A High Sensitivity Noble Gas Stack Effluent Monitor for CANDU Power Reactors

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S. Kupca

Abstract

A high sensitivity noble gas monitor using a NaI(T1) scintillation detector has been developed to meet the stack monitoring requirements for the Bruce power reactors. This system offers approximately two orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over the Geiger-Mueller based instruments presently used in CANDU reactors. The increased sensitivity is required for the Bruce and subsequent reactors for which an increased stack flow results in a low specific activity of the gaseous effluent. Using unique spectrum splitting and compensation techniques, the instrument provides an output directly in the required energy compensated units (Bq.MeV/m3). Laboratory and field tests of a prototype have confirmed that this instrument can satisfy the target specifications.

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