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Development of Background Radiation Monitoring

System based on Arduino Platform
Andriy Holovatyy, Vasyl Teslyuk, Mykhaylo Yaroslav Sokolovskyy, Sofia Pobereyko
Lobur Department of Information Technologies,
CAD Department, Ukrainian National Forestry University, UNFU
Lviv Polytechnic National University, LPNU Lviv, UKRAINE
Lviv, UKRAINE [email protected], [email protected]
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]

Abstract-In the paper, the background radiation monitoring II. HARDWARE DESIGN OF BACKGROUND RADIATION
system has been developed. It has been built on the Arduino Uno MONITORING SYSTEM
microcontroller board, Geiger-Mueller counters, alphanumeric
LCD module and high-voltage power supply module for counters. The system has to measure the radiation level, process the
The system measures power of the equivalent radiation dose and collected data, transmit them to PC via serial interface, and
accumulated dose and outputs the information via the serial port inform about the radiation level excess. In Fig. 1, the proposed
to PC, and also sends warning signals when the equivalent dose rate structure of the background radiation monitoring system has
is exceeded. been shown. The hardware of the system consists of: battery
charging module; radiation detector (Geiger-Mueller counter
Keywords: background radiation, monitoring system, Geiger- СБМ-20); converter DC6v-DC12v; 400 volt anode voltage
Mueller counter (tube) СБМ-20, Arduino Uno, ATmega328P-PU shaper for feeding СБМ-20; single-vibrator; Arduino Uno board
microcontroller (MC), Arduino IDE, embedded software, Proteus [5,6]; indication module; sound and light signaling; push button
Design Suite. (start-stop) for selecting the MC operation mode.
I. INTRODUCTION The dosimeter-radiometer operates at a 6-Volt 1.2AH
The radiation is dangerous not only by its high ability of battery. For the battery recharging, the module shown in Fig. 2
defeat, but also by the fact that radiation is not perceived by our is used. At the inputs AC1, AS2 an alternating voltage of 10…18
organs of perception. None of the human receptor organs is able volts is supplied, which is straightened by the diode bridge BR1
to warn of the presence of radiation source. This enabled to and is fed to the chip U1 (DC-DC converter), which supports
conceal information about nuclear accidents and their 6.8 Volt output voltage - for the battery charging.
consequences. Even after events at the Chernobyl Nuclear To supply the high-voltage converter, a stabilized voltage of
Power Plant, the radioactive effects have been reflected in the 12 volts is used, which is obtained from the DC-DC converter
European countries, for several years in the USSR it was (Fig. 3), which converts the input voltage from the battery (a
forbidden to have devices for determining the level of radiation voltage can be 5.5…6.8 Volt) at 12 Volts.
pollution. With the advent of free sale of radiometers and
dosimeters it became possible to better ensure the radiation Radiation

safety of citizens [1]. detector

СБМ-20
Alpha-numeric LCD 16x2
HD44780 – compatible

The action of radiation cannot manifest itself immediately. Monostable

PC
The effects of radiation can be attributed to decades later in multivibrator
Serial interface

generations, in the form of cancer diseases, genetic mutations, Button

(monitor)

etc. With an increase in the level of irradiation in the human Start/Stop.

Dose measurement Arduino Uno
body the violations appear that can lead to death in a few days Accumulator voltage
Microcontroll
er AVR 328 Sound alarm

or hours. After the determination of the elevated radiation level, analysis

Indication (LED) of
it is necessary to immediately detect the radioactivity source by Autonomous power
impulses from counter
СБМ-20
using a radiometer – dosimeter [2]. supply 6 V

The appearance of microcontroller platforms (Arduino,

Raspberry Pi)_ and various digital sensors made possible to
create inexpensive programmable measurement and control Voltage converter
6 V - 12 V

systems [3,4]. Such an information-measuring system can be

Power supply СБМ-20
used to monitor the radiation background. 400 V

The aim of the work is to develop hardware and software of

the background radiation monitoring system based on the Fig. 1 Structure of the background radiation monitoring system based on the
Arduino platform. Arduino platform

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frequency of the generator is 4..14 kHz. The high-voltage

generator can be implemented using a microcontroller, having
put on it PWM functions. The circuit is simplified and has the
following look, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 2 Battery charging module

The DC-DC converter circuit is designed with MS34063

which is turned on according to the STEP-UP converter circuit.
The transistor Q1 increases the converter power converter to 3A. Fig. 5 Power supply circuit for Geiger-Mueller counter based on the Arduino
The output voltage can be adjusted with the potentiometer RV1. Uno board in Proteus VSM

