Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Development of low-cost, compact, real-time, and wireless radiation monitoring system in underwater environment

  • Received : 2017.10.12
  • Accepted : 2018.03.25
  • Published : 2018.06.25
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

In this study, an underwater radiation detector was built using a GAGG(Ce) scintillator and silicon photomultiplier to establish an underwater radiation exposure monitoring system. The GAGG(Ce) scintillator is suitable for small radiation detectors as it strongly absorbs gamma rays and has a high light emission rate with no deliquescent properties. Additionally, the silicon photomultiplier is a light sensor with characteristics such as small size and low applied voltage. Further, a program and mobile app were developed to monitor the radiation coefficient values generated from the detector. According to the results of the evaluation of the characteristics of the underwater radiation monitoring system, when tested for its responsiveness to radiation intensity and reactivity, the system exhibited a coefficient of determination of at least 0.99 with respect to the radiation source distance. Additionally, when tested for its underwater environmental temperature dependence, the monitoring system exhibited an increase in the count rate up to a certain temperature because of the increasing dark current and a decrease in the count rate because of decreasing overvoltage. Extended studies based on the results of this study are expected to greatly contribute to immediate and continuing evaluation of the degree of radioactive contamination in underwater environments.

Keywords

References

  1. Y. Zhang, C. Li, D. Liu, Y. Zhang, Y. Liu, Monte Carlo simulation of a NaI(Tl) detector for in situ radioactivity measurements in the marine environment, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 98 (2015) 44-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.01.009
  2. B. Sanaei, M.T. Baei, S.Z. Sayyed-Alangi, Characterization of a new silicon photomultiplier in comparison with a conventional photomultiplier tube, J. Mod. Phys. 6 (2015) 425-433. https://doi.org/10.4236/jmp.2015.64046
  3. Silicon Photomultiplier Photo Sensor, Hamamatsu, (http://www.hamamatsu.com/resources/pdf/ssd/s13360_series_kapd1052e.pdf).
  4. S. Yamamoto, Y. Ogata, A compact and high efficiency GAGG well counter for radiocesium concentration measurements, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. Phys. A 753 (2014) 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2014.03.030
  5. Ce:GAGG scintillator, Epic crystal, (http://www.epic-crystal.com/shop_reviews/gaggce-scintillator/).
  6. J. Chavanelle, M. Parmentier, A CsI(Tl)-PIN photodiode gamma-ray probe, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 504 (2003) 321-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(03)00761-7
  7. H.S. Kim, J.H. Ha, S.H. Park, S.Y. Cho, Y.K. Kim, Fabrication and performance characteristics of a CsI(Tl)/PIN diode radiation sensor for industrial applications, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 67 (2009) 1463-1465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.02.042
  8. H.M. Park, K.S. Joo, Development and performance characteristics of personal gamma spectrometer for radiation monitoring applications, Sensors 16 (2016) 919-924. https://doi.org/10.3390/s16060919
  9. H.M. Park, K.H. Park, S.W. Kang, K.S. Joo, Feasibility of in situ beta ray measurements in underwater environment, J. Environ. Radioact. 175-176 (2017) 120-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.05.008
  10. Paldang Dam, Location: Gyeonggi, South Korea, East Asia. Coordinates: 37 310 36.100" ($37.5267^{\circ}$) N, $127^{\circ}$ 16' 4500" (127.2792) E, 2016. https://mapcarta.com/25952216.
  11. N. Serra, G. Giacomini, A. Piazza, C. Piemonte, A. Tarolli, N. Zorzi, Experimental and TCAD study of breakdown voltage temperature behavior in $^{n+}/p$ SiPMs, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science 58 (2011) 1233-1240. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2011.2123919
  12. M. Ramilli, Characterization of SiPM: temperature dependencies, in: IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record, 2008, pp. 2467-2470.
  13. S. Piatek, Effects of Temperature on the Gain of a SiPM, Hamamatsu 2016. https://www.hamamatsu.com/us/en/community/optical_sensors/articles/temperature_and_sipm_gain/index.html.

Cited by

  1. 방류수의 방사능 오염 측정을 위한 배열형 SiPM 기반 방사선 검출 센서 제작 vol.27, pp.4, 2018, https://doi.org/10.5369/jsst.2018.27.4.232
  2. Feasibility of underwater radiation detector using a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) vol.15, pp.4, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/15/04/p04013
  3. Development of Microcontroller-Based System for Background Radiation Monitoring vol.20, pp.24, 2018, https://doi.org/10.3390/s20247322
  4. Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO3(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions vol.21, pp.5, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/s21051606