Evaluation of the response of tritium-in-air instrumentation to HT in dry and humid conditions and to HTO vapor

Journal Article · Sun Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Fusion Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.13182/FST14-T70· OSTI ID:22429757

Phillips, H.; Dean, J. ^[1]; Privas, E. ^[2]

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1. National Physical Laboratory, Teddington (United Kingdom)
2. Grenoble Institute of Technology - Phelma, Grenoble (France)

Nuclear plant operators (power generation, decommissioning and reprocessing operations) are required to monitor releases of tritium species for regulatory compliance and radiation protection purposes. Tritium monitoring is performed using tritium-in-air gas monitoring instrumentation based either on flow-through ion chambers or proportional counting systems. Tritium-in-air monitors are typically calibrated in dry conditions but in service may operate at elevated levels of relative humidity. The NPL (National Physical Laboratory) radioactive gas-in-air calibration system has been used to study the effect of humidity on the response to tritium of two tritium-in-air ion chamber based monitors and one proportional counting system which uses a P10/air gas mixture. The response of these instruments to HTO vapour has also been evaluated. In each case, instrument responses were obtained for HT in dry conditions (relative humidity (RH) about 2%), HT in 45% RH, and finally HTO at 45% RH. Instrumentation response to HT in humid conditions has been found to slightly exceed that in dry conditions. (authors)

• OSTI ID: 22429757
• Journal Information: Fusion Science and Technology, Journal Name: Fusion Science and Technology Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 67; ISSN 1536-1055
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR
DECOMMISSIONING
HUMIDITY
IONIZATION CHAMBERS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER GENERATION
RADIATION MONITORS
RADIATION PROTECTION
REPROCESSING
TRITIUM
TRITIUM OXIDES
VAPORS