Automatic sampling, sample preparation and measurement device and method for radioactive aerosol and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluent

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic sampling, sample preparation and measurement device and method for radioactive aerosol and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluent. The measuring device comprises a radioactive aerosol measuring module and a gaseous tritium measuring module which are integrated in the measuring device, and the radioactive aerosol measuring module and the gaseous tritium measuring module are respectively communicated with a gaseous effluent pipeline. According to the measuring device, manpower is greatly saved, unattended and long-time online monitoring can be achieved, the sampling monitoring frequency can be flexibly adjusted, and the monitoring efficiency is improved. Besides, under the condition of a nuclear accident, an emergency monitoring mode can be quickly started, and the accident monitoring requirement can be quickly responded, so that continuous, online and automatic monitoring of the concentration of radioactive aerosol and gaseous tritium in the effluent of the nuclear facility is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of environmental radiation measurement technology, and in particular to an automatic sampling and measurement device and method for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents. Background Technology

[0002] Large nuclear facilities, especially nuclear power plants and nuclear fuel processing plants, generate and release radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium during their production processes. These radioactive substances can spread widely in the air, seriously affecting ecological and environmental safety. Therefore, routine monitoring of radioactive aerosol and gaseous tritium concentrations around large nuclear facilities is essential for monitoring their operational status and protecting the ecological environment. Existing monitoring methods for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium measure untreated pollutants.

[0003] Monitoring of radioactive aerosols generally employs a "sampling + measurement" method. First, radioactive aerosol particles in the air are collected and filtered on-site using a nuclear-grade filter membrane, enriching the particles on the membrane surface. Then, in a laboratory setting under vacuum, alpha spectrometers and other equipment are used to measure the alpha energy spectrum of the enriched aerosol particles on the membrane surface, distinguishing different radionuclides and measuring their activity. Finally, the aerosol concentration is determined based on the collected air volume.

[0004] There are two main methods for monitoring gaseous tritium. One is the ionization chamber method, where a sample of gaseous tritium-containing gas is passed into a tritium ionization chamber. The β particles produced by tritium decay interact with the medium within the ionization chamber, ionizing the medium molecules and generating electron-ion pairs. A voltage is applied between the electrodes of the ionization chamber, creating an electric field. Under the influence of this field, the generated positive and negative ions drift towards the negative and positive electrodes, respectively, forming an ionization current. The magnitude of this ionization current is proportional to the tritium activity, and the tritium activity can be determined by measuring the magnitude of the ionization current. Because background ionizing radiation exists in the air, a compensation ionization chamber is needed to eliminate its influence. Another method is "sampling + measurement". First, gaseous tritium is converted into tritized water through catalytic oxidation. Then, tritized water in the air is collected using methods such as bubbling, condensation, freezing, and adsorption to form a tritium-containing liquid sample. Finally, the sample is mixed with scintillation liquid and sent to a liquid scintillation spectrometer to measure the tritium activity. The concentration of tritium in the air is then determined based on the volume of air collected.

[0005] The effluent is the discharge after it has been treated to meet the standards. The concentration of radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in it is very low, and portable monitoring equipment is difficult to meet the monitoring requirements. Generally, the method of "on-site sampling + laboratory measurement" is adopted.

[0006] However, the current level of automation in monitoring radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in effluents is low, resulting in shortcomings such as high labor costs, low monitoring frequency, difficulty in achieving online monitoring, and slow response in the event of a nuclear accident, as detailed below:

[0007] (1) Aerosol filter membrane samples and tritium-containing liquid samples collected on-site from gaseous effluents of nuclear facilities need to be manually retrieved and sent to a professional laboratory for sample preparation and measurement, which is cumbersome and labor-intensive.

[0008] (2) Because it is difficult for operators to frequently travel between the sampling equipment and the laboratory, the monitoring frequency is low, generally once a day or every few days;

[0009] (3) Since laboratory equipment is generally a single device and not connected to the environmental monitoring network, it is difficult to achieve online monitoring of these two pollutants;

[0010] (4) In the event of a nuclear accident, it is difficult to quickly collect and monitor new samples.

[0011] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents, which solves at least one of the problems mentioned in the background art, can greatly save manpower, flexibly adjust the sampling and monitoring frequency, improve the monitoring effectiveness, and enable rapid emergency monitoring in the event of a nuclear accident.

