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At least 19 records

Measuring the Aerosol Collection Efficiency and Detector Face Deposition of the Bladewerx KatanaGBM™ (Glove Box Monitor) Continuous Air Monitor

To assist Bladewerx LLC (the Requestor) in testing their new CAM (continuous air monitor) sampler model Bladewerx™ KatanaGBM™ (Glove Box Monitor), the Laboratory (LANL, i.e. Los Alamos National Laboratory) measured the aerosol particle collection efficiency and detector face deposition for several experimental test conditions. Bladewerx LLC provided a prototype KatanaGBM with a set of requested tests. According to these parameters, LANL designed and performed a series of experiments to (A.) Measure the aerosol particle collection efficiency and detector face deposition of the KatanaGBM at three air flow rates of 5, 42, and 70 ALPM (ambient liters per minute), (B.) Measure the collection efficiency and detector face deposition using two sizes of oil droplet particles: 3±1 and 10±1 µm (micron) AED (aerodynamic equivalent diameter), and (C.) Test the KatanaGBM for aerosol collection efficiency and detector face deposition with the wind tunnel’s air flow at three different angles 0°, 45° and 90° (compared to the KatanaGBM’s filter face).

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Analysis and Recommendation of Tritium Gas Continuous Air Monitor Alarm Setpoints for the RPL Stack Exhaust

The Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) tritium continuous air monitor (CAM) is used for near real-time detection of tritium gas (i.e., elemental tritium [HT] and tritiated water vapor [HTO]) in the stack exhaust. The CAM interfaces with software developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)—called the “PNNL OS3700 Tritium Monitoring Software”—that provides near real-time estimates of tritium gas air concentrations and integrated daily activities that are calculated from measured CAM counts. The OS3700 software implements alarm setpoints to alert the facility of larger tritium gas releases that if allowed to persist, could begin to challenge permitted emission and established dose constraints. This report performs a detailed review of historical and current tritium alarm setpoints used at RPL, including discussion of the technical basis used in their development, analysis of alarm frequencies using measured historical data, and performs a detailed dose assessment using more realistic release scenarios and meteorology. Based on the results, the tritium air concentration and integrated daily tritium activity alarm setpoints will remain 2.0 × 10 -5 µCi/ml and 25 Ci/day, respectively. These setpoints achieve the right operational balance in identifying larger releases from planned tritium work at RPL, without being overly conservative so as to cause nuisance alarming. Furthermore, implied doses associated with these setpoints are well below defined and regulatory limits.

325RPL↗

Analysis and Recommendation of Alpha-Beta Continuous Air Monitor Alarm Setpoints for the RPL Stack Exhaust

The Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) alpha-beta continuous air monitor (CAM) is used for real-time detection of “artificial” alpha-beta particulates from the stack exhaust. The CAM interfaces with software developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory—called the “PNNL OS3300 Alpha-Beta Monitoring Software”—that provides real-time estimates of alpha-beta air concentrations and integrated activities that are calculated from measured CAM counts. The OS3300 software has alarm setpoints that can be used to provide an early indication of larger releases, that if allowed to persist, could approach defined dose limits. This report performs a detailed review of historical and current alarm setpoints used at RPL, including discussion of the technical basis used in their development, analysis of alarm frequencies using measured historical data, and performs a detailed dose assessment using more realistic release scenarios, meteorology, and adjustment factors used in estimating released stack activity. Based on the results, the alpha and beta air concentration alarm setpoints will remain 1.77 × 10 -8 µCi/ml and 3.47 × 10 -8 µCi/ml, respectively; and the alpha and beta integrated activity alarm setpoints will remain 70.22 µCi and 137.63 µCi, respectively. These setpoints achieve the right operational balance in identifying larger releases from planned radiological work at RPL, without being overly conservative so as to cause nuisance alarming. Furthermore, implied doses associated with these setpoints are below defined and regulatory limits.

