The Industrial Automated Radionuclide Xenon Detection System

SAUNA-II

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About GammadataFounded in 1986, the Gammadata Group is now a leaderin the research, development and application of specificapplied nuclear, atomic and surface physics. With a largenumber of researchers and staff members, close ties tothe academic community and operations throughout theworld, the Gammadata Group is creating instrumentationand solutions for radiation analysis and high-resolutionspectroscopy.

ProductionThe Gammadata R&D and production team have since1986 sucessfully challanged the difficult task to produceand worldwide install small series of advanced and verycomplex analysis systems for the surface- and nuclear sci-ence industry. The production and test fascilities consistof 500 m2 and manufacturing and control tools used, areof highest industrial standards.

Service and SupportThe Gammadata service and support team provides a to-tal solution and commitment to our SAUNA-users byproviding a 24 hours on-call technical support service.Trained customer support and technical teams arededicated to provide our SAUNA-users with the level ofsupport they need when they need it. On-site serviceagreements, preventative maintenance agreements, trainingand extended warranties are available to provide addedlevel of protection.

Gammadata Product lineWith a basis in Professor Kai Siegbahn´s Nobel Prizewinning ESCA method, Gammadata has developed, andcontinues to develop, instrumentation for surface physicsmeasurements systems. With SAUNA II, in the light ofthe 2005 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to IAEA, this tradi-tion has continued. The SAUNA II system represents an-other example how the Nobel Price traditions and Swe-dish technical development sometimes goes hand-in-hand.

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Alfred Nobel 1833-96- Scientist and founderAlfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel price was born in Stockholm 1833. As achemistry student in Paris he met Ascanio Sobrero, the man who invented nitroglycerine.His interest in explosive materials resulted in a patent of dynamite 1867 and anestablishment of companies and laboratories all over the world. In 1895 Nobel signedhis last will providing for the establishment of the Nobel Prize. His wish was to awardthose who have or had done their best for humanity in the fields of physics, chemistry,physiology or medicine, literature and peace.

In 1901 the first Nobel Prizes were awarded.

Dag Hammarskjöld 1905-61- the world’s most impossible jobDag Hammarskjöld is one of the most admired and respected Swedish citizens inmodern time. As the General-Secretary of the United Nations (1953-61) he becamea role model for a lot of people through his courage, engagement and integrity. Duringhis negotiations he followed a neutral strategy and stressed the United Nationsassignment to protect the small states against the superpowers. He also made a proposalto establish a commission for a peacekeeping force that should monitor and observepeace processes that emerge in post-conflict situations.

He came to impersonate the ideal of the UN-constitutions and was after his deathawarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961.

Alva Myrdal 1902-86- the first Swedish disarmament ministerAlva Myrdal remains one of the most well-known and respected personalities ininternational affairs due to her engagement in nuclear disarmament. During two decadesshe spent all her time fighting for these matters, both as ambassador and member ofthe Swedish Cabinet.

Alva Myrdal was awarded with the Nobel Peace Price in 1982 for her long and tirelesseffort in favor for nuclear disarmament in general and her criticism of the nuclearweapons powers for failing to live up to their commitments under the Non-ProliferationTreaty.

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The aim for Gammadata - IndustrialisationIn a unique collaboration between the developers (FOI)and their industrial and commercial partner Gammadata,the SAUNA-system has been engineered to meet highestindustrial standards. The prototype SAUNA-system alreadymet or exceeded the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty(CTBT) requirements for near real-time ultra-sensitive fieldmeasurement of short lived noble gases. Theindustrialisation of the SAUNA-II system have added notonly improved detection sensitivity but also improved reali-bility, modularity, maintenancy and support availability.

Quality AssuranceThe SAUNA II production and extensive test (FAT)follows the methods defined in the Gammadata qualityassurance system. The Gammadata QA-system is certifiedaccording to SS-EN ISO 9001:2000. This includes e. g.sub-contractor and supplier evaluations, overall traceability,documentation standards etc. Our methods also followthe environmental quality system EMAS and SS-EN ISO14001.

Excellent development and collaborationWith more than 20 years of experience and traditions inxenon detection from the Swedish Defence ResearchAgency (FOI) in combination with the industrial skills ofGammadata, the industrial version of the SAUNA systemwas made commercially available in 2004. Using the mostsensitive detector system based on coincidence beta-gamma detection, in combination with industrial modulardesign for optimum realiable performance, the newradionuclide xenon detection system, SAUNA II is im-proved in terms of detection sensitivity, reliability,modularity, maintenancy and support availability.

