New developments in continuous monitoring of airborne activity

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)

OSTI ID:5334230

Swinth, K L; Phelps, P; Tyree, B; Kenoyer, J

Air monitors that operate continuously are used in nuclear facilities to detect unexpected malfunctions in controls that limit levels of airborne radioactivity in occupied area. Monitoring for concentrations of alpha-emitting transuranics is the most difficult task in air monitoring. Workplace monitoring for alpha emitters requires a detection level {approximately}2% that of nonalpha-emitting radionuclides with a half-life >2 h. Typically, air monitoring is accomplished by passing a volume of the monitored air through a filter to collect the particulates. The filter is located near a detector that monitors the radioactivity of the collected particles and sends an alarm when the activity exceeds established limits. Alpha activity from daughters of thoron and radon, present in all air in variable amounts, hampers monitoring for transuranics. This presentation describes developments that have improved the accuracy and sensitivity for the monitoring of airborne concentration of transuranics.

• OSTI ID: 5334230
• Report Number(s): CONF-871101--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA) Journal Volume: 55:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACTIVITY LEVELS
AEROSOLS
AIR SAMPLERS
ALARM SYSTEMS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DOSES
EQUIPMENT
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATION PROTECTION
SAMPLERS
SOLS