On-line monitoring system for tritium in water based on PSF array

Abstract

The invention discloses an online monitoring system for tritium in water based on a PSF array, and relates to the field of nuclear energy. The on-line monitoring system for tritium in water comprises a fluid control system, a PSF detector module and an electronics system, the fluid control system automatically controls to open electromagnetic valves of a sample inlet and a sample outlet, and a peristaltic pump is started, so that a water sample to be detected is pumped into a detection chamber of the PSF detector module through the sample inlet; after the detection chamber is filled with the to-be-detected water sample, the electromagnetic valve and the peristaltic pump are automatically controlled to be closed; the PSF detector module captures precipitation energy generated by tritium decay beta particles in a water sample to be detected through a PSF array, converts the precipitation energy into photon signals, and converts the photon signals into electric signals through a detection window and a double photomultiplier; and the electronics system performs signal preprocessing on the received electric signal, and obtains corresponding tritium content monitoring data to be detected based on the preprocessed electric signal. The on-line monitoring system for tritium in water can ensure that the finally obtained measurement result is more accurate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of nuclear energy technology, and in particular to an online monitoring system for tritium in water based on a PSF array. Background Art

[0002] The rapid development and construction of nuclear energy has also brought with it a serious issue that is gaining increasing public attention: radionuclide contamination. Tritium, a representative radionuclide, is produced and emitted by nuclear power plants. With the development of future reactor types, such as thorium-based molten salt reactors and fusion reactors, tritium emissions and control are not only a challenge restricting nuclear energy development but also a significant factor affecting environmental safety.

[0003] Tritium is produced and present in nature and is an inevitable byproduct of nuclear reactor operation. As an isotope of hydrogen, it is widely present in any natural environment containing water. Due to its similar physicochemical properties to hydrogen, tritium enters the ecosystem and forms different chemical forms, such as tritiated water (HTO) and organic tritium (OBT). Once these chemical forms enter the environment, they undergo a series of migration and transformations, ultimately affecting humans at the top of the food chain through enrichment and transmission, causing significant radioactive damage to human health. Currently, liquid scintillator detectors are commonly used for offline monitoring of tritium activity in water. However, offline monitoring cannot promptly reflect changes in tritium activity in water. Therefore, online monitoring of tritium activity in water is crucial for ensuring environmental and biological safety, and has become a hot topic and a challenge in current tritium measurement research. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to solve at least one of the above technical deficiencies.

[0005] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present application provides an online monitoring system for tritium in water based on a PSF array, the online monitoring system for tritium in water comprising a fluid control system, a PSF detector module, and an electronics system, wherein: A fluid control system, which is used to automatically control the opening of the electromagnetic valves of the sample inlet and the sample outlet, and to start the included peristaltic pump to draw the water sample to be tested into the detection chamber of the PSF detector module through the sample inlet, and to automatically control the closing of the electromagnetic valve and the peristaltic pump after the detection chamber is filled with the water sample to be tested; A PSF detector module, configured to capture the precipitation energy generated by tritium decay beta particles in the water sample to be tested through the included PSF array, convert the precipitation energy into a photon signal, and convert the photon signal into an electrical signal through the included detection window via a dual photomultiplier tube; The electronics system is used to perform signal preprocessing on the received electrical signal and obtain the corresponding tritium content monitoring data to be detected based on the preprocessed electrical signal.

[0006] Optionally, the detection chamber is a cylindrical cavity made of polytetrafluoroethylene, the inner diameter of the cylindrical cavity is 22 mm to 50 mm, and the inner wall of the cylindrical cavity is coated with a mirror reflection layer.

[0007] Optionally, the detection window is an acrylic plate with a light transmittance greater than a set value, and the surface of the acrylic plate is coated with an anti-reflection film.

[0008] Optionally, the PSF array is a hexagonal close-packed PSF array, the PSF array consists of 330 to 1800 de-sheathed plastic scintillating optical fibers with a radius of 0.5 mm and a length of 1 m, and the interval between each two de-sheathed plastic scintillating optical fibers is 0.1 mm.

[0009] Optionally, the online tritium monitoring system in water further includes a multi-stage shielding structure, which includes a Permalloy shell, a lead layer wrapping the detection chamber, and an optical light-shielding layer.

[0010] Optionally, the signal preprocessing includes at least one of electrical signal filtering processing, device 4.8 ns compliance time window processing, power supply crosstalk elimination processing and real-time background noise correction processing.