[0013] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an automatic sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in a radioactive gaseous effluent. The measurement device includes a radioactive aerosol measurement module and a gaseous tritium measurement module integrated therein, and the radioactive aerosol measurement module and the gaseous tritium measurement module are respectively connected to a gaseous effluent pipeline.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the radioactive aerosol measurement module includes:

[0015] The first sampling pipeline includes a first sampling head, a first pipeline section, a second pipeline section, a first valve, and a first sampling pump. One end of the first sampling head is in fluid communication with the gaseous effluent pipeline, and the other end of the first sampling head is in fluid communication with the first pipeline section. The first valve is installed on the first pipeline section to control the start and stop of sampling.

[0016] An enrichment chamber includes a drainage hood, filter paper, and a first support. A first tubing section passes through a first side of the enrichment chamber and connects to the drainage hood. The filter paper is placed on the first support and faces the opening of the drainage hood. A second tubing section connects to a second side of the enrichment chamber opposite to the first side. A first sampling pump is disposed on the second tubing section.

[0017] A measurement chamber, adjacent to the enrichment chamber and including a second support and a semiconductor detector, wherein the second support receives the filter paper from the enrichment chamber, and the semiconductor detector is disposed above the second support at a predetermined distance, for measuring the radioactivity of the filter paper surface under vacuum conditions and calculating the result;

[0018] A paper feeding unit, which is disposed in the enrichment chamber and the measurement chamber, conveys the filter paper to the top of the first support or the second support.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the gaseous tritium measurement module includes:

[0020] The second sampling pipeline includes a second sampling head, a third pipeline section, a second valve, and a second sampling pump. One end of the second sampling head is in fluid communication with the gaseous effluent pipeline, and the other end of the second sampling head is in fluid communication with the third pipeline section. The second valve and the second sampling pump are installed on the third pipeline section to control the start and stop of sampling.

[0021] A catalytic oxidation unit, wherein the third pipeline section is connected to the first side of the catalytic oxidation unit, and the gaseous effluent is catalytically oxidized in the catalytic oxidation unit;

[0022] The sampling unit includes a third pump, a sampling container, a sampling liquid, and a bubbler. The third pump is disposed between the catalytic oxidation unit and the sampling container. The bubbler is disposed inside the sampling container. The sampling liquid is loaded inside the sampling container. The tritium-containing water gas from the catalytic oxidation unit is pumped into the sampling container via the third pump, and the tritium is enriched in the sampling liquid by the bubbler.

[0023] The sample preparation unit includes a fourth pump and a sample preparation container. The fourth pump is disposed between the sampling container and the sample preparation container. It pumps the obtained tritium-enriched sampling liquid into the sample preparation container and mixes it with scintillation liquid in the sample preparation container to obtain a measurement sample.

[0024] A measurement unit, adjacent to the sample preparation unit, includes a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector, which receives the sample preparation container from the sample preparation unit and performs measurements to calculate the activity of tritium.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the second pipeline section is further provided with a first flow meter downstream of the first sampling pump, and the third pipeline section is further provided with a second flow meter downstream of the second sampling pump; the first valve is disposed between the sampling head and the enrichment chamber; and the pore size of the filter paper is less than 0.35 mm.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the second sampling pipeline further includes a fourth pipeline section, which is connected to the second side of the catalytic oxidation unit opposite to the first side. One end of the second pipeline section and the fourth pipeline section are also connected to the gaseous effluent pipeline, respectively. The second valve is disposed on the third pipeline section between the second sampling head and the second sampling pump. Furthermore, the sampling unit also includes a water-cooled unit, which is disposed at the inlet of the sampling unit to cool the fluid coming out of the catalytic oxidation unit to a relatively low temperature in order to improve the tritium sampling efficiency.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the sampling container includes a first sampling bottle and a second sampling bottle, each of which is equipped with a bubbler. The third pump pumps the tritium-containing water gas from the catalytic oxidation unit into the first and second sampling bottles respectively, where tritium is enriched in the sampling liquid. The sample preparation unit also includes a mixing chamber, which uses a fifth pump to mix the sampling liquids from the first and second sampling bottles, and then mixes them with a scintillation liquid to obtain the measurement sample.

[0028] According to some embodiments, the gaseous tritium measurement module further includes: a sampling liquid filling unit, which is adjacent to the sampling unit and is loaded with the sampling liquid, and the sampling liquid is pumped into the sampling container by a sixth pump to rinse the sampling container.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the gaseous tritium measurement module further includes: a container operation unit, which is configured adjacent to the sample preparation unit and the measurement unit and includes a container tank, grippers, a guide rail, a slider, and an extension arm. The slider is movably mounted on the guide rail. One end of the extension arm is connected to the slider, and the other end is equipped with the grippers. The container tank is loaded with an empty container. The grippers are configured to remove the empty container from the container tank, unscrew the cap of the empty container, and the grippers, the guide rail, and the slider cooperate to move the empty container to a predetermined position.

