A SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT OF RADIOACTIVITY IN FLOWING STREAMS

Journal Article · Wed Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Nature

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/194034a0· OSTI ID:4783902

Rapkin, E; Gibbs, J A

An apparatus for the determination of alpha or BETA radioactivity in either circulating liquid or gas streams was developed. Solid anthracene crystals are used. The detector consists of a Lucite light pipe coated with titanium dioxide and coupled to two photomultipliers which are in turn fed to appropriate coincidence type circuitry. The detection cell, which consists of a 9-mm OD glass tube with appropriate fittings on either end, was packed with anthracene crystals. A glass frit, or glass wool, was incorporated in the cell on the downstream side to contain the anthracene and a pledget of glass wool was placed above the anthracene on the upstream side. Carbon-14 counting efficiency was found to be of the order of 50% with a coincident background from 100 divisions to infinity of less than 40 cpm at 900 v. Tritium counting efficiency was in the range of 7% and the integral background from 100 divisions to infinity was about 90 cpm at 1130 v. Discussion is also given on the electronics of the detector and the performance in closed flowing systems and gas analysis. (P.C.H.)

• Research Organization: Packard Instrument Co., La Grange, Ill.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-014961
• OSTI ID: 4783902
• Journal Information: Nature, Journal Name: Nature Vol. Vol: 194
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALPHA PARTICLES
ANTHRACENE
BACKGROUND
BETA PARTICLES
CARBON 14
COINCIDENCE METHODS
CRYSTALS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT
GLASS
LUCITE
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOMULTIPLIERS
RADIOACTIVITY
RESINS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRITIUM