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RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Radiation Meters Operating Manual Document #PRIR69N0.DOC Version 6.1 - December 2000 ROTEM INDUSTRIES LTD.

1 RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Radiation Meters Operating Manual Document #PRIR69N0.DOC Version December 2000 ROTEM INDUSTRIES LTD. ROTEM Industrial Park P.O.Box 9046, Beer-Sheva 84190, ISRAEL Tel: / Fax: / sales@rotemi.co.il Web Site:

2 Version / Revision Log: RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 - Operating Manual Ver./Rev.# Date Revised Pages Comments 6.0 June 1996 Doc. # BM9420.WP (N14) 6.1 November 2000 Doc. # PRIR69N0.DOC (WORD issue) 1-3 Updated ROTEM address, addition of this log, updated table of contents 10-11, 16 Segment replaced with LCD s This manual is not to be considered a public document, and is not available for general distribution. Its distribution is limited to company employees and customer consultants of RAM GENE radiation meter, for the sole purpose of the RAM GENE operation. The contents of this manual may not be disclosed to other persons in any form, or reproduced wholly or partially, without the prior written consent of Rotem Industries. WARNING: For air delivery, the detector should be placed in a sealed container to ensure gradual changes in pressure, which otherwise may cause irreparable damage to the GM tube. ROTEM Industries Ltd. reserves the right to change specifications without advance notice. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 2

3 Table of Contents 1. RAM GENE General Description Ordering Information Specifications Operating Instructions Preparation for Use Starting-up Collimators usage General functions Threshold Selection Alarms Battery Replacement Calibration Calibration with a Contamination Source Appendix 1 - Operating Instructions and Technical Data for RAM GENE Appendix 2 - RAM GENE-1 from Version RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 3

4 1. RAM GENE 1.1. General Description The RAM GENE radiation contamination meter is designed to detect very low levels of alpha, beta and gamma surface radiation contamination. RAM GENE-1 can be switched to measure radiation field in mr/h or ìsv/h units. Two versions of instruments are available for RAM GENE: cps and cpm. Four versions of instruments are available for RAM GENE- 1: cps + mr/h, cpm + mr/h, cps + ìs/h, cpm + ìs/h. The RAM GENE meter is a state-of-the-art microprocessor based instrument, equipped with a recessed internal GM pancake detector of 1.75" effective diameter, with a thin mica window covered by a protective stainless steel wire mesh screen. The meter is a one-hand-operation instrument, portable, lightweight and compact. Only three pushbuttons are needed for operation: ON/OFF, RESET for accurate measurement of low level contamination, and SPEAKER push-button for audible indicator volume control. Changing of the units in RAM GENE-1 (cps to mr/h) is performed by pressing the RESET and SPEAKER pushbuttons simultaneously. Three ways of indications enable the RAM GENE user to monitor and survey surface contamination rapidly and accurately: a large four 7-segment LCD, an audible click whose rate varies directly with count rate, and a LED indicator that flashes with each incident radiation pulse. The sophisticated software offers special features and optimal performance. A wide dynamic range of up to 42,000 counts per second or 999,000 counts per minute in RAM GENE / GENE-1, and background to 700 mr/h (7000 ìsv/h) in RAM GENE-1, is obtained by the automatic dead time correction, according to the preset calibration. A special averaging function softens the readout and maintains fast response time, while keeping the standard deviation at a minimum. An automatic self-diagnostic procedure continuously checks both, meter and detector, and reports any case of detector failure. The meter also alarms in any case of a reading exceeding threshold value, reading overflow or low battery. Threshold can be selected from a range of 10 preset threshold values. When the meter is turned off, the last threshold value and the calibration factor are kept in memory. The RAM GENE meter can be placed in a holder. The detector surface is covered with a cap for protection against mechanical damage. A set of four detector s collimators: 5, 10, 15, and 25 mm in diameter, is available upon request (See Figure 1-1). Inserting a collimator plate between the detector and its cover decreases the effective diameter, and consequently the count rate reading. For the RAM GENE-1 an additional aluminum disk is supplied, and it is placed at the front of the detector for radiation field measurement. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 4

