RU2655023C1 - Ionizing radiations and/or ionizing particles detecting sensor and device equipped with such sensor for determination of radionuclide content in air - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: measuring equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to sensors and devices for determining ionizing radiation and/or ionizing particles. Invention is a sensor of ionizing radiation and/or ionizing particles or a device with such a sensor including: a first electrode; two second electrodes placed near the first electrode; and a countdown unit configured to receive and output of a signal corresponding to the difference in electrical potentials and/or currents of the second electrodes. First electrode and the second electrodes are configured to obtain a difference in electrical potentials and/or currents between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, providing a collection of one or more by the second ion electrodes formed as a result of air ionization in an area between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and/or ionizing particles.

EFFECT: suppression of microphone/vibration effect.

20 cl, 7 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sensors and devices for determining (recording, detecting) ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles, as well as the content (e.g., presence) of radionuclides, i.e. radioactive isotopes, i.e. nuclides whose nuclei are unstable and undergo radioactive decay in air near devices, in particular, daughter products of decay (DPR) of radon and radon itself, as well as in some variants of determining a number of parameters of ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles and / or radionuclide content in ambient air, for example, their decay frequency, concentration and / or volumetric activity.

State of the art

A device for determining the airborne content of a radionuclide such as radon is known from the patent RU 2008694 by detecting alpha particles emitted by radon decay daughter products, which are also radionuclides. The device comprises an air chamber in which an alpha particle detector is located. Air is supplied to the chamber through an aerosol filter. The camera is made in the form of folding telescopic rings, thanks to which it can be folded and expanded, thereby providing air to the inside of the camera (i.e. the camera also acts as a pump).

The alpha particle detector can be made in various forms. In one implementation, it can be an electrode on which ions are concentrated, which are obtained in air as a result of the passage of alpha particles. Ions fall on such a concentrating electrode due to the electrostatic field formed by the difference in electric potentials between the concentrating electrode and the chamber wall. When ions hit the concentrating electrode, a voltage / current pulse is formed, through which it is possible to register an alpha particle. A detector of ionizing particles and / or radiation, such as an ionization chamber, is based on this principle of action.

One of the main disadvantages of the ionization chamber that impedes its widespread use in household appliances is the microphone effect. Due to the high potential difference between the wall of the ionization chamber, which is the first electrode, and the second (concentrating) electrode, any change in the distance between the chamber wall and the concentrating electrode, including due to the action of sound or mechanical vibration on the chamber wall, leads to a change in the potential of the concentrating electrode .

Such changes in the potential of the concentrating electrode form voltage / current pulses on this electrode, the amplitude of which can exceed the amplitude of the pulses generated by ionizing particles and radiation. As a result, considerable noise is observed at the exit of the ionization chamber (concentrating electrode), against which the detection of pulses of ionizing particles or radiation is impossible or requires significant effort and expense of signal processing.

Disclosure of invention

The present invention is the elimination (reduction, suppression) of the microphone effect inherent in the ionization chamber.

The objective of the present invention is solved using an ionizing radiation sensor and / or ionizing particles, including: one or more first electrodes; two or more second electrodes located near one or more first electrodes; and a subtracting module, configured to receive (and output) a signal corresponding to the difference of electric potentials and / or currents of two or more second electrodes. One or more first electrodes and second electrodes are configured to accept (receive) the electric potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes (that is, it is possible to apply such a potential difference to them), which collects one or more second electrodes of ions formed as a result of air ionization in the region between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles. In addition, one or more of the first electrodes and the second electrodes are advantageously adapted to receive (receive) the electric potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, which provides air ionization between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles.

In some embodiments, the subtractor module may be configured to receive a signal corresponding to the difference in electric potentials and / or currents of two or more second electrodes multiplied by weights. In addition, the second electrodes can be made with the possibility of accepting (receiving) the potential difference between them (that is, the potential difference can be given to the second electrodes).

In a preferred embodiment, the sensor may include a partition placed between the second electrodes and configured to receive the electric potential of the first electrode. Instead of a partition between the second electrodes, the first electrodes can be placed, i.e. the first electrodes can be placed not only near the second electrodes, but also between them.

In an advantageous embodiment, one or more of the first electrode may cover each or part or all of the second electrodes in a solid angle of 2π to 3.5π steradian (relative to the second electrode). In a particular embodiment, two or more of the first electrodes encompass one second electrode (in this case, it is additionally desirable to provide a rigid mechanical connection between the two first electrodes). The first electrode may be made using a grid. The second electrode may be made using wire.

The subtraction module may be performed using a differential and / or instrumental amplifier. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor may comprise charge amplifiers configured to convert a change in charge at the second electrodes into a change in electrical voltage, wherein the subtraction module is configured to receive a signal corresponding to the difference in voltage obtained by two or more charge amplifiers.

The objective of the present invention is solved using a device for determining the content of radionuclides in the air, including: a sensor according to any one of the above options; a processing unit configured to receive and process the sensor signal; and a power unit configured to provide an electric potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes of the sensor, providing air ionization between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles emitted by the radionuclides.

In one embodiment, the second electrodes may be configured to receive (receive) a potential difference between them, and the power supply may be configured to provide a potential difference between the second electrodes of less than half or less than a third or less than a quarter or less than one tenth of the potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. In such an embodiment of the invention, the power supply may be configured to provide a potential difference between the second electrodes of 30 V to 600 V, or 50 V to 500 V, or 75 V to 300 V, or 100 V to 200 V, or from 30 V to 100 V, or from 30 V to 200 V, or from 30 V to 300 V. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply may be configured to provide a potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes from 300 V to 3000 V, or from 500 V to 2000 V, or from 1000 V to 1500 V.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the device may have at least two connecting electrodes configured to be electrically connected to an electrical network, the power supply unit being configured to receive electrical voltage from the connecting electrodes and supply at least one of the first electrodes of the electrical voltage with a constant component relative to one or more connecting electrodes, the absolute value of which is greater than the absolute values of the DC component and / or the rms value of the AC component of the voltage between the connecting electrodes. In particular cases of this option, the constant component of the electrical voltage at the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes in absolute value can have a value of not less than 300 V and not more than 3000 V, or not less than 500 V and not more than 2000 V, or not less than 1000 V and no more than 1500 V.

The sensor may be made in the form of at least one open air ionization chamber. In addition, at least one first electrode may be one of the electrodes of at least one ionization chamber. In some cases, the device may include a communication module comprising a radiating infrared diode and configured to transmit control signals by means of a radiating infrared diode.

The technical result of the present invention is the suppression (reduction) of the microphone / vibration effect while maintaining or even reducing the size of the ionization chamber, as well as increasing the efficiency of the ionization chamber. An additional technical result is the suppression (reduction) of electrical noise / noise induced or transmitted to the ionization chamber from the electrical network, while maintaining or even reducing the dimensions of the ionization chamber, as well as increasing the efficiency of the ionization chamber. Due to the suppression of electrical noise / noise, it is possible to use a cheap ionization chamber as a sensor of ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles for a device connected to an electric network and operating on the principle of an electrostatic trap, which eliminates the need to use air pumps to determine the content (concentration, volumetric activity) radionuclides in the air. It should be noted that all these technical results, both the main set and the additional one, are achieved by the present invention simultaneously and jointly. The division into main and additional technical results was made in order to separate the result obtained in the course of solving the problem of the invention from the result, which was an additional and unexpected useful property, which allows to expand the application of the present invention and increase the positive effect of using the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram corresponding to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a device according to one possible embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 6 shows a circuit board with components of a device in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 7 shows a general view of a device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

The implementation of the invention

Further, the present invention is described in more detail using the accompanying figures. The figures referred to in the description, as well as the description itself, are presented solely for the purpose of explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope and / or essence of the invention, which are determined by the claims. At the same time, the characteristics indicated in the description and / or depicted in the figures, if necessary, can be included in the claims in order to ensure patentability.

Although the figures are intended to explain the same invention, the objects presented therein are not necessarily compatible, complement or form part of each other, as they may relate to different embodiments, the explanation of which will make it possible to more clearly understand the essence of the invention. At the same time, under certain conditions, they can be combined, combined, complement, form part of each other or represent images of objects that implement a single embodiment of the invention.

Elements, components, components and other parts in the figures have the same position numbers in those cases when their functional purpose coincides (in some cases, perhaps not completely). At the same time, it must be understood that the specific implementation of the same numbered positions for the embodiments shown in different figures may vary while maintaining the same functionality.

The words “comprising”, “including”, “having”, “contains”, “includes”, “consists”, “has”, “is included in” and the like, used to describe the invention, are synonymous and do not limit the composition of the device, its components / elements, signs, components, etc., and also do not indicate the mandatory presence of other signs and do not exclude the possibility of the presence of other components / elements, signs, components, etc. , including those not mentioned, unless the contrary is noted in the description.

In the description can be presented various terms that characterize the same elements / components of the device or their properties, as synonyms. However, it should be borne in mind that some synonyms can provide a different scope of protection when specifying them in the claims, which can be used to ensure patentability by replacing synonyms or entering features in the formula in the form of one or another synonym.

The invention is described with respect to two objects: a sensor of ionizing particles (e.g., alpha particles or beta particles) and / or ionizing radiation (e.g., gamma radiation, flows of alpha and / or beta particles), and also to a device for determination of radionuclides in air. These objects are connected by the unity of the inventive concept, since the sensor is used as part of the device, and the determination of radionuclides is carried out by recording ionizing particles and / or ionizing radiation emitted by radionuclides. The descriptions and features related to the sensor and its elements also apply to similar parts and elements in the device, and vice versa, if the sensor has elements corresponding to the elements of the device, then everything said about such elements in the device also applies to the elements of the sensor. When describing the device, a sensor can be allocated that is part of the device and includes elements / components that are indicated as necessary for the implementation of the sensor functions and are included in the device.

Further, in the description of the invention, radar DPRs are generally referred to, which, like radon itself, are radionuclides. It is necessary to understand that in addition to the radon DPR, the device in accordance with the present invention can determine the content in the air of other radionuclides in addition to radon DPR, for example, Toron DPR and others. However, in view of the fact that radar and radon DPR are radionuclides that usually have the highest concentration (volumetric activity) in air, a description of possible embodiments and the principle of the device’s operation is performed with respect to radon DPR.

In addition, since the most convenient way to determine radar DPR is to detect alpha particles emitted by radon DPR, the device and the detection process are described with respect to alpha particles, although other emitted particles (such as beta particles) can be used to determine the content and radiation (such as gamma radiation and x-rays).

In FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an ionizing particle and / or radiation sensor in accordance with the present invention. This embodiment corresponds to the circuit diagram of the sensor shown in FIG. 2. The sensor of FIG. 1 comprises a first electrode 103, secured by spacers 102 to a circuit board 101. Near the first electrode 103, second electrodes 104 and 105 are mounted, also secured to the circuit board 101. A subtractor module 106 (also known as a subtraction module) is also installed on the circuit board 101. receives the difference of the signals corresponding to the electric potentials of the second electrodes 104 and 105, and gives it to the output 305 (see Fig. 2). The circuit board 101 also has connectors 107 and 108.

In FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an ionizing particle and / or radiation sensor in accordance with the present invention. This embodiment corresponds to the circuit diagram of the sensor shown in FIG. 4. The sensor of FIG. 3 contains two first electrodes 401 and 402 attached by their bases to the circuit board 101. Inside the first electrodes 401 and 402, second electrodes are mounted, also mounted on the circuit board 101 without touching the first electrodes. In particular, in FIG. 3, the first electrode 402 is shown with a local cut-out, in which the second electrode 105 is visible. The local cut-out is shown only in order to be able to show the location of the second electrode 105 and in reality there is no cut-out, that is, the first electrode 402 should look the same as the first electrode 401.

A subtracting module 106 and connecting connectors 107 and 108 are also mounted on the board 101. Everything that is indicated with respect to the sensor elements 106, 107 and 108 shown in FIG. 1 also applies to similar sensor elements 106, 107 and 108 shown in FIG. 3 and vice versa. The difference between the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and 3 consists in the different implementation of the first electrodes and the arrangement of the second electrodes.

High electrical potential is supplied through connector 107 to the first electrode 103 or first electrodes 401, 402, and through another connector 108, power is supplied to the subtracting module 106 and an output signal corresponding to the electric potential difference of the second electrodes 104 and 105 is output from the module 106. Output 305 of the sensor shown in FIG. 2 and 4 may be one of the contacts of the connector 108. In FIG. 2 and 4 also show an input 304 for supplying a high voltage (potential) to the first electrode 103 or the first electrodes 401, 402. This input 304 may be one of the contacts of the connector 107. It should be noted that the connectors 107 and 108 are optional for the implementation of the present invention and can be excluded from the sensor, and the connections can be made using open or closed conductors, including PCB tracks , for example, when using a sensor in a device for determining the content of radionuclides in air.

The first electrode 103 in FIG. 1, as well as the first electrodes 401, 402 in FIG. 3 may be called extended electrodes, electrostatic electrodes, cathodes or anodes, mesh electrodes or walls of the ionization chamber (s) depending on its properties and the conditions in which it is used. For example, when giving the first electrode a positive high electric potential (more positive than the second electrodes), it can be called the anode, and the second electrodes, respectively, cathodes. Conversely, when giving the first electrode a negative high electric potential (more negative than the second electrodes), it can be called the cathode, and the second electrodes, respectively, anodes.

The most common name for the first electrodes 103, 401, 402 is an extended electrode. The first and second electrodes together constitute an ionization chamber in which the energy of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation is spent on the formation of a charge of ions formed during the passage of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or the propagation of gamma -radiation in the air. The ionization chamber is formed by the first electrode, mainly having large (extended) sizes, and the second (measuring, concentrating) electrode, mainly having small sizes in at least one of the spatial measurements (smaller than the first electrode) to ensure the concentration of the electric field, As a result, nonuniformity (high gradient) of the electric field is provided, which increases the probability of cascade (or avalanche) ionization of air by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation.

The cascade (or avalanche) ionization of air by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation has the advantage over conventional impact ionization (occurring with any type of ionization) in that if one or more ions are formed during impact ionization, in the presence of conditions for cascade (or avalanche) ionization after impact ionization, a chain of subsequent ionizations of the gases that make up the air occurs, in which the number of ions increases many times and even by several orders of magnitude. As a result, when creating conditions for cascade (or avalanche) ionization, it becomes easier to register alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, because the number of ions formed by them is much larger and, as a result, the signal recorded from the second electrode also has a significantly larger value.

To ensure the operability of the ionization chamber, the first electrode and second electrodes in the embodiment of FIG. 1, as well as first electrodes and second electrodes in the embodiment of FIG. 3 should provide the possibility of obtaining a difference in electric potentials between them (i.e., between the first electrode and the second electrode for each of the possible pairs), which ensures the collection of one or more second electrodes of ions formed as a result of air ionization in the region between the first electrodes and the second ionizing radiation electrodes and / or ionizing particles. The magnitude of this potential difference in those shown in FIG. 1-4 options depends on devices external to the sensors, however, in some embodiments, power supplies can be part of the sensors, which does not eliminate the need for the first and second electrodes to provide the possibility of obtaining the electric potential difference between them.

To ensure this, the first and second electrodes must be able to electrically connect with conductors that supply the necessary potentials (voltage) directly or through connecting devices, conductors, elements. In addition, the first electrodes should not have electrical contact with the second electrodes, since otherwise the potential difference between them will be zero or close to zero. It is also necessary to ensure such distances between the first electrodes and the second electrodes at which there will be no electric breakdown between them and an effective electric field will act that ensures the transfer of ions and ion tracks formed as a result of air ionization in the region between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles to one, two or more second electrodes - that is, the electric field created inside the ionization chamber must ensure printing the possibility of collecting ions and ion tracks by one or more second electrodes. This field depends not only on the distance between the first and second electrodes, but also on the magnitude of the potential difference between them.