[0011] Optionally, the fluid control system is further integrated with an ultrasonic flow sensor, which is used to dynamically adjust the speed of the peristaltic pump, which includes a sampling pump and a backflush pump.

[0012] Optionally, the support structure of the PSF detector module is an optical level platform, and the optical level platform is equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic driver, which is used to dynamically correct the inclination angle of the detection chamber.

[0013] Optionally, the online monitoring system for tritium in water further includes a difference correction module, which is used to determine the energy generated by decaying β particles.

[0014] Optionally, the difference correction module determines the precipitation energy produced by the decaying beta particle using the following formula: in, To deposit energy, is the initial energy of the β particle, is the linear attenuation coefficient of water, is the PSF spacing, is the photon transport efficiency factor.

[0015] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, including a processor and a memory: The memory is configured to store machine-readable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, enable the processor to execute any one of the methods in the process of the electronic system performing signal preprocessing on the received electrical signal.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application include at least: In the embodiment of the present application, the online monitoring system for tritium in water can automatically control the water sample to be tested to automatically enter and exclude the detection chamber of the PSF detector module through fluid control, without the need for manual operation, which can effectively improve the measurement efficiency. And based on the PSF array as a detector, the precipitation energy generated by the tritium decay beta particles in the water sample to be tested can be efficiently captured and converted into photon signals. Since the captured precipitation energy is the corrected precipitation energy, the determined precipitation energy is more in line with the actual situation, thereby improving the reliability of the PSF array detector. At the same time, the online monitoring system for tritium in water will further process the electrical signal, eliminate interference such as power supply crosstalk and background noise, and ensure that the final measurement result is more accurate.

[0017] In addition, compared with the conventional online monitoring system for tritium in water, the online monitoring system for tritium in water in the embodiment of the present application has an optical platform and is equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic driver to ensure that the detector is in a horizontal state and to ensure the stability of the detector during operation. In addition, when the detector is in a horizontal position, it is beneficial to remove as much air as possible from the sample chamber when the sample is injected into the detection chamber, and it is beneficial to reduce the residue of the measured sample when the detection chamber is discharged. At the same time, strict shielding measures have been added to shield against external electromagnetic interference, radioactive interference, and optical interference.

[0018] In addition, when determining the precipitation energy generated by the decaying β particles, the photon transport efficiency factor is introduced in this application to fully consider the effects of the PSF surface roughness, the refractive index difference of the water body and the reflectivity of the inner wall of the detection chamber on photon transmission, so that the determined precipitation energy is more in line with the actual situation, the reliability of the PSF array detector is improved, and the final measurement results are ensured to be more accurate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the framework of the online tritium monitoring system in water provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the PSF detector module and electronics system provided in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the front end structure of the PSF detector module provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the relevant materials and components used in the PSF detector module provided in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of signal amplitude provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following describes embodiments of the present application in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0022] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless expressly stated otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an", "" and "the" used herein may also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that the term "comprising" used in the specification of this application refers to the presence of features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that when we refer to an element as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements. In addition, "connected" or "coupled" as used herein may include wireless connections or wireless couplings. The term "and / or" as used herein includes all or any units and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0023] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the implementation methods of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] As global economic activity continues to develop, governments and the public are increasingly devoting their attention and resources to addressing or mitigating environmental issues that impact human health. Carbon emissions are a major concern, and as global demand for clean energy continues to grow, nuclear energy, as a high-energy-density, stable, reliable, and mature low-carbon energy source, is attracting increasing attention and development.

[0025] The rapid development and construction of nuclear energy has also brought with it a serious issue of growing public concern: radionuclide contamination. Tritium, a representative radionuclide, is produced and emitted by nuclear power plants. With the development of future reactor types such as thorium-based molten salt reactors and fusion reactors, tritium emissions and control pose not only a significant challenge to nuclear energy development but also a significant factor affecting environmental safety. Currently, for the sake of public health and environmental safety, monitoring the environmental impact of tritium produced and emitted by nuclear power plants is receiving increasing attention and research.

[0026] Tritium occurs naturally and is an inevitable byproduct of nuclear reactor operation. As an isotope of hydrogen, it is widely found in all naturally occurring water environments, including precipitation, surface water, groundwater, ice, soil moisture, plants and animals. Due to its similar physical and chemical properties to hydrogen, tritium enters the ecosystem and forms different chemical forms, such as tritiated water (HTO) and organic tritium (OBT). Once these chemical forms enter the environment, they undergo a series of migration and transformations, ultimately concentrating and transferring through the food chain to humans, at the top of the food chain, causing significant radioactive damage to human health. Furthermore, with the rapid development of nuclear power and the construction of new reactors, tritium emissions are increasing annually. Therefore, real-time monitoring of tritium activity changes in environmental water bodies is crucial for public health and the safety of the biological environment.

