Speaker
Dr
Paolo Finocchiaro
(INFN)
Description
A prototype array of modular sensors for online monitoring of radioactive waste was developed at INFN-LNS.
With the main purpose of counting gamma radiation, we implemented a new kind of mini-sensor, based on Silicon PhotoMultipliers and scintillating fibres, that behaves like a cheap scintillating Geiger-Muller counter. It can be replicated, for instance, in shape of a fine grid around each single waste drum in a repository.
After simulating the counting response of thin scintillating fibers to gamma radiation, we verified our simulation results with precision measurements on the bench with laboratory sources.
Front-end electronics and an FPGA-based counting system was developed, in order to handle the data flow coming from the field sensors. Such a system also deals with the redundant data transmission toward a console with a graphical user interface and a data storage system. The redundant transmission is done on differential cables and also foreseen wireless using low-power ZigBee units. The log data are foreseen to be stored onto a database system navigable by means of a web browser interface.
A robotic arm demonstrator was developed and is being finalized for remote ad-hoc inspection and operations around the waste drums, and for this purpose we also designed and constructed a 1:1 prototype platform holding 4 phantom drums and equipped with sensors.
Test results with radioactive sources showed very encouraging performance in terms of sensitivity, therefore we are planning to install a small demonstrator system around real radioactive waste drums quite soon.
A possible final system will be distributed, fine-grained, robust, reliable, and based on low-cost components.
An overview of the prototype system, along with the test procedures and results of real tests, will be shown at the conference.
Authors
Dr
Alfio Pappalardo
(INFN)
Dr
Carlotta Scirè
(INFN)
Dr
Luigi Cosentino
(INFN)
Dr
Paolo Finocchiaro
(INFN)
Dr
Sergio Scirè
(INFN)
Co-authors
Mr
Claudio Calì
(INFN)
Mr
Fabio Li Puma
(INFN - Università Catania)
Mr
Giovanni De Luca
(INFN)
Mr
Massimo Piscopo
(INFN)
Mr
Pietro Litrico
(INFN)
Mrs
Valentina Finocchiaro
(INFN - Università Catania)