[0030] A second aspect of the present invention provides an automated sampling and measurement method for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents, the measurement method being performed using the measuring device described in the present invention, and comprising the following steps:

[0031] A predetermined amount of gas is extracted from the gaseous effluent pipe using the first sampling pipe and the second sampling pipe, respectively.

[0032] The aerosol extracted from the first sampling pipeline is enriched onto the surface of the filter paper in the enrichment chamber. Then, the filter paper is transferred to the measurement chamber, where the semiconductor detector is used to perform radioactivity measurement and calculate the results. The movement of the filter paper is automatically performed by the paper feeding unit.

[0033] The tritium-containing gas extracted from the second sampling pipeline is first pumped into the catalytic oxidation unit for catalytic oxidation. The tritium-containing water gas generated by the catalytic oxidation is pumped into the sampling unit and enriched in the sampling liquid using a bubbler. Then, the enriched sampling liquid is pumped into the sample preparation unit. The container operation unit automatically picks up, opens, and samples the sample, completing the mixing with the scintillation liquid in the sample preparation container to obtain the measurement sample. Then, under the operation of the container operation unit, the measurement sample is automatically sent into the measurement unit, and the tritium activity is measured and calculated using a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector.

[0034] According to some embodiments, the automatic bottle picking, opening, and sampling includes the following steps: after the sampling unit completes sampling, the empty container is picked up from the container tank using the container operation unit, the container cap is unscrewed, the bottle is moved to the tritium-enriched sampling liquid level and scintillation liquid level to add the corresponding liquid, the container cap is screwed on, the sample preparation container is shaken, and then the sample preparation container is transferred to the liquid scintillation spectrometer or the clustered fiber optic detector for measurement. After the measurement is completed, the sample preparation container is picked up again using the container operation unit and transferred to the recycling unit for processing.

[0035] This invention relates to an automated sampling, preparation, and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive effluents. It integrates fully automated sampling, preparation, delivery, and measurement functions for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium. Operations previously requiring manual handling, such as sampling, preparation, and delivery, are now automated. Operations previously conducted in laboratories, such as preparation, delivery, and analysis, are now performed on-site by automated equipment, significantly reducing labor costs. This allows for unattended, long-term online monitoring and flexible adjustment of sampling and monitoring frequency, improving monitoring efficiency. Furthermore, in the event of a nuclear accident, it can quickly activate an emergency monitoring mode to rapidly respond to accident monitoring requirements, thereby achieving continuous, online, and automated monitoring of the concentration of radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in nuclear facility effluents. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of an automated sampling and measurement method for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents, as described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] 100: Gaseous effluent pipe; 200: Radioactive aerosol measurement module; 300: Gaseous tritium measurement module;

[0041] 201: First sampling pipeline; 202: Enrichment chamber; 203: Measurement chamber; 204: Paper feeding unit; 211: First sampling head; 212: First pipeline section; 213: Second pipeline section; 214: First valve; 215: First sampling pump; 221: Drainage hood; 222: Filter paper; 223: First support; 231: Second support; 232: Semiconductor detector; 241: Pressure roller; 242: Recycling bin; 2131: First flow meter;

[0042] 301: Second sampling pipeline; 302: Catalytic oxidation unit; 303: Sampling unit; 304: Sample preparation unit; 305: Measurement unit; 306: Sampling liquid filling unit; 307: Container operation unit; 371: Guide rail; 372: Slider; 373: Extension arm; 374: Gripper; 311: Second sampling head; 312: Third pipeline section; 313: Second valve; 314: Second sampling pump; 315: Fourth pipeline section; 332: Sampling container; 333: Sampling liquid; 341: Fourth pump; 340: Fifth pump; 342: Sample preparation container; 343: Mixing tank; 345: Scintillation liquid storage tank; 351: Liquid scintillation spectrometer or clustered fiber optic detector; 3061: Sixth pump; 3121: Second flow meter; 3321: First sampling bottle; 3322: Second sampling bottle.

[0043] 10: Measuring bottle gripping position; 20: Bottle cap operation position; 30: Sampling liquid filling position; 40: Scintillation fluid filling position; 50: Scintillation spectrometer or clustered fiber optic detector sample entry position; 60: Measuring bottle collection position. Detailed Implementation

[0044] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0045] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form includes the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0046] It should be noted that if the text uses terms such as "first" or "second", these terms are only used to distinguish similar objects and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying their relative importance, order of precedence, or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. It should be understood that the data in the descriptions of "first" and "second" can be interchanged where appropriate.

