High radiation environment tunnel monitoring system and method

• US 20060237649A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Celestech, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gates, Tell A., Peel, John W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,485,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/338.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/185 with ionisation chamber arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/00 Details of radiation-measuring instruments

Abstract

In accordance with the principles of the present invention utilizing a first radiation monitoring module, radiation information associated with the first radiation monitoring module within a tunnel is wirelessly transmitted to a second radiation monitoring module. The second radiation monitoring module is able to receive radiation information from the first radiation monitoring module for relay of the received radiation information to a central monitoring system. The radiation monitoring modules of the present invention allow long term monitoring of a tunnel'"'"'s radiation levels with maintenance simply requiring replacement of a non-operational tunnel monitoring module by a robot.

Claims

1. A radiation detection system comprised of a first radiation monitoring module, the radiation monitoring module comprising:

a radiation detector to detect radiation within a proximate vicinity of said first radiation monitoring module; and

a wireless transceiver to wireless communicate with a second radiation monitoring module.

2. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, wherein:

said radiation detector is comprised of a serpentine RF port to allow fore and aft communications while exposing shielded radiation detectors to said proximate vicinity.

3. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 2, wherein:

said serpentine RF port is comprised of vanes on a downwind port to create a slight vacuum to improve an air draw across shielded radiation detectors.

4. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a redundant battery system.

5. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless transceiver is a piconet transceiver.

6. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless transceiver is operable in a low power mode and a high power mode.

7. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, wherein:

said radiation monitoring module is able to communicate with a third radiation monitoring module further away from said first radiation monitoring module than said second radiation monitoring module.

8. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

9. The radiation monitoring module according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless transceiver is adapted to communicate with a scatternet.

10. A method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel, comprising:

determining a radiation value within a proximate vicinity of a first radiation monitoring module;

establishing a wireless communication link between said first radiation monitoring module and a second radiation monitoring module; and

transmitting said radiation information over said wireless communication link between said first radiation monitoring module and said second radiation module.

11. The method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 10, wherein:

said first radiation monitoring module and said radiation monitoring module comprise a serpentine RF port to allow fore and aft communications while exposing shielded radiation detectors to said proximate vicinity.

12. The method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 11, wherein:

said serpentine RF port is comprised of vanes on a downwind port to create a slight vacuum to improve an air draw across shielded radiation detectors.

13. The method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 10, further comprising:

periodically transmitting status information related to said first radiation monitoring module to said second radiation monitoring module.

14. The method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving at said first radiation monitoring module at least one of a status information and a radiation information from at least one of said second radiation monitoring module and a third radiation monitoring module; and

transmitting said radiation information from said first radiation monitoring module to a central monitoring subsystem.

15. The method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 10, wherein:

said wireless communication link is a piconet communication link.

16. The method of monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 10, wherein:

said wireless communication link is an infrared communication link.

17. Apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel, comprising:

means for determining a radiation value within a proximate vicinity of a first radiation monitoring module;

means for establishing a wireless communication link between said first radiation monitoring module and a second radiation monitoring module; and

means for transmitting said radiation information over said wireless communication link between said first radiation monitoring module and said second radiation module.

18. The apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 17, wherein:

said first radiation monitoring module and said radiation monitoring module comprise a serpentine RF port to allow fore and aft communications while exposing shielded radiation detectors to said proximate vicinity.

19. The apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 18, wherein:

said serpentine RF port is comprised of vanes on a downwind port to create a slight vacuum to improve an air draw across shielded radiation detectors.

20. The apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for periodically transmitting status information related to said first radiation monitoring module to said second radiation monitoring module.

21. The apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving at said first radiation monitoring module at least one of a status information and a radiation information from at least one of said second radiation monitoring module and a third radiation monitoring module; and

means for transmitting said radiation information from said first radiation monitoring module to a central monitoring subsystem.

22. The apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 17, wherein:

said wireless communication link is a piconet communication link.

23. The apparatus for monitoring radiation within a tunnel according to claim 17, wherein:

said wireless communication link is an infrared communication link.