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SPALAX NG: A breakthrough in radioxenon field measurement
A Cagniant1, S Topin1, G Le Petit1
1CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, France.
Summary
A new generation noble gas station was developed using lessons learned from 10 years of operation. This advanced system enhances Xenon sample production and achieves superior radioxenon detection sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Nuclear Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Noble gas monitoring is crucial for environmental safety and nuclear event detection.
- Previous noble gas station designs had limitations in sample throughput and sensitivity.
- Continuous research and development are essential for improving detection technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and develop a New Generation noble gas station.
- To enhance the production of Xenon samples for analysis.
- To achieve a lower detection limit for radioxenon.
Main Methods:
- Implementing a larger sampler unit with 2 compressors and 8 nitrogen membranes for Xenon extraction.
- Utilizing a novel noble gas adsorbent material (Ag@ZSM5).
- Incorporating hardened components and a new high-resolution, coincidence, low-background spectrometer (HPGe/PIPSBox).
Main Results:
- The New Generation station is designed to produce 60m³ air equivalent Xenon samples every 8 hours.
- The station is expected to achieve a radioxenon sensitivity lower than 0.3mBq/m³.
- The integrated system combines advanced extraction, adsorption, and detection technologies.
Conclusions:
- The New Generation noble gas station represents a significant advancement in radioxenon monitoring capabilities.
- The design improvements address limitations of previous systems, enabling higher sample throughput and sensitivity.
- This technology is vital for enhanced environmental monitoring and nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
