Lecture 4 - Rad Detection and Measur 2
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ESTSS TrainingLecture 4 - Rad Detection and Measur 2
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ESTSS TrainingDetecting and Measuring
Ionizing Radiation -2
IAEA Day 3 – Lecture 4
International Atomic Energy Agency
Objective
To give an understanding of the Monitoring instruments and
survey meters for measuring ionization for contamination
detection purposes and measuring the dose rates.
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Contents
• Monitoring instruments;
• Types of dosimeters;
• Survey instruments;
• Correct use of instruments;
• Spectroscopic analysis.
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Choice of monitoring instrument…
… depends on...
• High or low levels?
• Particles or photons?
• Energy of photons?
• Required accuracy?
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Choice of detector type…
… may be important for ...
• Required sensitivity
… otherwise NOT so important !
The design of the instrument to fulfill the
requirements more important!
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Contamination detectors
β - emitters GM-tube
Proportional counter
γ - emitter (< 50 keV) GM-tube
Proportional counter
NaI(Tl) scintillation detector
γ - emitter (high energy) Proportional counter
NaI(Tl) scintillation detector
All with an appropriate design!
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Dose-rate meters
γ - emitter GM-tube
Ionisation chamber
Scintillation detector
Often designed to meet the requirements to
measure one of the operational dose
quantities defined in ICRU 47
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Making Measurements
• Switch on before entering
• Check batteries
radiation area
• Move monitor slowly • Change scale if necessary
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WIPE TEST
Wipe a known surface area with an absorbent
material moistened with water or alcohol. Put
the sample in a tube and measure the activity
in a well counter or a liquid scintillation counter.
(cps-BG)/(Ec*Ew*A) = contamination (Bq/cm2)
cps: counts per second for sample
BG: instrument background
Ec: counter efficiency (cps/Bq)
Ew: swipe efficiency (assumed to be 0.1)
A: area swiped (cm2)
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Dose Rate Measurement
Reliable measurements are necessary in order to control
radiation exposure.
• This is achieved through the use of a
range of radiation instrumentation
which measure accumulated radiation
doses and/or dose rates.
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Film Badges
Film badges are passive devices that use special photographic
film to record any accumulated radiation exposure received
over a period of time. Provided the appropriate holder is
used, they can measure doses from beta, x, gamma and
neutron radiation exposure.
Advantages: cheap, provide a permanent record.
Disadvantages: not robust (can be affected by
water, humidity).
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Thermoluminescent Dosimeters (TLD)
TLDs typically are based on the use of lithium fluoride which
traps the energy received from ionizing radiation. When heated
during the assessment process, the trapped energy is released
as light. The amount of light released is proportional to the
radiation dose.
Depending on the intended use, the lithium
fluoride may be in the form of small crystal
chips, rods or discs. e.g. finger dosimeters.
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Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeters (OSL)
OSLs are based on the use of
aluminium oxide and, like TLDs, trap
the energy received from ionising
radiation. They are assessed by
exposing the OSL to laser light.
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Direct Reading (‘pocket’) Dosimeters
A ‘pocket’ dosimeter is a small pencil-like electroscope which
is charged (set to zero) in an external device. An internal
scale showing the radiation dose received can be viewed
though an eyepiece.
Electroscope dosimeters can be subject to spurious readings
and do not normally tolerate physical shock well.
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Electronic Personal Dosimeters (EPDs)
Electronic Personal Dosimeters (EPDs) are small electronic
dosimeters that use a battery to power a detector to measure
the accumulated dose. These devices are widely used in
industrial and medical applications. They can include a dose
rate function and an alarm for pre-determined radiation dose
rates.
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Survey Meters
A survey meter is used to measure radiation dose rates
(sometimes only as an indicative count rate).
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Survey Meters
There is a wide range of survey meters available, from simple
geiger detectors through ionization survey meters to neutron
detectors.
• To accurately measure radiation dose rates,
survey meters must both respond to the type
of radiation under investigation and be
calibrated for the radiation energy (eV).
• It is therefore important that the correct
monitoring equipment for any given type of
radiation is used. Not doing so may result in
failure to detect, or erroneous readings.
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Survey Meters
The simplest meter, the geiger, is very sensitive to even low radiation
dose rates but unless suitably compensated, can give very
misleading readings at lower radiation energies e.g. x-rays.
• In very high dose rates, survey meters
must continue to respond. Some survey
meters may “fold back” and read zero in
very high level radiation fields.
Equipment suitable for customs purposes will
be discussed later.
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Radiation Detection and Dose Rates
Equipment that electrically generates
ionizing radiation (e.g. x-ray apparatus,
linear accelerators etc.) do not emit
radiation unless assembled and
energized.
i.e. the cross-border movement of such
apparatus (say from supplier to end-
user) does not pose a radiation hazard
to Customs officers.
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Radiation Detection and Dose Rates
For properly packaged radioactive materials, the
international transport regulations prescribe
different radiation dose rates for different types
of transport packaging.
• Permitted dose rates generally range from
0 to 2,000 µSv h-1 at the surface of the
package and up to 100 µSv h-1 at 1 metre
from the surface of the package.
Higher dose rates are permitted in special
circumstances which will be dealt with later.
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Spectroscopic Analysis
During the radioactive decay process every radioisotope emits
radiation with distinct energies. The spectrum of energies can be
analysed to determine the identity of the radioisotope (or a mixture
of radioisotopes) that may be present.
Portable instruments are available for this type of analysis.
Ortec Canberra
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Where to Get More Information
International Atomic Energy Agency, Postgraduate
Educational Course in Radiation Protection and the Safety of
Radiation Sources(PGEC), Training Course Series 18
(2002), IAEA, Vienna (2003)
International Atomic Energy, Training on Radiation Protection
in Nuclear Medicine, Module 02 on Radiation Physics, IAEA,
Vienna
(https://rpop.iaea.org/RPOP/RPoP/Content/AdditionalResour
ces/Training/1_TrainingMaterial/NuclearMedicine.htm).
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