Detector integration of severe accident management instrumentation for robotic applications at nuclear reactor facilities

In the aftermath of a nuclear accident, robots can be used to monitor and assess radiological contamination, preventing harmful exposure to plant personnel. In this work, several detectors were evaluated to be supplemented onto the Husky UGV. Specifically, the RadEye Gamma Survey Meter, the PurpleAir Air-Quality (PA) sensor, and the NaI(Tl) scintillator were examined and their measurement parameters optimized. Optimization was done to satisfy mitigation requirements outlined in regulatory severe accident management guidelines (SAMGs). A software component (Severe Accident Radioactivity Classification; SARC) was developed with the detector components, facilitating detector integration and analysis to aid emergency responders. For the RadEye, 20 seconds was determined to be the optimal collection time; the long term stability and short-term sensitivity of the PA was evaluated; and two spectra measured with the NaI(Tl) were examined. Future work involves further integration of SARC and the addition of advanced capabilities such as infrastructure damage detection.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nuclear Engineering

Grantor

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Nusrat, Omar

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Waller, Edward

• Radiation detection
• Severe accident management
• Air sampling
• Robotics

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10155/1328

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/1328