RU2367977C1 - Transport portal radiation monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics, measurement.

SUBSTANCE: invention is related to the field of environment protection, and more precisely, to facilities of radiation-hazardous substances registration in process of their transportation through monitor in transport means. Substance of invention consists in the fact that monitor is made in the form of premise of hangar type closed by automatic gates, in concrete floor of which evenly along its whole length, grooves are arranged. In these grooves the first detectors 1 are installed (floor), and the second detectors 2 are installed on two beams mounted on both sides along ceiling part of closed premises, closing zones of lowered sensitivity of floor detectors 1. Grooves with detectors 1 in floor part of premises are closed aflush by protective plugs, and electric cables from detectors, gates and traffic lights are taken out of the limits of closed premise for transport vehicle into operator's room, where monitor control panel is installed.

EFFECT: higher sensitivity of control due to maximum proximity of detectors to transport vehicle.

3 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of environmental protection, and more particularly to a means of registering radiation-hazardous substances when moving them through a monitor in vehicles.

In known portal radiation monitors for vehicle monitoring, scintillation detectors are placed in side racks. The number of racks can be different and depends on the maximum length of vehicles passed through the monitor and on the problem being solved.

In particular, a portal monitor is known that implements a method for detecting an ionizing radiation source in a moving object according to RF patent No. 2142644, IPC G01T 1/166, dated June 23, 1998, containing two measuring columns, an electronics unit with a microprocessor and an external remote control with LEDs, providing a stylized car image (mimic).

The disadvantage is the remote position of the detectors from the measurement object and the inability to determine the presence of a radiation source across the width of the vehicle.

As a prototype, a transport portal radiation monitor was selected that contains some volume for placing the vehicle, radiation detection detectors located in two side and four corner racks, an electronics unit with a microprocessor, a control panel and an information display unit, presence sensors and road blockers ( RF patent №2245563, IPC G01T 1/167 from 08/18/2003).

As in the above device, radiation detectors are placed in side racks. In this case, the same problems may arise as in the above analogue.

An object of the present invention is to provide a protected volume for monitoring a vehicle with a high monitoring sensitivity and maximum proximity of the detectors to the vehicle and providing control in three coordinates.

The problem is solved as follows.

In a transport portal radiation monitor containing a volume for placing a vehicle, detectors for detecting radioactive radiation, an electronics unit with a microprocessor, a control panel and an information display unit, as well as presence sensors, according to the invention, the volume for placing a vehicle is made in the form of a closed room with automatic entry-exit gates and traffic lights, the first detectors are placed in transverse grooves made uniformly along the entire length of the concrete floor indoor, and the second detectors are placed on two beams installed on both sides along the ceiling of the enclosed space perpendicular to the first detectors and with overlapping zones of low sensitivity of the first detectors, while the transverse grooves with the detectors in the floor of the room are flush closed by protective plugs, and electric cables from detectors, gates and traffic lights are routed outside the enclosed space for the vehicle to the operator’s room.

The technical result consists in the increased sensitivity of the monitor due to the optimal placement of radiation detectors in relation to the vehicle with maximum security of the detectors located in the floor of the room from interference from other directions. The location of radiation sources is determined not only by the length and width of the vehicle, but also by height. This is achieved by the formation of a three-dimensional coordinate grid of the measurement zones due to the special placement of the upper and lower detectors relative to each other.

In addition, the vehicle’s presence sensors are made in the form of optical transmitter-receiver pairs and are installed in several groups, in each of which there are two pairs of sensors, while the distance between the sensors of the same name in the group is selected so that the control zones do not overlap with an object with a length less than set. In this case, the presence sensors will not respond to a passing person, but will only respond to the vehicle.

In addition, groups of sensors are arranged to move relative to each other. Thus, the minimum length of passing vehicles to which this group should react is set.

Figure 1 shows a General view of the inventive portal (in isometry), where

1 - floor-mounted radiation detectors;

2 - ceiling radiation detectors;

3 - optical radiation sensors;

4 - monitor control unit;

5 - traffic lights.

Figure 2 shows the placement of floor radiation detectors 1 in the grooves 6 of the concrete floor 7.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the inventive portal.

Figure 4 shows a section of the floor groove 6 with the detector 1 installed in it, closed by a protective cap 8.

Figure 5 shows the layout of the optical sensors of the presence of the object (vehicle) mounted on the brackets 9, providing the ability to move the optical sensors relative to each other in their group by an adjustable value L.

The portal is as follows.

The vehicle enters the monitor territory (into the hangar) by the signal of traffic light 5 through automatically opening gates (not shown). The internal traffic light changes the enable signal to red when the vehicle moving at the minimum speed is in the optimal measurement zone, which is determined by the optical presence sensors 3. The size of the vehicle can be anything from a small car to a heavy truck. The minimum vehicle size is determined by the distance L between the optical sensors in a pair, which should work simultaneously, i.e. must be simultaneously overlapped. Since the distance between the sensors 3 in any case must exceed the dimensions of a person, they only respond to the vehicle, allowing personnel to move around without misleading the registration system. After the sensors 3 presence on the location of the vehicle in the most favorable control zone, a signal is generated to the beginning of the measurements, and the status of all detectors 1 and 2 is monitored with their display on the mnemonic diagram included in the monitor control unit. Floor detectors 1 are closest to the vehicle, and their radiation patterns cover almost the entire surface of the bottom. In addition, the placement in the grooves of the concrete floor protects the detectors from interference from other directions, allowing them to increase their sensitivity. False panels or protective caps 8 protect the detectors 1 from dirt and dust, while providing stealth control. The upper detectors 2 are mounted in such a way as to provide overlapping zones of low sensitivity of the lower floor detectors 1. They are also installed without protective shields, which makes it possible to increase their sensitivity. Thus, the entire volume of the vehicle becomes controlled space, and the output signals of specific detectors 1 and 2 allow us to determine the hidden location of the radioactive material, while the vertical coordinate is determined by the calculation method. Since the vehicle is in a stationary position in a closed hangar, if unauthorized transportation of radioactive materials is detected, its further movement can be reliably blocked by a closed automatic gate until the situation is clarified.

Claims (3)

1. Transport portal radiation monitor containing a volume for placing a vehicle, detectors for registering radiation, an electronics unit with a microprocessor, a control panel and an information display unit, presence sensors and road blockers, characterized in that the volume for placing a vehicle is made in the form closed premises with automatic entry-exit gates and traffic lights, the first detectors are placed in transverse grooves made uniformly along the entire length of tonne floor of the enclosed space, and the second detectors are placed on two beams installed on both sides along the ceiling of the enclosed space perpendicular to the first detectors and with overlapping reduced sensitivity zones of the first detectors, while the transverse grooves with the detectors in the floor of the room are flush closed by protective plugs, and electrical cables from detectors, gates and traffic lights are displayed outside the enclosed space for the vehicle in the operator’s room. 2. The transport portal radiation monitor according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle’s presence sensors are made in the form of optical transmitter-receiver pairs and are installed in several groups, each of which contains two pairs of sensors, the distance between the sensors in the group being selected so that the control zones do not overlap with an object with a length shorter than the specified one. 3. Transport portal radiation monitor according to claim 2, characterized in that the group of presence sensors are configured to move relative to each other.

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