DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Wide range radioactive gas concentration detector

Abstract

A wide range radioactive gas concentration detector and monitor which is capable of measuring radioactive gas concentrations over a range of eight orders of magnitude. The device of the present invention is designed to have an ionization chamber which is sufficiently small to give a fast response time for measuring radioactive gases but sufficiently large to provide accurate readings at low concentration levels. Closely spaced parallel plate grids provide a uniform electric field in the active region to improve the accuracy of measurements and reduce ion migration time so as to virtually eliminate errors due to ion recombination. The parallel plate grids are fabricated with a minimal surface area to reduce the effects of contamination resulting from absorption of contaminating materials on the surface of the grids. Additionally, the ionization chamber wall is spaced a sufficient distance from the active region of the ionization chamber to minimize contamination effects.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
864939
Patent Number(s):
4441024
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01J - ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
wide; range; radioactive; gas; concentration; detector; monitor; capable; measuring; concentrations; eight; magnitude; device; designed; ionization; chamber; sufficiently; fast; response; time; gases; provide; accurate; readings; levels; closely; spaced; parallel; plate; grids; uniform; electric; field; active; region; improve; accuracy; measurements; reduce; migration; virtually; eliminate; errors; due; recombination; fabricated; minimal; surface; effects; contamination; resulting; absorption; contaminating; materials; additionally; wall; sufficient; distance; minimize; spaced parallel; active region; electric field; wide range; response time; closely spaced; ionization chamber; chamber wall; gas concentration; radioactive gas; fast response; concentration levels; radioactive gases; provide accurate; parallel plate; errors due; sufficient distance; range radioactive; minimize contamination; eliminate errors; gas concentrations; virtually eliminate; uniform electric; concentration level; range radio; concentration detector; /250/

Citation Formats

Anderson, David F. Wide range radioactive gas concentration detector. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Anderson, David F. Wide range radioactive gas concentration detector. United States.
Anderson, David F. Sun . "Wide range radioactive gas concentration detector". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864939.
@article{osti_864939,
title = {Wide range radioactive gas concentration detector},
author = {Anderson, David F},
abstractNote = {A wide range radioactive gas concentration detector and monitor which is capable of measuring radioactive gas concentrations over a range of eight orders of magnitude. The device of the present invention is designed to have an ionization chamber which is sufficiently small to give a fast response time for measuring radioactive gases but sufficiently large to provide accurate readings at low concentration levels. Closely spaced parallel plate grids provide a uniform electric field in the active region to improve the accuracy of measurements and reduce ion migration time so as to virtually eliminate errors due to ion recombination. The parallel plate grids are fabricated with a minimal surface area to reduce the effects of contamination resulting from absorption of contaminating materials on the surface of the grids. Additionally, the ionization chamber wall is spaced a sufficient distance from the active region of the ionization chamber to minimize contamination effects.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {1}
}