In addition, one or more of the first electrodes and the second electrodes are preferably configured to obtain a potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, which provides air ionization between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles. Due to this condition, an increased efficiency of the ionization process can be provided, for example, due to the effects of cascade or impact ionization. To ensure such a difference in electric potentials, it is necessary to fulfill the above conditions; the change can only affect the magnitude of the electric field, that is, the ratio of the distance and the potential difference between the first and second electrodes.

Radionuclides emitting ionizing particles and / or ionizing radiation can be fed into the ionization chambers in several ways. First, an air pump may be used. Secondly, the chamber itself can be folding and act as a pump, as shown in the prototype RU 2008694. Thirdly, the sensor itself can be in the place where the air flows, for example, near a wall where strong convection air flows are observed, or air flow generated by an external ventilation system. Fourth, as described below, radionuclides can be deposited on the first electrode using the electrostatic method, when the first electrode is given a high electric potential relative to the environment and due to electrostatic forces, electrically charged radionuclides and / or carriers of radionuclides, such as dust, are attracted and deposited on the first electrode, which in this case may be called the first electrode.

In the first three cases, the first electrode can be made continuous provided that air is supplied inside the ionization chamber (into the space between the first and second electrodes) and is called the wall of the ionization chamber. When the chamber wall is made of solid metal or other metallized material, a smaller amount of electromagnetic radiation penetrates into the chamber, thereby reducing interference in it.

At the same time, in the first three cases, as in the fourth case, the first electrode can be made using a non-continuous material, such as a mesh material (for example, a metal mesh) or an element with holes or perforations - then the first electrode can be called mesh or perforated electrode. The advantage of using such a material is that the air supply inside the ionization chamber can be carried out from either side, which simplifies the formation of the air supply circuit.

In addition, in the fourth case, when the radionuclides are supplied to the ionization chamber by the electrostatic method, the radionuclides can be deposited not only on the outside of the chamber, but also on the inside after passing inside the chamber through openings in the first electrode. The electrostatic method of introducing radionuclides into the ionization chamber can be combined with other methods - in this embodiment, the implementation of the first electrode using a non-continuous material is preferred to enable all the methods used to be implemented.

The first electrodes 401 and 402 in FIG. 3 are cylinders made using a mesh. In the General case, the shape of the first electrodes may differ from the cylindrical, and they can be made using any of the other above materials. If the first electrodes 401 and 402 are made of solid material, they must have openings for supplying and / or air outlet to / from the internal volumes of the first electrodes 401, 402, which form ionization chambers together with the second electrodes in the inner space.

For this reason, the implementation of the first electrodes 401, 402 using a mesh material (preferably metallic) is advantageous because it allows the introduction of air and radionuclides into the ionization chambers (both in the internal volume and on the inner side of the walls) through the mesh walls. Due to this, the second electrodes can be completely covered by a metal or metallized material (in particular, the side walls of the cylinders 401, 402, the caps of the cylinders 403, 404, which are components of the first electrodes, and the circuit board 101, which can contain metallized at the installation site of the cylinders 401, 402 layer), which reduces the interference induced by the second electrodes inside the cylinders 401 and 402 by electromagnetic radiation in the space around the cylinders (i.e., the first electrodes) 401,402.

In cases where the level of electromagnetic radiation interfering with the registration of ionizing particles / radiation is low, the ionizing chamber may be fully or partially open, for example, as shown in FIG. 1. In modern conditions, a high level of electromagnetic radiation is observed and to prevent interference to the second electrodes, it is desirable to completely close them from electromagnetic radiation by the first electrodes. However, usually complete closure is not possible, and therefore, for the implementation of the present invention, it is desirable that the first electrode (or the first electrodes, if several) covered each or part, or all of the second electrodes in a solid angle of 1.5π to 3.5π steradian ( can be from 1.5π to 3.9π) - in this case, sufficient protection against electromagnetic radiation will be provided. When using mesh materials for the manufacture of the first electrodes, it can be considered that the grid provides complete closure despite the presence of holes in the grid, since the size of the holes is usually much smaller than the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, as a result of which the grid effectively prevents their propagation.

When using a mesh (non-continuous) material to create cylinders 401, 402, the passage of ionizing particles / radiation from one ionization chamber in one of the cylinders to another ionization chamber in the other of the cylinders will be observed. In such cases, the ion tracks formed by such particles / radiation will be located in both cylinders and will hit the nearest second electrode, however, when subtracting the signals, they will not be mutually compensated, since the formation of ion tracks and, accordingly, their hit on the second electrodes occurs different time due to the fact that the particle / radiation flies first in the first ionization chamber, and only then, after the passage of the first ionization chamber, flies in the second ionization chamber and their The paths in the chambers are most often not identical, which affects the shape of the ion tracks and, then, the waveforms received from the second electrodes, and these shapes will be different. This means that the signals from the second electrodes caused by ion tracks cannot be mutually compensated (mutually suppressed) due to their different shapes in different chambers and their different times to the subtraction module.

Due to this effect, it becomes possible to separate one ionization chamber into two without changing the overall dimensions and reducing the sensitivity of the chamber to ionizing particles / radiation, since almost all ion tracks created in the overall dimensions corresponding to one large ionization chamber will be captured by the second (measuring) electrodes . Therefore, the suppression of the microphone effect, as well as electrical noise and electromagnetic interference, is achieved without increasing the size and reducing the sensitivity of the sensor. This technical result is achieved in all the described configurations of the ionization chambers, consisting of the first (first) and second electrodes, provided that there are no obstacles (such as solid partitions) for the passage of ionizing particles / radiation over the entire volume limited by the overall dimensions of the ionization chamber (chambers).

The ionization chamber is usually limited to the first electrode, which often forms the wall of the ionization chamber surrounding the second electrode (or several second electrodes). However, the first electrode can only partially cover the second electrodes, as shown in FIG. 1. In a particular case, the first electrode may not cover the second electrodes at all, but be near them. In such cases, the ionization chamber is limited to the electrodes constituting it, connected by lines (mainly straight), touching the elements (mainly electrically conductive, for example, such as electrodes and conductors connected to them or other metal elements) of the camera, with all other camera elements being on one side for each of the lines.

Such electric potentials are applied to the first (first) and second electrodes, the difference between which (voltage) makes it possible to efficiently collect ions arising from ionization of the air by emitted alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation. The optimal value of such a voltage depends on the size of the ionization chamber, in particular, on the distance between its electrodes. The dimensions of the chamber, in turn, are determined on the basis of the energy characteristics of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides, for example, radon and its DPR, in particular, their mean free paths.

In particular, an important indicator is the mean free path of the ionizing particle and / or radiation on which an ion track (track) is formed, which can be collected by the electrodes of the ionization chamber. It is desirable that the distance at which the electrodes of the ionization chamber are located is no more than one or several (two, three, four or five) of such characteristic flight lengths of the ionizing particle and / or radiation, since at a larger distance the ions have time to recombine without falling on electrodes, and therefore the efficiency of the ionization chamber will drop.

The electric potentials that are supplied to the first (first) and second electrodes can be related to each other in different ways. For example, a high electric potential can be supplied to the first or second electrodes, and the sign of such a potential can be both positive and negative. In addition, high electric potentials can be applied to both the first (first) and second electrodes, and the signs of these potentials can both coincide and differ. For example, in FIG. 2 and 4, sensor circuits are shown in which a high electric potential of one sign or another is supplied through an input 304 to a first electrode 103, 401, 402.

In FIG. Figure 4 also shows that the high potential for the first electrode 401 comes from the first electrode 402 through the connecting conductor 501. However, the supply to the first electrodes (if several) of high voltage can be carried out on each of the first electrodes independently from the same high voltage source or even from different high voltage sources. Using the same high voltage source to form a high electric potential (voltage) on all first electrodes, firstly, reduces the number of necessary high voltage sources, and secondly, it allows one to compensate during further processing the noise created by the source and induced with first electrodes to second electrodes.

Between two or more of the first electrodes, a rigid mechanical connection is preferably made. In the implementation of FIG. 3, a rigid mechanical connection between the electrodes 401 and 401 is carried out using a board 101, to which both the electrode 401 and the electrode 402 are firmly attached, and which has rigid mechanical properties. This is necessary so that the mechanical vibrations caused by sound and / or vibration are the same for both electrodes. Then their effect on the second electrodes, in particular in FIG. 3, the second electrodes inside the first electrodes and forming two ionization chambers with the first electrodes will create the same microphone and / or vibration effects, which will be mutually suppressed due to the subtraction module. With various microphone and / or vibration effects in the ionization chambers, which is possible with unequal effects of sound and / or vibration on the first electrodes and / or with unequal effects of the first electrodes on the second electrodes in the absence of a rigid mechanical relationship between the first electrodes, such suppression of microphone and / or vibration effects will be incomplete.

A critical condition for ensuring the operability of the ionization chamber is the difference in electrical potentials between the first (first) and second (second) electrode (s). The potential difference may also be referred to as voltage. The sign of the difference in electrical potentials with respect to one of the electrodes can be either positive or negative. The value of the potential difference in absolute value should preferably be at least 300 V and not more than 3000 V, or not less than 500 V and not more than 2000 V, or not less than 1000 V and not more than 1500 V.

The second electrodes 104, 105 can be called differently, for example, concentrating electrodes by their role in the ionization chamber, measuring electrodes by their value for recording ionizing particles and / or radiation in the sensor (the voltage for determining the particle / radiation is removed from the second electrodes), as well as anodes or cathodes depending on the sign of voltage between the second and first electrodes. Regardless of the name, the second electrodes are preferably made significantly smaller in surface area than the first electrodes. In this case, ions created by ionizing particles and / or radiation will mainly be deposited on the second electrodes due to the greater gradient of the electric field, as well as the sign of the electric potential relative to the potential on the first electrode. The smaller area of the second electrode relative to the first is usually provided by the smaller transverse dimensions of the electrode, while the length of the second electrode can be comparable to the length of the first electrode, as shown in FIG. 1. The second (measuring, concentrating) electrodes can be made using metal or metallized plates or three-dimensional objects, however, in the simplest form for manufacturing, the second electrodes are made using wire (mainly open, not insulated).

To implement the present invention, the second electrodes must be at least two. These electrodes are advantageously arranged symmetrically with respect to the first electrode or equally with respect to the first two electrodes, if there are two first electrodes and each of them is located next to its second electrode, as shown in FIG. 3. With this arrangement, the processing of signals from the second electrodes is simplified, since their alignment is not required. Then, to obtain a sensor signal with a suppressed microphone effect, it is only necessary to subtract the electric potentials of the second electrodes (or the voltages on them relative to one common conductor, or the values corresponding to these potentials or voltages) from each other.

In the General case, when the second electrodes 104 and 105 are located unequally (for example, at different distances) relative to the first electrode and / or have different sizes, as shown in FIG. 1, and / or the form, to obtain a sensor signal with a suppressed microphone effect, it is necessary to subtract from each other the electric potentials of the second electrodes (or the voltages on them relative to one common conductor, or the values corresponding to these potentials or voltages) multiplied by weighting factors (for example , by unequal amplification and / or attenuation of signals from the second electrodes, or their unequal frequency or other processing). Due to this multiplication by weight coefficients, the differing changes in electric potentials (voltages, values corresponding to voltages or potentials) are aligned with each other and the mic effect is suppressed as much as possible.

The microphone effect cancellation is achieved as follows. On each of the second electrodes, the changes in the electric field induced by the first electrode during its mechanical vibrations will be the same (or slightly differ at different positions of the second electrodes relative to the first, but this unevenness is leveled using the above-described weight coefficients). Changes in the electric field at the second electrodes 104 and 105 become changes in potentials (or voltages).

The subtracting module 106 subtracts the signals (direct or converted) received from the second electrodes 104 and 105 from each other and thereby the in-phase changes in potentials (or voltages) at the second electrodes caused by mechanical vibrations of the first electrode 103 are mutually compensated. Thus, no matter what mechanical vibrations the first electrode experiences, a signal corresponding to the electric potential difference of two (or more) second electrodes will be received at the output of the subtracting module, in which components caused by mechanical vibrations of the first electrode are absent or strongly suppressed (i.e. missing or suppressed microphone / vibration effect).

As for ion tracks created by ionizing particles and / or radiation, ions from them are deposited mainly on one or another second electrode. Therefore, when subtracting the potentials of the second electrodes from each other, the potential pulses in time caused by ion tracks cannot cancel each other, since the ion track sits on either one or the other second electrode, and not both simultaneously.

It should be noted that it is possible to distinguish which of the second electrodes the ion track hit by the sign of the pulse corresponding to the ion track at the output of the subtractive module, since, in fact, the output signal of the subtractive module has two components: one of which, positive, corresponds to the momenta from one measuring electrode, and the other, negative, from another measuring electrode. This opens up the possibility of using chambers to measure the difference in the activity of nuclides in chambers, when a source of ionizing particles and / or radiation is placed near one of the chambers or in the chamber, the particles and / or radiation from which fall only in the region where one of the measuring electrodes is located. Due to this, using the ionization chamber, near / inside of which there is no source of ionizing particles and / or radiation, it is possible to determine the number of particles and / or radiation parameters characterizing the environment and natural background from the pulses at the output of the subtracting module of the same sign and, further, correct the data received from the measuring electrode of that ionization chamber, in / near which a source of ionizing particles and / or radiation was located, in the form of pulses at the output of a subtractive module of a different sign and pre representing the sum of the radioactivity of the investigated source and the natural background in order to more accurately determine the radioactivity of the source.

In another embodiment, this can be used to implement a comparative method for determining the radioactivity of sources of ionizing particles and / or radiation, which is more accurate than the absolute method. In such a method, a reference source of ionizing particles and / or radiation is applied (or placed into it) to one ionization chamber, and a measured source of ionizing particles and / or radiation is placed to another ionization chamber (or inside it). Then, at the output of the subtracting module, the bipolar signal (in the case when the constant potentials of the second (measuring) electrodes are approximately the same) will have two components that are easily distinguishable in sign, one of which corresponds to one ionization chamber and, therefore, to the reference source, and the other, with opposite sign, corresponds to another camera and, therefore, to the measured source. By comparing the activities, for example, by the number of pulses in each component, it is possible to very accurately determine the radioactivity of the measured source of ionizing particles and / or radiation based on the known activity of the reference source.

Thus, the double ionization chamber shown in FIG. 3 and consisting essentially of two ionization chambers, can be used to increase the accuracy of determining the radioactivity of sources of ionizing particles and / or radiation. In order to prevent sources near / in their chambers from affecting the adjacent chamber and its readings, a partition can be installed between the chambers that impedes the passage of ionizing particles and / or radiation emitted from / to one chamber to another, or the walls of one or both chambers can be made using material that impedes such a transition.

At the same time, the use of such a double ionization chamber has advantages for determining the radioactivity of radionuclides contained in air and emitting ionizing particles and / or radiation into both chambers. To obtain the generalized number of pulses caused by ion tracks generated by ionizing particles and / or radiation, the operation of taking the module or squaring (or another even degree) can be applied to the output of the subtracting module so that all pulses have the same pulse sign. Then a generalized activity of radionuclides in / near both chambers will be obtained. The advantage in this case is that the signal processing from the second (measuring) electrodes is maximally simplified due to the similarity (or a high degree of similarity) of the ionization chambers, since to obtain the effect of suppressing the microphone / vibration effect and other interference, it is enough to subtract one signal from the other and not additional signal processing is required by multiplying them by weighting factors (which corresponds to their different amplification, attenuation, or different frequency processing) to ensure the same ovyh / jamming components as they will be as identical as possible.

In some cases, when an ion track is formed at a position equidistant from both second (measuring) electrodes, it can be equally distributed on both second electrodes and, therefore, at the output of the subtracting module, the pulse corresponding to this ion track may be absent due to mutual compensation. The fraction of such ionic tracks equidistant from the second electrodes in the total number of ionic tracks formed over the entire volume of the ionization chamber is small. At the same time, several measures can be taken to eliminate the same distribution of ion tracks on the second electrodes.