[0027] Based on this, the present application provides an online monitoring system for tritium in water based on a PSF array, aiming to solve the above technical problems of the prior art.

[0028] The following specific embodiments describe in detail the technical solution of the present application and how the technical solution of the present application solves the above-mentioned technical problems. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the online tritium monitoring system in water based on the PSF array includes a fluid control system, a PSF detector module, and an electronics system, wherein: A fluid control system, which is used to automatically control the opening of the electromagnetic valves of the sample inlet and the sample outlet, and to start the included peristaltic pump to draw the water sample to be tested into the detection chamber of the PSF detector module through the sample inlet, and to automatically control the closing of the electromagnetic valve and the peristaltic pump after the detection chamber is filled with the water sample to be tested; A PSF detector module, configured to capture the precipitation energy generated by tritium decay beta particles in the water sample to be tested through the included PSF array, convert the precipitation energy into a photon signal, and convert the photon signal into an electrical signal through the included detection window via a dual photomultiplier tube; The electronics system is used to perform signal preprocessing on the received electrical signal and obtain the corresponding tritium content monitoring data to be detected based on the preprocessed electrical signal.

[0030] Optionally, the online monitoring system for tritium in water in the embodiment of the present application includes a fluid control system, which includes an inlet and an outlet with a fully enclosed pipeline design, and the inlet and the outlet are controlled by an electromagnetic valve and a peristaltic pump. In actual monitoring, the fluid control system will automatically control the opening of the electromagnetic valve of the inlet, and start the peristaltic pump so that the water sample to be tested is drawn into the detection chamber of the detector module through the inlet for measurement. After the detection chamber is filled with the water sample to be tested, the electromagnetic valve and the peristaltic pump are automatically controlled to be closed so that the water sample to be tested no longer enters the detection chamber. And after the measurement process is completed, the electromagnetic valve and the peristaltic pump are opened and closed to discharge the water sample to be tested from the detection chamber.

[0031] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the fluid control system is further integrated with an ultrasonic flow sensor, which is used to dynamically adjust the speed of the peristaltic pump, which includes a sampling pump and a backflush pump.

[0032] Optionally, since in actual applications, the speed at which the water sample to be tested flows into the detection chamber too fast or too slow will affect the final measurement accuracy, an ultrasonic flow sensor is also integrated in the fluid control system in the embodiment of the present application. The ultrasonic flow sensor can dynamically adjust the speed of the peristaltic pump to ensure that the speed at which the water sample to be tested flows into the detection chamber is at a stable value, thereby improving the final measurement accuracy. Among them, the peristaltic pump used to extract the water sample to be tested includes a sampling pump and a backflush pump. At this time, through the coordinated work of the sampling pump and the backflush pump, the volume of the residual water sample in the detection chamber can be made ≤0.5 mL, thereby avoiding the decrease in measurement accuracy caused by the residual water sample.

[0033] In addition, the online tritium monitoring system in water of the present application also includes a PSF detector module and an electronic system. The overall basic structure of the PSF detector module and the electronic system is as follows: Figure 2As shown, the system specifically comprises a front-end detection structure (i.e., a PSF detector module) and a back-end electronic signal processing system, which includes the electronics system and the mechanical and interface modules. The front-end detection structure primarily consists of two photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), a detection chamber, and a four-quadrant hexagonal PSF array. The electronics system primarily comprises an electronic module and an algorithm discrimination module, which includes a power supply module and a signal processing module. The algorithm discrimination module pre-processes the received electrical signal and generates the corresponding tritium content monitoring data (i.e., the output result). This data is then displayed on the terminal device based on the mechanical and interface modules.

