Published June 2007 | Version v1
Miscellaneous Open

Modeling the dependency of radon concentration levels inside ancient Egyptian tombs on the ambient temperature variations

  • 1. Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Ain Shams University, P. O. Box 11566, Cairo (Egypt)
  • 2. National Institute for Standard, Radiation Measurements Department, Cairo (Egypt)

Description

Radon concentration inside partially closed places like dwellings, caves and tombs, depends on many parameters. Some parameters are known quantitatively as radon exhalation rate for walls, decay constant, surface to volume ratio and outdoor concentration while other parameters as ventilation rate is in common known qualitatively due to useless of traditional methods (tracer gases) in many places as ancient Egyptian tombs. This work introduces a derived mathematical model to evaluate the sensitivity of radon concentration levels inside single sided opening places as ancient Egyptian tombs on the ambient temperature differences. The obtained formula for the natural ventilation rate depends on the indoor and outdoor temperature difference and the geometrical dimensions of the doorway. The effects of in and out flow mixing, air viscosity, streamline contraction, swirling flow and turbulence, were taken into consideration in terms of an empirical correction factor. According UNSCEAR reports, the exhalation rate Φ=Craλrn fρs(1-ε)L; Cra the effective radium content, λrn decay constant, f emanation fraction, ρs soil grain density, ε porosity and L diffusion length, these are approximately static parameters but the variability of ambient temperature introduces a source of energy of fluctuating strength to radon atoms in rocks which controls the flow rate and the ambient content of radon. Therefore, the change of outdoor and indoor temperature difference causes fluctuation of value and direction of volume flow rate in such places consequently causes the daily variation and on average the seasonal variation of radon concentration. Therefore according to the present model, the daily accurate expectation of radon concentrations inside ancient Egyptian tombs, require precise measurements of indoor and outdoor temperatures

Files

38092968.pdf

Files (159.9 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:0067015f374aed7eaf0c22ba30b6dec8
159.9 kB Preview Download
Part of:
Proceedings of the Eigth Radiation Physics and Protection Conference (RPC-2006)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Imprint Title
Proceedings of the Eigth Radiation Physics and Protection Conference (RPC-2006)
Imprint Pagination
478 p.
Journal Page Range
p. 197-206
Report number
INIS-EG--192

Conference

Title
8. Radiation Physics and Protection Conference
Acronym
RPC-2006
Dates
12-15 Nov 2006
Place
Beni Sueif (Egypt)

Optional Information

Notes
Imprint:Also submitted to the Arab Journal of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, ISSN 1110-0451, CODEN: AJNADV, Special Issue, Vol. 40, Jun 2007