First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range
In this work, a robust stand-off alpha detection method using the secondary effects of alpha radiation has been sought. Alpha particles ionise the surrounding atmosphere as they travel. Fluorescence photons produced as a consequence of this can be used to detect the source of the alpha emissions. Th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2017-11-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/12/2756 |
| _version_ | 1798040589888913408 |
|---|---|
| author | Anita J. Crompton Kelum A. A. Gamage Steven Bell Andrew P. Wilson Alex Jenkins Divyesh Trivedi |
| author_facet | Anita J. Crompton Kelum A. A. Gamage Steven Bell Andrew P. Wilson Alex Jenkins Divyesh Trivedi |
| author_sort | Anita J. Crompton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this work, a robust stand-off alpha detection method using the secondary effects of alpha radiation has been sought. Alpha particles ionise the surrounding atmosphere as they travel. Fluorescence photons produced as a consequence of this can be used to detect the source of the alpha emissions. This paper details experiments carried out to detect this fluorescence, with the focus on photons in the ultraviolet C (UVC) wavelength range (180–280 nm). A detector, UVTron R9533 (Hamamatsu, 325-6, Sunayama-cho, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Pref., 430-8587, Japan), designed to detect the UVC emissions from flames for fire alarm purposes, was tested in various gas atmospheres with a 210Po alpha source to determine if this could provide an avenue for stand-off alpha detection. The results of the experiments show that this detector is capable of detecting alpha-induced air fluorescence in normal indoor lighting conditions, as the interference from daylight and artificial lighting is less influential on this detection system which operates below the UVA and UVB wavelength ranges (280–315 nm and 315–380 nm respectively). Assuming a standard 1 r 2 drop off in signal, the limit of detection in this configuration can be calculated to be approximately 240 mm, well beyond the range of alpha-particles in air, which indicates that this approach could have potential for stand-off alpha detection. The gas atmospheres tested produced an increase in the detector count, with xenon having the greatest effect with a measured 52% increase in the detector response in comparison to the detector response in an air atmosphere. This type of alpha detection system could be operated at a distance, where it would potentially provide a more cost effective, safer, and faster solution in comparison with traditional alpha detection methods to detect and characterise alpha contamination in nuclear decommissioning and security applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:09:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f587d6ac41f4f20b4f79f2fef4ee2ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:09:45Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f587d6ac41f4f20b4f79f2fef4ee2ac2022-12-22T04:00:35ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202017-11-011712275610.3390/s17122756s17122756First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength RangeAnita J. Crompton0Kelum A. A. Gamage1Steven Bell2Andrew P. Wilson3Alex Jenkins4Divyesh Trivedi5Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UKSchool of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UKNuclear Metrology Group, National Physical Laboratory, London TW11 0LW, UKIndependent researcher, Warrington WA5 9YX, UKCharacterisation, Inspection & Decontamination Group, Sellafield Ltd., Cumbria CA20 1PG, UKThe National Nuclear Laboratory, Warrington WA3 6AE, UKIn this work, a robust stand-off alpha detection method using the secondary effects of alpha radiation has been sought. Alpha particles ionise the surrounding atmosphere as they travel. Fluorescence photons produced as a consequence of this can be used to detect the source of the alpha emissions. This paper details experiments carried out to detect this fluorescence, with the focus on photons in the ultraviolet C (UVC) wavelength range (180–280 nm). A detector, UVTron R9533 (Hamamatsu, 325-6, Sunayama-cho, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Pref., 430-8587, Japan), designed to detect the UVC emissions from flames for fire alarm purposes, was tested in various gas atmospheres with a 210Po alpha source to determine if this could provide an avenue for stand-off alpha detection. The results of the experiments show that this detector is capable of detecting alpha-induced air fluorescence in normal indoor lighting conditions, as the interference from daylight and artificial lighting is less influential on this detection system which operates below the UVA and UVB wavelength ranges (280–315 nm and 315–380 nm respectively). Assuming a standard 1 r 2 drop off in signal, the limit of detection in this configuration can be calculated to be approximately 240 mm, well beyond the range of alpha-particles in air, which indicates that this approach could have potential for stand-off alpha detection. The gas atmospheres tested produced an increase in the detector count, with xenon having the greatest effect with a measured 52% increase in the detector response in comparison to the detector response in an air atmosphere. This type of alpha detection system could be operated at a distance, where it would potentially provide a more cost effective, safer, and faster solution in comparison with traditional alpha detection methods to detect and characterise alpha contamination in nuclear decommissioning and security applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/12/2756UVTron flame detectorsalpha detectionalpha-induced air fluorescencealpha imagingnuclear decontamination and decommissioning |
| spellingShingle | Anita J. Crompton Kelum A. A. Gamage Steven Bell Andrew P. Wilson Alex Jenkins Divyesh Trivedi First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range Sensors UVTron flame detectors alpha detection alpha-induced air fluorescence alpha imaging nuclear decontamination and decommissioning |
| title | First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range |
| title_full | First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range |
| title_fullStr | First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range |
| title_full_unstemmed | First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range |
| title_short | First Results of Using a UVTron Flame Sensor to Detect Alpha-Induced Air Fluorescence in the UVC Wavelength Range |
| title_sort | first results of using a uvtron flame sensor to detect alpha induced air fluorescence in the uvc wavelength range |
| topic | UVTron flame detectors alpha detection alpha-induced air fluorescence alpha imaging nuclear decontamination and decommissioning |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/12/2756 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anitajcrompton firstresultsofusingauvtronflamesensortodetectalphainducedairfluorescenceintheuvcwavelengthrange AT kelumaagamage firstresultsofusingauvtronflamesensortodetectalphainducedairfluorescenceintheuvcwavelengthrange AT stevenbell firstresultsofusingauvtronflamesensortodetectalphainducedairfluorescenceintheuvcwavelengthrange AT andrewpwilson firstresultsofusingauvtronflamesensortodetectalphainducedairfluorescenceintheuvcwavelengthrange AT alexjenkins firstresultsofusingauvtronflamesensortodetectalphainducedairfluorescenceintheuvcwavelengthrange AT divyeshtrivedi firstresultsofusingauvtronflamesensortodetectalphainducedairfluorescenceintheuvcwavelengthrange |