[0034] In actual applications, after the water sample to be tested enters the detection chamber, the PSF detector module captures the precipitation energy generated by the tritium decay β particles in the water sample to be tested through the included PSF array, and then converts the precipitation energy into a photon signal, and converts the photon signal into an electrical signal through the included detection window via a dual photomultiplier tube; after receiving the electrical signal, the electronics system performs signal preprocessing on the received electrical signal, and then performs detection based on the preprocessed electrical signal to obtain the corresponding tritium content monitoring data to be detected. Optionally, the water tritium detector in the present application adopts a design that removes the outer cladding of the optical fiber, so that the β particles released by tritium can directly enter the interior of the plastic scintillating optical fiber for energy deposition and generate photons, thereby improving the detection efficiency. In an optional embodiment of the present application, the detection chamber is a cylindrical cavity made of polytetrafluoroethylene, the inner diameter of the cylindrical cavity is 22 mm to 50 mm, and the inner wall of the cylindrical cavity is coated with a mirror reflection layer.

[0035] Optionally, the detection window is an acrylic plate with a light transmittance greater than a set value, and the surface of the acrylic plate is coated with an anti-reflection film.

[0036] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the PSF array is a hexagonal close-packed PSF array, which consists of 330 to 1800 shell-less plastic scintillating optical fibers with a radius of 0.5 mm and a length of 1 m, and the interval between each two shell-less plastic scintillating optical fibers is 0.1 mm.

[0037] Optionally, the main structural diagram of the front end of the PSF detector module is as follows Figure 3As shown, the main components are the detection chamber, detection window, photomultiplier tube (PMT), PMT housing, and housing cover. The detection chamber is a cylindrical cavity with a coaxial central hollow cylinder for holding the water sample and PSF array. In addition, inlet and outlet ports for the water sample are reserved at the upper and lower center sections, and the detection window features a recessed area of ​​sufficient depth to accommodate the detection window. Four screw holes are evenly distributed on the bottom surface of the cylindrical cavity to secure the PMT housing. The detection window is constructed of an optical material with high transmittance for the 430 nm wavelength photons emitted by the PSF. The PMT is selected to be a model that is suitable for the detection window size of the detection chamber and has low dark current. The PMT housing utilizes a flanged housing structure with built-in fixing slots to secure the PMT. This ensures that the geometric axes of the PMT, detection window, PSF array, and sample coincide, ensuring full optical alignment. A spring is connected to the sleeve cover to apply pressure to the photomultiplier tube to ensure that the photomultiplier tube is in full contact with the detection window.

[0038] The PSF array is slotted for structural stability, ensuring proper spacing between the PSFs for optimal contact with the water sample. Through rational design, the two bottom surfaces of the PSF array fit snugly against the detection window, preventing photon scattering by water and minimizing the retention of the water sample within the detection chamber. Furthermore, the inner walls of the detection chamber are coated with a mirror-like reflective layer, which reflects and refracts as many photons generated by the PSF array as possible, allowing them to pass through the detection window and into the photocathode of the photomultiplier tube, minimizing photon loss. Optical silicone grease can also be used between the photomultiplier tube and the detection window to reduce air loss during photon transmission.

[0039] Optionally, the materials and components used to construct the PSF detector module can be as follows: Figure 4 As shown in Figure 4a-4e, Figure a shows a photomultiplier tube sleeve designed and produced by 3D printing. The material used is a fuse wire, which has two functions: the first is to fix the photomultiplier tube and the tube holder of the photomultiplier tube, and leave a power inlet and a signal output port to ensure the stability and reliability of the photomultiplier tube during operation; the second is to provide shielding for the photomultiplier tube to reduce the degree to which it is affected by external interference noise. It is 140 mm long, with a cylindrical outer diameter of 80 mm and an inner diameter of 60 mm. Its size needs to correspond to the photomultiplier tube and the detection chamber.

[0040] exist Figure 4Figure b shows the structure of the actual detection chamber used. It is a cylindrical cavity made of polytetrafluoroethylene material with an inner diameter of 22 mm to 50 mm. The diameter of the inner circle matches the size of the photomultiplier tube. This design of the detection window of the detection chamber can ensure that photons are fully reflected and collected in the detection chamber and then enter the photocathode of the photomultiplier tube through the detection window. In addition, the polytetrafluoroethylene material is not easy to absorb the tritium sample to be measured, so there will be no problem of residual tritium sample to be measured.

[0041] Detection chamber window components such as Figure 4 As shown in Figure c, the detection window is a double-sided acrylic plate coated with a light-transmitting film with a transmittance greater than a set value. For example, it can be an acrylic plate with a transmittance of more than 95% for photons with a wavelength of 430 nm. In this case, the attenuation of the light signal generated by the PSF array when passing through the detection window can be minimized, ensuring that most photons can successfully enter the photocathode of the photomultiplier tube.

[0042] And in Figure 4 Figure d shows a detection array consisting of 104 plastic scintillation fibers (PSFs). Each PSF is 1 meter long and 0.5 mm in radius. Due to material limitations and their small diameter and pronounced curvature, these PSFs are arranged in a hexagonal close-packed structure to improve the detection efficiency and space utilization of the PSF array for beta particles from the tritium source. Furthermore, the cylindrical length of the detection chamber is 92 mm, allowing most of these curved PSFs to fit tightly against the detection window, preventing water from entering between them and weakening photon transmission. The PSFs are made of polystyrene, with a density of 1.023 g / cm³ and an optical refractive index of 1.58. Their photon yield relative to anthracene crystals is 64%, and the typical wavelength of emitted photons is 430 nm. The scintillation process lasts for 2.3 ns, with a photon decay length of 200 cm. The PSFs are suitable for temperatures between -40°C and -50°C.

[0043] Finally, in Figure 4 Figure e shows the photomultiplier tube and photomultiplier tube base used. The photocathode of the photomultiplier tube is made of a low-noise bi-alkali photocathode, and the window material used can be borosilicate glass. The maximum operating voltage is 1250 V. The photomultiplier tube has the characteristics of high sensitivity and low noise, and can effectively convert photon signals into electronic signals and amplify the electronic signals for further processing and analysis.

[0044] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the support structure of the PSF detector module is an optical horizontal platform, and the optical horizontal platform is equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic driver, which is used to dynamically correct the inclination angle of the detection chamber.

[0045] Optionally, since the geometric structure of the online monitoring system for tritium in water in the prior art is not stable enough, excessive samples remain in the detection chamber when the samples enter and exit, affecting the subsequent measurement results during the cyclic measurement. Therefore, in order to ensure that the detection chamber of the detector is in a horizontal position, the support structure of the detector is improved to an optical level platform in the embodiment of the present application, and used in combination with the optical support to ensure that the detection chamber and the detector as a whole are in a horizontal state. The optical level platform is a device for achieving high-precision levels, usually consisting of a plano-convex lens and a precision level. It can achieve high-precision levels by adjusting the position and angle of the plano-convex lens, and the level of the platform can be monitored and adjusted by the level. This device is widely used in the fields of optics and electronics, including optical equipment calibration, laser alignment, semiconductor chip manufacturing, high-precision measurement and other fields. The main advantages of the optical level platform are its high precision and stability. Generally, the accuracy of this platform can reach 0.1 seconds of angle, which is equivalent to 0.00003 degrees, so it is very suitable for experiments and operations that require high precision. The optical leveling platform operates on the principle of a plano-convex lens. When the center of the lens is horizontal, the radius of curvature of the lens focuses the incident light at the focal point. If the lens is not horizontal, the incident light will focus off-center. By observing the offset in the focal position, the platform's tilt angle can be inferred and corrected using a spirit level.

[0046] In addition, the optical horizontal platform in this application is also equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic driver, which can generate nanometer-level to micrometer-level precision displacement by applying voltage, thereby dynamically correcting the inclination angle of the detection chamber. At this time, the inclination angle of the detection chamber can be dynamically adjusted (accuracy ≤ 0.00001 degrees) to ensure the horizontal positioning of the detection chamber and reduce sample residue in the detection chamber. And the piezoelectric ceramic driver can achieve a millisecond-level response speed, realizing fast response to compensate for mechanical vibration or temperature deformation in real time; in addition, because the piezoelectric ceramic driver converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, that is, frictionless motion, the wear and lag of traditional transmission components can be avoided at this time, thereby improving the long-term stability of the system.

[0047] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the online tritium monitoring system in water further includes a multi-stage shielding structure, which includes a Permalloy shell, a lead layer wrapping the detection chamber, and an optical light-shielding layer.

[0048] Optionally, the online monitoring system for tritium in water in the present application also includes a multi-stage shielding structure, which can reduce or eliminate interference signals from the external environment to improve the performance and accuracy of the detector. In practical applications, different shielding measures can be taken according to the specific application and working environment. Specifically, it is mainly necessary to strictly shield the electromagnetic noise, environmental background noise, and external optical interference in the environment. These three interference sources correspond to three shielding measures, namely electromagnetic shielding, radioactive shielding, and optical shielding. Among them, electromagnetic shielding can use a permalloy shell to shield external electromagnetic radiation. The permalloy shell can effectively block electromagnetic waves and guide them to the ground or other appropriate locations, which can be used to reduce interference from radio frequencies, electromagnetic radiation, or high-frequency noise.

