Alpha Air Sample Counting Efficiency Versus Dust Loading: Evaluation of a Large Data Set
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Dust loading on air sample filters is known to cause a loss of efficiency for direct counting of alpha activity on the filters, but the amount of dust loading and the correction factor needed to account for attenuated alpha particles is difficult to assess. In this paper, correction factors are developed by statistical analysis of a large database of air sample results for a uranium and plutonium processing facility at the Savannah River Site. As is typically the case, dust-loading data is not directly available, but sample volume is found to be a reasonable proxy measure; the amount of dust loading is inferred by a combination of the derived correction factors and a Monte Carlo model. The technique compares the distribution of activity ratios [beta/(beta + alpha)] by volume and applies a range of correction factors on the raw alpha count rate. The best-fit results with this method are compared with MCNP modeling of activity uniformly deposited in the dust and analytical laboratory results of digested filters. Finally, a linear fit is proposed to evenly-deposited alpha activity collected on filters with dust loading over a range of about 2 mg cm-2 to 1,000 mg cm-2.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC09-08SR22470
- OSTI ID:
- 1426655
- Report Number(s):
- SRNS--STI-2017-00661
- Journal Information:
- Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 114; ISSN 0017-9078
- Publisher:
- Health Physics SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
ALPHA ATTENUATION DUE TO DUST LOADING
Meta-Study of Particulate Detection Losses on Radioactive Air Sample Filters