RU2619364C1 - Method for teaching operator to search and identify radioactive-contaminated areas - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: instructor simulates a conventionally radioactive-contaminated area (RCA), by using the program PRISMA, of an arbitrary shape, size, and area with the variable radioactivity of the surface. Then he fixes the coordinates of boundaries, that he writes to a memory simulator. The operator sees the actual study area map, according to which he moves through the terrain. When the operator reaches the RCA, the control program, as a part of the simulator, corrects the power of equivalent dose (PED), the intensity γ of lines corresponding to the selected conditional contamination and shielding characteristics of the terrain. After the assignment the operator returns to the instructor. Based on these results, the instructor concludes the willingness of the operator to search for the real RCA.

EFFECT: more accurate simulating the radiation field in a complex radioactive contamination, the ability to analyze the actions of the trainee operator.

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Description

Technical field

This technical solution relates to methods for training operators on simulators, namely, training to work with a simulator that simulates a radioactive contaminated area (REM) in a part of the study area. This allows you to conduct exercises in conditions close to real, without the use of radioactive sources. The solution can be used to train radiation monitors, ecologists, and officers of the Ministry of Emergencies in conducting radiation reconnaissance.

State of the art

Currently, mobile dosimetric systems are known and widely used for monitoring and monitoring the radiation situation in large areas. Emergency-technical centers of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and nuclear power plants and many departments of the Russian Emergencies Ministry are equipped with such complexes (pedestrian, automobile, and helicopter). International inspection teams search for REMs in territories for which there is suspicion of a nuclear test.

The use of complexes requires qualified personnel and their optimal behavior in rare-earth metals in order to minimize the resulting doses of external radiation during radiation reconnaissance, when contouring foci of radiation pollution and identifying contaminating radionuclides. Training is needed for various organizations, including international, a wide range of specialist operators trained to work with mobile dosimetric systems in order to optimize the search for rare-earth metals, the reliability of identification of contaminating radionuclides and minimize the dose of external exposure to rare-earth metals.

A known method of training in conducting work on the search for sources of ionizing radiation, described in the application for invention No. 20022132945, IPC 7 G09B 23/20; Priority December 6, 2002, publication date of the application: June 10, 2004, authors: Alimov N.I. (RU), Kiselev Yu.A. (RU), Popov C.B. (RU), Kholstov V.I. (RU), Shatalov E.V. (RU). In this method, imitators of radioactive contamination of the area are used as sources of ionizing radiation and placed on a site of the training site for modeling the radiation situation according to the training program. As simulators, small-sized radio transmitting devices with an antenna that provide a circular beam pattern of the field strength of radio waves are used, and instead of a block of detectors of the radiation reconnaissance device, a receiver of radio signals from simulators is used. In fact, such sources and detectors simulate sources and detectors of gamma rays.

The disadvantages of the analogue are the use of point embedded devices, which implies the impossibility of simulating extended REMs and simulating REM zones with different equivalent dose rates (DER).

As a prototype for the proposed method, a method for training rescuers and firefighters to navigate individual REM devices described in the patent “Simulator-simulator of a dosimeter-radiometer” RU 137628 U1, IPC: G09B 9/00 (2006.01); Priority August 6, 2013, published February 20, 2014; author: Lifanov M.N. The method consists in the fact that the teacher selects the conditional contaminating radionuclide and its spectrum. Then he fixes the coordinates of the location of the radionuclide on a map of the real area. The teacher writes this information to the simulator's memory without operator access. The teacher provides a map of the area as part of the simulator to the operator. The operator moves around the area according to the map. The navigation system tracks the location of the operator. When the operator enters the area of the conditional contaminated radionuclide, the simulator provides information on radioactive radiation depending on the activity of the radionuclide and its distance.

The disadvantage of this method is the impossibility of its use in the formulation of more complex tasks when teaching operators how to deal with contaminated areas not by single point radionuclides, but by surface contamination of the area with several different nuclides.

Disclosure of invention

The task to which the invention is directed is to expand the range of methods for training operators to act on rare-earth metals with point and surface radioactive contamination.

