Nuclear Criticality Evacuation with Telemonitoring and Microprocessors

Conference · Sun May 06 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:6155043

Fergus, R. W. ^[1]; Moe, Sr, H. J. ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

At Argonne National Laboratory, criticality alarms are required at widely separated locations to evacuate personnel in case of accident while emergency teams or maintenance personnel respond from a central location. The system functions have been divided in a similar manner. The alarm site hardware can independently detect a criticality and sound the evacuation signal while general monitoring and routine tests are handled by a communication link to a central monitoring station. The radiation detectors and evacuation sounders at each site are interconnected by a common two conductor cable in a unique telemonitoring format. This format allows both control and data information to be received or transmitted at any point on the cable which can be up to 3000 meters total length. The site microprocessor maintains a current data table, detects several faults, drives a printer, and communicates with the central telemonitoring station. The radiation detectors are made with plastic scintillators and photomultiplier tubes operated in a constant current mode with a 4-decade measurement range. The detectors also respond within microseconds to the criticality radiation burst. These characteristics can be tested with an internal light emitting diode either completely with a manual procedure or routinely with a system test initiated by the central monitoring station. Although the system was developed for a criticality alarm which requires reliable and redundant features, the basic techniques are useable for other monitoring and instrumentation applications.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6155043
• Report Number(s): CONF-790590-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION
ACCIDENTS
ALARM SYSTEMS
COMMUNICATIONS
CRITICALITY
Criticality Alarms
DATA TRANSMISSION
Evacuation Sounders
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MICROPROCESSORS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PHOTOMULTIPLIERS
PHOTOTUBES
PLASTIC SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
Photomultiplier Tubes
Plastic Scintillators
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORS
Radiation Detectors
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
TELEMETRY