Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles
US5128539A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 15, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jul 7, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 15, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S250/02
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. A continuous air monitoring sampler is described for use in detecting the presence of alpha-emitting aerosol particles. An inlet fractionating screen has been demonstrated to remove about 95% of freshly formed radon progeny from the aerosol sample, and approximately 33% of partially aged progeny. Addition of an electrical condenser and a modified dichotomous virtual impactor are expected to produce considerable improvement in these numbers, the goal being to enrich the transuranic (TRU) fraction of the aerosols. This offers the possibility of improving the signal-to-noise ratio for the detected alpha-particle energy spectrum in the region of interest for detecting TRU materials associated with aerosols, thereby enhancing the performance of background-compensation algorithms for improving the quality of alarm signals intended to warn personnel of potentially harmful quantities of TRU materials in the ambient air.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.