The trapping of short-lived radon daughter products by FP fibrous filters

Abstract

The article describes the trapping by FP fibrous filters of the short-lived daughter products of radon disintegration, which constitute the chief radiation danger to the respiratory organs in the mining and primary processing of uranium ore, It is shown that the effectiveness of trapping depends on the basic parameters of the filtering materials (resistance, fiber diameter, presence of electrostatic charges), as well as on the linear filtration rate and the particle size of the aerosols, The results obtained from the trapping of the daughter products formed in the atmosphere of the laboratory and of the experimental mine chamber over a range of linear velocities from 1 to 200 cm/sec are considered from the viewpoint of the basic mechanisms of aerosol filtration. The article discusses the main trends in the use of FP fibrous materials for the manufacture of filtering devices or individual-shielding materials and for analytical purposes.