Ultra secure high reliability wireless radiation monitoring system

摘要

Radiation monitoring in nuclear facilities is essential to operate the equipment safely and protect personnel. Specifically, typical air monitoring of radioactive gases or particulates involves complex systems of valves, pumps, piping and electronics. The challenge is to measure a representative sample in areas that are radioactively contaminated. Existing air monitoring systems depend on an array of piping into the process rooms for sampling the environment. Monitors are located in clean areas, and a system of pumps and valves is used to draw an air sample into a radiation detector. Limit switches are required on the valves to ensure they are in the open or closed state, and flow switches are required to ensure a representative air sample is drawn into the detector. A programmable logic controller (PLC), or similar control system, continuously cycles the valves so that each monitoring point is sampled at the required interval to ensure safety of personnel.