Re: FW: A question regarding radiation protection instrumentation

[John Andrews <andrewsjp@chartertn.net>]

Michael, your class needs to go into the basic design of pulse counter 

and GM and proportional counter operation including pulse width and 

pulse height.  These are the key factors in understanding the operation 

of these counters.  For the PCM you also need to cover the statistics of 

counting using multiple detectors to properly cover the issue of false 

positive alarms.  You might try to find the 1967 book by James E. Wade 

and G. E. Cunningham of General Electric in Richland Washington entitled 

"Radiation Monitoring, A Programmed Instruction Book" for the basics of 

detector operation.  This was published by the Atomic Energy Commission 

as EDM-123and was available free from the Division of Technical 

Information Extension in Oak Ridge.  I used it to train all my 

technicians when I was in that business.  It covers detector operation 

and monitoring techniques and will be a useful start for your program.



Check with Eberline on training materials for the PCMs.  These are 

complicated by the use of many detectors.



The Teletector may overrespond to N-16, but the RO-2 surely 

underresponds because of the fairly thin wall when used with very high 

energy gamma rays.  Because you ask the question, you need to cover the 

basic design and the uses of the RO-2 or other ion chanber instruments 

for measuring higher energy gamma radiation.



Both Ludlum and Eberline produce Rem balls.  I would check with them for 

information on principles of operation.  I have found that the balls 

using the BF3 detectors can be very sensitive to RF radiation but are 

not as affected by excess gamma radiaton as the scintillation detectors. 

 Scintillation detectors are also affected by magnetic fields.



This course can be fairly difficult.  I suggest that you not try to do 

it all in one course, but instead set up a series of classes covering 

the material in enough detail so that the students can get a real 

understanding.  It would be very valuable for all of you.  You might 

also use your students to do some of your legwork and research.



My best wishes on your success and have fun.



John Andrews

Knoxville, Tennessee



MCCONNELL, MICHAEL E wrote:



>  

>

>> -----Original Message-----

>>From: 	MCCONNELL, MICHAEL E  

>>Sent:	Thursday, March 27, 2003 4:22 PM

>>To:	'radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu'

>>Subject:	A question regarding radiation protection instrumentation

>>

>>The Radiation Protection Manager here at VC Summer Nuclear Station, wants

>>a training class to be given on the following HP survey instruments: REM

>>Ball, Teletector,PCM 1B/2, PM-7, and RM-24 (a hand-held, alpha/beta

>>scintillation, personnel contamination monitor). Specifically, he wants

>>the class to be approached from the tack of students being able to

>>understand the operation of the instruments, then apply that knowledge

>>during their practical application, such that they understand (for

>>example), why a Teletector over-responds to Nitrogen-16 gamma radiation

>>versus an RO-2, how a REM-ball responds to thermal neutrons when exposed

>>to a neutron field at 100% reactor power, and what effect does alpha

>>radiation have on shielding beta radiation if one is using the RM-24 to

>>free-release an individual? Can anyone possibly provide any input that I

>>can use for my class, or steer me in a direction where I can find some

>>information? It'd be much appreciated. Thank you.

>>    

>>





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