[0047] Throughout the accompanying drawings, identical elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. Conventional structures or configurations may be omitted where they might cause confusion in understanding the invention. Furthermore, the shapes, dimensions, and positional relationships of the components in the drawings do not reflect actual size, scale, or actual positional relationships. Additionally, any reference symbols placed within parentheses in this invention should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0048] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] One aspect of the present invention provides an automated sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the measuring device includes a radioactive aerosol measuring module 200 and a gaseous tritium measuring module 300 integrated in the measuring device. The radioactive aerosol measuring module and the gaseous tritium measuring module are respectively connected to the gaseous effluent pipe 100.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the radioactive aerosol measurement module 200 may include: a first sampling pipeline 201, an enrichment chamber 202, and a measurement chamber 203. The first sampling pipeline 201 is used to extract gas from the gaseous effluent pipeline 100. The enrichment chamber 202 is used to enrich the aerosols in the gas extracted by the first sampling pipeline 201. The measurement chamber 203 performs energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements on the enriched aerosol particles to distinguish different radionuclides and measure their activities. Then, based on the collected air volume, the aerosol concentration is calculated. The enrichment chamber 202 and the measurement chamber 203 can each be a sealed space.

[0052] The first sampling pipeline 201 may include a first sampling head 211, a first pipeline section 212, a second pipeline section 213, a first valve 214, and a first sampling pump 215. One end of the first sampling head 211 is connected to the gaseous effluent pipeline 100, and the other end of the first sampling head 211 is in fluid communication with the first pipeline section 212. The first valve 214 is located on the first pipeline section 212 and controls the start and stop of sampling. The first valve 214 may be a solenoid valve. The first valve 214 and the first sampling pump 215 cooperate to control whether sampling is performed and the sampling rate, etc.

[0053] The enrichment chamber 202 may include a drainage hood 221, filter paper 222, and a first support 223. The drainage hood 221 may be funnel-shaped, with its smaller end connected to a first conduit section 212 and its larger open end facing the filter paper, for uniformly collecting aerosols introduced from the gaseous effluent conduit onto the filter paper 222. The filter paper may be a nuclear-grade membrane. The first conduit 212 passes through the first side of the enrichment chamber 202 and connects to the drainage hood 221. The filter paper 222 is placed on the first support 223 and faces the opening of the drainage hood 221. The drainage hood 221 can press firmly against the filter paper 222. A second conduit section 213 connects to the second side of the enrichment chamber 202 opposite to the first side. A first sampling pump 215 is mounted on the second conduit section 213.

[0054] The measuring chamber 203 may be adjacent to the enrichment chamber 202 and includes a second support 231 and a semiconductor detector 232. The second support 231 receives filter paper 222 from the enrichment chamber 202. The semiconductor detector 232 is positioned above the second support at a predetermined distance and performs radioactivity measurements on the surface of the filter paper under vacuum conditions, calculating the results. The predetermined distance is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set by those skilled in the art based on existing technology.

[0055] The paper feeding unit 204 can be disposed in the enrichment chamber and the measuring chamber, and conveys the filter paper above the first support 223 or the second support 231. For example, the paper feeding unit 204 may include, Figure 1The pressure roller 241 and servo unit (not shown) are illustrated. The pressure roller conveys filter paper 222 (e.g., placed in a filter paper bucket) to the first support 223, where radioactive aerosols from the aerosol sample are enriched onto the filter paper. The filter paper is then conveyed via a paper feed unit to the second support 231 in the measurement chamber for radioactivity measurement using a semiconductor detector 232. Furthermore, the paper feed unit conveys new filter paper from the filter paper bucket to the enrichment chamber. After measurement, the filter paper is conveyed via the paper feed unit to a recycling bin 242 for recovery.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the gaseous tritium measurement module 300 may include: a second sampling pipeline 301, a catalytic oxidation unit 302, a sampling unit 303, a sample preparation unit 304, and a measurement unit 305.

[0057] The second sampling pipeline 301 may include a second sampling head 311, a third pipeline section 312, a second valve 313, and a second sampling pump 314. One end of the second sampling head 311 is in fluid communication with the gaseous effluent pipeline 100, and the other end of the second sampling head 311 is in fluid communication with the third pipeline section 312. The second valve 313 and the second sampling pump 314 are disposed on the third pipeline section 312 to control the start and stop of sampling. The second valve 313 may also be a solenoid valve.

[0058] The third pipeline section 312 connects to the first side of the catalytic oxidation unit 302, where the gaseous effluent undergoes catalytic oxidation. The specific method of catalytic oxidation can be reasonably configured by those skilled in the art based on existing technology.