The technical result achieved in solving this problem consists in more accurate modeling of the radiation field with complex radioactive contamination and the possibility of analyzing the actions of the trained operator.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the method of teaching the operator to search for and identify REMs includes the teacher selecting the contaminated radionuclide and its spectrum, fixing its location coordinates on the map of the real school territory, the teacher recording this information in the simulator's memory without operator access, and the teacher providing it maps of the study area as part of the simulator for the operator, movement of the operator in the study area according to the map, tracking by the navigation system Proposition operator detection operator falling within the scope of a conditional contaminating radionuclide issue simulator information about radioactive radiation, depending on the activity of the radionuclide and the distance to it. According to the invention, the teacher using the PRISMA program simulates a conditional REM of arbitrary shape, size and area with variable radioactivity on the surface, calculates the DER and the γ-radiation spectrum at characteristic points of the entire study area, taking into account natural barriers and terrain features, and enters the calculation results into the control program . Then he places the conditional REM on the map of the real school territory in the simulator memory, then fixes the coordinates of its borders and stores this information in the simulator memory.

The teacher instructs the operator to find a conditional REM in the real school territory that is invisible on the map in the simulator. If the operator enters anywhere in the study area, the control program as part of the simulator corrects the PRISMA DER and γ-radiation spectra calculated by the program, which summarizes with the values actually measured by the instruments in the simulator and displays them on the simulator screen. The operator monitors, and the control program writes to memory the current information, based on which the operator selects the route of movement.

After the operator returns, the teacher compares the REM boundary simulated by him with the boundary identified by the operator. The teacher also compares the permissible time spent in REM with the actual time spent by the operator in the conditional REM. The teacher also compares the permissible dose of radiation for a person with the calculated dose received by the operator on a conventional REM and, on the basis of this, concludes that the operator is prepared to search for real REM.

The combination of essential features provides a technical result — accurate modeling of the radiation field during complex radioactive contamination, the ability to analyze the actions of a trained operator, which allows us to solve the problem of expanding the range of methods for teaching operators how to deal with surface pollution.

The operator designates on the map of the educational territory of the region, inside which points with increased DER values fall. Thus, he identifies and outlines areas with different values of DER and obtains the distribution of DER by REM. The outer boundary of the region will be the boundary of the rare-earth metals.

The control program as part of the simulator analyzes the peak energies in the γ-radiation spectrum, determines all the nuclides on the conventional REM, both natural and simulated by the teacher, and provides the operator with combined information on the simulator display.

Such actions give the operator the skill to accurately read the radiation field in case of complex radioactive contamination, and after completing the assignment, the teacher has the opportunity to analyze the actions of the trained operator.

After the operator returns, the teacher analyzes and identifies the operator’s erroneous actions that led to errors in the contouring of the conventional REM and an increase in the virtual DER, recommends increasing the speed in the zone of increased DER, increasing the speed of analyzing the situation, or conducting it outside the REM.

Thus, this method provides the ability to analyze the actions of the trained operator. This broadens the range of methods for training operators in REM conditions.

The signs set forth in additional claims, in the aggregate, are aimed at obtaining the same technical result that the independent claim is directed to.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In FIG. Figure 1 shows a model of conventional REM of an ellipsoidal shape, with variable surface radioactivity.

In FIG. 2 shows the simulator screen with a map of the training area.

In FIG. Figure 3 shows fragments of the operator’s route when contouring the REM.

Embodiments of the invention

The method described in the patent, it is possible to train operators in conditions close to real ones, without using radioactive sources. Next will be described one of the embodiments of the invention is a method of training operators to search and identify REMs.

The training begins with the teacher modeling the conditional REM 1 of arbitrary shape, size and area with variable surface radioactivity using the PRISMA program and calculating the DER and gamma-ray spectra at characteristic points in the study area. REM 1 may have any shape, for example, a point, or an ellipse, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2. The level of pollution can increase as you approach the epicenter 2 of REM 1. Thus, the teacher simulates a situation close to real conditions.

The teacher has a conditional REM 1 on the map 3 of the study area, which is located in the simulator's memory as shown in FIG. 2. Next, he fixes the coordinates of its borders, stores this information in the simulator's memory in such a way that the operator does not have access to it, but has access to map 3 of the training area.

