Deposition of UO2 in Sampling Conduits in a Centralized Air-Monitoring System

Investigations have been carried out to clarify to what extent a static monitoring system with centralized sampling could be used with reasonable reliability to detect uranium contamination in laboratory air. A multichannel air-monitoring system with centralized sampling, using filter-paper collection, has been the basis for experiments to examine the degree of deposition in the sampling conduit from a UO2 Pellet Production Plant to the monitoring room. The sampling point is separated from the detector unit by PM-Dura pipe, 3/4 in. diam. and 28 m long. The difference in vertical direction is about 6 m. Eleven 90° bends are incorporated in the system. The paper discusses the results obtained, and shows the loss and relative distribution of UO2 in the conduit system. (author)