[0059] The sampling unit 303 may include a third pump (not shown), a sampling container 332, a sampling liquid 333, and a bubbler (not shown). The third pump may be disposed between the catalytic oxidation unit 302 and the sampling container 332. The bubbler is disposed inside the sampling container, and the sampling liquid 333 is loaded inside the sampling container 332. The tritium-containing water gas exiting the catalytic oxidation unit is pumped into the sampling container 332 via the third pump, and the tritium is enriched in the sampling liquid 333 by the bubbler.

[0060] The sample preparation unit 304 may include a fourth pump 341 and a sample preparation container 342. The fourth pump may be positioned between the sampling container 332 and the sample preparation container 342, pumping the obtained tritium-enriched sampling liquid 333 into the sample preparation container 342 and mixing it with the scintillation liquid to prepare the measurement sample. The scintillation liquid may be stored in a scintillation liquid tank 345. The fourth pump may be a peristaltic pump. The scintillation liquid may be reasonably selected by those skilled in the art based on existing technology.

[0061] The measurement unit 305 may be adjacent to the sample preparation unit 304 and includes a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector 351. The liquid scintillation spectrometer or clustered fiber optic detector 351 can receive the sample preparation container 342 from the sample preparation unit 304 and perform measurement and calculation of the tritium activity. The measurement and calculation method can be reasonably set by those skilled in the art based on existing technology.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second pipeline section 213 may also be equipped with a first flow meter 2131 downstream of the first sampling pump 215, and the third pipeline section may also be equipped with a second flow meter 3121 downstream of the second sampling pump 314. A first valve may be installed between the sampling head and the enrichment chamber. The filter paper has a pore size of 0.35 mm or less.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second sampling pipeline 301 also includes a fourth pipeline section 315. The fourth pipeline section 315 is connected to the second side of the catalytic oxidation unit 302 opposite to the first side. One end of the second pipeline section 213 and the fourth pipeline section 315 are also connected to the gaseous effluent pipeline 100. The second valve 313 is disposed on the third pipeline section 312 between the second sampling head 311 and the second sampling pump 314. The sampling unit 303 may also include a water-cooled unit (not shown). The water-cooled unit may be disposed at the inlet of the sampling unit to cool the fluid coming out of the catalytic oxidation unit, so as to keep the sampling liquid at a lower temperature and improve the tritium sampling efficiency.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the sampling container 332 may include a first sampling bottle 3321 and a second sampling bottle 3322. Each of the first sampling bottle 3321 and the second sampling bottle 3322 is equipped with a bubbler (not shown). A third pump pumps tritium-containing water gas from the catalytic oxidation unit into the first sampling bottle 3321 and the second sampling bottle 3322, respectively, to enrich tritium in the sampling liquid. The sample preparation unit may also include a mixing chamber 343, which uses a fifth pump 340 to mix the sampling liquids from the first sampling bottle and the second sampling bottle, and then mixes them with a scintillation liquid to obtain the measurement sample.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the gaseous tritium measurement module 300 may further include: a sampling liquid filling unit 306, which is adjacent to the sampling unit and contains sampling liquid. A sixth pump 3061 pumps the sampling liquid into the sampling container to rinse the sampling container. The sampling liquid can be pure water. The rinsed liquid is discharged as waste liquid.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the gaseous tritium measurement module 300 may further include: a container operation unit 307, which is configured adjacent to the sample preparation unit 304 and the measurement unit 305 and includes a container tank (not shown), a guide rail 371, a slider 372, an extension arm 373, and a gripper 374. The slider 372 is movably mounted on the guide rail 371, one end of the extension arm 373 is connected to the slider 372, and the other end is equipped with a gripper 374. The container tank contains an empty container, the gripper is configured to remove the empty container from the container tank, unscrew the empty container cap, and the guide rail and slider are configured to move the empty container to a predetermined position.

[0067] According to another aspect of the present invention, an automated sampling and measurement method for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents is also provided. For example... Figure 2 As shown, this measurement method uses the automatic sampling and measurement device in the above embodiments of the present invention, and includes the following steps:

[0068] S1. Extract a predetermined amount of gas from the gaseous effluent pipe using the first sampling pipe and the second sampling pipe respectively;

[0069] S2. The aerosol extracted from the first sampling pipeline is enriched on the surface of the filter paper in the enrichment chamber, and then the filter paper is transferred to the measurement chamber to perform radioactivity measurement using a semiconductor detector and calculate the result. The movement of the filter paper is automatically carried out by the paper feeding unit.

[0070] S3. The tritium-containing gas extracted from the second sampling pipeline is first pumped into the catalytic oxidation unit for catalytic oxidation. The tritium-containing water gas generated by catalytic oxidation is pumped into the sampling unit and enriched in the sampling liquid using a bubbler. Then, the enriched sampling liquid is pumped into the sample preparation unit. The container operation unit automatically picks up, opens, and samples the sample, and mixes it with the scintillation liquid in the sample preparation container to obtain the measurement sample. Then, under the operation of the container operation unit, the measurement sample is automatically sent into the measurement unit, and the tritium activity is measured and calculated using a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector.

[0071] S2 and S3 can be measured simultaneously without any order.

[0072] In some embodiments, automatic bottle dispensing, bottle opening, and sampling include the following steps:

[0073] After the sampling unit completes sampling, the empty container is removed from the container tank using the container operation unit. The container cap is unscrewed, and the bottle is moved to the tritium-enriched sampling liquid level and scintillation liquid level to add the corresponding liquid. The container cap is then screwed on, the sample preparation container is shaken, and then the sample preparation container is transferred to the liquid scintillation spectrometer or the clustered fiber optic detector for measurement. After the measurement is completed, the sample preparation container is removed using the container operation unit and transferred to the recovery unit for processing.

[0074] Monitoring the concentrations of radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in effluents from nuclear facilities is essential for ensuring nuclear safety and protecting the ecological environment. However, because the concentrations of radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in the treated gaseous effluents are relatively low, it is necessary to sample and enrich the aerosols and tritium at the monitoring site, forming sample filter membranes and tritium-containing liquids, and then sending them to the laboratory for αβ measurements and liquid scintillation spectroscopy analysis. This process is labor-intensive, has low monitoring frequency, and slow response. This invention designs an automated sampling, sample preparation, sample delivery, and measurement device. The device automates the sampling, sample preparation, and sample delivery operations that previously required manual intervention, significantly reducing labor costs, flexibly adjusting sampling and monitoring frequencies, improving monitoring effectiveness, and enabling rapid emergency monitoring in the event of a nuclear accident.

[0075] The following describes, through specific examples, the automatic sampling and measurement apparatus and method for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents of the present invention.

[0076] Example 1

[0077] An automatic sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents includes: a sampling head and sampling pipeline, an aerosol enrichment unit, a filter membrane moving mechanism, a filter membrane measurement unit, a tritium catalytic oxidation unit, a tritium enrichment unit, a tritium-containing liquid sample preparation unit, a measurement bottle operation unit, a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector, etc.

[0078] The sampling tube consists of a sampling head, a solenoid valve, and a sampling pipeline, which extracts gas from the gaseous effluent for the detection of radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium.

[0079] The aerosol enrichment unit mainly consists of a nuclear-grade filter membrane, a filter membrane holder, and a vacuum pump, used to enrich radioactive aerosols from aerosol samples onto the filter membrane surface. The filter membrane movement mechanism mainly consists of a nuclear-grade filter membrane, a servo motor, and a filter membrane container, used to deliver the filter paper containing the collected aerosol sample to the filter membrane measurement unit for radioactive aerosol measurement, and to deliver new filter paper to the sampling position. The filter membrane measurement unit uses a semiconductor detector to measure the αβ radioactivity on the filter membrane surface under vacuum conditions.

[0080] The tritium catalytic oxidation unit mainly consists of a catalytic oxidation furnace, which converts gaseous tritium (T2, HT) into tritized water. The tritium collection unit mainly consists of a bubbler, sampling bottles, a water-cooling unit, and a vacuum pump. The tritium-containing water gas, after catalytic oxidation, is sequentially passed through two sampling bottles equipped with bubblers, enriching the tritized water into the sampling liquid (pure water). The water-cooling unit is used to maintain the sampling liquid at a relatively low temperature to improve the tritium sampling efficiency.

[0081] The tritium measurement sample preparation unit mainly consists of a solenoid valve, a peristaltic pump, a scintillation fluid storage tank, and a sampling liquid collection tank. First, the sampling liquids from the two bubbling sampling bottles are introduced into the sampling liquid collection tank for mixing. Then, the corresponding peristaltic pump is used to extract 8 ml of sampling liquid and 12 ml of scintillation fluid from the sampling liquid collection tank and the scintillation fluid storage tank, and add them to the scintillation measurement bottle to form the tritium measurement sample bottle.

