Bladewerx SabreBZM™

Alpha Radiation Breathing Zone Monitor

Features

• Weighs 2.6 lbs.

• 8-Hour battery life

• Uses alpha peak-shape-fitting for individual measurements of nuclide counts–significantly reducing false alarms

• Performs both fast-responding (Acute) and high-sensitivity (Chronic) measurements

• Voice annunciation of status changes and dose provide hands-free operation

• Acute and Chronic dose, concentration, and flow logging as well as spectrum logging

• Automatically logs DAC, DAC-Hr and spectrum data

• Wireless 802.11b RadNet Output Option for remote monitoring

•  Typical sensitivity of 1.5 DAC-h (Chronic) and 45 DAC-h (Acute) with less than one false alarm per 2080 hours of operation

• Radon Mode Option displays PAEC and also indicates radon progeny equilibrium

• Improved particle collection with optional high-efficiency sample head

• Source Response Check feature assures proper calibration before each use

• American or SI units

Introduction

The Bladewerx SabreBZM™ is a lightweight, battery-powered, alpha radiation air monitor that can be worn on the body, and its sampling head clipped to the lapel. The proximity of the sampling head to the wearer’s mouth means more accurate worker “breathing zone” dose assessments and alarm indications. A solid-state, ion-implanted, silicon radiation detector and reliable 1024-channel multi-channel analyzer provide the input for an iPAQ processor that performs the spectral analysis. An integrated 3-LPM pump, lithium-ion battery and charging electronics complete the package allowing battery operation of more than eight hours.

The SabreBZM may be factory-configured for either the measurement of special nuclear materials (SNM), or for radon progeny measurements of potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC).

Alpha Peak-Shape-Fitting
State-of-the-art alpha peak shape fitting is used to separate the spectrum into the contributions from its constituent nuclides and quantify the spectrum counts from radon progeny and the user-defined isotope-of-interest. Alpha peak shape fitting is a technique that uses the profiles of multiple alpha radiation isotope peaks to create a composite curve which best fits the actual spectrum counts. Because the individual nuclide peaks are independently determined, the separation of nuclides is impervious to radon equilibrium changes and contributes to a very low probability of false alarms. Precise fitting of the ²¹⁸Po tail results in excellent sensitivity—superior, in many cases, to instruments sampling at 40 LPM. To learn more about Bladewerx' Alpha Peak Shape Fitting - click here.

Alarm Output and Remote Monitoring
Voice output of dose and status changes through the included ear bud, or with a noise canceling headset, allow hands-free monitoring, permitting the instrument to be worn on the inside of protective garments. With the 802.11 WiFi wireless RadNet Output Option installed, multiple SabreBZMs report their status and readings to a wireless access point, up to 300 feet away, networked with a laptop or PC workstation running Bladewerx RadNet Client software, or other RadNet compliant client software. This capability allows remote supervisory monitoring, in real-time, of up to ten workers.
 

Local Display Features
The iPAQ PDA, which is usually tucked safely away inside a padded pocket in the SabreBZM case, displays detailed information on the instrument status and readings while in operation. The dose estimate of the radioactive isotope of interest and instrument status are prominently displayed at all times, while a window below either displays the historical readings and battery status, or displays the current spectrum. The user mays switch between the two displays from the View menu.
 

Data Logging
The SabreBZM creates log files of both the Acute (from 1- to 30-second detail) and Chronic (1-minute detail) readings, along with spectrum log files at a user-defined interval. These log files may be saved in the internal PDA memory, or stored on a removable SD memory card, for later retrieval and review. The log files use the comma-separated-variable (*.csv) format, recognized by most spreadsheet and database software.
 

Radon Mode Option
The SabreBZM may be factory-configured for a ‘Radon Mode’ where the instrument will monitor the potential-alpha-energy-concentration (PAEC) of airborne radon progeny. The display units can be configured for either American units of milli-Working Levels (mWL) and WL-h, or SI units of μJ/m³ and μJ-h/mm³. Because the individual progeny concentrations are known, the effective (dis)equilibrium ratio of radon progeny can be determined and displayed. This feature can provide useful insights into the ‘age’ of the air sampled.
 