Firstly, between the second electrodes, a certain potential difference can be provided, mainly constant in magnitude, for example, from 30 V to 600 V, or from 50 V to 500 V, or from 75 V to 300 V, or from 100 V to 200 V, or from 30 V to 100 V, or from 30 V to 200 V, or from 30 V to 300 V. The potential difference between the second electrodes can also be defined as less than half or less than a third or less than a quarter or less than one tenth potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. In the presence of such a potential difference between the second electrodes, the ions of the track located at the same distance from the second electrodes will experience different forces of electric attraction to them and, accordingly, will fall on the one to which the attraction force is greater. At the output of the subtracting module, a signal will be observed having a pulse corresponding to the ion track and a constant component corresponding to the potential difference between the second electrodes, which can be eliminated using a differentiating element, such as a capacitor, or during further signal processing.

Secondly, a partition can be placed between the second electrodes. This partition should preferably have a potential different from the potential of the second electrodes. For example, this may be the potential of the first electrode. Such potential can be transferred to the septum using a conductor or by connecting the septum to the first electrode. In this case, the ions will be attracted only to one of the second electrodes, since a conductive baffle will separate them from the other second electrode.

Thirdly, the second electrodes can be separated by the first electrode (s). For this, the first electrode can be placed between the second electrodes or, as shown in FIG. 3, near each second electrode, its first electrode 401 and 402 may be formed so that the second electrodes are separated by one or both of the first electrodes. In this case, the track ions will also reach only one second electrode, depending on which part of the ionization chamber they are formed, since one or even two first electrodes will separate them from the other second electrode.

In the event that the ion track is partially formed in the region between one second electrode and the first electrode, and partially in the region between the other second electrode and the first electrode, then these parts of the ion track will not reach the second electrodes at the same time because the ion track is formed by one particle or radiation and, therefore, the formation of these parts is separated in time. This means that in this case there will be two pulses at the output of the subtracting module, close in time and with different signs.

In FIG. 2 shows that the subtraction module may contain a differential amplifier 303, which can be made on the basis of both discrete elements (for example, transistors) and operational amplifiers (including based on one operational amplifier). In a sense, the subtraction modulus may be called a differential modulus. In FIG. 2, the second electrodes 104 and 105 are connected to the inputs of the differential amplifier 303 using amplifiers 301 and 302. In a preferred embodiment, the amplifiers 301 and 302 are charge amplifiers that convert the changes in charge on the second electrodes to electrical voltage or a change in electrical voltage (for example, relative to one common conductor). These voltages supplied to the differential amplifier are subtracted from each other, and the result of the subtraction is fed to the output 305. Thus, in the subtraction module, a signal corresponding to the difference in the voltage obtained by two or more charge amplifiers can be obtained.

The subtracting module can be considered as containing, along with the differential amplifier 303, amplifiers 301 and 302, and containing only the amplifier 303. In the latter case, the amplifiers 301 and 302 are considered additional for the subtraction module. In addition, the sensor can be implemented without amplifiers 301 and 302, if the differential amplifier 303 provides a sufficient gain and has a sufficiently high input impedance.

In some cases, the subtraction module can be performed without using a differential amplifier, for example, based on piezoelectric elements, elements with surface acoustic waves, optical converters, etc. In addition, the subtraction of signals corresponding to the voltages on the measuring (second) electrodes can be carried out digitally. For this, the digital subtraction module must contain analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and a digital processing module, made, for example, using logic elements, a programmable logic chip, microprocessor and / or microcontroller. The ADCs digitally convert the voltage (potential) values of the measuring (second) electrodes with a frequency that is two or more times the maximum frequency of the acoustic noise spectrum and / or the pulse spectrum created by ionizing particles (radiation) and / or ion tracks generated with the participation of ionizing particles (radiation) and trapped on the measuring (second) electrodes. Further, the digitized signals are digitally subtracted from each other.

An advantage of this subtraction method is that further processing can also be carried out in digital form and, therefore, the resulting difference signal in digital form can be directly transmitted for further digital processing. However, this method has such a drawback that if the maximum frequencies of the spectra of the processed signals turn out to be too high, then it will be impossible to digitize these signals without loss and / or using inexpensive ADCs. In this regard, the most preferred way of processing the signals of the measuring (second) electrodes by obtaining their difference is analog (including using a differential amplifier), and digitization is already carried out with respect to the difference signal. The advantage of this option is that when subtracting signals, they can be mutually compensated (that is, suppressed), including high-frequency interference.

An additional advantage of analog subtraction of the signal corresponding to the voltage (potential) at one measuring (second) electrode from the signal corresponding to the voltage (potential) at another measuring (second) electrode is that thanks to this processing it is possible to suppress not only the microphone effect (then there is acoustic interference), but also interference caused by electromagnetic radiation from the surrounding space, as well as power interference and interference received from the electrical network.

Suppression of interference received from the electrical network allows the use of the sensor in accordance with the present invention in devices for determining the content of radionuclides in air using the electrostatic principle of operation (electrostatic trap). In such a device, an electric voltage with a large DC component is applied to the first electrode (s) with respect to one or more wires of the electric network. This means that the first electrode (s) also receive interference, including pulsed, inevitably present in the electrical network. These interferences at the first electrode (s), which can be amplified compared to interferences in the network depending on the performance of the power supply, are induced on the second electrodes and, without suppression, can create false detection events of ionizing particles and / or radiation. The present invention allows to eliminate such interference and maximize the benefits of such devices operating on the principle of an electrostatic trap.

In FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a possible implementation of the device of the present invention. The block diagram shown in FIG. 5, comprises a plug connector 601 with connecting electrodes 611 electrically connected to a power supply unit 602 including a high voltage module 621, the output of which is connected to the first electrode 103, and a low voltage module 622 connected to a processing unit 603 including a subtracting module 106 (for example, in the form of a differential amplifier) and a processing module 631, for example, a processor or controller, a communication module 604 and an indicator 605. Next to the first (electrostatic) electrode 103, second electrons are installed odes 104 and 105, the signals of which are supplied to the processing unit 603, where the differential amplifier 106 receives a signal corresponding to the difference of the signals (eg, voltages) of the second electrodes 104 and 105, and then the received signal is processed by the processing module 631. From the processing module 631, the processed data and / or the sensor signal is sent to the communication module 604, in which they can be transmitted, for example, by radio communication through the antenna 641. In addition, from the processing module 631, the processed data and / or the sensor signal are sent to the indicator 605, which can display show the signal level, events of registration of alpha particles, beta particles and / or gamma radiation and / or characteristics obtained by processing the signal in the processing module 631.

The high voltage module is designed to supply an electrical voltage with a constant component to the first electrode with respect to one or more connecting electrodes that are part of the connecting element (for example, a plug connector). As shown in FIG. In option 5, the high-voltage module contains a voltage multiplier (for example, a Cockroft-Walton generator), which consists of a ladder (several chains) of capacitors and diodes and can convert an alternating or pulsating voltage to a high constant voltage (or voltage with a constant component), the value of which is greater than the voltage between the connecting electrodes.

Due to this, an electric charge appears on the first electrode, creating such a high constant voltage, which can be considered solitary relative to the environment (for example, walls and other elements of the premises). Due to this solitude, the electric charge on the first electrode forms an electric field mainly in the surrounding space outside itself, and not inside the ionization chamber, and therefore the potential of the indicated electric field decreases inversely with the distance from the electrode (to the first degree), and the Coulomb force acting on the charges around the first electrode, decreases in inverse proportion to the square of the distance from the electrode (i.e., to the second degree).

The advantages of a voltage multiplier include the absence of a transformer (and, consequently, lower weight and dimensions), the absence of the need for reinforced insulation and the formation of an output voltage relative to the input connected to the connecting electrodes. Due to the latter advantage, there is no need to ensure the binding of the potential of any element of the high voltage module to the potential of one or more connecting electrodes, as may be required when using, for example, a transformer circuit of a voltage converter.

In fact, in the prior art, circuits / devices containing transformers are usually used as step-up voltage converters, the main advantage of which is the provision of electrical (galvanic) isolation (isolation) between the input and output windings of the transformer, which ensures electrical safety of the voltage converter due to the fact that the current from the electric network cannot directly get into the device powered through the transformer converter. The electric potentials at the output of such a converter turn out to be approximately equal in size to half the output voltage from the constant potential of the earth with different signs and form a dipole between the electrodes of the ionization chamber or, in some cases, between one electrode of the ionization chamber and the housing. The electric field generated by the dipole is mainly contained in the region near the dipole (i.e. between the electrodes forming it; in other words, inside the ionization chamber) and on the outside of the electrodes forming the dipole, the electric field strength and, accordingly, the Coulomb force acting on charged particles decrease in cubic dependence on the distance from the dipole, i.e. to a greater extent than from a solitary charge, and therefore such converters cannot provide the advantages of an electrostatic method for collecting and supplying radionuclides from ambient air to the ionization chamber.

A similar drawback is possessed by autonomous devices powered by galvanic cells, batteries or accumulators. The high voltage generated in them is applied to two electrodes in the ionization chamber (or to one electrode relative to the housing or any electrically conductive element of the device). Since such devices are completely autonomous, they are electrically (galvanically) isolated (isolated) from the electrical network and the environment. As a result, the potentials of these electrodes or the electrode and the housing also turn out to be approximately equal in size to half the output voltage from the constant potential of the earth with different signs and form a classical dipole.

If the stand-alone device itself has an electric potential, for example, obtained earlier, then due to the deposition of charged particles (for example, dust), the total (average) electric potential of the device will quickly enough equalize with the environmental potential and will remain at the same level. that is, the device from an electrical point of view will be a dipole, since the potentials of the elements carrying electricity, between which a high voltage is created (and one of which represents the first electrode), will ut spaced relative to the average potential of the device at substantially the same values with opposite signs.

A similar picture will be observed in devices connected to the electric network with the provision of electrical (galvanic) isolation (isolation), except that in addition to the deposition of charged particles, another process is added that helps to align the average potential of the electrically decoupled part with the environmental potential electrical network, and representing the leakage current between the electrically isolated parts of the device.

Therefore, to ensure the effective application of the electrostatic method of supplying radionuclides to the ionization chamber when using a voltage converter with electrical (galvanic) isolation (isolation) of the input and output (for example, containing a transformer), it is necessary to give one of the electrically conductive elements of the device that is part of that part of the device, which is isolated from the electric network, of some potential, for example, close to the potential of one of the wires of the electric network, so that relative to it, it became possible to set the potential of the first electrode of the ionization chamber in such a way that the total (average) potential of the device significantly differs from the potential of the environment and / or electric network. For example, in some cases, depending on the circuitry solution, the case grounding may be sufficient for this, and in the case of a transformer converter, this can be done by connecting (direct or using resistances, capacitors or semiconductor elements) to some ends of the input and output windings.

It should be noted that if one of the electrically conductive elements of the device, which is part of the device part isolated from the electric network, is given a certain potential and the required potential of the first electrode of the ionization chamber is provided in such a way that the total (average) potential of the device differs from the environmental potential and / or electrical network, the device may become hazardous and measures must be taken to prevent electric shock / voltage damage to living things and other devices.

One type of possible measure is the placement of an electrode in an electrical insulating housing. In this case, it is necessary to ensure the openness of the first electrode to the surrounding space, that is, the possibility of charged particles (for example, dust) with radionuclides from the surrounding air through the casing to the first electrode. This requires windows, holes, cutouts and other types of openings in the housing, connecting the internal volume of the housing (or part thereof) with the surrounding space.

In another embodiment, the above openings, slots, openings, windows in the walls of the body can be covered with a mesh, porous, fabric or other material, or with an element that can prevent various objects or parts of the body from entering the body through the window, but allow passage through such material or element air, charged particles, dust, radionuclides, for example, DPR of radon and radon itself. The use of such a material or element will slightly reduce the sensitivity of the device due to the retention of part of the indicated charged particles, dust and radionuclides by the material or element itself, but, nevertheless, their passage will be ensured and, at the same time, the penetration of foreign objects into the device will be prevented.

In some embodiments, electric shock can be prevented by limiting the current that can flow through the voltage converter included in the high voltage module, for example, to the first electrode. The current can be limited, for example, by selecting such a circuit (design) of the voltage converter, in which the current flowing through the converter when the first electrode is touched by an object having an electric potential different from the first electrode potential, directly or through any object, is limited by, not dangerous for living things and / or devices, including taking into account the high voltage at the first electrode. An example of such a circuit, for example, is the voltage multiplier used in the high voltage module 621, due to the presence of current limiting elements.

In other embodiments, current limiting can be carried out using one or more current-limiting elements located at the input or output of the voltage converter or as part of a voltage converter or arranged in such a way that the first electrode is connected to the voltage converter or the voltage converter with connecting electrodes by current-limiting elements. Resistance, capacitances, nonlinear and / or semiconductor elements can be used as current-limiting elements. When using current-limiting elements, current limitation can be ensured even in the case of the use of voltage converters, which in themselves do not limit the output current. Due to the current limitation, it is possible to prevent electric shocks from living creatures and / or devices for open electrostatic (first) electrodes placed both in housings and without housings.

Thus, using the above measures, both individually and in various combinations, it is possible to ensure the electrical safety of the device in accordance with the present invention. At the same time, it should be noted that ensuring such electrical safety is not necessary for the implementation of the present invention, since the performance and required characteristics of the device in accordance with the present invention can be realized without ensuring electrical safety. Such a device can be used in conditions where there is no need to ensure electrical safety, for example, in deserted rooms and spaces or serviced by properly instructed and trained personnel using individual protective measures. However, ensuring electrical safety provides such an advantage as universality, convenience and breadth of use, regardless of whether people and animals have access to it or not.

Radionuclides deposited on the first electrode 103 alone or on dust or other particles decay with the emission of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation. The second electrodes 104, 105 are designed to register these particles and / or radiation. The second electrodes can be located near the first electrode no further from it than the mean free path of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or the propagation distance of gamma radiation, or inside an ionization chamber bounded by the first electrode, also taking into account the possibility of registering particles and / or radiation, for which their ion tracks must reach the second electrodes. In addition, between the first electrode and the second electrodes should not be located objects that can interfere with the passage of particles and / or the propagation of radiation, that is, the sensor and the first electrode should preferably be within the direct line of sight of each other. In FIG. 5, the second electrodes 104, 105 are shown near the electrode 103, since this is an exemplary block diagram for explaining the invention, and this does not impose restrictions on the installation location of the second electrodes.

In order to ensure small size, high efficiency and low cost, an ionization chamber (in particular, open), in which the alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation is spent on the formation of a charge of ions formed during the passage of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or the spread of gamma radiation in air. The ionization chamber is formed by the first (electrostatic) electrode, mainly large in size for the effective deposition of charged particles and radionuclides over a large area, and the second (concentrating) electrodes, mainly small in size (for example, transverse and smaller than the first electrode) to ensure concentration electric field, as a result of which the non-uniformity (high gradient) of the electric field is ensured, increasing the likelihood of cascade (or avalanche) ionization air by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides, including the DPR of radon or directly radon.

Cascade (or avalanche) ionization of air by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation has the advantage over conventional impact ionization (occurring with any type of ionization) in that if one or more ions are formed during impact ionization, in the presence of conditions for cascade (or avalanche) ionization after impact ionization, a chain of subsequent ionizations of the gases that make up the air occurs, in which the number of ions increases many times and even by several orders of magnitude. As a result, when creating conditions for cascade (or avalanche) ionization, it becomes easier to register alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, because the number of ions formed by them is much larger and, as a result, the signal of the ionization chamber also has a significantly larger value.