[0082] The measuring bottle operating unit, after completing tritium collection, sequentially performs the following operations: clamping an empty measuring bottle from below the measuring bottle tank, unscrewing the cap, moving it to the tritium-containing liquid filling station, tightening the cap, shaking the measuring bottle, delivering the measuring bottle to the liquid scintillator or clustered fiber optic detector inlet, and releasing the grippers. After the liquid scintillator or clustered fiber optic detector completes the measurement, it sequentially performs the following operations: clamping the measuring bottle from the liquid scintillator or clustered fiber optic detector inlet, moving it to the measuring bottle storage station, and releasing the grippers. This series of operations is fully automated, whereas currently these processes are performed manually. Specifically, the measuring bottle operating unit mainly consists of a measuring bottle tank, grippers, linear guide rails, sliders, and rotary grippers. After the gripper picks up the sample bottle from the storage tank at the sample bottle gripping position 10, it moves linearly to the cap operation position 20, where the rotating gripper unscrews the cap. The gripper then moves the sample bottle to the sampling liquid filling position 30 and the scintillation liquid filling position 40 for filling. Next, the gripper moves the sample bottle to the liquid scintillation spectrometer or clustered fiber optic detector injection position 50. After the liquid scintillation spectrometer or clustered fiber optic detector measurement is completed, the gripper removes the sample bottle from the liquid scintillation spectrometer or clustered fiber optic detector injection position and moves it to the sample bottle collection position 60 before releasing the gripper. The operation of the rotating gripper can also be performed by the gripper itself; that is, the functions of unscrewing, screwing on, and gripping the cap can be inherited by the same gripper.

[0083] The liquid scintillation spectrometer mainly consists of a measurement vial sensing unit, an automatic light-shielding cap, a photomultiplier tube, a multichannel analyzer, and a microprocessor. It is used to detect the intensity and quantity of fluorescence excited by beta rays generated by tritium decay in the tritium measurement sample vial. Specifically, after the liquid scintillation measurement vial enters the spectrometer's inlet, the spectrometer releases the vial support plate, allowing the vial to enter the measurement station. The light-shielding cap is then closed, and the photomultiplier tube is used to measure the scintillation spectrum. After the measurement, the tritium activity is calculated. This entire series of operations is now fully automated, whereas currently these processes are performed manually.

[0084] A bundled fiber optic detector is an optical device that uses multiple optical fibers bundled together to achieve high sensitivity and high resolution detection. It is widely used in industry, medicine, scientific research, and other fields. Those skilled in the art can operate a bundled fiber optic detector for tritium measurement based on existing knowledge.

[0085] The measuring device may also include a pure water filling unit, which is used to draw a certain amount of pure water from the pure water tank and add it to the sampling bottle. After sampling, a certain amount of pure water is drawn from the pure water tank in 2-3 times to rinse the sampling bottle.

[0086] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic sampling and measurement device for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in radioactive gaseous effluents, characterized in that, The measuring device includes a radioactive aerosol measuring module and a gaseous tritium measuring module integrated therein, and the radioactive aerosol measuring module and the gaseous tritium measuring module are respectively connected to the gaseous effluent pipe.

2. The measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radioactive aerosol measurement module includes: The first sampling pipeline includes a first sampling head, a first pipeline section, a second pipeline section, a first valve, and a first sampling pump. One end of the first sampling head is in fluid communication with the gaseous effluent pipeline, and the other end of the first sampling head is in fluid communication with the first pipeline section. The first valve is installed on the first pipeline section to control the start and stop of sampling. An enrichment chamber includes a drainage hood, filter paper, and a first support. A first tubing section passes through a first side of the enrichment chamber and connects to the drainage hood. The filter paper is placed on the first support and faces the opening of the drainage hood. A second tubing section connects to a second side of the enrichment chamber opposite to the first side. A first sampling pump is disposed on the second tubing section. A measurement chamber, adjacent to the enrichment chamber and including a second support and a semiconductor detector, wherein the second support receives the filter paper from the enrichment chamber, and the semiconductor detector is disposed above the second support at a predetermined distance, for measuring the radioactivity of the filter paper surface under vacuum conditions and calculating the result; A paper feeding unit, which is disposed in the enrichment chamber and the measurement chamber, conveys the filter paper to the top of the first support or the second support.