Sensitivity and Response Time
The sensitivity of the SabreBZM is dependent on several factors including, radon background, dust loading, sample flow rate, acute and chronic window settings, and, of course, the energy of the isotope of interest. The chart below provides an example of typical chronic MDD behavior for a window setting of 4-hours with a radon background of approximately 1.8 pCi/l.

Specifications

PART NUMBER: BIN-SABR-BZM

Sampling Head and Flow

• Radiation Detector: Solid-state ion-implanted silicon (450 mm² active area)

• Pump: diaphragm-type, 3.0 LPM (typical)

• Filter: 37 mm Speclon™ 1.5 μm PTFE membrane or compatible 37mm PTFE filter (25 mm collection area)

Data Analysis

• MCA: 1024-channel ADC binned to 256 channel spectrum

• Peak-fitting algorithm for ²¹⁴Po, ²¹⁸Po (Radon Mode also fits ²¹²Po and ²¹⁰Po) and one additional radionuclide (e.g. ²³⁹Pu) Acute (120 sec window) and Chronic (240 min window) sensitivities, plus net count rate alarm

• Processor: Windows CE-based PDA, 533 MHz Intel X-Scale processor

• Max Count Rate: 600,000 cpm

• Source Response Check diagnostic

• Calibration: Electro-plated stainless steel radioactive source required for efficiency calibration. 37mm diameter with 25mm active area. ²⁴¹Am or ²³⁹Pu recommended.

• Energy Range: 1.0 - 8.0 MeV (1.0 - 10 MeV in Radon Mode)

Physical

• Battery powered: 8.4 V Li-Ion, 4.1Ah (8 Hr run-time, 4-hour charge time)

• Weight: 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg)

• Dimensions: 4”w x 7”h x 5”d (10 x 18 x 13 cm)

• Sample head umbilical length: 30 in. (0.75 m)

• Temperature: 0 to 122 °F (-20 to 50°C)

• Humidity: 5 to 100% (non-condensing)

• Integrated dust/rain cover

Options

• Wireless RadNet Output: BIN-BZM-OPT1

• SI Units: BIN-BZM-OPT2

• Radon Mode: BIN-BZM-OPT3

• High-efficiency sample head: BIN-BZM-OPT4

• RadNet Client software: BAC-RNCL-1

• 802.11b wireless access point: BPT-WAPB-1

• 802.11g wireless access point: BPT-WAPG-1
   

Consumables

• 1.5 μm pore Speclon filter: BSP-FILT-15B037

Spare Parts

• 4100 mA-h Li-Ion battery: BPT-LION-4100

• 3.0 LPM pump: BSP-PUMP-3L

• SabreMCA board: BSP-SMCA-A1

• SabreAux board: BSP-SAUX-A1

• Sabre preamp board: BSP-PAMP-P1

• SabreBZM iPAQ (pre-configured): BPT-IPAQ24-BZM

•  iPAQ to SabreMCA cable: BSP-CABL-1301

• Pump/Battery cable: BSP-CABL-1305

• SabreBZM soft case: BSP-CASE-SP1

• Detector, 450 mm²: BPT-DETC-SD450

• Ear bud: BPT-EARB-M1

• AC adapter/charger (U.S.): BPT-ACADP-1222

Technical Information

• SabreBZM Data Sheet

• SabreBZM Manual

• Bladewerx Alpha Peak Shape Fitting

   

Other Bladewerx Products

• SabreAlert2 Alpha Radiation Air Monitor

• SabreASC Alpha Radiation Sample Counter

• SabrePSC Portable Alpha Radiation Sample Counter

• SabreBPM Beta Radiation Particulate Air Monitor

• Speclon Filters