At the first and second electrodes, such electric potentials are formed, the difference between which (voltage) provides the possibility of efficient collection of ions arising from ionization of the air by the emitted alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation. The optimal value of such a voltage depends on the size of the ionization chamber, in particular, on the distance between its electrodes. The dimensions of the chamber, in turn, are determined based on the energy characteristics of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides, for example, radon and its DPR, in particular, their flight speeds.

In the event that, to ensure greater safety, the DC voltage component at the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes has a relatively small absolute value (i.e., a value exceeding the voltage (for example, effective) between the connecting electrodes by no more than 2, 3 or 4 times, for example, at least 500 V or 600 V or 700 V or 800 V), then the first electrode, as well as the ionization chamber can be made with small dimensions to ensure conditions for the efficient collection of ions, since electric field strength is inversely proportional to the distance between the electrodes and directly proportional to the voltage between them. Thus, when lowering the voltage in order to maintain the electric field strength at which complete collection of ions is possible, it is necessary to reduce the distance between the electrodes, that is, the dimensions of the ionization chamber, which also ensures the small size (compactness) of the device in accordance with the present invention.

In this regard, the voltage between the electrodes of the ionization chamber can be determined on the basis of other considerations. In particular, the efficiency of the deposition of charged particles suspended in air onto the first electrode can be taken into account, for which the potential usually differs by no less than 1000 volts in comparison with the constant (average) environmental potential (in particular, electric network) in one direction or another, that is, with a + or - sign.

It must be borne in mind that the high voltage between the electrodes of the ionization chamber creates opportunities for electrical breakdown. In this regard, it is necessary to select the dimensions of the ionization chamber and the voltage between its electrodes and their shape so that the electric field is less than critical, i.e. one in which an electrical breakdown of air occurs.

In addition, the efficiency of determining (detecting) alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation depends on the voltage between the electrodes of the ionization chamber, since the efficiency of collecting ions from ion tracks created by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation in the air depends on the electric field strength (including the voltage between the electrodes): when a higher voltage is established between the electrodes with a magnitude of up to 1000 V, the efficiency increases, and over 1000 V it remains approximately ne of the same (or almost does not grow grows poorly). In this regard, an increase in voltage between the electrodes of the ionization chamber in terms of increasing the efficiency (sensitivity) of determining (detecting) alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation makes sense up to 1000 V.

At the same time, the influence of the magnitude of the voltage at the first electrode (which in the preferred embodiment forms one of the electrodes of the ionization chamber) on the efficiency of the collection of radionuclides from ambient air has a slightly different character. In particular, when a higher voltage is established at the first electrode with a magnitude of up to 1000 V, the collection efficiency of radionuclides (their collected amount) increases significantly, over 1000 V but less than 1500 V, the increase in efficiency becomes less, and over 1500 V the increase in the collection efficiency of radionuclides becomes insignificant. This means that increasing the voltage at the first electrode in terms of increasing the efficiency (quantity) of collecting radionuclides makes sense up to 1500 V.

Since, in an advantageous embodiment, the first electrode is one of the electrodes of the ionization chamber, the voltage at the first electrode is mainly measured relative to the second electrodes, i.e. represents the voltage between the electrodes of the ionization chamber. In this embodiment, for the above reasons, the preferred value of this voltage is in the range between 1000 V and 1500 V.

It is also necessary to take into account that the first and second electrodes of the ionization chamber form a dipole, since they have different potentials. In view of the above, the effect of a dipole pair of electrodes on the volume of ambient air from which charged particles are captured and deposited on the first electrode by the formed field (and, therefore, the effect on the efficiency and sensitivity of the device in accordance with the present invention), to reduce the effect of the dipole effect on the performance It is useful for the device that the potentials of the second electrodes are close to the potential (for example, a constant or constant component of the potential) of the environment, in particular, an electric minute and more specifically, the connection electrode.

The potentials of the second electrodes can be linked to the constant potential of the connecting electrodes (in the limit, equalization of these potentials) can be carried out using potential-determining components, for example, by means of resistors connecting the concentrating electrodes to a conductor having a potential close to the constant potential of the connecting electrodes (or one of them ) Resistances can be large (hundreds of kilo-ohms, megaohms or more), and the conductor with which they are connected can be part of the power supply, in particular, a high voltage module or low voltage module, or can be connected directly or through additional components with one or several connecting electrodes. In other embodiments, other circuits known from the prior art, including circuits with semiconductor components, can also be used to attract (draw together) the constant potential components of the second (concentrating) and connecting electrodes.

Despite the fact that the second (concentrating) electrodes have potentials close to the environmental potential, in the ionization chamber they can be called anodes if a negative potential is applied to the first electrode (in this case, the first electrode itself can be called a cathode), or cathodes if a positive potential is applied to the first electrode (the first electrode itself in this case may be called the anode). This is due to the fact that the second electrodes relative to the first electrode have different potentials and together they form an electric field necessary to ensure the operability of the ionization chamber, just as if the second electrodes had potentials different from the environmental potential.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the ionization chamber is formed by the first electrode of a large area with an electric potential having a constant component relative to one or more connecting electrodes (for example, more than 200 V, 300 V, 400 V, 500 V, 600 V, 700 V, -800 V or 900 V with a positive potential or less than -200 V, -300 V, -400 V, -500 V, -600 V, -700 V, -800 V or -900 V with a negative potential, mainly more than 1000 V with a positive potential or less than -1000 V at negative potential), and the second electrodes of small area with electric potentials, the constant components of which are close to the constant component of the potential of one or more connecting electrodes (for example, differ within +/- 50 V and are mostly equal). Since in this configuration the second electrodes have potentials close to the constant potential of the connecting electrodes (electrical network), then, as mentioned above, in order to ensure the highest detection efficiency of alpha particles, the voltage between the first electrode and one or more connecting electrodes should preferably not exceed ( or be less) 1500 V.

For large values (absolute) of the DC component of the voltage at the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes compared to an alternating voltage (effective value or amplitude) between the connecting electrodes (or an alternating component on the first electrode), an electric field generated near the first electrode provides on charged particles suspended in air, the Coulomb force directed in one direction and relatively small in magnitude. This provides a more efficient collection of charged particles by the first electrode.

Due to the presence of an electric voltage in the ionization chamber, which ensures the collection of ions resulting from the ionization of air by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, and the inhomogeneity (gradient) of the electric field formed by the difference in the sizes of the first and second electrodes and increasing the probability of impact ionization, alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides generate ion tracks in the ionization chamber at the places of passage. The alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation sensors in the form of an ionization chamber detect not only (and not so much) the alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation themselves, but also ionized particles that move in an electric field inside the ionization chamber, which increases the probability of detecting alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and distinguishing their characteristics.

Air ions formed as a result of radiation and / or particles can have charges with different signs and some of them will inevitably be deposited on the second electrodes. Therefore, these ions can be detected by determining the change in charge or voltage at the second electrodes.

The large area of the first electrode provides a larger volume in which conditions can be created for the generation of ion tracks by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation resulting from the decay of radionuclides, which means higher sensitivity and efficiency of the device . However, an increase in the size of the first electrode also means an increase in the distance between the second electrodes and those parts of the first electrode that are opposite or adjacent to the second electrodes. At the same time, in order to maintain the conditions of cascade (or avalanche) ionization and to ensure the efficient collection of ions in the chamber, an increase in voltage between the electrodes will be required, which can lead to electrical breakdown and adversely affect the electrical safety of the device.

In addition, in the case of predominant registration of alpha particles, it must be taken into account that the maximum mean free path of most alpha particles in air is 5-6 cm, and therefore a camera with a characteristic size (diameter, transverse size and / or length) of less than 5 cm will reduce the efficiency (sensitivity) of registration of alpha particles, and the implementation of the camera with a characteristic size of more than 6 cm means excessive consumption of materials and unreasonable increase in size. At the same time, an ionization chamber with a characteristic size of not less than 2 cm and not more than 10 cm will also ensure the registration of alpha particles. The advantage of determining the presence and / or content of radionuclides in air using an open air ionization chamber by detecting alpha particles is that alpha particles and / or ion tracks created by them cause a larger signal in the sensor than beta particles or gamma radiation.

Increasing the effective usable area of the first electrode is possible in several ways. Firstly, it is possible to place several second electrodes near the first electrode. This will lead to the fact that the conditions for the formation of cascade (or avalanche) ionization will be provided not in one section of the first electrode near one concentrating electrode, but in several sections around several second electrodes. With appropriate placement of the concentrating electrodes at a distance from each other, these regions of the first electrode can lie adjacent to each other, forming a single area for the effective formation of conditions for cascade (or avalanche) ionization.

Secondly, the first electrode can be made in the form of an electric chamber, forming a volume, in particular, an ionization chamber and surrounding the second electrodes on several sides, as a result of which the entire surface (or most) of the first electrode facing the second electrodes is on the optimal distance at which efficient ion collection and / or conditions are provided for cascade (or avalanche) ionization, taking into account the voltage between the electrodes of the ionization chamber.

Since the first electrode can attract charged particles suspended in the air from the space surrounding the electrode, radionuclides can be deposited mainly on the outer surface of the electric chamber, which the first electrode can form. However, the second electrodes are located inside such a chamber and, therefore, conditions for the efficient collection of ions must be created inside the chamber.

This means that the walls of the ionization chamber, that is, the first electrode, must ensure the deposition of radionuclides on them (including, for example, together with dust) from the inside in order to allow alpha particles of beta particles and / or gamma to enter - emissions resulting from the decay of radionuclides, inside the ionization chamber - that is, the ionization chamber must be open to ambient air (in other words, the ionization chamber, the volume of which is formed by the electric chamber, must be open th air ionization chamber).

To fulfill these requirements, the first electrode may not be made of solid material, but of a porous, mesh, fabric material or element or material or element with holes (such material or element may be made using metal or metallization). Such material may allow passage of not only alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation into the chamber, but also the radionuclides and / or radioactive dust themselves. This can be a porous film, mesh, fabric, sheet material with holes, mainly made using metal or metallization, for example, surface.

A grid made using metal has special advantages, since it, on the one hand, effectively creates an electric field for collecting radionuclides on the wires forming a grid, and on the other hand, has sufficiently large cells in comparison with the particle sizes of dust, radionuclides, and ions DPR and the like, through which radionuclides can enter the ionization chamber. Part of the radionuclides (on microparticles or on their own), attracted by the electric field of the first electrode in the form of a grid, will fly into the holes of the grid, fall into the chamber and continue to be under the influence of the electric field that the grid creates, but now the field will be directed back side. Consequently, radionuclides will slow down and be directed towards the grid, its wires, of which the grid is made, and settle on them from the inside.

Thus, the use of the grid allows radionuclides to enter the inner side of the ionization chamber, so that alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation can move inside the ionization chamber (those radionuclides that settled on the outside of the chamber practically do not can emit alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation into the chamber, since these radiation propagate rectilinearly and their ingress into the chamber is prevented by wires on which p adionuclides from the outside).

In addition, the large mesh size (relative to the size of ions, dust particles, alpha particles and beta particles) provides fewer delayed radionuclides, alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and, accordingly, a higher proportion ingress of radionuclides, alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation into the ionization chamber. At the same time, an excessively large mesh cell size worsens the electrostatic shielding conditions of the second chamber electrodes, which worsens the signal-to-noise ratio at the second chamber electrodes, and therefore the cell sizes must be selected in accordance with the configuration of the ionization chamber and the voltage value to ensure efficient collection of radionuclides and registration of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation.

These methods of increasing the efficiency and sensitivity of the device by increasing the volume in which the conditions for effective ionization and ion collection are provided can be combined. For example, the first electrode may be a wall delimiting the volume of the ionization chamber in which several second electrodes are placed. In particular, in FIG. 6 shows a first electrode 103 made using a grid and, preferably, metal (for example, in the form of a metal grid), in the form of an elongated ionization chamber (i.e., a parallelepiped). Obviously, one second electrode cannot provide the same conditions for the efficient collection of ions throughout the volume of such an ionization chamber. In this regard, inside the ionization chamber (but still near the first electrode, which is the wall of the ionization chamber, at a distance of not more than the mean free path of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation propagation distance), two , three, six or another number of second electrodes in the form of wires in one or more rows.

The thickness of the wires (for example, diameter) can be several millimeters or fractions of a millimeter, for example, less than 3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2 mm, 1.5 mm, 1 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.1 mm and more than a few microns for example, 5 μm, 10 μm, 25 μm, 50 μm, 100 μm.

In addition, several ionization chambers can be made, forming, in particular, separate volumes of ionization chambers, in each of which (or near) one or several second (concentrating) electrodes can be placed. The first (electrostatic) electrodes forming these ionization chambers can be electrically interconnected, which makes it possible to use a constant voltage component for supplying all of them using one high voltage module, or they can be completely separate first electrodes having separate constant sources voltage. Any of the above options allows both to increase the area of the first electrode (including division into several), which increases the efficiency and sensitivity of the device, and to provide conditions for the efficient collection of ions, necessary for the implementation of the principle of operation of the ionization chamber, for the entire or most of the area first electrode.

The second (concentrating) electrodes, due to the potential necessary to create conditions for the efficient collection of ions, will attract ions formed by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation during flight under such conditions, and, accordingly, accumulate, etc. e. change the charge on the second electrodes in accordance with the characteristics of the alpha particle and / or beta particle and / or gamma radiation, which, in turn, allows you to determine (detect) alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma -radiations and their characteristics, and, in some cases, determine the types, composition, quantity, ratio of radionuclides that generated them.

In order to determine the charge and its change at the second electrodes, charge amplifiers are connected with them in a preferred embodiment, converting the amount of charge at the input to the voltage or current at the output, and the change in the amount of charge at the input, respectively, to the change in voltage or current at the output. Amplifiers of charge can be made in accordance with known from the prior art design solutions, for example, using operational amplifiers with a high-impedance input.

Since the charges formed by the ions and their changes are usually small, in a preferred embodiment, the charge amplifiers can be located next to the second (concentrating) electrodes to ensure the best noise immunity. In the event that the second electrodes are installed near the first electrode (s) forming the wall of the ionization chamber, for example, inside the ionization chamber, then charge amplifiers can also be located, for example, also inside the ionization chamber or on the other side of the board opposite the ionization chamber (for example, second electrode).

The charges / changes in the charges of the second electrodes are mainly amplified by separate charge amplifiers because subtracting the charges from the second electrodes from each other in direct form will reduce the output signal of the charge amplifier amplifying the differential charge, since the charges will be collected for subtraction by the subtracting module and when subtracting the charge will be distributed over the entire working volume of the subtracting module. In addition, when flowing from the second electrodes into the amplification / subtraction module, the charge must pass through the conductor, which will induce interference, then coming to the input of the amplifier and, as a result, amplified.

At the same time, the currents and / or voltages at the outputs of the charge amplifiers can be subtracted from each other and / or processed separately (for example, amplified, filtered, used to determine alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and etc.) with further subtraction of the data, in which the losses are insignificant in comparison with the values of the currents / voltages themselves. In this case, interference at the input of the amplifiers is practically not induced if the amplifiers are located next to the electrodes from which the charge is removed (for example, second), and the noise induced at the outputs of the amplifiers is significantly reduced or even eliminated due to the low output impedance of the amplifiers (in particular, operating amplifiers).

It must be taken into account that the description of the operation of the device and the sensor in terms of charge and electric voltage (potential) are interconnected, since the second electrodes have certain capacities and the charge can be converted to voltage according to the formula Q = CU, where Q is the charge, C is the capacitance, a U is the voltage. The voltage is the potential difference, for example, with respect to any object that can be the same for several conductors. The electrical potential in its essence can be determined with an accuracy of a constant component, which can vary depending on the volume of the system in which the determination takes place. Thus, when specifying one or another potential, the difference between this potential and the potential of some other object is usually implied, that is, in fact, indicate the voltage relative to that object. By a signal is meant a time sequence of values of a physical quantity, such as charge, voltage, potential (there can also be a current that is connected with voltage through Ohm's law). Thus, the description of the operation of the device and the sensor in terms of voltages, potentials and charges are interchangeable and may vary for the convenience and clarity of the explanation of the invention.