3. The measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gaseous tritium measurement module includes: The second sampling pipeline includes a second sampling head, a third pipeline section, a second valve, and a second sampling pump. One end of the second sampling head is in fluid communication with the gaseous effluent pipeline, and the other end of the second sampling head is in fluid communication with the third pipeline section. The second valve and the second sampling pump are installed on the third pipeline section to control the start and stop of sampling. A catalytic oxidation unit, wherein the third pipeline section is connected to the first side of the catalytic oxidation unit, and the gaseous effluent is catalytically oxidized in the catalytic oxidation unit; The sampling unit includes a third pump, a sampling container, a sampling liquid, and a bubbler. The third pump is disposed between the catalytic oxidation unit and the sampling container. The bubbler is disposed inside the sampling container. The sampling liquid is loaded inside the sampling container. The tritium-containing water gas from the catalytic oxidation unit is pumped into the sampling container via the third pump, and the tritium is enriched in the sampling liquid by the bubbler. The sample preparation unit includes a fourth pump and a sample preparation container. The fourth pump is disposed between the sampling container and the sample preparation container. It pumps the obtained tritium-enriched sampling liquid into the sample preparation container and mixes it with scintillation liquid in the sample preparation container to obtain a measurement sample. A measurement unit, adjacent to the sample preparation unit, includes a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector, which receives the sample preparation container from the sample preparation unit and performs measurements to calculate the activity of tritium.

4. The measuring device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second pipeline section is also equipped with a first flow meter downstream of the first sampling pump, and the third pipeline section is also equipped with a second flow meter downstream of the second sampling pump; The first valve is disposed between the sampling head and the enrichment chamber; and The filter paper has a pore size of less than 0.35 mm.

5. The measuring device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second sampling pipeline also includes a fourth pipeline section, which is connected to the second side of the catalytic oxidation unit opposite to the first side. One end of the second pipeline section and the fourth pipeline section are also connected to the gaseous effluent pipeline, respectively. The second valve is installed on the third pipeline section between the second sampling head and the second sampling pump; and The sampling unit also includes a water-cooled unit, which is located at the inlet of the sampling unit to cool the fluid coming out of the catalytic oxidation unit.

6. The measuring device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sampling container includes a first sampling bottle and a second sampling bottle, each of which is equipped with a bubbler. The third pump pumps the tritium-containing water gas from the catalytic oxidation unit into the first and second sampling bottles respectively, and the tritium is enriched in the sampling liquid. The sample preparation unit also includes a mixing chamber, which uses a fifth pump to mix the sampling liquids from the first and second sampling bottles, and then mixes them with scintillation liquid to obtain the measurement sample.

7. The measuring device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The gaseous tritium measurement module further includes a sampling liquid filling unit, which is adjacent to the sampling unit and is filled with the sampling liquid, and the sampling liquid is pumped into the sampling container by a sixth pump to rinse the sampling container.

8. The measuring device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The gaseous tritium measurement module further includes a container operation unit, which is located adjacent to the sample preparation unit and the measurement unit and includes a container tank, grippers, a guide rail, a slider, and an extension arm. The slider is movably mounted on the guide rail, one end of the extension arm is connected to the slider, and the other end is equipped with the grippers. The container tank is filled with an empty container.

9. An automated sampling and measurement method for radioactive aerosols and gaseous tritium in a radioactive gaseous effluent, wherein the measurement method is performed using the measuring device described in claims 1 to 8, and includes the following steps: A predetermined amount of gas is extracted from the gaseous effluent pipe using the first sampling pipe and the second sampling pipe, respectively. The aerosol extracted from the first sampling pipeline is enriched onto the surface of the filter paper in the enrichment chamber. Then, the filter paper is transferred to the measurement chamber, where the semiconductor detector is used to perform radioactivity measurement and calculate the results. The movement of the filter paper is automatically performed by the paper feeding unit. The tritium-containing gas extracted from the second sampling pipeline is first pumped into the catalytic oxidation unit for catalytic oxidation. The tritium-containing water gas generated by the catalytic oxidation is pumped into the sampling unit and enriched in the sampling liquid using a bubbler. Then, the enriched sampling liquid is pumped into the sample preparation unit. The container operation unit automatically picks up, opens, and samples the sample, completing the mixing with the scintillation liquid in the sample preparation container to obtain the measurement sample. Then, under the operation of the container operation unit, the measurement sample is automatically sent into the measurement unit, and the tritium activity is measured and calculated using a liquid scintillation spectrometer or a clustered fiber optic detector.

10. The measurement method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The automatic bottle dispensing, opening, and sampling process includes the following steps: After the sampling unit completes sampling, the empty container is removed from the container tank using the container operation unit, the container cap is unscrewed, the bottle is moved to the tritium-enriched sampling liquid level and scintillation liquid level to add the corresponding liquid, the container cap is screwed on, the sample preparation container is shaken, and then the sample preparation container is transferred to the liquid scintillation spectrometer or the clustered fiber optic detector for measurement. After the measurement is completed, the sample preparation container is removed using the container operation unit and transferred to the recycling unit for processing.

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