Based on the preliminary calculations performed under the PRISMA program, the teacher sets the DER values and gamma-ray spectra at characteristic points of the study area, taking into account real barriers and terrain.

The DER and γ-radiation spectra are calculated in advance using the PRISMA program (Radiation Transmission through Materials), the RFNC-VNIITF basic program for calculating the transfer of particles (neutrons, γ-quanta, protons, electrons) using the Monte Carlo method. When solving the inhomogeneous transport equation, the distribution of particle sources can be point, linear, surface, or volume. The functionals from solving the transport equation are estimated on any geometric surfaces of the system and inside its areas. On surfaces, currents and flows of particles, currents and flows of energy are calculated. Inside the geometric regions, the particle density, particle flux, collision density, the number of interactions of a given type, absorbed energy, and a number of other functionals are calculated.

A description of the program and its capabilities is published in the article Kandiev YZ, Kashaeva E.A., Khatuntsev K.E., Kuropatenko ES, Lobanova LV, Lukin GV, Malakhov AA, Malyshkin GN, Modestov DG, Mukhamadiev RF, Orlov VG, Samarin SI, Serova EV, Spirina SG, Vakhonina TV, Voronina NA, Zatsepin OV // "PRIZMA" Status. Annals of Nuclear Energy, August 2015, Vol. 82, P. 116-120, and also in Zatsepin O.V., Kandiev Ya. Z. // Importance sampling technique for reactor physics simulation of deep penetration and detection using the PRIZMA code. VANT Simulation of physical processes. 2015. Iss. 1. P. 30-36.

With this approach, a more accurate simulation of the radiation field is achieved with complex radioactive contamination.

The work of the simulator is provided by a control program-manager, which in a certain sequence carries out the following operations:

- selection of information from the γ-detector,

- selection of information from the GPS sensor and drawing the coordinates of 4 position points on an electronic map of the study area 3 (Fig. 2),

- calculation of DER 5 and identification of radionuclides 6 in the γ-radiation spectrum at the current position (Fig. 2). When performing this operation, the control program selects from the array of DER and spectra at the characteristic points of the study area, previously calculated using the PRISMA program, the nearest points to the current position, in proportion to the distances from the current position to these points, introduces corrections in the DER and the intensities of the spectral lines and displays them on tablet computer screen.

- Combining the experimental readings of the γ-detector with the calculated values.

- The selection of information about the degree of discharge of the battery 7 (Fig. 2).

- Conclusion of indications to the user on the screen of the exercise machine and saving of results.

In addition to the above, the dispatcher program performs a number of relatively small operations. For example, depending on the magnitude of EDR, it selects the color of point 8 on the map of the study area, the unit of measurement, calculates the reliability of identification of the radionuclide 9, displays the date and current time 10, etc.

Such programs are individually for each measuring system, they are widely used in practice and do not present difficulties for implementation.

The teacher provides map 3 of the study area as part of the simulator to the operator and directs the operator to the real area to search for the conditional REM hidden from him on map 3 in the simulator. The operator moves around the area according to map 3. The simulator uses the GPS sensor to track the location of the operator, and the control program marks the coordinates 4 on map 3 in the simulator. When the operator enters the conventional REM area according to the GPS sensor, the control program corrects the DER, the intensity of the γ lines calculated earlier by the PRISMA program, which summarizes with the values actually measured by the devices in the simulator and displays the result on the simulator screen. This increases the accuracy of modeling the radiation field.

The operator selects and adjusts the route of his movement, constantly monitoring the radiation situation. The control program displays and saves the route on the map 3 of the study area, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. This makes it possible to analyze the actions of the trained operator.

After completing the route, an array of points 8 with different DER and γ-ray spectra will be formed and displayed on the simulator’s screen on map 3 of the study area, which will allow the operator to mark the boundaries of rare-earth metals. The operator, performing the task, indicates on the map of the educational territory of the region, inside which points with increased DER are placed. Thus, he will identify and outline the areas with different DER and the distribution of DER by REM will be obtained. The outer boundary of the region will be the boundary of 11 rare-earth metals.

The operator analyzes the peak energies in the γ-radiation spectrum shown on the simulator screen and determines the polluting nuclides given by the teacher.