In accordance with the block diagram of FIG. 5, the signals from the second electrodes 104 and 105 installed near the first electrode 103 are supplied to the processing unit 603, where the signal from one electrode is subtracted from the signal from the other electrode by the subtracting module 106 (the difference can be amplified if the subtracting module is made in the form of a differential amplifier ) is further processed by the processing module 631. The subtracting module 106 may include a charge amplifier or a high-resistance voltage follower. At the same time, in some versions of the description of such structures, a charge amplifier can be included in the ionization chamber, since the secondary electrodes give signals in the form of a charge / change in charge (or, accordingly, voltage), which must be amplified. In this regard, in some approaches, a charge amplifier may be considered necessary to realize the function of the ionization chamber and, therefore, may be considered part of its composition, although in general it is an element separate from the ionization chamber.

In the General case, the subtracting module 106 is designed to obtain the signal difference and its amplification to the level that is necessary for efficient processing in the processing module 631. It can be performed using various element base and various circuit solutions known from the prior art, for example, using individual elements, such as transistors, integrated elements, such as operational amplifiers, or to be integrated into a processing module (for example, such as a processor or controller). The amplifier may, in addition to the specified purpose, perform the functions of limiting, filtering, inverting, transforming the waveform and / or changing the parameter of the electrical process used as a signal carrier, i.e. at least part of the functions of the processing module.

Processing module 631 is designed to process, convert signals and / or obtain, based on the characteristics and parameters of the data signals, for example, events of detection of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, frequency and intensity of alpha decays and / or beta decays and / or gamma radiation, radionuclide radioactivity, for example, radonuclide / radon and / or radon / toron DPR, as well as the concentration and / or volumetric activity of radionuclides (all these indicators can be determined, one or some of them in various com Inácio). The received data can be output or transmitted to external devices or elements / components. The term data, used hereinafter, mainly refers to data obtained by processing a sensor signal, which includes an ionization chamber composed by the first (first) and second electrodes, and a subtraction module.

The signal from the sensor may require additional processing before it can be used to extract data on alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation. This is due to the fact that the signals corresponding to the indicated particles and / or radiation can be small in magnitude and contain noise and interference that can be present even though the microphone effect, interference and noise of an external nature, for example, such as interference, are significantly suppressed. that appear when connected to the electric network (impulse noise, periodic interference with different frequencies, noise, interference, etc.).

The first electrode (s) of the ionization chamber (s), due to the supply of a high direct voltage to it, has a microphone effect. This is due to the fact that the first electrode has a large surface, necessary to increase the efficiency (sensitivity) of the device, and, therefore, well perceives mechanical influences on it, including sound vibrations of air. These effects lead to changes in the electric field in the regions where the second electrodes are located, which are quite large due to the high intensity of the electric field itself, created by the first electrode in order to increase the probability of deposition of charged particles from the air, including radar DPR and create conditions for effective ion collection.

The high sensitivity of the device in accordance with the present invention allows to reduce the area of the first electrode and, thereby, to reduce the microphone effect, however, for its complete elimination, additional signal processing in the processing unit is mainly required. For this, the above types of processing can be used, such as filtering (band-pass, low-frequency, high-frequency, etc.), correlation processing and matched filtering, etc.

It is also possible this type of processing, in which, if the sound noise exceeds the specified threshold, the device stops counting alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation until the sound / vibration noise in the sensor signal returns to the acceptable range (for example, due to the cessation of the arrival of sound mechanical vibrations to the first electrode). This eliminates the need for false definitions of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation caused by sound / mechanical interference.

Since a DC voltage is applied to the first electrode with a constant component relative to one or more connecting electrodes, these interference and noise are partially reproduced in the electric field created by the first electrode. The electric field acts on the second electrodes and, therefore, in the signals from the second electrodes there will be a noise and interference component, originating from the electric network. When a high voltage is applied to the first electrode, which is generated, for example, by multiplying the mains voltage, the noise and noise present in the network will also be amplified and, as a result, will have a significant amplitude.

Reducing this interference and noise component is possible in several ways (techniques). In accordance with the present invention, the suppression of this interference is largely carried out simultaneously with the suppression of the microphone effect. When subtracting signals from the second electrodes from each other (i.e., one signal from another), the same common-mode components / components that are present in these signals are mutually eliminated (subtracted from each other, suppressed, mutually destroyed). Since the interference at the first electrode (s) is the same from the point of view of the second electrodes, and the interference from the first electrode (s) to the second electrodes is carried out in the same way (and if not the same, then the correcting elements of the subtracting module make them the same to achieve maximum interference suppression and noise), then from the interference and noise generated by the electric network, exactly the same interference and noise on the other second electrode are subtracted on one second electrode and, thus, they are subtracted .

However, any elements / components have imperfect characteristics, and for elements / components having the same functional purpose, such as, for example, second electrodes or first electrodes, if there are two or more of them, characteristics and properties can vary from one instance to another. In addition, their placement in the device (sensor) may also have some differences. All this can lead to the fact that even when using the method of suppressing interference and noise in accordance with the present invention, residual noise and interference can be observed in the device or sensor. To eliminate them, additional methods of suppression can be used.

According to one of the methods, it is possible to reduce the level of interference and noise falling on the first electrode (s), for example, from the network. Filtering, for example, band-pass, low-pass, etc., can be used for this. Filter elements / components, such as RC circuits, capacitances, inductors (inductors), can be installed in the power supply, in particular in the high voltage module, for example, in a voltage converter, at its input or output, before the input of the power supply or at its output, for example, between the power supply and the first electrode, or between the connecting electrodes and the power supply.

Thus, it is possible to reduce interference and noise on the first electrode, however, their complete suppression may not be possible and requires the use of elements / components that increase the mass of the device, its size, as well as cost. In this regard, the described method of reducing interference and noise is desirable for application, but the level of noise and interference suppression economically and constructively justified is usually insufficient for reliable detection of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and characterization radioactive radiation and radionuclides. At the same time, in conjunction with the method of suppressing interference and noise in accordance with the present invention using a subtraction module, this additional method may be sufficient to reduce interference and noise to an acceptable level.

At the same time, even after the present invention suppresses external noise, internal noise associated with the operation of the electronics and interference inherent to ionizing particles and / or radiation, including those that appear during their registration, can remain and form in the device. Another way to reduce both external and internal interference and noise is filtering. This can be bandpass, low-frequency, high-frequency, matched, and other types of filtering. Such filtering can be carried out before or directly in the subtraction module before being fed to the processing module, or in the processing module itself, for example, using filter elements / components, such as RC circuits, capacitors, inductances (chokes), etc., or, for example, using digital filtering.

Since the signals generated by the sensor as a result of the appearance of an alpha particle and / or beta particle and / or gamma radiation and / or an ion track generated by these particles and / or radiation usually have quite characteristic shapes and other characteristic characteristics when processing signals can be applied and will mainly give fairly good results correlation processing and / or matched filtering based on the use of the waveform. These types of processing can be carried out as separate elements / components, for example, as part of a processing module, or digitally, for example, if the processing module contains or is a controller or processor.

Signal processing using features of the waveform generated by the alpha particle and / or beta particle and / or gamma radiation and / or the ion track can significantly reduce those components in the signal that have a shape different from the waveform caused by alpha particle and / or beta particle and / or gamma radiation and / or ion track, which increases the likelihood of detecting alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and / or distinguishing between these particles and / or radiation , since in the filtered signal by b for the most part, only components originating from alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation remain.

If there are several sensors in the device, for example, more than two ionization chambers or more than two second (measuring, concentrating) electrodes, as well as more than one subtracting module, it is possible, among other things, to jointly process the output signals of the subtracting modules, for example, correlation. Performing joint processing is possible at different stages, for example, at the stage of filtering or separating components caused by alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, including due to the peculiarities of the shape of the response of the device to these particles and / or radiation , and / or after detecting alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation by comparing the detection facts or certain parameters to confirm their validity.

The above methods for processing sensor signals can reduce not only the interference and noise that have their origin in the electrical network, but also from other sources. For example, any device, including amplifiers create their own noise, which also require suppression. Some types of elements / components are also prone to create noise and noise characteristic of them, which can also be used to suppress noise and interference.

The above types of signal processing of the sensor (or several sensors) increase the reliability of detection of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation. At the same time, they are not required to implement the device if it is used in conditions where noise and interference are minimal or absent. However, under ordinary domestic conditions, such treatment is desirable and, in some cases, necessary. The described types of processing are not exhaustive and other types known from the prior art or developed specifically for this device can be used. All these types of processing can be carried out either individually or jointly in various combinations, sequentially or in parallel.

Another type of processing performed by the processing unit, in particular, the processing module, is the direct detection (determination) of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation. It is carried out on a signal that may be pre-processed or not processed using methods known from the prior art. For example, the detection of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation can be carried out using the threshold method, when the fact of the passage of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation near (in the region) of the sensor is determined when the signal exceeds the processed signal values (for example, by correlation processing or matched filtering) of the specified threshold.

A common type of detection of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation is the construction of histograms by the magnitude of the peaks in the signal. This allows you to determine the energy characteristics of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and / or the type of radionuclides that became the source of these particles and / or radiation. Peaks and / or other characteristic features / parameters can be determined both in the processed signal and not processed.

In addition to these methods for detecting alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, other methods and methods known from the prior art and / or newly developed for the present device can be used. Detection can be carried out both by the direct signal of the sensor, and by the processed signal. In addition to and / or in addition to the above types of signal processing, signal processing such as integration, differentiation, logarithm, and others known from prior art and / or newly developed for the present device.

The data obtained from the determination (detection) of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, mainly represent the frequency (number of particles / radiation per unit time) of the appearance of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation near the sensor and / or, for example, in the ionization chamber and, in some cases, may contain data on the characteristics of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, such as energy and the like. These primary data on alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation provide additional data characterizing radionuclides at / near the first electrode and / or sensor. In particular, as a result of additional processing of these primary data on alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, estimates of the composition of radionuclides, their concentration and / or activity, and others can be obtained. Further, taking into account the characteristics of the device for collecting radionuclides from ambient air, the volumetric activity / concentration of radionuclides can be determined.

Due to the fact that radionuclides in air usually include radon and / or DPR of radon, the above characteristics of radionuclides can reflect and / or contain the DPR characteristics of radon and / or radon itself. DPR of radon and / or radon can be released from all radionuclides, for example, according to energy characteristics, waveform, frequency of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, or in other ways, including taking into account environmental conditions etc. Under ordinary conditions, to some approximation, we can assume that all or most of the alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation were generated by radar DPR, since under normal conditions radionuclides in air mainly appear due to decay of radon. According to a certain activity of radon DPR, the characteristics of radon itself can be determined, for example, its concentration or volumetric activity. This can be done in various ways, for example, according to the composition of radon DPR or the average radon DPR activity divided by a coefficient reflecting the ratio of the radon DPR activity to radon itself.

The above and other types of processing can be carried out by various elements, components, modules, blocks and devices known from the prior art and / or newly developed, including for the present device. They can be analog and / or digital, perform each type or processing step individually or in combination, i.e. be separate or integrated, including with respect to combinations of several, but not all types and processing steps. In an advantageous embodiment, the processing module 631 is a processor or controller (or several pieces) and can carry out the above and other types of processing digitally in accordance with a program / instructions that can be stored in a memory that is an element separate from the processor or controller or included in it structure. In some cases, the controller or processor may include not only a processing module, but also amplifiers and other elements.

In accordance with FIG. 5 from the processing module 631, the processed data, mainly representing the result of processing the sensor signal in the processing unit, and / or the sensor signal can be supplied to the communication module 604, in which they can be transmitted, for example, by radio communication through the antenna 641. In other embodiments of the implementation of the device, the communication module may not carry out radio communication, but transmit / exchange data via wired, optical and other communication channels, including jointly or in addition to the radio channel. At the same time, data transmission / exchange via the radio frequency communication channel is currently inexpensive, affordable and widespread, which makes it possible to use the device in accordance with the present invention for a wide range of users.

The communication module may be a cellular module, communication in accordance with the standards of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC and others, or any other valid communication module. Data and / or sensor signal can be transmitted to a data processing server or to a database, to a user terminal, such as a telephone, smartphone or any other. Data and / or signal transmission can also be carried out by wire, if the device provides such an opportunity. For example, a device may have a connector for connecting to an external device, which may be a telephone, smartphone, or any other device. The connector may be connected to a communication module for such data and / or communication signal transmission. In one of the preferred options, the connector may be a USB connector (as indicated earlier, it can also be used to supply power). The data and / or sensor signal can be transmitted directly or averaged over a given period of time.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the communication module may be configured to receive and / or transmit control signals. For example, the communication module may receive control signals from external devices, such as a user terminal or server, and transmit them to the processing unit. The control signals may contain instructions, codes or programs that may be executed by the processing module. In this way, it is possible to set or change the processing parameters of the sensor signal or the processed data. In addition, the processing unit may control the indicator and / or power supply in accordance with the received control signals.

In the event that the device contains additional connecting electrodes that can be used to connect another external device to them and are connected through the output voltage control module to connecting electrodes intended for inclusion in the electric network, the processing unit may in some cases be able to control the module control the output voltage and thereby connect and disconnect an external device. In the event that the external device is a fan or air conditioner, the device can automatically bring them into an active state in order to reduce the level (concentration, activity) of radionuclides, for example, radon and / or its DPR, when it reaches a predetermined threshold and deactivate them when it decreases the level (concentration, activity) of radionuclides, for example, radon and / or its DPR, to an acceptable level. When implementing such control of external devices, not only data on the concentration (activity) of radon and / or its DPR (or radionuclides in general) can be taken into account, but also temperature, humidity, air pressure and other environmental indicators.

In other embodiments, the communication module may receive control signals from the processing unit and transmit them to external devices. For example, a communication module may transmit control signals via infrared or other radiation to other external devices, such as, for example, fans, air conditioners, and the like. It also provides the ability to automatically control the operation of such devices in order to maintain the level (concentration, activity) of radon and / or its DPR (or radionuclides in general) within the specified limits similar to the above option except that their wired connection to the device in accordance with this invention is not necessary.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the device, the communication module comprises an infrared radiation source, such as, for example, an infrared emitting diode, that is, an infrared emitting diode (in some embodiments, the communication module may be an infrared emitting diode). Due to the fact that the transmission of control signals via the infrared channel is very common, the availability of this feature in this device provides the ability to control various devices without establishing a connection and, in some cases, even without setting the settings that provide such control.

For example, through an IR-emitting diode, a device can transmit control signals in accordance with one, several or all available standards of control signals, and devices that can reach infrared radiation can be sensed using infrared radiation sensors (for example, an infrared photodiode) and perform actions and / or commands given by control signals. Due to this, the device in accordance with the present invention can control the operation of such devices as, for example, fans, air conditioners, climate control, systems for maintaining indoor climatic conditions so as to change the content of radionuclides, for example, radon and its DPR, in the air by inflow and / or air exhaust. This provides the ability to automatically maintain safe indoor conditions.

An additional advantage of the present invention is that the emitting IR diode can have a large power and, therefore, emit a powerful stream of infrared radiation. Since infrared radiation is usually well reflected, it is not necessary to direct the IR diode to the infrared radiation sensor in the controlled device. This provides greater freedom in the installation of the device in accordance with the present invention, which may be necessary, since the electrical outlet can be located in places where there is no possibility of direct transmission of infrared radiation from the source to the receiver.

