Features of direct measurements for evaluation of the volume activity of radionuclides in the air of the working area

Abstract

OBJECT. To consider problematic issues related to measurements of radionuclides in the air of the working area released during repackaging of bulk solid radioactive waste during decommissioning of nuclear energy facilities. To develop a method of direct measurements for operational control of the concentration of radioactive aerosols in the air of the working area, ensuring that the control level is not exceeded by the annual effective dose of personnel.METHODS. To solve this problem, the method of calculating the maximum possible number of alpha particles on the selected sample of the analytical filter AFA-RSP20 was used.RESULTS. A method of operational control of the radiation situation in the workplaces of personnel using direct measurements by portable radiation monitoring devices of the alpha particle flux density from the exposed AFA-RSP20 filter is proposed. The use of this method makes it possible to provide control in cases where the use of standard installations for measuring the volumetric activity of radioactive aerosols is unavailable or impossible. The article describes the relevance of the topic, the calculation of the reference level of the alpha particle flux density from the surface of the AFA-RSP20 filter is given.CONCLUSIONS. Passport characteristics of personal respiratory protection equipment do not provide convincing data on the operation of the filter with a specific pollutant. For the correct decision-making on the use of certain types of personal respiratory protection by personnel working with radioactive waste containing transuranium radionuclides, it is necessary to control the volumetric activity of radionuclides in the air. Based on calculations and direct measurements, it is shown that the use of an operational method for measuring the alpha particle flux density from an exposed AFA-RSP20 filter makes it possible to monitor the radiation situation at personnel workplaces during decommissioning of nuclear energy facilities.

Keywords

• direct measurement
• alpha particle
• radioactive aerosols
• dosimeter radiometer
• control level