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In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis

Published

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In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection. / Alton, Tilly Lucy.
Lancaster University, 2019. 245 p.

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis

Harvard

Alton, TL 2019, 'In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection', PhD, Lancaster University. https://doi.org/10.17635/lancaster/thesis/508

APA

Alton, T. L. (2019). In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection. [Doctoral Thesis, Lancaster University]. Lancaster University. https://doi.org/10.17635/lancaster/thesis/508

Vancouver

Alton TL. In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection. Lancaster University, 2019. 245 p. doi: 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/508

Author

Alton, Tilly Lucy. / In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection. Lancaster University, 2019. 245 p.

Bibtex

@phdthesis{609b0cfe6617498c9941c35d0c364e25,
title = "In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection",
abstract = "This thesis is concerned with the detection of low energy beta emitting radioisotopes from a source of groundwater, with particular emphasis on tritium (3H). This is investigated firstly through an understanding of the challenges of detecting tritiated water, which involves the use of Monte Carlo simulations, numerical analysis and the development of simple scintillator-based detector system. Secondly, by a novel exploration of heterogeneous scintillators, utilising scintillator fabrication, Geant4 simulations and a refined detector prototype. And finally, by the design and testing of a flow cell detector based on the novel heterogeneous scintillator, including the detection of transient tritium concentration levels. The results have demonstrated that the beta particle in the tritiated water undergoes attenuation which causes a shift in the detected energy spectrum, which is particularly relevant for single crystal scintillator detectors used to discriminate radioisotopes by comparing beta spectra. The heterogeneous scintillator used was fabricated through a granulation method, before being used to validate simulations resulting in a novel heterogeneous scintillator configuration. The results of the flow cell and associated detection showed tentative validation of the theory, showing how a short detection time would impact on detector performance.",
keywords = "Tritium, CaF2:Eu, Scintillator, Radiation detection, Beta Particles",
author = "Alton, {Tilly Lucy}",
year = "2019",
doi = "10.17635/lancaster/thesis/508",
language = "English",
publisher = "Lancaster University",
school = "Lancaster University",

}

RIS

TY - BOOK

T1 - In-situ monitoring of groundwater radionuclides with emphasis on tritium detection

AU - Alton, Tilly Lucy

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - This thesis is concerned with the detection of low energy beta emitting radioisotopes from a source of groundwater, with particular emphasis on tritium (3H). This is investigated firstly through an understanding of the challenges of detecting tritiated water, which involves the use of Monte Carlo simulations, numerical analysis and the development of simple scintillator-based detector system. Secondly, by a novel exploration of heterogeneous scintillators, utilising scintillator fabrication, Geant4 simulations and a refined detector prototype. And finally, by the design and testing of a flow cell detector based on the novel heterogeneous scintillator, including the detection of transient tritium concentration levels. The results have demonstrated that the beta particle in the tritiated water undergoes attenuation which causes a shift in the detected energy spectrum, which is particularly relevant for single crystal scintillator detectors used to discriminate radioisotopes by comparing beta spectra. The heterogeneous scintillator used was fabricated through a granulation method, before being used to validate simulations resulting in a novel heterogeneous scintillator configuration. The results of the flow cell and associated detection showed tentative validation of the theory, showing how a short detection time would impact on detector performance.

AB - This thesis is concerned with the detection of low energy beta emitting radioisotopes from a source of groundwater, with particular emphasis on tritium (3H). This is investigated firstly through an understanding of the challenges of detecting tritiated water, which involves the use of Monte Carlo simulations, numerical analysis and the development of simple scintillator-based detector system. Secondly, by a novel exploration of heterogeneous scintillators, utilising scintillator fabrication, Geant4 simulations and a refined detector prototype. And finally, by the design and testing of a flow cell detector based on the novel heterogeneous scintillator, including the detection of transient tritium concentration levels. The results have demonstrated that the beta particle in the tritiated water undergoes attenuation which causes a shift in the detected energy spectrum, which is particularly relevant for single crystal scintillator detectors used to discriminate radioisotopes by comparing beta spectra. The heterogeneous scintillator used was fabricated through a granulation method, before being used to validate simulations resulting in a novel heterogeneous scintillator configuration. The results of the flow cell and associated detection showed tentative validation of the theory, showing how a short detection time would impact on detector performance.

KW - Tritium

KW - CaF2:Eu

KW - Scintillator

KW - Radiation detection

KW - Beta Particles

U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/508

DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/508

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

ER -