High gas flow alpha detector
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsRichard D. Bolton, John A. Bounds, Mohini W. Rawool-Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alpha detector for application in areas of high velocity gas flows, such as smokestacks and air vents. A plurality of spaced apart signal collectors are placed inside an enclosure, which would include smokestacks and air vents, in sufficient numbers to substantially span said enclosure so that gas ions generated within the gas flow are electrostatically captured by the signal collector means. Electrometer means and a voltage source are connected to the signal collectors to generate an electrical field between adjacent signal collectors, and to indicate a current produced through collection of the gas ions by the signal collectors.
Claims24
An alpha detector for detecting alpha radiation in a high volume flow of gas comprising:
- an enclosure defining openings at two ends;
- an odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors insulatively mounted in said enclosure defining first and last signal collectors, said odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors being arranged parallel to said high volume flow of gas through said openings and comprising sufficient numbers to substantially span said enclosure so that gas ions generated within said gas flow are electrostatically captured by said odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors;
- electrometer means connected between said first and last signal collectors and alternating signal collectors therebetween of said odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors and ground for measuring a flow of electrical current between adjacent signal collectors generated by said capture of said gas ions;
- and
- a voltage source connected between ground and said signal planes of said odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors not connected to said electrometer means for generating an electric field between said adjacent signal collectors;
- wherein gas ions created through collision of gas molecules with alpha particles will be attracted to said plurality of spaced apart signal collectors and produce a signal in said electrometer.
An alpha detector for detecting alpha radiation in a high volume flow of gas comprising:
- an enclosure defining openings at two ends;
- an odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors insulatively mounted in said enclosure defining first and last signal collectors, said odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors being arranged parallel to said high volume flow of gas through said openings and comprising sufficient numbers to substantially span said enclosure so that gas ions generated within said gas flow are electrostatically captured by said odd-numbered plurality of spaced apart signal collectors;
- a voltage source connected to said first and last signal collectors and to alternating signal collectors therebetween of said plurality of spaced apart signal collectors for generating an electric field between adjacent signal collectors;
- electrometer means connected to said electrical source and to signal planes of said plurality of spaced apart signal collectors not connected to said electical source for measuring the flow of electrical current between said adjacent signal collectors generated by capture of said gas ions;
- and
- wherein gas ions created through collision of an gas molecules with alpha particles will be attracted to one of said plurality of spaced apart signal collectors and produce a signal in said electrometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.