The emitting IR diode, as a source, has no power limitations due to the fact that the present device is connected to the electric network and there are no restrictions on the power consumption characteristic of devices with autonomous (i.e., not connected to the electric network, for example, battery) power supply in due to the small energy reserve of an autonomous power source and the need to ensure a long service life. Thus, the distinguishing feature of the present invention - the need to connect to an electrical network - provides the ability not only to implement an effective and sensitive device that collects radionuclides from the air, including radon DPR, and determines the activity (concentration) of radionuclides in air (including, for example , and radon), but also the possibility of using a high-power emitting IR diode, which makes it possible to control devices by means of infrared radiation in practice from any location of the device.

In some embodiments, the processing unit may control external devices in accordance with the received control signals, thereby providing remote control of the connection of the external device to the network through the device in accordance with the present invention. In addition, in private embodiments, the communication module can receive control signals from one external device and transmit them to other external devices. This can provide remote control and data exchange or transmission, for example, with the aim of monitoring the situation and / or preserving predetermined conditions, for example, the environment.

It should be noted that the transmission of control signals using a source of infrared radiation, for example, such as an infrared diode, can be carried out not only in the device in accordance with the present invention, but also in any other devices for determining the content of radionuclides in the air, including in determination devices radon / thoron content, as well as in any other devices connected to the electrical network. In this case, any of the above control options can be implemented, including the described options using infrared radiation sources (including IR diodes), and all the above-described advantages provided by them.

In accordance with FIG. 5 from processing module 631, the processed data, mainly representing the result of processing the sensor signal in the processing unit, and / or the sensor signal can be sent to an indicator 605, which can display the signal level, registration events of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and / or characteristics obtained by processing the signal in the processing module 631. The indicator may be a single element, a ruler or a matrix of elements that can emit light or change the reflection characteristics or light transmission. For example, it can be LED, liquid crystal and any other elements that allow you to visually display data or a signal. The indicator can visually (light) display the facts of the determination (registration, detection) of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation and / or the speed of registration (detection) of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation per unit time and / or concentration (activity) of radionuclides (for example, radon and / or its DPR) in ambient air. In addition, the indicator may contain a sound element configured to provide sound signals for sound displaying the facts of registration of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation, frequency or intensity of radiation, dangerous levels of concentration or activity of radionuclides, radon , radiation, etc.

The indicator light in some cases may contain elements designed to display letters, numbers and other characters. In general, individual indicator elements can be point elements (round, square, and other forms of small size elements) that can display letters, numbers, and other symbols when assembled into matrices.

In addition to displaying data, the indicator in some cases can transmit control signals. This is possible in cases where the display and / or sounding elements can display and / or sound control signals in the form necessary for receiving these signals by the receiving devices. For example, in addition to displaying data in the visible light range, the indicator (or its individual elements) may have the ability to emit in the infrared range, which is traditionally used to transmit control signals. Such an implementation of the indicator can eliminate the need for an additional communication module and thereby reduce the size and weight of the device.

In addition to transmitting or displaying data or a sensor signal, in some embodiments of the device, the data and / or sensor signal may be stored in the device memory. The device memory may be permanently installed in the device or removable, for example, be a memory card or flash drive. To connect removable storage media, the device can be equipped with appropriate connectors, for example, a USB connector or memory card connectors, such as SD, CF, MMS and others of any format / size.

The above describes many options that can be performed with the data obtained as a result of processing the sensor signal by the signal itself: the signal or data can be stored in a memory card, transmitted for display in an indicator, transmitted to other devices through a communication module or electrical connector. However, it should be noted that the transfer of data obtained during signal processing, or the sensor signal itself, from the processing unit is not necessary for the implementation of the present invention, since this data or signal can be stored in the memory of the processing unit and retrieved from it, including in cases where the processing unit is turned off or in an inactive state, that is, formally without data or signal transmission by the processing unit. In addition, the processing unit may transmit control signals based on the results of processing the signal or data, and not the data or signal itself.

It should be noted that the processing unit preferably still transmits data obtained as a result of signal processing and / or the sensor signal. It should be noted that in addition to transmitting data and / or a sensor signal and / or a control signal from the processing unit to specific devices or systems, such transmission can be carried out without a specific receiving device or even without a receiving device, since it may not be known in what situation the data is transmitted or device signals. For example, control signals or data can be transmitted to an electrical connector, via an infrared emitter or a radio module, regardless of whether or not there is a receiver of the transmitted signal. This can be convenient in cases where it is not provided or there is no possibility of establishing a communication channel with feedback.

The transmission, display and / or storage of data and / or signal can be carried out individually (for example, one of these actions) or together in various combinations. Data from the processing unit and / or the sensor signal (directly from the sensor or through the processing unit) can be transmitted and / or displayed and / or stored directly or averaged over a specified period of time (for example, 1, 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12 hours, one or several days, a week or more). Averaging can reduce the amount of information transmitted.

To ensure the operability of the processing unit 603 and the subtracting module 106 and the processing module 631 included therein, the transmission module 604 and the indicator 605, the power supply unit 602 advantageously comprises a low voltage module 622. The low voltage module is configured to supply electrical voltage to the respective blocks and modules less than the voltage between the connecting electrodes of the connecting element. These modules and units usually require constant or pulsed power supply of constant polarity, and several power voltages and / or different signs may be required.

The low voltage module is preferably an AC voltage rectifier with a stabilizer of its magnitude. At the same time, the rectifier and / or voltage regulator can be included in the processing unit, its modules or components, as well as in the communication module and / or indicator, and therefore, in some embodiments, the low voltage module can only lower the input voltage. The low voltage module can be connected to the connecting electrodes and receive input voltage from the electrical network. In other embodiments, the low voltage module may receive input voltage from the high voltage module.

In some embodiments of the device, the low voltage module may not be present if the processing unit, communication module and / or indicator are supplied from autonomous power sources, such as electrical elements (including galvanic, electrochemical, light, thermal, electromechanical and others), batteries, accumulators, etc.

In this regard, the low voltage supply module is not a mandatory element for the implementation of the present invention, since the processing unit, communication module, indicator and / or other low-voltage elements / components of the device can perform their functions without it, for example, as described above, due to power from autonomous power supplies. At the same time, the presence of a low-voltage module in the power supply unit (or, in other words, providing power for the processing unit, communication module, indicator and / or other low-voltage elements / components of the device with the power supply unit) eliminates the need to replace autonomous power sources.

It should be noted that the power supply performs its functions mainly only when connected to an electric network. The device may, in some embodiments, comprise rechargeable autonomous power sources, such as, for example, batteries, ionistors, and the like, which can ensure the functioning of the device or its parts without being connected to the network, however, they are necessary only to ensure that some functions are performed when the device is switched off from network condition, such as saving data, set time, etc. The main advantage of the present invention, namely, that the electric potential at the first electrode has a constant component relative to surrounding objects, including the electric network, earth, walls (often made of reinforced concrete and grounded), is provided when connected to the electric network.

In FIG. 6 shows a circuit board with components of a device close to the device, a block diagram of which is shown in FIG. 5. All explanations given in relation to FIG. 5 may refer to FIG. 6 and vice versa. The circuit board shown in FIG. 6, can be placed in the device case, at the same time, the board shown can perform all the functions of the device as shown, without the case, and is a complete device in accordance with the present invention.

The circuit board 101 is a circuit board, which can be made of dielectric material, for example, in the form of a printed circuit board with foil tracks. The board 101 is intended, on the one hand, for fastening on it and for connecting the elements / components of the device in an appropriate manner, and on the other hand, for fastening in the case or on other objects.

On the circuit board 101 there are two connecting electrodes 701 forming the connecting element in the form of die clamps (groove clamps) into which, for example, wires can be inserted and secured, which, in turn, can be connected to the plug of the plug connector for inclusion in the electrical network or be wires of an electric network by themselves. As the electrodes 701, other types of clamps, sockets and connectors can be used, as well as contact pads, wire terminators or directly exposed wires.

On the circuit board 101 in FIG. 6, a power supply unit 602 is located near the connecting electrodes 701 and is electrically connected to the connecting electrodes 701. When the device is connected to the electric network using the connecting electrodes, the voltage is supplied through the connecting electrodes 701 to the power supply unit 602. The power supply unit 602 consists of two modules, one of which is a high voltage module 621, and another low voltage module 622.

The high voltage module 621 is connected to the connecting electrodes 701 and through them, when the device is connected to the mains, the voltage 621 enters the module 621. The high voltage module 621 converts the incoming electrical voltage into a constant electrical voltage or an electrical voltage with a constant (in time) component. The resulting electrical voltage with a constant component (constant voltage is its special case when there is only a constant component, and there are no alternating components) from the high voltage module 621 is supplied to the first (electrostatic) electrode 103.

The presence of a constant component in the voltage between the first electrode and one or more connecting electrodes and, mainly, its value can be determined in several ways. The formula for the average voltage corresponding to the DC component is as follows:

where U _c is the average value (constant component) of the voltage; T is the period of time during which the measurement is carried out (for periodic processes - the repetition period); u (t) is the dependence of voltage on time. Numerical integration, which allows to obtain the average voltage in accordance with the above formula, can be done by summing the samples of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) divided by the number of summed samples (which corresponds to the measurement period, because the samples are taken at certain intervals of time).

Integration can also be accomplished using electronic components integrated into integrating circuits known in the art. For example, an RC chain with a time constant selected to reduce or eliminate the influence of a batch process on the measurement result can be used for this. The result at the output of such an integrating circuit can be measured and used to determine the magnitude of the DC component.

Integrating chains are a type of low-pass filter. Other low-pass filters known in the art in a similar manner can be used to determine the DC component. In addition, voltage spectrum analyzers can be used which, as one of the components of the spectrum, provide a constant component value.

It is possible to measure the DC voltage component directly with a DC voltmeter if the voltage between the first electrode and one of the connecting electrodes is constant (possibly with some ripple component). The fulfillment of this condition depends on the relative which connecting electrode the voltage is measured.

The electrical networks to which the devices in accordance with the present invention are to be connected (preferably household networks made in homes, offices and other similar premises) transmit for household consumers mainly alternating voltage on the phase wires relative to the neutral wire or the grounded wire. When measuring voltage between the first electrode, on which a constant electric potential is created, and a neutral (neutral) or grounded wire, there will be no periodic voltage fluctuations or they will be small. However, when measuring the voltage between the first electrode and the phase wire, periodic voltage fluctuations transmitted by the phase wire relative to the neutral or grounded wire will introduce an alternating component into the measured voltage, the influence of which on the measurement result depends on the ratio of the measured constant voltage and the amplitude of the periodic voltage fluctuations, as well as possibly from a measurement method.

In addition to the DC component, the voltage at the first electrode can also have an AC component, i.e. not only a constant voltage can be applied to the first electrode, but also other types of voltages, which are a combination of constant and variable components, for example, it can be a ripple voltage, etc. A variable component can be observed in the voltage at the first electrode relative to one connecting electrode (for example, connected to a phase wire or a neutral or neutral or grounded conductor) or relative to several connecting electrodes when connecting them to an electrical network.

In the event that the high voltage module generates a constant voltage on the first electrode relative to the neutral (neutral) and / or grounded wire, an alternating component will be present relative to the phase wire on the first electrode, since the phase wire itself transfers the alternating voltage. Conversely, if the high voltage module generates a constant voltage on the first electrode relative to the voltage of the phase wire, then this voltage on the first electrode will contain an alternating voltage component relative to the zero and / or grounded wire, corresponding to the alternating phase voltage. If the alternating component of the voltage at the first electrode does not correspond to the phase voltage, then the alternating components (generally not coinciding) of the voltage at the first electrode will be observed both with respect to the phase wire and with respect to the neutral and / or grounded wire.

When an electric voltage with a constant component is applied to the first electrode with respect to at least one of the connecting electrodes when the device is connected to the network, an electric field with a constant component is established in the space near the first (electrostatic) electrode and the wires of the electric network corresponding to the DC component of the voltage at the first electrode relative to one or more wires (or other conductors transmitting current and apryazhenie) electric power network. Since the voltage is a potential difference, this means that the first electrode has acquired an electric potential with a constant component (or, in a particular case, a constant electric potential) relative to one or more wires of the electric network.

The magnitude of the DC component of the voltage (in absolute value) on the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes is predominantly larger (in absolute value) of the effective value or amplitude of the variable component and / or DC component (also in absolute value) of the voltage between the connecting electrodes. In order to determine the use of the present invention, the voltage between each connecting electrodes is taken into account, if there are more than two. That is, the DC component of the voltage (its absolute value) at the first electrode of the relative one or more connecting electrodes should be compared with the actual value or amplitude of the variable and / or the DC component (its absolute value) of the voltage between the connecting electrodes, which can be connected to the wires of the electrical network . In particular, for comparison, voltages can be taken between phase and neutral wires, phase and ground wires, neutral and ground wires, if there is voltage between them.

In a preferred embodiment, the voltage at the first electrode with respect to a specific connecting electrode is compared with the voltage between the same defined connecting electrode and another connecting electrode. At the same time, the voltage between the connecting electrodes that are different from the specified specific connecting electrode can be taken into account, if there are more than two. The choice of connecting electrodes to determine the voltage between them and the connecting electrode to determine the voltage on the first electrode relative to it depends on the technique, which should be formed on the basis of reasonable initial assumptions. The voltage at the first electrode relative to several connecting electrodes can be determined in cases where the constant components of the potentials of these electrodes are the same, or when all measurement options are enumerated to determine the presence of the indicated feature for each connecting electrode.

The voltage depending on the connection of the measuring device may have a positive or negative sign. The voltages and their components indicated in the present description, as well as their ratios, mainly relate to the magnitude of the voltage regardless of its sign, that is, to the magnitude of the voltage modulo (absolute value). Thus, if it is indicated that the DC component of the voltage between the first electrode and one or more connecting electrodes is greater than the voltage (variable and / or DC component) between the connecting electrodes, then this means that the DC component of the voltage on the first electrode can be greater than the numerical value of the voltage between the connecting electrodes, if the voltage is taken with a “+” sign, or less than the numerical value of the voltage between the connecting electrodes, if the voltage is taken tsya with a "-" sign.

In other words, the constant component of the potential of the first electrode may be greater than the constant component of the potential of one or more connecting electrodes by an amount exceeding the numerical value of the voltage (variable and / or constant components) between the connecting electrodes, if the voltages are taken with a “+” sign, or less than the constant component of the potential of one or more connecting electrodes by an amount exceeding the numerical (absolute) value of the voltage (variable and / or constant with leaving) between connecting electrodes, if voltages are taken with a “-” sign.

Thus, voltage can be applied to the first electrode both with a positive DC component and with a negative one. In a preferred embodiment, the constant component has a negative sign, to ensure effective deposition of charged particles suspended in air. In the event that a voltage with a negative DC component is applied to the first electrode, then DPR of radon (and, possibly, other radionuclides) is deposited on it, since the formation of DPR occurs mainly in the form of ions, the formed ions have a positive charge and are attracted to the first electrode with a negative DC component of the electrical voltage. As a result of the accumulation of DPR, the readings obtained become cumulative, since the sensor will mainly detect alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides deposited on the first (electrostatic) electrode.

Cumulative readings have an advantage over non-cumulative ones in that they are larger in size, which means the device is more sensitive, because radionuclides can be accumulated at their low concentration in air and due to this an estimate of their concentration is obtained, which cannot be obtained by other methods. In addition, a device for determining the content of radionuclides from the accumulated radionuclides deposited on the first (electrostatic) electrode provides more accurate data.

If a voltage with a positive DC component is applied to the first electrode, then the DPR of radon (and, possibly, other radionuclides) are repelled from the first electrode, because, as noted earlier, they also have a positive charge, and as a result, the sensor can mainly detect only alpha - particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by negatively charged DPR radionuclides or radionuclides that do not have a charge (for example, radon). Such radionuclides can be either settled on the first electrode or located near the first electrode (for example, inside the electric chamber) after the flow of dust particles and other microparticles entrained or transferred them to the first electrode. Determination of the content of radionuclides in the air without accumulation (non-cumulative readings) have an advantage in the speed of reading, because no time is required for the accumulation of radionuclides and the data obtained are directly related to the current moment.