325RPL↗

Prototype development and test results of a continuous ambient air monitoring system for hydrazine at the 10 ppb level

A Hydrazine Vapor Area Monitor (HVAM) system is currently being field tested as a detector for the presence of hydrazine in ambient air. The MDA/Polymetron Hydrazine Analyzer has been incorporated within the HVAM system as the core detector. This analyzer is a three-electrode liquid analyzer typically used in boiler feed water applications. The HVAM system incorporates a dual-phase sample collection/transport method which simultaneously pulls ambient air samples containing hydrazine and a very dilute sulfuric acid solution (0.0001 M) down a length of 1/4 inch outside diameter (OD) tubing from a remote site to the analyzer. The hydrazine-laden dilute acid stream is separated from the air and the pH is adjusted by addition of a dilute caustic solution to a pH greater than 10.2 prior to analysis. Both the dilute acid and caustic used by the HVAM are continuously generated during system operation on an "as needed" basis by mixing a metered amount of concentrated acid/base with dilution water. All of the waste water generated by the analyzer is purified for reuse by Barnstead ion-exchange cartridges so that the entire system minimizes the generation of waste materials. The pumping of all liquid streams and mixing of the caustic solution and dilution water with the incoming sample are done by a single pump motor fitted with the appropriate mix of peristaltic pump heads. The signal to noise (S/N) ratio of the analyzer has been enhanced by adding a stirrer in the MDA liquid cell to provide mixing normally generated by the high liquid flow rate designed by the manufacturer. An onboard microprocessor continuously monitors liquid levels, sample vacuum, and liquid leak sensors, as well as handles communications and other system functions (such as shut down should system malfunctions or errors occur). The overall system response of the HVAM can be automatically checked at regular intervals by measuring the analyzer response to a metered amount of calibration standard injected into the dilute acid stream. The HVAM system provides two measurement ranges (threshold limit value (TLV): 10 to 1000 parts per billion (ppb)/LEAK: 100 ppb to 10 parts per million (ppm)). The LEAK range is created by dilution of the sulfuric acid/hydrazine liquid sample with pure water. This dual range capability permits the analyzer to quantify ambient air samples whose hydrazine concentrations range from 10 ppb to as high as 10 ppm. The laboratory and field prototypes have demonstrated total system response times on the order of 10 to 12 minutes for samples ranging from 10 to 900 ppb in the lLV mode and is greater than 2 minutes for samples ranging from 100 to 1300 ppb in the LEAK mode. Service intervals of over 3 months have been demonstrated for continuous 24 hour/day, 7 day/week usage. The HVAM is made up of a purged cabinet that contains power supplies, RS422 signal transmission capabilities, a UPS, an on-site warning system, and a Line Replaceable Unit (LRU). The LRU includes all of the liquid flow system, the analyzer, the control/data system microprocessor and assorted flow and liquid-level sensors. The LRU is mounted on a track slide system so it can be serviced inplace or totally removed and quickly exchanged with another calibrated unit, thus minimizing analyzer downtime. Once an LRU is removed from an analyzer enclosure, it can be brought to a laboratory facility for complete calibration and periodic maintenance.

Meneghelli, Barry↗

Actinide in Air (Rn-Progeny Rejected) Alpha Spectroscopy With Tensioned Metastable Fluid Detectors

Here, this article discusses outcome of research for deriving a methodology and apparatus for ascertaining for the presence of ultratrace-level actinides in air from their alpha emission signatures, while remaining blind to the relatively large (1000× higher activity) alpha emissions from Rn-progeny. Apparatus and techniques were developed to collect and characterize alpha-emitting nuclides of Rn-progeny and actinides in air on a polycarbonate 3 μm pore size continuous air monitor (CAM) filter. A wet-chemistry approach was developed and validated for successfully separating the Rn-progeny alpha emitting isotopes of Po-214 and Po-218, while extracting the actinides (U, Pu, Am) in a fluid mixture that is suitable for conduct of alpha spectroscopy with a centrifugally tensioned metastable fluid detector (CTMFD). The resulting α-TMFD technology was compared against the state-of-art “Alpha-Sentry™” Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) system commonly utilized world-wide. Results indicate that the α-TMFD technology can potentially offer complementary and superior performance in multiple performance categories, and ∼18× improvement in the time to detect (e.g., at 0.02 derived air concentration (DAC) within ∼3 h, versus ∼70 h for Alpha-Sentry) for actinides of interest while also remaining ∼100% blind to ∼10 3 × higher Rn-progeny background—with the added potential for offering few keV scale energy resolution without resorting to peak shape fitting, versus ∼300–400 keV for existing CAM systems.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