From the output of PE3 (OC3A) - the input Q1 receives the

PWM sequence that sets the voltage to 400 Volts.
For regulation (maintaining) of the output voltage in the
desired range, it is applied to the ADC input ADC0 of the MC
through the divider R6 - RV3. Depending on its value at the
output of PE3 (OC3A) - the required PWM sequence is formed.
In Fig. 6 the monovibrator is shown that generates a short,
tangent impulse of the Geiger counter - a pulse of the rectangular
form of the fixed duration for the MC correct operation.
Fig. 3 Converter DC 6V - DC 12V

For power supply of the Geiger-Mueller counters, a high

voltage source is required. Such sources usually are
autonomous. One of the classical converters from 12V to 400V
is shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 Monostable gate multivibrator circuit for correct operation of the MC in

CAD Proteus VSM

Arduino Uno based on the AVR MC ATmega328 is the

main data processing unit, from the Geiger-Mueller counter, for
outputting the necessary information to the LCD, data
transmission through the serial port to PC.
In Fig. 7 the circuit of the background radiation monitoring
system is shown. The system continuously monitors the power
of the radiation background and displays the information on the
LCD and transfers it via the serial port (via UART) to PC. When
the radiation power exceeds more than acceptable limits (0.3
Fig. 4 High-voltage power supply generator for Geiger-Mueller counter
μSv/h), the sound (PSP LS1) and light alarms (flashing red LED
Using the 555 timer chip a PWM generator is implemented. - "Alarm") are turned on. The intensity indication of the
By using the potentiometer RV1, the generator frequency is radiation pulses occurs with the blue LED1. The display
regulated and by using the potentiometer RV2 - its duty cycle. constantly shows the information about the radiation power in
The pulses of the required frequency and duty cycle are applied μSv/h and CPM (number of pulses per minute). When the
to the gate of the transistor Q1 which increases the voltage on START-Stop button КН1 is pressed, the timer is switched on
the coil L1 to 400 Volts, the exact voltage value is regulated by and the display additionally shows the received dose of radiation
using the potentiometer RV2. From the C4 capacitor, the high during the period (μSv).
voltage is applied to the Geiger-Mueller counters. The pulse

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For the correct operation of the system, a state of the battery Algorithm of information-measuring system for radiation monitoring based on the
Arduino platfrom
charge and the supply voltage of the counter СБМ-20 are Begin

additionally measured (ADC inputs Arduino Uno A1, A0 - Initial settings Та operation initialization for dosimeter-radiometer, LCD,
Serial interface UART (serial monitor), Arduino Uno ports
respectively). The high voltage of the meter is generated by
PWM from the output of 9 Arduino Uno, and controlled by the Accumulator voltage check В page.2

ADC input A0. The high voltage generator consists of the coil
L1, the transistor Q1, the diode D4, the resistors R6, R5, R11, No
RV3. The short pulses from the СБМ-20 counter come via the Is voltage in norm? Message output to LCD “+”

monostable gate multivibrator circuit (U1 chip, elements C1, Yes

C2, R10, R9, R8, R7) to the INTU input of the Arduino Uno Check of anode voltage supply for Geiger-

board for detection and analysis. Muller counter СБМ-20

No PWM anode voltage control

Анодна напруга
в нормі

Yes

Timer1 start No
Is an impulse from
СБМ-20?
Measurement of impulses from
СБМ-20
Yes

LED indication
No “Impulse”
Timer1 = 60 sec

Yes
Measurement results processing and their output to LCD
Radiation power output in
uSv/h and number of impulses per minute
Timer1 reset

Information output via serial interface to PC Продовження

А

Algorithm of the information-measuring system for radiation monitoring based on

the Arduino platform
(continuation)
продовження

Analysis of exceeding the permissible power of

Fig. 7 Hardware of the background radiation monitoring system based on the radiation

Arduino Uno (designed in Proteus ISIS)

Yes
Is radiation above Turning-on of sound alarm and LED
III. DEVELOPMENT OF THE OPERATION ALGORITHM FOR THE norm? “Alarm”