[0049] To combat external optical interference, optical shielding can be achieved using materials such as blackout curtains, optical filters, and optical path design. These shields can block the effects of non-target wavelengths or scattered light, improving the signal-to-noise ratio. To combat electromagnetic noise interference, the detection chamber can be wrapped in lead as a radiation shield. For detectors designed to detect radioactive materials, such as radioactive counters or gamma-ray detectors, thick metals (such as lead) or other specialized materials can be used to shield against radiation. These shielding materials can absorb or attenuate radioactive particles or rays, thereby protecting the operator and the surrounding environment.

[0050] In summary, the embodiments of this application improve the detector's support structure, upgrading from the 3D-printed plastic support used in the initial online monitoring system to an optical leveling platform. Combined with a piezoelectric ceramic driver, this ensures that the detection chamber and detector remain level. Furthermore, a multi-level shielding structure provides strict shielding against electromagnetic noise, background noise, and external optical interference, improving the measurement accuracy and reliability of the online monitoring system and meeting the needs of practical use cases.

[0051] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the signal preprocessing includes at least one of electrical signal filtering processing, device 4.8 ns compliance time window processing, power supply crosstalk elimination processing and real-time background noise correction processing.

[0052] Optionally, since there is no filter and rectifier module in the electronic system, the signal amplitude obtained at this time has many signal glitches, so it is necessary to perform FIR (Finite Impulse Response Filter) filtering on the obtained electrical signal. The signal amplitude diagram before FIR filtering and the signal amplitude diagram after filtering are shown in the figure. Figure 5As shown in the figure, it can be found that the small glitches in the signal before filtering are likely to affect the peak-finding algorithm of the signal, resulting in signal misjudgment and outputting a signal quantity far greater than the actual value, while the filtered signal avoids this situation.

[0053] Furthermore, after filtering the electrical signal, the parameters of the coincidence counting algorithm must be determined. A key parameter of the coincidence counting algorithm is the coincidence delay time, which is the maximum time it takes for a measurement signal to arrive at both photomultiplier tubes simultaneously. By controlling the coincidence delay time, only nearly simultaneous events are recorded, eliminating noise or background interference caused by other temporally unrelated signals.

[0054] The choice of coincidence delay time typically depends on the characteristics of the system being studied and the required measurement accuracy. To ensure that events of interest are effectively captured and sources of error are reduced, the coincidence delay time can be adjusted based on the optical properties of the PSF, resulting in a change in the counts. Experimental studies have shown that as the coincidence delay time increases, the coincidence counts initially increase and then gradually increase. This is primarily because as the coincidence delay time increases, the signals from the two photomultiplier tubes are increasingly considered to be simultaneous, recorded as a single coincidence signal. However, when all valid signals are considered coincidence signals, increasing the coincidence delay time does not further increase the valid coincidence signal counts, but instead introduces noise or background interference from the environment. To eliminate this noise or background interference, the coincidence time can be set to 4.8 ns. This maximizes the number of coincidence counts while avoiding noise or background interference caused by temporally unrelated signals.

[0055] Furthermore, in practical applications, the high-energy region (greater than 0.07 V) of tritium's decay spectrum is primarily composed of high-amplitude signals, where background noise interference is more significant. Tritium signals in this region are typically minimal and easily masked by high-energy noise. Therefore, to ensure accurate and reliable measurement results, this high-energy region is typically excluded from tritium signal analysis, and research focuses on optimizing signal processing algorithms for the low-energy region (below 0.005 V) to mitigate the impact of noise interference. In the embodiments of the present application, by rationally setting the delay time of the coincidence counting algorithm, the noise level in this region can be effectively reduced, enhancing sensitivity to low-amplitude signals. By excluding the high-energy region with significant high-energy background noise interference and using an optimized signal processing algorithm for the low-energy region, i.e., selecting the signal analysis interval between 0.005 V and 0.07 V, the tritium signal in the signal amplitude spectrum can be accurately detected and analyzed, ensuring the detector's measurement results are highly accurate and reliable, thereby enabling meaningful conclusions to be drawn from the measured data.

