Portable Radon Monitor-SMART RnDuo

Scintillation technology for continuous radon monitoring

First time a sensitive alpha scintillation

technique for continuous radon monitoring.

No interference from humidity in sample gas

and hence does not require dryer

Inbuilt thoron cut off device

Battery operable and easily portable

Easy replacement of detector (ZnS(Ag))

Designed for multiple applications

INTRODUCTION:
The radon measurements are based on detection of alpha
emitted from radon and its decay products formed in a
scintillation cell. The alpha scintillation technique has
many advantages over the solid state alpha spectroscopy
technique (AST) currently in use. The technique is more
sensitive for radon than alpha spectroscopy technique.
More importantly, the measurements with scintillation
detector are unaffected by humidity and trace gas
concentrations present in sample gas. In spite of these
advantages of scintillation technique over spectroscopy
technique, its use was limited to only manual sampling and
single time measurements.
DESCRIPTION:
The model SMART RnDuo is a technologically advanced
real time radon and thoron monitor that automatically
compensates the background counts due to decay
products of radon/thoron and thus able to measure
automatically
the
online
continuous
radon
concentrations.
Air is sampled into the scintillation cell (150 cc) through a
progeny filter and thoron barrier. The alpha scintillations
from radon and its decay products formed inside the cell
are continuously counted by the PMT and the associated
counting electronics. The alpha counts obtained are
processed by a microprocessor unit as per the developed
algorithm to display the concentration of radon/thoron.

The automated continuous monitoring of radon was not

possible due to complications arising from the building up
activities of radon decay product and their disequilibrium
in scintillation cell with varying radon concentrations being
sampled. A marvelous algorithm was developed in-house
for successful deployment of scintillation technology to
continuously measure radon concentration. The algorithm
is based on the theoretical decay and growth of decay
products of radon during the ongoing measurement cycle
and from the radon concentration in history.

FEATURES:
Measures and reports radon/thoron
concentration in real time
Makes use of alpha from radon and its
decay products Po-218 and Po-214
formed inside detector volume.
Flow and diffusion mode of sampling
Easy replacement of ZnS:Ag scintillation
screen
Radon measurements are independent
of sampling flow rate.
No effect of humidity content of sample
gas on radon measurements
APPLICATIONS:
Indoor and outdoor radon
measurements in air
Measurement of radon in water
Radon survey in caves, seismic sites and
other geological importance regions

Inbuilt Thoron gas barrier into sampling path

Thoron rejection independent of sampling flow rate
Very safe operation. No electronic component or high voltage in
detector volume.
No chance of damage to PMT or electronics by entry of water or
chemical vapors along with sample
Easily replaceable scintillation cell
Quick field calibration with standard scintillation cell
TTL port for data transfer
Battery operable and easily portable
Sample drying not required

Measurement of radon emission from various sources such as

building materials, soil, rocks, coal, fly-ash, U tailings etc
Workplace monitoring such as U mine, tailings pond
Soil gas radon measurement for Uranium exploration
Calibration of radon active or passive detector system

SPECIFICATIONS:
Subject to change without notice

Detector type

ZnS:Ag scintillation detector

Scintillation volume

153 cm3

Sensitivity

1.2 CPH/(Bq/m3)

Sampling type

Diffusion / Flow

Sampling flow rate

0.5 to 2 L/min

Measurement cycle time

15 / 60 min for radon mode, 15 /30/ 60 min for thoron mode

User settable 001 to 999 min for Alpha mode

Memory

Approx. 32000 numbers of readings can be stored

Response time

20 minutes for attaining 63% of radon, 40 min for attaining 63% of radon
2 min for thororn

Minimum detection limit

8 Bq/m3 at 1 d and 1 h cycle

Upper detection limit

50 MBq/m3

Sampling flow rate

0.5 to 2 L/min

Thoron interference in radon

< 5% with sniffing mode of sampling

Power

Ext. 12 V Power Adopter operating in 110- 240 V AC 50/60 Hz , Internal

6 V 4.2 mAh DC Battery having backup up to 32 hours

Dimension and weight

34 cm x 15 cm x 12 cm, 3.6 Kg

44.5 CPH/(pCi/L)