After completing the assignment, the operator returns to the teacher. The teacher compares the specified boundary of the conditional REM 1 (Fig. 2,) with the border 11 identified by the operator of the REM (Fig. 3).

In addition, the teacher compares the permissible time spent in REM with the actual time spent by the operator in the conditional REM, compares the dose of radiation that is permissible for a person with the calculated dose received by the operator in the conditional REM. Based on this, he recommends that the operator increase the speed of movement in the zone of increased DER, increase the speed of analysis of the situation, or carry it out of the zone. The teacher concludes that the operator is ready to search for real REMs.

As a result of the experiments, it was confirmed that during the implementation of the proposed training option for operators to search for and identify a radioactive contaminated area, the environment is more accurately simulated during radioactive contamination on the surface area, operator actions are monitored and recorded. This allows the teacher to further analyze the operator’s errors, give recommendations in the learning process, draw a conclusion about the operator’s readiness to work in real conditions.

Industrial applicability

The most effective is the use of the proposed method in the preparation of a wide range of specialist operators from various organizations, including international ones, for working with mobile dosimetric complexes in order to optimize the search and identification of radionuclide contaminants. At the same time, the requirements for the reliability of the identification of contaminating radionuclides and for minimizing the dose of external exposure to human exposure in a contaminated area should be observed. During training, the operator works in conditions that repeat the probable events as much as possible, but is not exposed to harmful radioactive effects on him. The described method variant allows more accurate modeling of the radiation field in case of complex radioactive contamination and the ability to analyze operator actions. This extends the range of methods for training operators to operate in surface contamination conditions.

In General, the considered embodiment of the invention can be implemented on existing equipment using existing materials. This shows its performance and confirms industrial applicability.

Claims (4)

1. A method of teaching an operator to search for and identify radioactive contaminated areas, including the teacher choosing a contaminated radionuclide and its spectrum, fixing its location coordinates on a map of a real school territory, a teacher recording this information in the simulator’s memory without operator’s access to it, and a teacher providing it maps of the study area as part of the simulator for the operator, movement of the operator in the study area according to the map, tracking by the navigation system operator, detecting an operator falling within the scope of a conditional contaminating radionuclide, the simulator issuing information on radioactive radiation depending on the activity of the radionuclide and its distance, characterized in that the teacher models a conditional radioactive contaminated site (REM) of arbitrary shape, size and areas with variable surface radioactivity, calculates the equivalent dose rate (DER) and the gamma-ray spectrum at the characteristic points of the entire study area taking into account the volume of natural barriers and features of the relief and enters the calculation results into the control program, locates the conditional REM on the map of the real training area in the simulator, fixes the coordinates of its borders, stores this information in the simulator memory, instructs the operator to find the conditional REM invisible on the real school territory map in the simulator, when the operator gets anywhere in the study area, the control program as part of the simulator corrects the previously calculated DER and γ-radiation spectra, which summarizes with with the values actually measured by the devices in the simulator, and displays them on the simulator’s screen, which the operator monitors, and the control program writes to the simulator’s memory, on the basis of this the operator calculates and follows the route of his movement, after the operator returns, the teacher compares the simulated boundary of the conventional REM with the boundary , identified by the operator, compares the permissible time spent in REM with the actual time spent by the operator in the conventional REM, compares the dose of radiation acceptable for a person with Read dose received by the operator in a conventional rare earth metals, and based on that concludes the willingness of operators to seek real REM. 2. The method of training operators according to claim 1, characterized in that the operator, performing the assignment, designates on the map of the training area areas with points where there are elevated DER values, identifies and outlines areas with different DER values and obtains the EDR distribution by REM. 3. The method of training operators according to claim 1, characterized in that the control program as part of the simulator analyzes the peak energies in the γ-radiation spectrum and combines natural and teacher-modeled nuclides on conventional REM, provides the operator with this information on the simulator display. 4. The method of operator training according to claim 1, characterized in that after the operator returns, the teacher analyzes and identifies erroneous operator actions that led to errors in contouring of the conditionally contaminated area and an increase in the virtual dose of external radiation, recommends increasing the speed of movement in the zone of increased dose rates, increase the speed of analysis of the situation or conduct it outside the zone.

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