At the same time, it should be noted that in addition to radon / thoron, other radionuclides in the air can also be deposited on dust particles or other microparticles and / or form chemical and other types of bonds with them. Since the charge acquired by dust particles or other microparticles can be either positive or negative, radionuclides can be attracted to the first electrode and deposited on it at any sign of the voltage applied to the first electrode. That is, with a negative potential on the first electrode there may be radionuclides that have not settled on this electrode, and with a positive potential on the first electrode there may be radionuclides deposited on this electrode.

It should be noted that even radionuclides having an electric charge, the sign of which coincides with the potential sign of the first electrode, can settle on this electrode or be attracted to it by means of the electric (electrostatic) field created by the first (electrostatic) electrode when they are deposited on particles dust or other microparticles having an opposite electric charge, exceeding the charge of the radionuclide (preferably two or more times).

In other words, a sensor mounted near the first electrode (at a distance of not more than the path length of the detected alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or the distance at which gamma radiation can be effectively detected) can detect alpha particles and / or beta - particles and / or gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides that are on the first electrode and / or near the first electrode, regardless of the sign of the electric potential installed on the first electrode (depending on the polarity of the voltage applied to it).

It should also be noted that the possibility of radionuclides entering from the air near the device onto the first electrode, in addition to the possibility of emitting alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation by radionuclides on the first electrode (for example, deposited on it) also implies the possibility of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation by radionuclides near the first electrode, which did not have time to settle on this electrode or cannot do this because of their electroneutrality, or, for example, if they themselves are prod ktomu radioactive decay of the radionuclides is on the ground or near the electrode.

The presence of a constant voltage component at the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes connected to the electric network is of high importance for the following reasons. The wires or conductors of the electric network are usually distributed in space (for example, in the walls of the room) and have a constant component of the electric potential close to the potential of the earth (building, room), since there is a constant voltage between the phase wire and the ground (neutral wire, neutral), and also between the neutral wire (neutral) and the ground there is a network failure, which is usually sought to eliminate, and the neutral wire, according to regulatory requirements, is mainly necessary to ground.

In the case of an electric network transmitting constant voltage, the entire description made above with respect to electric networks with alternating voltage is also true except that electric networks with constant voltage are less common, the alternating component of voltage on the conductors is absent or small (much less than constant component), and its conductors form an extended (and sometimes distributed in space) electric dipole or capacitor. The electric field of the dipole rapidly decreases depending on the distance, and the average potential, which is the arithmetic average of the potentials of the conductors, can correspond to the potential of the environment, for example, at bipolar potentials in the conductors, or differ from it by no more than half the magnitude of the voltage between the conductors. In the latter case, the environmental potential can gradually change towards the average potential of such an electrical network.

This means that applying to the first electrode a constant voltage (or a constant component of voltage) relative to the wires of the electric network, both alternating and constant voltage, the first electrode is supplied with an electric potential that differs from the potential not only of the wires of the electric network, but also of the entire surrounding space. Due to this, the electric field created by the first electrodes is formed mainly outside the first electrode, which corresponds to the creation of a solitary charge (without a dipole forming a charge of a different magnitude or with a different sign located next to the first electrode within the device). A solitary charge is formed due to the creation of an excess of electrons on the first electrode (a negative charge is formed) or a lack of electrons (a positive charge is formed).

Due to the solitude relative to the environment (for example, walls and other elements of the premises) of the electric charge on the first electrode, which forms the electric field mainly in the surrounding space outside itself, the potential of the indicated electric field decreases inversely with the distance from the electrode (to the first degree), and the Coulomb force acting on charges around the first electrode decreases inversely with the square of the distance from the electrode (i.e., to the second degree).

This distinguishes the present invention from the prior art, in which dipole electric chambers are typically used, i.e. containing a positive and negative electrode, between which a high voltage is applied, which leads to the formation of an electric field whose potential at distances greater than the distance between the electrodes decreases inversely with the square of the distance from the camera (i.e., to the second degree), and the Coulomb force on charges around such electric cameras, decreases inversely with the cube of the distance from the camera (i.e., to the third degree).

Since air inevitably contains suspended microparticles, which are, among other things, dust, when the electric field with a constant component is established in the space between the first electrode and the wires of the electric network, the dust will be attracted to the first electrode, since it is easily electrified by friction against air or due to other mechanisms and, therefore, acquires an electric charge, which is affected by the force moving the charged particles in the electric field, including and dust. Since radionuclides (including radar DPRs) are also deposited on dust due to its electrification, this means that when dust is deposited on the first electrode that is open to ambient air due to the presence of an electric potential with a constant component, radionuclides are deposited on the electrode along with dust previously deposited on dust particles. In addition, radionuclides, including DPR radon, can be deposited on the first electrode on their own, without the help of dust or other particles.

This means that in order to attract, capture and precipitate (i.e. collect) radionuclides (mainly together with dust) from the same volume of the surrounding space in accordance with the present invention, devices or systems for pumping or creating an air stream, such as fans, are not required pumps, air conditioners, etc. In addition, the collection of radionuclides requires a first electrode with dimensions (area, volume) smaller than devices in the prior art (in particular, with the dimensions of their dipoles and / or air chambers), since the electric field generated by the device in accordance with the present invention decreases much less (slower) depending on the distance.

This allows you to create a small-sized (compact) device for determining the content of radionuclides in ambient air, since the electric field created by the open electrostatic (first) electrode, which is supplied with a constant electric voltage relative to the electric network, and therefore the surrounding space, effectively captures and precipitates ( collects) radionuclides, including DPR radon, on the first electrode from a significant amount of the surrounding space without using a pump.

In addition, due to the indicated property of the generated electric field in accordance with the present invention, the efficiency of the device is significantly increased, since even the minimum dimensions of the first electrode, determined from other considerations, provide higher efficiency for dust deposition and collection of radionuclides and a significantly higher sensitivity in determining the content and characteristics (decay frequency, concentration, volumetric activity) of radionuclides, including radon and its DPR, in comparison with ur vnem art, since such an open first electrode deposited radionuclides from a larger volume of space (preferably without sifting and filtering small-sized dust particles).

The amount of space from which the capture and collection of radionuclides occurs (mainly together with dust) is determined by the electric field strength, which in the case of the present invention decreases to a lesser extent depending on the distance than for prior art devices having dipoles. This means that the electric field strength sufficient to move dust and radionuclides to the first electrode, the device in accordance with the invention is formed at a greater distance than devices from the prior art at the same voltages and / or sizes, and, therefore, the device in accordance with the present invention captures dust from a larger volume of the surrounding space (air). Thus, the present device more efficiently collects radionuclides from the surrounding space than devices from the prior art.

Since the first electrode can contain not only a constant component of the electric potential, but also a variable, the electric field formed by the first (electrostatic) electrode can be variable. In addition, on one or more wires of an alternating voltage electric network, there is an alternating component of voltage of a large magnitude. This means that in these cases, the Coulomb force, variable in magnitude, will act on charged particles suspended in air.

As a result of exposure to charged particles in the air of an alternating electric field, the Coulomb force can be periodically directed both towards the first electrode and vice versa. This can slow down the rate of deposition of charged particles on the first electrode, since part of the energy of the generated electric field will be spent on slowing down the charged particles, which the electric field first accelerated in one direction, and after changing the direction of the electric field began to accelerate in the other direction.

To increase the rate of deposition of charged particles at the first potential (to increase the efficiency of the device), it is preferable that the DC component of the voltage on the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes, characterizing the DC component of its potential, be greater than the amplitude of the AC component of the voltage, forming an alternating electric field and, accordingly , variable in magnitude and direction of the Coulomb force.

Since the main contribution to the alternating electric field is made by the alternating voltage of the electric network, to ensure the predominant unidirectionality of the Coulomb force, it is necessary that the constant component of the voltage on the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes be greater than the effective (effective rms) voltage between the connecting electrodes, which will correspond to in particular, the effective voltage between the phase and neutral (neutral) wires (or earth) th (ground) instead of neutral).

The value of the root mean square (it is also valid, it is effective) voltage value is determined by the following formula:

where U _rms is the rms (effective, effective) voltage; T is the period of time during which the measurement is carried out; u (t) is the dependence of voltage on time. In accordance with the specified formula, the rms value for a given period of time T (for example, the period of fluctuations in the mains voltage of industrial frequency) can be obtained for the voltage with any time dependence. For example, for a constant voltage, its rms value will be equal to itself, and for a sinusoidal voltage, the rms value will be approximately 0.707 of the amplitude of the sine wave, etc.

The effective value of the alternating voltage numerically corresponds to the value of the direct voltage doing the same work on the charge as the alternating voltage. Since the movement of particles suspended in air is the work produced by the Coulomb force applied to the charged particles by an electric field, the value of which can be characterized by an electric voltage, a comparison of the effective values of the DC component of the voltage on the first electrode and the AC voltage in the electric network allows us to determine not only instantaneous direction of movement of charged particles in air, but also the direction of movement of charged particles over a long time period al, advantageously greater than the alternating voltage period.

If the constant component of the voltage (or the effective value of this voltage) at the first electrode is greater than the effective value of the alternating voltage in the electric network, then even though in some parts of the period the resulting electric field can generate the Coulomb force directing charged particles of a certain sign from the first electrode , for most of the period, the Coulomb force will direct the charged particles toward the first electrode. The direction of movement of the charged part depends on the sign of their charge, however, given that charged particles of both signs can form, part of the particles will move in one direction and part in the other depending on the direction of the electric field - in the case of the present invention we are talking about that part particles whose charge sign makes them always or in most of the time move towards the first electrode and settle on it.

The root mean square (effective, effective) value is the most common indicator characterizing the alternating voltage in electrical networks. When one speaks simply of voltage or current strength in electric networks of alternating voltage, then by default their mean square values are usually meant. In addition, indicators and display elements of all voltmeters and ammeters of alternating current are calibrated in the rms values.

Therefore, in order to ensure the operability of the device in accordance with the present invention and to determine the use of the invention as an indicator with which the constant component of the voltage at the first electrode is compared, it is possible to use the effective voltage value of the electric network for which the device is intended to be connected.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the constant component of the electric potential (voltage relative to the connecting electrodes) at the first electrode is provided greater than the amplitude of the alternating voltage of the electric network. In this case, the Coulomb force will act on charged particles in the air, having the same direction at any time, although it varies in magnitude at different times. The amplitude of the alternating voltage is predominantly determined by the rms value taking into account the shape of the alternating voltage (preferably with the exception of peaks, surges, voltage pulses, etc., since they can have a very large value, but short duration, and therefore introduce a relatively small contribution to the work performed by voltage or an electric field, for example, by moving charged particles to the first electrode).

This means that the energy of the electric field will not be spent on slowing down the particles, it will always be spent on accelerating (moving) the particles in the direction of the first electrode. Accordingly, the efficiency and sensitivity of such a device, which deposits charged particles at a higher electrode at a higher speed and, therefore, in a larger quantity, will be higher than if the constant voltage component were less than the amplitude of the variable voltage component.

Accordingly, to implement a more efficient and sensitive device, the high-voltage module must be not only an AC to DC converter, for example, a rectifier, but also a step-up voltage converter, since when rectified without additional voltage increase, the DC component of the rectified voltage will be less than the amplitude of the rectified AC voltage and even less than the effective value, including due to losses during rectification (for sinuso Further it srednevypryamlennoe voltage value of the voltage of the current is 0.9). However, a simple rectifier can also be used as a high voltage module, since the deposition of charged particles on the first electrode can also occur if the DC component of the voltage is less than the amplitude of the AC component of the voltage, although such particle deposition will be slower, i.e. with less efficiency.

To ensure the collection of charged particles from the ambient air when connecting the device in accordance with the present invention to a constant voltage electric network, the constant voltage component of the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes should preferably exceed the constant voltage component (or constant voltage) between the connecting electrodes (and wires of an electric network). In this case, even if the voltages at the first electrode and the connecting electrode are of the same sign with respect to the other first electrode, the potential of the first electrode will still differ both from the potentials of the individual connecting electrodes and from their average potential (and therefore together from the individual and average potentials wires of an electric network). This means that on the first electrode it will be a solitary charge and will form an electric field that slowly decreases depending on the distance and provides an efficient collection of charged particles and radionuclides from the ambient air to the first (electrostatic) electrode.

The current voltage values in electric networks are usually around 110 V, 127 V, 220 V, 250 V, 380 V (maybe an industrial voltage of 690 V) - that is, less than 1000 V, mostly less than 500 V and even less than 400 V. Thus, for the implementation of the present invention in virtually any domestic environment, it is sufficient to provide a constant component with an absolute value of the voltage on the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes of at least 500 V or 600 V or 700 V or 800 V or 900 V. Such a relatively small amount on a constant component provides greater safety of the device in accordance with the present invention.

However, there may be options when the DC component of the voltage on the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes is preferably greater than 1000 V or less than -1000 V. At such voltages, conditions are provided for more intensive deposition of charged particles on the first electrode and, accordingly, an increased the sensitivity and effectiveness of the device in accordance with the present invention in determining the activity / concentration of radionuclides, including radon and / or e DPR.

The voltage at the first electrode should be less than the voltage at which electrical breakdown of air or elements / components of the device, corona discharge or other negative phenomena associated with high voltages is possible. For the purposes of the present invention, the upper permissible limit of the DC component of the voltage between the first electrode and one or more connecting electrodes can be estimated at 3000 V in absolute value. Thus, the constant component of the electrical voltage at the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes in absolute value has a value of not less than 300 V and not more than 3000 V, or not less than 500 V and not more than 2000 V, or preferably not less than 1000 V and not more than 1500 V.

After radionuclides (including radon DPR) have settled on the first electrode acting as a trap, or got into the area near this electrode, they decay with the release of alpha particles, beta particles and / or gamma radiation ( or other emissions). The release of alpha particles, beta particles and / or gamma radiation can be detected using second electrodes located inside the first electrode (s) (not shown in FIG. 6) and forming together with it one or more ionization chambers (chambers) sensors of the corresponding particles or radiation, the first electrode. The second electrodes may be in the same space inside the first electrode or be separated by an internal partition, which is mainly electrically connected to the first electrode. In this embodiment, ion tracks formed as a result of ionization of air by particles and / or radiation in one part of the ionization chamber bounded by the first electrode will not be able to go to another part of the ionization chamber, since the partition will repel them as well as the chamber wall , and thereby will be able to get only on that second electrode, which is located in that part of the ionization chamber in which these ions were formed. When a partition is made of a non-continuous material (for example, mesh, porous or equipped with holes), ionizing particles and / or radiation will be able to fly from one part of the ionizing chamber to another, while this is not possible for ion tracks.

The second electrodes give signals reflecting the hit on them of ion tracks formed by alpha particles during their passage. Similarly, the second electrodes can be used to register beta particles and / or gamma radiation. The signals from the second electrodes (not shown in FIG. 6) corresponding to particles or radiation are supplied to a processing unit 603, in which a signal is processed in accordance with the present invention according to the above-described variants with registration of alpha particles and / or beta particles and / or gamma radiation (by determining the fact of their flight / appearance), indicating the decay of radionuclides, and determining, if necessary, a number of parameters, for example, the decay rate of radionuclides and / or their concentration / activity in ambient air (including for radon and its DPR).

Data determined (recorded, detected) by the processing unit 603 and / or a signal from the sensor can be transmitted using the communication module 604 to an external device, for example, an indicator. In addition, the indicated data and / or signal can be transmitted to the indicator without using a communication module, for example, directly or through other elements.

To ensure the operability of the processing unit 603 and, optionally, the communication module 604, the power supply unit 602 advantageously comprises a low voltage module 622. The low voltage module is electrically connected to the connecting electrodes and configured to convert a voltage, for example, an electrical network, to a supply voltage necessary for the processing unit (as well as a communication module and, possibly, an indicator). The low voltage module is connected to the processing unit and is configured to supply the generated electrical supply voltage to the processing unit.

