Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Real-time wireless marine radioactivity monitoring system using a SiPM-based mobile gamma spectroscopy mounted on an unmanned marine vehicle

  • Min Sun Lee (Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Team, Nuclear Emergency & Environmental Protection Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Soo Mee Kim (Maritime ICT R&D Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology) ;
  • Mee Jang (Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Team, Nuclear Emergency & Environmental Protection Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Hyemi Cha (Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Team, Nuclear Emergency & Environmental Protection Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Jung-Min Seo (Maritime ICT R&D Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology) ;
  • Seungjae Baek (Maritime ICT R&D Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology) ;
  • Jong-Myoung Lim (Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Team, Nuclear Emergency & Environmental Protection Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  • Received : 2022.11.02
  • Accepted : 2023.03.14
  • Published : 2023.06.25
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Abstract

Marine radioactivity monitoring is critical for taking immediate action in case of unexpected nuclear accidents at nuclear facilities located near coastal areas. Especially when the level of contamination is not predictable, mobile monitoring systems will be useful for wide-area ocean radiation survey and for determination of the level of radioactivity. Here, we used a silicon photomultiplier and a high-efficiency GAGG crystal to fabricate a compact, battery-powered gamma spectroscopy that can be used in an ocean environment. The developed spectroscopy has compact dimensions of 6.5 × 6.5× 8 cm3 and weighs 560 g. We used LoRa, a low-power wireless protocol for communication. Successful data transmission was achieved within 1.4 m water depth. The developed gamma spectroscopy was able to detect radioactivity from a 137Cs point source (3.7 kBq) at a distance of 20 cm in water. Moreover, we demonstrated an unmanned radioactivity monitoring system in a real sea by combining unmanned surface vehicle with the developed gamma spectroscopy. A hidden 137Cs source (3.07 MBq) was detected by the unmanned system at a distance of 3 m. After successfully testing the developed mobile spectroscopy in an ocean environment, we believe that our proposed system will be an effective solution for mobile real-time marine radioactivity monitoring.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the KAERI institutional Program (Project No. 521510), National Research Foundation of Korea (Grant No. NRF-2022R1C1C1013092), and was a part of the project titled 'Development of Smart Processing Technology for Sea Foods', funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea (Project No.20210671).

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