Cylindrical Ionization Device Parasitic Current Elimination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ionization chambers for measuring β radiation suffer from leakage currents and insulation faults in the sealed passage, leading to measurement errors and limitations in detecting low activity levels due to parasitic currents and electromagnetic interference.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating parasitic current collector circuits within the cylindrical flanges and improving the sealed passage with force-screwed insulation pads and a grounded mechanical connection, eliminating the need for resin and enhancing the immunity to parasitic currents, along with a CAN type communication link and a 24-bit analog/digital converter for improved signal processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resin is used to seal the contact carrier flange, then sealing is achieved, but leakage currents occur that interfere with measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the resin sealing material from the contact carrier flange assembly, extracting the harmful element that caused leakage currents. The sealing function is replaced by a mechanical sealing approach using the flange structure itself, eliminating the source of measurement interference while maintaining sealing integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sealed passage as an intermediary component between the ionization chamber and measurement electronics. This sealed passage provides both mechanical support and electrical isolation, acting as a mediator that prevents direct electrical contact paths that would create leakage currents, while still allowing the necessary electrical connections to be made in a controlled manner.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ionization chamber is placed in a potentially contaminated medium, then measurement capability is maintained, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two distinct environments: a contaminated zone where the ionization chamber operates, and a clean zone where the measurement electronics are housed. The sealed passage acts as a boundary between these zones, allowing the chamber to remain adaptable to contaminated media while protecting the sensitive electronics from contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed passage serves as an intermediary barrier that allows the ionization chamber to function in contaminated media while preventing contamination from reaching the measurement electronics. It provides both physical containment and electrical isolation, enabling the system to maintain measurement capability without exposing the electronics to harmful contamination.
3Ease of operation
If a cable with maximum length of 25 meters is used to connect preamplifier and measurement drawer, then flexibility is improved, but signal interference from electromagnetic fields increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed passage with integrated contact carrier flange acts as an intermediary that provides electrical connections without requiring long external cables. By embedding the electrical contacts within the sealed passage structure, the system maintains installation flexibility while minimizing the exposure of electrical signals to electromagnetic fields in the environment.
4Reliability
If insulation faults occur in the airtight passage, then electrical connections are compromised, but measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed passage with its integrated contact carrier flange and internal wiring serves as a protected intermediary for electrical connections. All electrical connections are made within the sealed environment, isolating them from external insulation faults that would otherwise compromise measurement accuracy. The sealed structure itself becomes the insulation barrier, eliminating the need for separate insulation components that could fail.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables measurement of currents down to 10^-16 amperes, significantly improving the detection of low activity levels and reducing the volume and mass of the measurement chain, while minimizing contaminated waste generation.
Implementation Method 1
an ionization chamber, which is immersed directly in the medium to be controlled, provides a current proportional to the activity to be quantified
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an ionization device of cylindrical shape comprising a removable ionization chamber (30) that can be inserted into a base (39), this chamber having an anode (31) formed from a central bar made of electrically conducting material and a cathode (34) made of electrically conducting material surrounding said anode, the anode and cathode both being connected to two cylindrical flanges (32, 33) which are centred on the anode (35) and placed perpendicular to the latter at its two ends, the cathode (34) being formed from wires connected to the peripheral part of these two flanges (32, 33), in which each of the two flanges (32, 33) incorporates a circuit for collecting parasitic currents and is isolated from the anode (31), in which the two flanges (32, 33) are connected together by a bundle of wires connected together via conducting tracks internal to these two flanges in order to form the cathode (34), and in which a final wire, parallel to the others, connects the parasitic current collection circuits internal to these two flanges.