The aim for FOI – development of the prototypeThe aim for the development was the global need of long-term, unattended, ultra-high sensitive monitoring ofnuclear explosions using radioxenon signatures. Theprototype system named SAUNA (Swedish AutomaticNoble Gas Analyser) was developed and built by the Swe-dish Defence Research Agency FOI and extensively testedin the framework of an international collaboration. TheSAUNA prototype is used at the CTBT NOX49 station atSpitzbergen reporting data with only occasional interrup-tions since end of 2001.

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THE SAUNA II CONCEPT

- Modular approach throughout the whole design.

Compactness and modularityWhen SAUNA II was designed, a key word was modularity.In order to design a state-of-the-art system that fulfills thelatest demands on flexibility, reliability and serviceability,a modular system is essential. In SAUNA-II, all compo-nents are placed in modules according to functionality.As a result of that SAUNA-II is:

• A system that is easy to understand and troubleshoot.• A system where all modules are individually

exchangeable.• A system that allows fast installation and fast on-site

response times for service and maintenance.• A flexible system ready for potential upgrades.

User friendliness - Two interfaces and access levelsGreat care is taken to obtain a clean, logical and intuitivedesign. The system uses two interfaces for versatilefunctionality:

• Front - For system operators:Only the most important system parameters are dis-played on the front panel of each module. The currentprocess mode of the system will be visible by means ofLED´s. A State-of Health alarm system is installed onall SAUNA-II units. This considerably simplifies routinemonitoring and troubleshooting for system operatorson site.

• Rear - For service engineers:The rear side of the system is used for service andmaintainence. That is where the different modules areinterconnected.

• Different levels of access- Duty Operater Access- Senior Operater Access- Operations Manager Access

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ReliabilityA number of features make the SAUNA-II system reliableand well adapted to its purpose, suitable for uninterruptedand unattended use.

• An advanced State-of-Health system diagnosis thesystem parameters, which can be remotely accessed.

• Only components of industrial standards are used inthe system.

• The design is optimised to reduce the number of externalconnections in order to simplify service and main-tainence.

• All components are mechanically and electricallyscreened, thus minimising the risk for physical damageand disturbances caused by a hostile electromagneticenvironment.

Remote diagnostic possibilitiesThe system control and monitoring can be accessedthrough its own web server, thus enabling remote accessto the system through the local network.

The SAUNA II OSI conceptOn-site compatibilityThe modular design and the flexibility of the system haveallowed us to design a mobile version of SAUNA-II. Thissystem is specifically designed for field-use with a mobilesampling unit that comprise exchangeable process columns.Sampling of xenon is done in the field and the exchange-able process column containing the xenon sample is thentransferred to another destination for automatic proces-sing and activity analysis.

The SAUNA II Lab conceptLaboratory versionDue to the fact that high sensitivity can be achieved withthe beta-gamma detection technique, the SAUNAlaboratory system can be suitable for re-analysis of xenongas samples. The laboratory system is a manual system forquantification of the amount of stable xenon followed byan activity measurement. Because of the modularity, it isquite easily fitted to different laboratory needs.

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Sampling-Processing-Quantification-DetectionSAUNA-II is based on a unique non-cryogenic samplingtechnique followed by preparative gas chromatography anda high sensitivity beta-gamma detection system.

SamplingUninterrupted sampling of atmospheric xenon is perfor-med using charcoal beds at ambient temperature. Moistureand carbon dioxide is removed from the air usingthermoelectric coolers and molecular sieves.

ProcessingSample preparation including radon separation is perfor-med by preparative gas chromatography.

QuantificationThe xenon volume is quantified using a thermal conduct-ivity detector.

DetectionThe xenon activity is measured using a beta-gammacoincidence technique recording the energy of theelectrons and gamma rays produced in the decay of 133Xe,135Xe, 131mXe, and 133mXe. The coincidence techniquereduces the ambient background and the recording of thebeta energy allows for high sensitivity measurements ofthe metastable states.

PerformanceThe SAUNA II technical specifications and performancemeet or exceed the specifications defined by the CTBTrequirements. Detailed technical information can berequired from Gammadata.

Gammadata Instrument ABP.O. Box 15120, SE-750 15 UPPSALA, SWEDEN

Phone +46 18 480 58 00 - Fax +46 18 55 58 88E-mail info@gammadata.se Internet www.gammadata.net