Electrostatic Precipitation System for Radionuclide Particle Collection

To monitor for compliance with nonproliferation treaties such as the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, approximately 80 ground stations around the world collect radionuclide aerosols from the atmosphere and measure the isotopic composition to detect, locate, and characterize nuclear events. These stations process enormous volumes of air to collect minute amounts of the radioactive isotopes needed for detection and analysis. The current approach uses a large air mover and a paper filter media. It consumes a great deal of power, which presents a significant issue for backup power systems. What is needed is a sample collection system that can operate with less power consumption and an increase in instrument sensitivity. In the proposed Phase II project, Creare will continue development of an alternative radionuclide aerosol collection system utilizing electrostatic precipitation, which promises to require much less power than a filter media-based system because the pressure drop through the system will be much lower for the same air volume and the same system footprint. Samples will be collected on rolls of metallized polymer film and sealed for subsequent analysis. In Phase I, we developed a detailed set of requirements and preliminary design models. We conducted laboratory tests to demonstrate the concept and validate our design tools, which we used to generate estimates for pressure drop and collection efficiency. We developed a conceptual design for the prototype to be constructed in Phase II. The plan for Phase II will be to first complete subscale laboratory testing, conduct detailed design work, and then build and test a prototype full-scale system. We will work closely with the team at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to ensure that our sample collection system meets the ultimate system requirements and integrates well with their detector technology. The initial commercial application will be to replace the existing radionuclide collection systems with an improved low-power, high-sensitivity alternative in the current network of 80 sampling stations around the world. This will benefit the public by reducing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and providing critical data concerning public safety during nuclear power plant accidents. Additional commercial applications of this technology we will pursue include bioaerosol monitoring to detect the use of biological and chemical weapons. Other applications are envisioned for cleanroom monitoring and airborne atmospheric sample systems.