Hand-foot monitors for nuclear plants based on scintillator–WLS–SiPM technology

Abstract

The technology of charged particles detection by a plastic scintillator light from which is collected by wavelength shifting fiber (WLS) on Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) is widely used in high energy physics. We present in this article the new personnel surface contamination monitoring assembly based on that technology as a result of about two years R&D research. This assembly is used for contamination control of hands, feet and clothes at nuclear power plants, nuclear facilities and other objects that work with radioactive materials. Setup design, main parameters and its measurement procedures are presented. It has high efficiency to α and β particles in wide energy range, large dynamic range, very good area uniformity and excellent temperature stability. Dynamic range of measured particle fluence rate equals: 1 – 106 Hz·cm2·min for β-module and 0.1 – 2·104 Hz·cm2·min for α-module. Variations of the module response in temperature range from –20 C up to +50 C doesn`t exceed 3%.