Evaluation of a High Pressure Proportional Counter for the Detection of Radioactive Noble Gases.
Abstract
This study evaluates the potential of a newly constructed high pressure proportional counter for the detection of radioactive noble gases. The detector was constructed from stainless and machinable ceramic, incorporating design recommendations from a previous study. A new gas handling system was designed and constructed, incorporating a convective flow purification tube filled with calcium turnings. External sources were used to characterize the performance of the detector using pure argon, argon quenched with varying amounts of methane, a binary mixture (80:20) of argon and xenon, and pure xenon as fill gases. Resolutions were measured as a function of anode voltage and then intrinsic efficiencies were calculated at the optimum resolutions. A radioactive gas sample was not evaluated when it was found that the field tubes, as designed, did not eliminate the end effects in the detector causing the multiplicaation to vary along the length of the anode. Consequently, the resolution with an internal sample would not be adequate to perform the required analysis. Additionally, the purification process did not reduce the level of impurities in the available grade of xenon (99.9% pure) to produce useable spectra. Installation of new field tubes, prior to further evaluation of this system, is recommended.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA154436
Entities
People
- W. Lucyshyn
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology