Evaluation of continuous air monitor placement in a plutonium facility

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199705000-00009· OSTI ID:471483

Whicker, J J; Rodgers, J C; Fairchild, C I ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); and others

Department of Energy appraisers found continuous air monitors at Department of Energy plutonium facilities alarmed less than 30% of the time when integrated room plutonium air concentrations exceeded 500 DAC-hours. Without other interventions, this alarm percentage suggests the possibility that workers could be exposed to high airborne concentrations without continuous air monitor alarms. Past research has shown that placement of continuous air monitors is a critical component in rapid and reliable detection of airborne releases. At Los Alamos National Laboratory and many other Department of Energy plutonium facilities, continuous air monitors have been primarily placed at ventilation exhaust points. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of exhaust register placement of workplace continuous air monitors with other sampling locations. Polydisperse oil aerosols were released from multiple locations in two plutonium laboratories at Los Alamos National Laboratory. An array of laser particle counters positioned in the rooms measured time-resolved aerosol dispersion. Results showed alternative placement of air samplers generally resulted in aerosol detection that was faster, often more sensitive, and equally reliable compared with samplers at exhaust registers. 20 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 471483
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 72; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
AIR SAMPLERS
INSTALLATION
LANL
PERFORMANCE
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
VENTILATION