Argon-41 measurements at a pool reactor
- ed.
From third Health Physics Society midyear topical symposium; Los Angeles, California, USA (29 Jan 1969). See CONF-690103P2. An accurate, inexpensive, continuous air monitoring device for measuring argon-41 and other radioactive noble gases has been constructed from a 55-gallon drum and a Geiger- Mueller counter. Argon-41 concentrations in the building air and the exhaust stack effluent are of primary interest. Radon progeny and other particulate contaminates are filtered by a membrane filter before the air enters the drum. Background variations are minimal. Simple calibration procedures are outlined. The sensitivity of the monitor is sufficient to determine concentrations less than 2% of the occupational MPC/sub a/ for /sup 41/Ar. /sup 41/Ar act ivity increases in the reactor building were correlated with the bulk pool water temperature. The occasional absence of detectable /sup 41/Ar activity was attributable to thermal layers in the pool. The effect of a calorimetric calibration of the reactor on argon released is described. /sup 41/Ar concentrations in the discharge stacks were correlated with reactor core configuration near the pneumatic sample tube system. Four years experience with the device at a 2 megawatt pool-type research reactor are summarized. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-031276
- OSTI ID:
- 4322169
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
*ARGON 41-- RADIATION MONITORING
*FNR REACTOR-- GASEOUS WASTES
CALIBRATION
GEIGER-MUELLER COUNTERS
N46110 --Instrumentation--Radiation Detection Instruments--General Detectors & Monitors
N77600* --Reactors--Research
Test
Experimental
Zero-power & Training Reactors
& Subcritical Assemblies
SENSITIVITY