PNNL OS3300 Alpha/Beta Monitoring System Software and Hardware Operations Manual (Rev.2)

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) OS3300 Alpha/Beta Monitoring System Software and Hardware Operations Manual describes how to operate the software and hardware on a personal computer in conjunction with the Berthold Technologies LB150D continuous air monitor. Included are operational details for the software functions and information about how to read and use the dropdown menus and how to understand readings and calculations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A summary of air sampler filter performance data: Bladewerx Speclon 5(TM) and Millipore FMLW047 5um

Bladewerx™ LLC (Rio Rancho, NM) manufactures instrumentation, neutron shielding and activation foils for the radiation protection industry. Specializing in portable alpha/beta air monitors and sample counters, Bladewerx is the source of Speclon 5™ PTFE filter media that they recommend for high-resolution alpha spectroscopy. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) utilizes Speclon™ filter material in CAM (Continuous Air Monitor) samplers for workplace air monitoring. Millipore FMLW (5μm) filters are also used at Los Alamos, and a comparison of the two filter types has been requested. For filter face air velocities from 0.066 m/s to 1.5 m/s, the aerosol collection efficiency (for 0.3 μm particle diameters) and the filter pressure drops were measured. The FWHM (full width half maximum) of alpha spectroscopy peaks was also determined, using naturally occurring radon progeny at an alpha energy of 6 MeV.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Alpha-Imaging Detector System Development for Large Area Monitoring

Effective management and disposal of legacy nuclear waste are essential for ensuring safe work environments and minimizing environmental impacts. Monitoring airborne actinide contamination is particularly critical due to the high internal dose potential of alpha-emitting radionuclides. Traditional continuous air monitoring systems (CAMs) used in the industry are limited in the volume of air they can sample, potentially leading to inaccurate radiation detection over large areas. For example, in 2018, elevated levels of airborne Plutonium-239 were detected beyond the controlled areas of the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant, highlighting the potential risks to both plant workers and nearby residents. To address these challenges, high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) air purifiers can enhance air flow by up to 1.5 orders of magnitude, thereby increasing monitoring efficiency and providing a cost-effective solution for large-area surveillance. To quantify the activities of alpha-emitting radionuclides on HEPA filters, the Savannah River National Laboratory is developing an advanced alpha-imaging detection system. This system includes scintillating materials combined with a digital scientific camera. A significant concern in operating such a large-area airborne monitoring system is the handling of HEPA filters, which may be contaminated with radioactive particles. To mitigate these hazards, it is crucial to ensure that any contamination is securely fixed onto the filters. Efforts have been made to optimize the sensitivity of scintillator-epoxy composites and apply them to HEPA filters. These materials were characterized using fluoroscence spectroscopy. These techniques confirmed the purity of the raw materials, the dispersion of scintillators in the epoxy matrix, and the stability of their optical and structural properties post-modification. The optimal scintillator-epoxy composite was selected for use on alpha-spiked HEPA filters to evaluate the efficiency of the sprayer. HEPA filters, embedded with alpha particles collected by an air purifier deployed in an airborne radiation area, have been tested to assess detection efficiency. Future work will focus on employing multiple imaging sensors simultaneously to enhance sensitivity across different regions of the HEPA filter.

