF for releases where the CAM alarmed was 13.1 while the median DF for releases where the CAM did not alarm was 179. Particle sizes ranged considerably with many particles larger than 10 {mu}m. The cause of the release was found to be important in predicting if a CAM would alarm with releases from bagouts resulting in the greatest percentage of CAM alarms. The results of this study suggest that a two-component strategy for CAM placement at LANL be utilized. The first component would require CAMs at exhaust points in the rooms to provide for reliable detection for random release locations. The second component would require placing CAMs at locations where releases have historically been seen. Finally, improvements in CAM instrumentation is needed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 10157076
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--93-1629; CONF-9304128--5; ON: DE93012711
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200
220900
440101
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AIR POLLUTION MONITORS
AIR SAMPLERS
ALPHA DETECTION
ALPHA SPECTROMETERS
COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES
FILTERS
GENERAL DETECTORS OR MONITORS AND RADIOMETRIC INSTRUMENTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
LANL
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PARTICULATES
PERFORMANCE
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
REACTOR SAFETY