In FIG. 7 shows a general view of a device for determining (recording, detecting) the content of radionuclides in ambient air in a housing in accordance with one possible embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 7 of the embodiment of the invention, the device is housed in a housing 801. The housing is preferably made using a dielectric material, such as plastic or polymer, in order to provide electrical protection.

When placing the circuit board 101 shown in FIG. 6, in the housing 801 shown in FIG. 7, the connecting electrodes 701 of the circuit board 101 can be connected to the connecting electrodes 611 of the plug 601 using conductors. This, however, is a particular embodiment of the device, since it is not necessary to use the circuit board shown in FIG. 6, and, in turn, it is not necessary to use the housing shown in FIG. 7, or the housing in general, since the embodiments of the device shown in FIG. 6 and 7 (as well as in FIG. 5) are for illustrative purposes only and may be replaced or changed, used individually or in combination.

In other embodiments of the invention, the device may be open or housed in housings and / or cavities formed by other objects that are not part of the device, but with which the device can connect (mechanically and / or electrically) or with which it can be located next to it. At the same time, the use of the housing, fully (subject to the electrostatic electrode, see below), partially or on some sides of the enclosing / closing elements / components of the device in accordance with the present invention provides mechanical and / or electrical protection of both the device itself and surrounding objects, including living creatures, which include humans and animals.

As shown in FIG. 7 of the embodiment, the housing 801 has on one side (back) a connecting member 601, which is an electrical plug for plugging into an electrical outlet with which it forms a plug connection. Connector 601 in the form of a plug contains two connecting electrodes 611 in the form of two pins, which, when inserted into an electrical outlet, are connected by sockets (terminals) of an outlet electrically connected to wires or other electrically conductive current-carrying elements of the electrical network. Thanks to such a plug connection, a reliable mechanical and electrical connection of the pins and sockets of the socket is ensured, as a result of which the voltage of the electrical network is reliably transmitted to the connecting element 601 and the device in accordance with the present invention as a whole.

The widespread occurrence of such plug-in-socket connections allows the device to be connected to the electrical network in almost any house, room or space equipped with an electrical network with sockets. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that there are several standards for such plug connections. As shown in FIG. In the 7th variant, the plug approximately corresponds to the European standard, although plugs of other standards (for example, the USA or other countries) can be used depending on which countries the device is intended for or in which plugs.

In addition, in FIG. 7, the plug has two pins, but the connecting element may have a larger number of connecting electrodes, depending on the standard. In particular, the European standard plug may have electrodes on the sides of the housing (ground electrodes) in addition to two pins in the base of the housing, and forks of some standards may contain three or more pins in the base of the housing. All of these possible modifications are included in the scope of the invention, provided that the connecting element contains at least two connecting electrodes and is made with the possibility of electrical connection with the electric network using the specified at least two connecting electrodes.

In other possible embodiments of the invention, the connecting element may comprise or comprise two or more connecting electrodes, which may be either pins or other electrically conductive objects. For example, connecting electrodes can be terminals, clamps, connectors, pads for connecting (mechanical, thermal (including in some embodiments soldering), chemical or other suitable methods) with wires or other electrically conductive objects that are part of the electrical networks or connecting / connecting to it.

For example, in one embodiment, the device may be a power outlet or a part of such an outlet. In this case, the connecting element will be the base of the socket, on / in which the connecting electrodes are placed, for example, in the form of connectors, an example of which are screw (threaded) clamps for the supply wires of the electric network, and an insulating element covering the functional part can be considered a case outlets in the case of an overhead outlet or closing it in the case of a plug-in (built-in) outlet.

This embodiment of the device ensures that it does not stand out in a room or any other place where electrical outlets can be installed, as a result of which there is no need to connect another device in accordance with the present invention and, accordingly, the outlet remains free to use , and the appearance remains as it was thought before installing the device in accordance with the present invention.

In another possible embodiment, the device can be connected to the electric network using a cable (wires, cord), configured to connect one of the ends to the electric network in one way or another (for example, by installing a plug on it for plugging into an outlet) and connected or connected the other end with the connecting electrodes of the device, which are, for example, clamps, connectors or any other suitable elements.

In this case, it is possible to move the device in accordance with the present invention to the extent permitted by the length of the connecting cable (wires, cord). To implement the described private variant of the present invention, the specified cable or cord must contain at least two electrically conductive elements (for example, conductors or wires).

In all the described particular embodiments using the electrostatic principle of operation, the invention should be deemed to be practiced when two or more connecting electrodes are included in the device or forming a connecting element, since the presence of such connecting electrodes makes it possible to connect the device in accordance with the present invention with an electric the network.

In the housing of the device in accordance with one of the possible embodiments of the present invention also provides one (or more) additional connecting element, which is, for example, a socket of a plug connection. Such a socket may correspond to the European standard, or to the standards of other countries (for example, the USA) depending on the standard of the plug, for which the device is intended for inclusion in an additional connecting element.

In addition, instead of the socket or in addition to it, the additional connecting element can be or contain any other connector or electrodes, which can be pins, terminals, clamps, pads for connecting with wires, connecting elements or other electrically conductive objects of other devices and devices .

The presence of such an additional connecting element makes it possible to connect other devices and devices to the device in accordance with the present invention, as a result of which not only the device in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, but also other devices can be connected to the electrical network. Thus, if there is an additional connecting element, the electric network (its supply wires, connector) does not deal only with the device in accordance with the present invention, it can be used to supply electric voltage through it and for other devices in the same place without providing an additional connector in the electric network.

In addition, if there is an additional connecting element, the device in accordance with the present invention in one of the possible options can control the connection of the electrodes of the additional connecting element to the electrodes of the connecting element. Thus, the device can control the supply of electrical voltage from the electrical network when connected to it using connecting electrodes in an additional connecting element and thereby to an external device or device that can be connected to an additional connecting element of the device in accordance with the present invention. For this, the device in accordance with the invention may contain switching elements / components (relays, thyristors, etc.) connected between the connecting electrodes and the additional connecting element and controlled either by the user or by the control circuits.

The connecting element and the additional connecting element can correspond to the same standard of the plug connection, although they are different types of connecting elements: in the preferred embodiment, the connecting element is a plug, and the additional connecting element is a socket. In this configuration, the device in accordance with the present invention is a “socket repeater”: it is plugged into a socket and itself contains the same socket or socket into which a plug of the same standard can be plugged.

In other embodiments of the device in accordance with the present invention, the plug and socket standards may vary, allowing external devices having plugs of one standard to be connected through the device in accordance with the invention into sockets of another standard. In addition, the types of the connecting element and the additional connecting element, i.e. one of them may be one of the parts of the plug, and the other is not, or vice versa, or none of them may be part of the plug. Such configurations allow you to change the types of connections, that is, the device in accordance with the present invention can serve as an adapter or adapter.

In addition to transmitting electrical power without conversion, the device in accordance with the present invention can convert a number of power supply parameters, for example, a voltage value, from an alternating voltage to a constant voltage or vice versa, a voltage frequency, and the like. In particular, the present device in some embodiments can perform the functions of a power supply, for which purpose, in addition to a plug for connection to an electric network, it can include a socket (for example, a socket or a female connector) with a reduced voltage, the value of which can have standard values ( e.g. 3.3 V, 5 V, 6 V, 9 V, 12 V, etc.) or be adjustable. For example, it can be a 5V USB connector, which can include connecting cables for charging phones, smartphones, etc.

It is also possible that the types of the connecting element and the additional connecting element are the same, but are not plug-in. For example, it can be a base type connection using a threaded fastening method (for example, by screwing an electric lamp into a cartridge). In other embodiments, these may include bayonet type, bayonet type, and other types known in the art. In accordance with the above description, these types of connectors can be not only the same for the connecting element and the additional connecting element, but also differ or be combined.

In an embodiment of the device in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 7, the housing 801 comprises a window 802, which is a cutout or several cutouts in the wall of the housing. The window is necessary so that particles with radar DPR, as well as radon itself from the air surrounding the device in the housing, can fall into the housing and deposited on the electrostatic electrode. Thanks to the window, the electrostatic electrode located in the housing is open to ambient air, that is, radar DPRs can be deposited on the electrostatic electrode when a constant electric potential or potential with a constant component is applied to it.

In general, the housing is not an essential element for the device in accordance with the present invention. Other elements required for the implementation of the invention and indicated in the independent claim may be placed in the enclosures of other devices or in cavities formed by other objects or devices. In addition, the elements of the device required to implement a private variant of the present invention can be placed outdoors, i.e. without case. In such cases, the first (electrostatic) electrode will be open, i.e. accessible to ambient air and radionuclides, to the maximum extent, ambient air will surround the first electrode on all sides (with the possible exception of the mounting plate on which the first electrode is placed, if it provided).

However, such a completely open arrangement of the first electrode, as well as possibly other elements / components of the device in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, is unsafe, since high electrical voltages created / induced on the first electrode and other elements / components of the device, such as connecting electrodes, power supply, connecting conductors and others, when the device is connected to the electric network, can be dangerous to human life and health and interfere with the norm operation or disable various devices and devices in case of contact of such elements / components of the described device that are under high voltage.

In connection with the danger of the completely open location of the electrostatic electrode, measures are necessary to ensure electrical safety, which consists in preventing the possibility of touching the electrostatic electrode and other elements / components of the device. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, this is ensured by placing the device in the housing 801. Other options for ensuring electrical safety, which can be used both with and without the housing, are described above.

Thus, the first electrode must, on the one hand, be open to ambient air, and on the other hand, it must be protected from physical contact with it for people and various devices. The placement of the device in the housing prevents contact with the first electrode and other elements of the device, and the openness of the first (electrostatic) electrode is provided in the embodiment of FIG. 7 using the 802 window.

Since window 802 is large enough to allow body parts or electrically conductive objects to pass through it and subsequently come into contact with the electrostatic electrode, protective strips 822 are made in window 802, slots 821 between them, and also between strips 822 and the edge of window 802 in housing 801 provide openness the first electrode located in the housing outside the window 802. Instead of strips 822, various nets, fabrics, films and other materials can be used that do not impede the passage of radionuclides (such as radar and other DPR) and / or suspended in air of particles (for example, dust) with radionuclides on them into the body to the electrostatic electrode. In other embodiments, the openness of the electrostatic electrode located in the housing to the surrounding air may be provided by openings of various sizes and shapes, including slots, cutouts, and the like. For example, it can be many holes that can be arranged in one or another order (for example, in rows, matrix, concentric, etc.) or without it (i.e. randomly) and have the same or different sizes and shapes (for example, round, square, oval, star-shaped, etc.)

The above-described embodiments of the invention are given only for the purpose of explaining the invention and are not intended to limit its essence and scope, which are determined by the following claims. The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made to the practice of the invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Differences between the embodiments for the present invention are not critical and the embodiments may be used individually or in combination. Although functional block diagrams were used to describe the devices in the above embodiments, some parts of the device or its functions can be implemented in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor (or controller), or in a combination of these means.

The program module can be placed on any type of storage medium, such as RAM (Random Access Memory, Random Access Memory), flash memory, ROM (Read Only Memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory device) ), EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable ROM, Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), Register, Hard Disk, Removable Disk, or CD (Compact Disk, CD).

The storage medium is connected to the processor so that the processor can read and write information from and to the storage medium. The storage medium may also be integrated into the processor. The storage medium and processor can also be performed on the ASIC (specialized chip) located in the device, or in the form of discrete components.

Electrical connection of elements, components, blocks, modules, wires and other objects mentioned in the application can be carried out either directly, directly, galvanically, or by other elements or components that change the transmitted signal, voltage or current in that part that does not affect the implementation of the essence of the invention in a particular connection, but not changing or changing within the permissible limits the transmitted signal, voltage or current in that part that affects the implementation of the essence of Bretenoux a particular compound. For example, a connection through resistance can change the signal level, but its shape remains the same, and connection through a capacitance may not transmit a constant component of a signal, voltage or current, but it transmits a variable component. All such compounds are included in the scope of the invention if they do not alter its essence. The allocation of blocks and modules is done only functionally and in order to describe the invention, when implementing the invention, they may not physically stand out and represent a single device or a sensor divided into several parts. The name of a part by a module or block does not impose restrictions on the implementation of this part, unless otherwise specified, and the part called by the module may be called a block or other term, and vice versa.

The present description is intended to disclose the invention with the completeness sufficient for understanding by a person skilled in the art, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection. The scope and nature of the present invention are determined by the claims, which follows and, if necessary, may include the features of the above description.

Claims (27)

1. The sensor of ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles, including: one or more first electrodes; two or more second electrodes located near one or more first electrodes; and a subtracting module, configured to receive a signal corresponding to the difference of electric potentials and / or currents of the second electrodes; moreover, one or more of the first electrodes and the second electrodes are configured to accept the difference of electric potentials between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, providing collection of one or more second electrodes of ions formed as a result of ionization of the air in the region between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles. 2. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the subtracting module is configured to receive a signal corresponding to the difference of electric potentials and / or currents of the second electrodes multiplied by weight coefficients. 3. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the second electrodes are configured to accept a potential difference between them. 4. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a partition placed between the second electrodes and configured to receive the electric potential of the first electrode. 5. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the first electrodes are also placed between the second electrodes. 6. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that one or more of the first electrode covers each, or part, or all of the second electrodes in a solid angle from 2π to 3.5π steradian. 7. The sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that two or more of the first electrodes encompass one second electrode. 8. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the first electrode is made using a grid. 9. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the second electrode is made using wire. 10. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that the subtraction module is made using a differential and / or instrumental amplifier. 11. The sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains charge amplifiers configured to convert a change in charge on the second electrodes into a change in electrical voltage, the subtracting module being configured to receive a signal corresponding to the difference in voltage obtained by two or more charge amplifiers . 12. A device for determining the content of radionuclides in the air, including: the sensor according to any one of paragraphs. 1-11; a processing unit configured to receive and process the sensor signal; and a power unit configured to provide a difference in electrical potentials between the first electrodes and the second electrodes of the sensor, providing ionization of the air between the first electrodes and the second electrodes by ionizing radiation and / or ionizing particles emitted by radionuclides. 13. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that the second electrodes are configured to accept a potential difference between them, and the power supply unit is configured to provide a potential difference between the second electrodes of less than half, or less than a third, or less than a quarter, or less than one tenth potential differences between the first electrodes and the second electrodes. 14. The device according to p. 13, characterized in that the power supply unit is configured to provide a potential difference between the second electrodes of magnitude from 30 V to 600 V, or from 50 V to 500 V, or from 75 V to 300 V, or from 100 B to 200 V, or from 30 V to 100 V, or from 30 V to 200 V, or from 30 V to 300 V. 15. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that the power supply unit is configured to provide a potential difference between the first electrodes and the second electrodes from 300 V to 3000 V, or from 500 V to 2000 V, or from 1000 V to 1500 V. 16. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that it has at least two connecting electrodes made with the possibility of electrical connection with the electric network, and the power supply unit is configured to receive electrical voltage from the connecting electrodes and supply at least one of the first electrodes of electrical voltage with a constant component relative to one or more connecting electrodes, the absolute value of which is greater than the absolute value of the constant component and / or ednekvadraticheskogo value of the variable component of the voltage between the connecting electrodes. 17. The device according to p. 16, characterized in that the constant component of the electrical voltage on the first electrode relative to one or more connecting electrodes in absolute value has a value of not less than 300 V and not more than 3000 V, or not less than 500 V and not more than 2000 V , or not less than 1000 V and not more than 1500 V. 18. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that the sensor is made in the form of at least one open air ionization chamber. 19. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that at least one first electrode is one of the electrodes of at least one ionization chamber. 20. The device according to p. 12, characterized in that it includes a communication module containing a radiating infrared diode and configured to transmit control signals by means of a radiating infrared diode.

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