Sensitivity enhancement for airborne radioactivity monitoring system to detect reactor coolant leaks
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorKingsley F. Graham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring radioactivity associated with nuclear reactor coolant leaks. The method includes providing a delay tank in a gas sampling line upstream of a radiation particulate monitor, the delay tank allowing radioactive noble gases from the leak to decay to radioactive daughter particulates that are monitored by the radiation particulate monitor. The apparatus includes the delay tank as well as a background delay tank and a valve sequencer for comparing radiation associated with the delay tank to radiation associated with the background delay tank.
Claims14
A method of detecting nuclear reactor radioactive gas leaks, including the steps of:
- a. providing a sample line for sampling radioactive gases leaking from a nuclear reactor;
- b. providing a first delay tank in said sample line downstream from said nuclear reactor, said first delay tank sized to retain said radioactive gases for a sufficient residence time to enable said radioactive gases to decay to radionuclide particulates;
- c. providing an airborne radioactive particulate monitoring means in said sample line downstream from said first delay tank;
- d. measuring the activity associated with said radionuclide particulates with said airborne radioactive particulate monitoring means.
In a nuclear reactor radioactivity monitoring system having a sampling line for sampling transporting radioactive gases leaking from a reactor, the improvement comprising a first delay tank in said sampling line downstream from said reactor for holding said radioactive gases for a residence time sufficient to enable said radioactive gases to decay to airborne radionuclide particulates susceptible to activity measurement, and further including an in-line airborne radioactive particulate monitor downstream from said first delay tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.