[0056] In addition, in practical applications, there is an additional signal interference that affects the coincidence count, namely the crosstalk effect of high-power equipment on the AC power supply. The crosstalk effect of the power supply refers to the effect of one power supply on another power supply, which is usually caused by the wire or ground wire shared between the power supplies. When a power supply generates large interference, its signal will pass through the shared wire or ground wire and affect the signals of other power supplies, thereby causing errors in the measurement results. The signal count caused by each power supply crosstalk has a huge impact, so it is necessary to remove the impact of power supply crosstalk on the coincidence count. To this end, in the embodiment of the present application, when the coincidence count in the signal recorded by the oscilloscope within 200 ns reaches three or more, all coincidence counts in the record are regarded as power supply crosstalk interference data, and the coincidence counts generated by these power supply crosstalk signals are directly removed. Then, the coincidence counts obtained by the remaining normal measurement signals are used to remove the probability correction of the power supply crosstalk to obtain a complete coincidence count with the power supply crosstalk interference removed.

[0057] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the online monitoring system for tritium in water further includes a difference correction module, which is used to determine the energy generated by decaying β particles.

[0058] In an optional embodiment of the present application, the difference correction module determines the precipitation energy generated by the decaying beta particle using the following formula: in, To deposit energy, is the initial energy of the β particle, is the linear attenuation coefficient of water, is the PSF spacing, is the photon transport efficiency factor.

[0059] It can be seen that in this application, a photon transport efficiency factor is introduced when determining the precipitation energy generated by the decaying β particles, that is, the influence of the PSF surface roughness, the refractive index difference of the water body and the reflectivity of the inner wall of the detection chamber on the photon transmission is fully taken into account, so that the determined precipitation energy is more in line with the actual situation, the reliability of the PSF array detector is improved, and the final measurement results are guaranteed to be more accurate.

[0060] Optionally, in order to better understand the online monitoring system for tritium in water provided in the embodiments of the present application, the working process of the online monitoring system for tritium in water is described in detail below.

[0061] In practical applications, the detector position is first leveled using an optical platform and piezoelectric ceramic actuator to ensure a suitable and stable operating environment. The fluid control system then automatically opens the solenoid valves at the inlet and outlet, and activates the sample pump and backflush pump. The water sample to be tested passes through the inlet and is drawn into the detection chamber by the flow pump. Simultaneously, the peristaltic pump speed is dynamically adjusted in real time using an ultrasonic flow sensor. Once the detection chamber is filled with the sample, the inlet and outlet valves and flow pump are automatically closed, and the water sample measurement process begins.

[0062] Furthermore, the precipitated energy from beta rays released by tritium decay in the water sample is transferred to the plastic scintillation fiber (PSF). The PSF array absorbs this energy and generates scintillation photons. A portion of these photons, through a photon transport process, passes through the PSF array and the water, reaching the detection window and, through the window, the photocathode. The photocathode converts these photons into electrical signals, which are amplified by a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and output to the signal processing system. The signal processing system then filters the electrical signals, processes them within the device's 4.8 ns coincidence time window, eliminates power supply crosstalk, and corrects for real-time background noise. The desired measurement result is then derived from this processed electrical signal.

[0063] After the measurement is completed, the measurement end signal is transmitted to the dynamic fluid control system, and the dynamic fluid control system opens the electromagnetic valve and peristaltic pump to discharge the measured sample from the detection chamber and inject a new sample to be measured to start a new round of measurement. The waste liquid generated by the measurement can be discharged into the waste liquid tank through the pipeline and flow pump, collected in the waste liquid tank and properly treated to avoid pollution to the environment.

[0064] Compared with the old-style online monitoring system for tritium in water, the online monitoring system for tritium in water in the embodiment of the present application has an optical platform added and is equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic driver to ensure that the detector is in a horizontal state and to ensure the stability of the detector when it is working. In addition, when the detector is in a horizontal position, it is beneficial to remove as much air as possible from the sample chamber when injecting the sample into the detection chamber, and it is beneficial to reduce the residue of the measured sample when the detection chamber discharges the measured sample. At the same time, strict shielding measures have been added to shield external electromagnetic interference, radioactive interference, and optical interference, etc. In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the optical platform and bracket of the equipment only need to be leveled once before they can be reused. Subsequent measurements can be automatically controlled by a computer, and a remote control system can also be added to facilitate real-time control of the online monitoring system for tritium in water.

[0065] An embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, and the electronic device in the embodiment of the present application includes: a processor; and a memory, the memory being configured to store machine-readable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, enables the processor to execute any one of the methods in the process of signal preprocessing of the received electrical signal by the above-mentioned electronic system.

