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It is designed for determination of qualitative and quantitative composition of gamma-emission radionuclides in field and in laboratory conditions, search of radioactive sources and anomalies, gamma-survey of surface.
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Radiometric and spectrometric instrument PRS – 01 is created taking into account the IAEA recommendations stated in the IAEA TECDOC-1312, (2002) “Detection of Radioactive Material at Borders”, which was jointly sponsored by IAEA, WCO, EUROPOL, and INTERPOL, and UNECE document “Recommendations on Monitoring and Response Procedures for Radioactive Scrap Metal”.
PURPOSE
PRS can be used for:
- Radiation monitoring of vehicles, people and luggage
- Radiation monitoring of scrap metal;
- Conduction of radiation monitoring;
- Application in emergency situations;
- Determination of surface contamination by gamma-radionuclides (ground and other surfaces);
- Upon installation into fixed additional shielding and metrological certification it can be used as laboratory spectrometer.
FEATURES
- High sensitivity to radiation rate changes;
- Quick reaction to radiation rate changes;
- Visual imaging and signalization of control results, simplicity in operation.
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INSTRUMENT OPERATING MODES
PRS can operate in the following modes:
- Initial mode of background acquiring and recording for automatic sources’ detection thresholds setting after switching on (the default acquiring time is 60 sec): "BACKGROUND" – determination of the background radiation intensity and registration of its energy spectrum;
- Sources search mode: "SEARCH" – the search for gamma radiation source;
- "SOURCE" mode – acquiring and recording of the spectra of the detected gamma emissions for their further identification, combined with pre-identification of the source type, based on "artificial - natural" feature, (acquiring time is not regulated, it’s recommended no less than 20 sec);
- Spectrometer mode (use of the instrument with PC and "AkWin" software) performs the following functions:
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- Determination of the radionuclide composition of the identified source using the accumulated spectra;
- Accumulation of the samples’ spectra, processing of these spectra and receiving the samples’ gamma spectrometric analyze results;
- Accumulation of surface area spectra (In Situ measurements), processing of these spectra, obtaining the area surface gamma-contamination results.
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Table 1. Modes and functions of instrument operation
Mode
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Mode function
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Operation result
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Background
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"BACKGROUND" – determination of radiation level at absence of sources and registration of energetic spectrum with specified accumulation duration
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On completion – the calculation of new alarm threshold.
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Search
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"SEARCH" – tracing the current dose rate, when connected earpieces by the signal frequency, and threshold alarm
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Continuous dose rate calculation, displayed on LCD and development of the signals on the background exceeding
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Source
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"SOURCE" – if there is manifestation of radiation source detection – the energy spectrum acquiring
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On completion – saving of the spectrum in flash-memory and identification of belonging of the source to the radionuclide types
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Spectrometer
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Identification of the radionuclides using accumulated spectra, accumulation and processing of samples’ spectra or accumulation and processing of the surface area spectra (In Situ measurements)
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On completion – protocol of measurement results
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Table 2. Mode function "Spectrometer"
№
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Mode function "Spectrometer"
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Geometry name
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1
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Accumulation and processing of the spectrum samples
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Marinelli 0.5 l
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2
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Processing of the area surfaces of spectra
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In Situ
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3
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Identification of radionuclide's per the accumulated spectra
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Source
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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Table 3.
Instrument characteristics
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Characteristics values
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Energy resolution for 662keV line of radionuclide Cs-137, %, no more
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8.0
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Integral nonlinearity of energetic scale, %, no more
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± 1
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Instability of calibrated characteristic for 8 operating hours, %, no more
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± 2
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Maximum input load, с-1
Herewith: - peak’s shift, %, no more
- peak’s widening, %, no more
- "live" time error, %, no more
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1·104
± 2
20
10
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Limits of allowed main error of activity measurement for "Marinelli" geometry – 0.5l in the range:
- above five Minimal Measured Activity (MMA), %, no more
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± 30
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Additional error within the interval of operating temperatures, %
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± 10
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Minimal detected activity (MDA) (in "Marinelli 0.5l" geometry, within measurement time of 3600 sec, at sample density of 1g/cm3, at radiation background no more than 0.15 µSv/hour), without protection, Bq/kg, no more than:
according to Cs-137
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28
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Operating mode setting time, minutes, no more
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2
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Continuous running time, hours, no more
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24
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Number of amplitude channels, no more
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1023
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Number of recorded spectra,
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128
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PRS dimensions, mm (WхHхD)
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70х150х320
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PRS mass with accumulator, kg
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2,3
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PRS FOR INSITU MEASUREMENTS
- Routine measurements of the surface spectra with PRS are simple:
- Attach PRS to tripoid with detector – soil distance 1 m
- Select the measurement position as discussed in instruction manual
- Start acquisition
- Save spectrum
- Process acquired spectra using AkWin software for geometry “InSitu”, all instruments are factory calibrated.
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