Use of microprogrammed outposts in radioprotection

Radioprotection networks around nuclear plants have so far only supplied data concerning dose equivalent rates. The use of radiation detectors delivering dose equivalent quanta combined with a system based on minicomputers yields additional information: dose equivalents per day, per month ...; dose equivalent rates expressed in LMA or CMA; threshold determinations; data transfer to signal boxes. By the use of suitable terminals it is also possible to dialogue with the computer. To offset certain disadvantages of this system the digital treatment of quantified data is no longer performed centrally by the computer but locally in a processing box equipped with a microprocessor. The alarm and signalling thresholds are set directly in the local box. The computer then only serves for dose cumulation and management of the different terminals ... This paper describes the detectors and processing box and shows the advantage of this set-up