[0066] Compared with existing technologies, the new system features an optical platform and a piezoelectric ceramic driver, ensuring the detector is horizontal and stable during operation. Furthermore, a horizontal position facilitates the expulsion of as much air as possible from the sample chamber when injecting the sample, and reduces residual sample when the sample is discharged from the detection chamber. Furthermore, strict shielding measures have been implemented to shield against external electromagnetic, radioactive, and optical interference. Furthermore, the optical platform and bracket only need to be leveled once before reuse. Subsequent measurements can be automatically controlled by a computer, and a remote control system can be added to facilitate real-time control of the online tritium monitoring system in water.

[0067] The present application embodiment provides an electronic device, such as Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 The electronic device shown includes a processor 2001 and a memory 2003. The processor 2001 and the memory 2003 are connected, for example, via a bus 2002. Optionally, the electronic device 2000 may further include a transceiver 2004. It should be noted that in practical applications, the number of transceivers 2004 is not limited to one, and the structure of the electronic device 2000 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0068] Processor 2001 may be a CPU, a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA, or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. Processor 2001 may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, and the like.

[0069] The bus 2002 may include a path for transmitting information between the above components. The bus 2002 may be a PCI bus or an EISA bus, etc. The bus 2002 may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 6 Only one thick line is used in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0070] The memory 2003 may be a ROM or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a RAM or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, or an EEPROM, a CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, an optical disc storage (including a compact disc, a laser disc, an optical disc, a digital versatile disc, a Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto.

[0071] The memory 2003 is used to store application code for executing the solution of the present application, and is controlled by the processor 2001. The processor 2001 is used to execute the application code stored in the memory 2003 to implement the operation of the online tritium monitoring system in water provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0072] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying drawings are shown in sequence as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise specified herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some of the steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying drawings may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages, and these sub-steps or stages are not necessarily executed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be executed in turn or alternately with other steps or at least a portion of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0073] The above description is only a partial embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and such improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An online monitoring system for tritium in water based on a PSF array, characterized in that: The online monitoring system for tritium in water includes a fluid control system, a PSF detector module and an electronics system, wherein: The fluid control system is used to automatically control the opening of the electromagnetic valves of the sample inlet and the sample outlet, and start the included peristaltic pump to draw the water sample to be tested into the detection chamber of the PSF detector module through the sample inlet, and automatically control the closing of the electromagnetic valve and the peristaltic pump after the detection chamber is filled with the water sample to be tested; The PSF detector module is used to capture the precipitation energy generated by tritium decay beta particles in the water sample to be tested through the included PSF array, convert the precipitation energy into a photon signal, and convert the photon signal into an electrical signal through the included detection window via a dual photomultiplier tube; The electronics system is used to perform signal preprocessing on the received electrical signal and obtain the corresponding tritium content monitoring data to be detected based on the preprocessed electrical signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The detection chamber is a cylindrical cavity made of polytetrafluoroethylene, the inner diameter of the cylindrical cavity is 22 mm to 50 mm, and the inner wall of the cylindrical cavity is plated with a mirror reflection layer.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The detection window is an acrylic plate with a light transmittance greater than a set value, and the surface of the acrylic plate is coated with an anti-reflection film.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The PSF array is a hexagonal close-packed PSF array, which is composed of 330 to 1800 de-sheathed plastic scintillating optical fibers with a radius of 0.5 mm and a length of 1 m, and the interval between each two de-sheathed plastic scintillating optical fibers is 0.1 mm.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The online tritium monitoring system in water further comprises a multi-stage shielding structure, which comprises a permalloy shell, a lead layer wrapping the detection chamber, and an optical light-shielding layer.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The signal preprocessing includes at least one of electric signal filtering processing, device 4.8 ns compliance time window processing, power supply crosstalk elimination processing and real-time background noise correction processing.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The fluid control system is further integrated with an ultrasonic flow sensor, which is used to dynamically adjust the speed of the peristaltic pump, which includes a feed pump and a backflush pump.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The support structure of the PSF detector module is an optical horizontal platform, and the optical horizontal platform is equipped with a piezoelectric ceramic driver, and the piezoelectric ceramic driver is used to dynamically correct the inclination angle of the detection chamber.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The online monitoring system for tritium in water further includes a difference correction module, which is used to determine the energy generated by the decaying β particles.

10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that The difference correction module determines the precipitation energy generated by the decaying beta particles using the following formula: in, To deposit energy, is the initial energy of the β particle, is the linear attenuation coefficient of water, is the PSF spacing, is the photon transport efficiency factor.

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