BACKGROUND RADIATION MONITORING SYSTEM No

The operation algorithm of the system for background Analysis of the button pressing КН1 “Start/
Stop”
В page.1

radiation monitoring is shown in Fig. 8. The software of the

algorithm implementation has been created in Arduino IDE with No

the maximum use of libraries of this environment and tools for Is КН1 pressed at first
time

downloading the code to the board and Proteus ISIS for Yes

simulation.
Turning-on of the “Dosimeter” mode - Timer2 start for

IV. SIMULATION OF THE BACKGROUND RADIATION measuring the dose of received radiation

MONITORING SYSTEM USING PROTEUS ISIS

Information output Timer2 and dose of irradiation to LCD
The compiled embedded software in Arduino IDE is a hex file which is flashed
into the AVR ATmega328 MC of the Arduino Uno board [7]. For checking the Analysis of the button press КН1 “Start/Stop”
operation ability of the developed background radiation monitoring system, its
model is developed and simulated using Proteus ISIS [8]. In Fig. 9, the
simulation results are illustrated. Is КН1 pressed
No

repeatedly

In the radiometer mode (Fig. 9), the radiation power in μSv/h Yes
and number of pulses per minute are displayed on the LCD Turning-off the dosimeter mode
module. The blue LED "Impulse" flashes when the next pulse is Reset of Timer2 and dosimeter

detected. Simultaneously, the information is shown on the LCD Fig. 8 Operation algorithm of the background radiation monitoring system
and sent to PC via the serial port. The information updating
occurs every minute.

IEEE CSIT 2018, 11-14 September, 2018, Lviv, Ukraine

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rapid response of the system in emergency situations: the

exceeding of the permissible power of the equivalent radiation
dose, controlling of the battery charge. The timely messages can
protect people from excessive radiation and detect its sources
and eliminate invisible dangers in proper time. The developed
background radiation monitoring system can be used for both
stationary and mobile measurements.

Fig. 9 Simulation of the background radiation monitoring system in Proteus ISIS

– operating mode radiometer

Fig. 11 Simulation of the system operation in the dosimeter mode

REFERENCES
[1] Geiger Counter - Radiation Sensor Board for Arduino and Raspberry Pi:
https://www.cooking-hacks.com/documentation/tutorials/geiger-counter-
radiation-sensor-board-arduino-raspberry-pi-tutorial/
[2] Rhelectronics: http://www.rhelectronics.net/store/radiation-detector-
geiger-counter-diy-kit-second-edition.html
[3] M. Iwaniec, A. Holovatyy, V. Teslyuk, M. Lobur, K. Kolesnyk,
M. Mashevska, “Development of vibration spectrum analyzer using the
Raspberry Pi microcomputer and 3-axis digital MEMS accelerometer
ADXL345”. In Proc. of the XIIIth International Conference
PERSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND METHODS IN MEMS
Fig. 10 Simulation of the allowable radiation dose excess in Proteus ISIS DESIGN. – 2017. – pp. 25-30.
[4] A. Holovatyy, V. Teslyuk, M. Iwaniec, M. Mashevska, “Development of
In Fig. 10, the excess of the radiation dose is simulated. The a system for monitoring vibration accelerations based on the raspberry pi
microcomputer and the adxl345 accelerometer”. In Eastern-European
critical radiation dose is set 0.3 μSv/hr during programming. Journal of Enterprise Technologies. 2017. – Vol. 6, Issue 9 (90). – pp. 52–
When this dose is exceeded, the red “Alarm” LED and alarm 62.
sound (LS1 messenger) are turned on. If the radiation is within [5] T. Teslyuk, P. Denysyuk, A. Kernytskyy, V. Teslyuk, “Automated Control
set ranges, the “Alarm” signals are turned off. In Fig. 11, the System for Arduino and Android Based Intelligent Greenhouse”. In Proc.
system is simulated in the dosimeter mode. When the of the ХIth International Conference "Perspective Technologies and
START/STOP button KН1 is pressed, the timer is switched on Methods in MEMS Design", MEMSTECH’2015, 2-6 September 2015,
Polyana, Lviv, Ukraine. 2015. – pp. 7 – 10.
and the accumulated radiation dose is displayed during the timer
[6] V. Teslyuk, V. Beregovskyi, P. Denysyuk, T. Teslyuk, A. Lozynskyi,
operation. The maximum timer count is 24 hours then account "Development and Implementation of the Technical Accident Prevention
from scratch. The timer displays minutes and hours. The Subsystem for the Smart Home System", International Journal of
accumulated radiation dose is in μSv. By pressing the KH1 Intelligent Systems and Applications(IJISA), Vol.10, No.1, pp.1-8, 2018.
button repeatedly the dosimeter mode is stopped and the LCD [7] Arduino IDE : https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software
indication is reset. [8] Proteus Suite Design : https://www.labcenter.com/downloads/

V. CONCLUSION
Using the widespread Arduino hardware platform (Arduino
Uno based on the Atmel ATmega328 microcontroller), the
background radiation monitoring system has been developed.
The system measures the power of the equivalent radiation and
the accumulated dose during a period and outputs the received
information via the serial port to PC. When the equivalent dose
rate is exceeded, it sends warning signals. The high reliability of
the background radiation monitoring system is provided by the

IEEE CSIT 2018, 11-14 September, 2018, Lviv, Ukraine