Cryogenic sampler for collecting radioactive gases and aerosols

PURGA-K installation for collecting radioactive gases and aerosols, while investigating air contamination, is described. The installation is realized on the principle of incoming air liquefaction in a condensing element (vertical tubular heat exchanger) cooled by the liquid nitrogen. Portions of liquid air containing impurities run into a capacitor under the action of gravity. The installation permits to prepare a combined sample with all gaseous-aerosol impurities containing in the air. Content of γ-active impurities in the liquid air sample may be directly measured with γ-radiometer or γ-spectrometer. Sample filtration and evaporation as well as semiconductor and scintillation detectors are used to improve the sensitivity of the method