Pham, Phuong [Savannah River National Laboratory (↗

Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Low Activity Waste Facility Stack Effluent Monitoring - Sampling Probe Location Qualification Evaluation

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant low activity waste (LAW) facility stack monitor locations were qualified using scale model stacks to mitigate the risk of identifying that sampling locations do not meet the qualification criteria on the full-scale stack. As required by the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society (ANSI/HPS) N13.1-1999 standard, the scale model and its sampling location were geometrically similar to the actual stack and the Reynolds numbers for both the actual and model stacks were >10,000. An additional criterion is that the product of the hydraulic diameter and mean velocity (DV) of the full-scale stack must be between 1/6 DV and 6 DV of the scale model stack tests. Verification tests of the LAW stacks were performed at normal operating conditions. The minimum 1/6 DV value, along with the maximum 6 DV value from the scale model testing determines the range of conditions for which the full-scale stack may be operated and remain in compliance with the stack verification criterion. Based on these DV values, the corresponding stack flow rates for each of the LAW stacks are 815–55,758 scfm for LV-S1, 980–112,078 scfm for LV-S2, 264–22,901 scfm for LV-S3, and 981–79,832 scfm for LV-C2. The remaining criteria for the stack verification to be considered valid involve the flow angle and velocity uniformity results. First, the flow angle at the full-scale stack must be =20°. Second, the velocity uniformity at the full-scale stack must be =20% coefficient of variance (COV). Finally, the velocity uniformity results for the actual and scale model stack tests must agree within 5% COV. These criteria were met through the full-scale stack tests at the LAW facility. Flow angle results were primarily less than 10°, except for one LV-S2 Fan A result, which was 13.2°; all flow angle results were within the =20° criterion. The velocity uniformity results for each test condition ranged between 1.5 COV and 9.2% COV, which were all within the range of the target % COV values from the scale model tests. Based on these stack verification test results, the four LAW filtered exhaust stack sampling locations meet the qualification criteria provided in the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 standard for all fan operating configurations. This includes single-fan operating conditions for LV-S1 and LV-S2, dual-fan operations for LV-S3 at both the continuous air monitor and record sampler locations, and both the single-fan as well as the dual-fan operations for LV-C2. Further changes to the system configuration or operating conditions that are outside the bounds described in this report may require additional tests or analyses to determine compliance with the standard.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Aerosol Engineering Facility 2021-22 summary sheet [Slides]

The Aerosol Engineering Facility solves problems that involve radioactive particulates, including HEPA air filters, storage containers, exhaust stacks, and continuous air monitors. Other work includes silica dust sampling, bioaerosols, and insecticide sprays. Aerosol technology science describes the behavior of microscopic and nano-sized particles, in both molecular and continuum gas flow regimes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

RCT Continuing Training: Radiological Emergency Response

Objectives: 1) List the revised initial response and supplemental actions while responding to a major injury inside of a radiological area; 2) List the initial response and supplemental actions while responding to a minor injury inside of a radiological area; 3) List the initial response and supplemental actions for responding to a Continuous Air Monitoring (CAM) alarm; 4) List the initial response and supplemental actions for responding to a radioactive spill; 5) List the initial response and supplemental actions of responding to an Area Radiation Monitor (ARM) alarm; 6) List the initial response and supplemental actions of an Electronic Personal Dosimeter (EPD) dose and dose rate alarm; 7) List the initial response and supplemental actions of responding to a Stationary Contamination Monitor (SCM) alarm; 8) Identify the methods to perform personnel decontamination.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Optimal Estimation-Based Algorithm to Retrieve Aerosol Optical Properties for GEMS Measurements Over Asia

The Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) is scheduled to be in orbit in 2019 onboard the GEO-KOMPSAT 2B satellite and will continuously monitor air quality over Asia. The GEMS will make measurements in the UV spectrum (300-500 nm) with 0.6 nm resolution. In this study, an algorithm is developed to retrieve aerosol optical properties from UV-visible measurements for the future satellite instrument and is tested using 3 years of existing OMI L1B data. This algorithm provides aerosol optical depth (AOD), single scattering albedo (SSA) and aerosol layer height (ALH) using an optimized estimation method. The retrieved AOD shows good correlation with Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD with correlation coefficients of 0.83, 0.73 and 0.80 for heavy-absorbing fine (HAF) particles, dust and non-absorbing (NA) particles, respectively. However, regression tests indicate underestimation and overestimation of HAF and NA AOD, respectively. In comparison with AOD from the OMI/Aura Near-UV Aerosol Optical Depth and Single Scattering Albedo 1-orbit L2 Swath 13 km x 24 km V003 (OMAERUV) algorithm, the retrieved AOD has a correlation coefficient of 0.86 and linear regression equation, AOD(sub GEMS) = 1.18AOD(sub OMAERUV) + 0.09. An uncertainty test based on a reference method, which estimates retrieval error by applying the algorithm to simulated radiance data, revealed that assumptions in the spectral dependency of aerosol absorptivity in the UV cause significant errors in aerosol property retrieval, particularly the SSA retrieval. Consequently, retrieved SSAs did not show good correlation with AERONET values. The ALH results were qualitatively compared with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) products and were found to be well correlated for highly absorbing aerosols. The difference between the attenuated-backscatter-weighted height from CALIOP and retrieved ALH were mostly closed to zero when the retrieved AOD is higher than 0.8 and SSA is lower than 0.93. Although retrieval accuracy was not significantly improved, the simultaneous consistent retrieval of AOD, SSA and ALH alone demonstrates the value of this stand-alone algorithm, given their nature for error using other methods. The use of these properties as input parameters for the air mass factor calculation is expected to improve the retrieval of other trace gases over Asia.

Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer ↗

multiplex gas chromatography: A novel analytical technique for future planetary studies

Determination of molecular species comprised of the biogenic elements in the atmospheres of planets and moons of the solar system is one the foremost requirements of the exobiologist studying chemical evolution and the origin of life. Multiplex chromatography is a technique where many samples are pseudo-randomly introduced to the chromatograph without regard to elution of preceding components. The resulting data are then reduced using mathematical techniques such as cross correlation or Fourier Transforms. To demonstrate the utility of this technique for future solar system exploration, chemical modulators were developed. Several advantages were realized from this technique in combination with these modulators: improvement in detection limits of several orders of magnitude, improvement in the analysis of complex mixtures by selectively modulating some of the components present in the sample, increase in the number of analyses that can be conducted in a given period of time, and reduction in the amount of expendables needed to run an analysis. In order to apply this technique in a real application, methane in ambient air was monitored continuously over a period of one week. By using ambient air as its own carrier all expendables beyond power were eliminated.

Valentin, J. R.↗

ANITA Air Monitoring on the International Space Station: Results Compared to Other Measurements

ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) is a flight experiment precursor for a permanent continuous air quality monitoring system on the ISS (International Space Station). For the safety of the crew, ANITA can detect and quantify quasi-online and simultaneously 33 gas compounds in the air with ppm or sub-ppm detection limits. The autonomous measurement system is based on FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy). The system represents a versatile air quality monitor, allowing for the first time the detection and monitoring of trace gas dynamics in a spacecraft atmosphere. ANITA operated on the ISS from September 2007 to August 2008. This paper summarizes the results of ANITA s air analyses with emphasis on comparisons to other measurements. The main basis of comparison is NASA s set of grab samples taken onboard the ISS and analysed on ground applying various GC-based (Gas Chromatography) systems.

Honne, A.↗

PNNL OS3700 Tritium Monitoring System Software and Hardware Operations Manual (Rev.2)

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) OS3700 Tritium Monitoring System Software and Hardware Operations Manual describes how to install and operate the software and hardware on a personal computer operating in conjunction with the Berthold Technologies LB110 flow-through proportional counter detector system. Included are operational details for the software functions, how to read and use the dropdown menus, how to understand readings and calculations, and how to access the database tables.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An Evaluation of the ASM2000 software

The ASM2000 software is based on the NetCAM3 software (currently installed at RLUOB) with the main difference being enhanced multi-CAM head support. Therefore, as the NetCAM3 software has been previously tested, the current evaluation concentrated on performance related to multi-head operation. In addition, bug fixes and improvements to prior versions of the NetCAM3 code were incorporated into the ASM2000 V2.0.0 software package.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