New generation of highly sensitive radon detectors based on activated carbon with compensated temperature dependence

Abstract

AbstractRecently patented compensation module for sensors of radioactive noble gases paves the way for novel designs of radon detectors/monitors with adsorbents, suitable for long-term measurements. The module compensates the strong influence of the temperature on the response of detectors with activated carbon or other ad/absorbents. This report describes radon detectors in which activated carbon fabric is coupled with a solid state nuclear track detector and placed in a compensation module. The module is a hermetic volume made of polyethylene foil, through which the radon diffuses. Two reciprocal trends make possible the temperature compensation: that of the radon penetration through the walls, which increases with the increase of the temperature, and that of the adsorption, which decreases. The results show that outside the module the variation of the detector response over the range of 5–35 °C is 230–305%. In contrast, inside the module the variation is reduced to 6–17%. The module also protects the sensor from humidity and thoron, keeping its sensitivity to radon 7–9 times higher than that of commonly used radon detectors. This makes the new detectors very useful for measurement of low radon concentrations in the atmosphere.