5 Figure 1-1. RAM GENE Detector View and Collimators Set 1.2. Ordering Information Item Description Model No. RAM GENE [cps] (including holder and cover cap) RAM GENE [cpm] (including holder and cover cap) RAM GENE-1 [cpm + mr/h] RAM GENE-1 [cpm + ìs/h] RAM GENE-1 [cps + mr/h] RAM GENE-1 [cps + ìs/h] Holder A-0100 Pancake wire mesh protective screen A-0140 Pancake hexagonal protective screen A-0141 GM pancake detector cover cap A-0060 Set of detector collimators A-0050 Aluminum disk for RAM GENE-1 A-0210 Detector tester A-0070 Belt hanger for RAM GENE / GENE-1 A-0180 Case for RAM GENE / GENE-1 A-260 RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 5

6 2. Specifications Display LED Audio Measuring unit Controls Power source Detector Window thickness Background reading Sensitivity ( 137 Cs) Count rate range Accuracy Temperature range Humidity range LCD readout showing: - four digits for accurate and easy readout - detector failure - low battery - overflow - threshold Count rate indication Internally mounted piezo-electric element RAM GENE: cps or cpm RAM GENE-1: cps or cpm, mr/h or ìsv/h - ON/OFF push-button - RESET push-button - SPEAKER push-button One 9-volt cell battery - 50 hours minimum continuous operation, using an alkaline battery (speaker off) - Automatic battery check under full load Pancake GM tube (LND or equivalent) Effective diameter 1.75" Mica, 1.5 to 2 mg/cm² protected by a stainless steel wire mesh 0 to 1 cps 50 cpm Approx. 5.8 cps/ìsv/h (58 cps/mr/h) Approx. 350 cpm/ìsv/h (3500 cpm/mr/h) 0 to 42,000 cps 0 to 999,000 cpm ±15% of reading Operation: -10 C to +50 C (15 F to 122 F) Storage : -20 C to +60 C (-5 F to 140 F) 40% to 95% RH (non condensing) RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 6

7 Casing High impact plastic Dimensions Width 6.7 cm (2.6") Length 11.0 cm (4.3") Height 7.4 cm (2.9") Weight 340 g (0.75 lb) Surface sensitivity (in contact) for cps units: Isotope Energy E or Emax kev Sensitivity kcps/ìci Surface Sensitivity cps cps 10-4 ìci/cm² Bq/cm² Minimum Detectable level* pci/cm² Bq/cm² 14 C (β) S (β) Pm (β) Tc (β) Sr+ 90 Y (β) Cl (β) Pb (β) P (β) Cr (ã) m Tc (ã) I (ã) I (β) Th (á) Am (á) * Minimum detectable level calculations are based on background reading of 1 cps, and the confidence level is 99%. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 7

8 Surface sensitivity (in contact) for cpm units: Isotope Energy E or Emax kev Sensitivity kcpm/ìci Surface Sensitivity cpm cpm pci/cm² Bq/cm² Minimum Detectable level* pci/cm² Bq/cm² 14 C (β) S (β) Pm (β) Tc (β) Sr+ 90 Y (β) Cl (β) Pb (β) P (β) Cr (ã) m Tc (ã) I (ã) I (β) Th (á) Am (á) Minimum detectable level calculations are based on background reading of 50 cpm, and the confidence level is 99%. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 8

9 3. Operating Instructions 3.1. Preparation for Use Remove the instrument from the shipping container and check for physical damage. In case of damage, report it immediately to the carrier. Do not attempt to install or operate damaged equipment since safety and performance may be affected 3.2. Starting-up Press the ON/OFF push-button. When the meter is turned on, it carries out a short selftest procedure indicated by displaying all the segments on the display, and emitting a beep for a short period. Now the meter is ready for use Collimators usage The detector collimators set includes four plates of different hole diameter: 5, 10, 15, and 25 mm. Choose one plate from the collimators set and insert it between the detector surface and its cover; count rate will be decreased General functions a. Readout: The measuring units are counts per second or counts per minute. Values through 9999 cps or cpm are expressed in 1 to 4 digits. For higher values, up to 42,000 cps or 999,000 cpm, a factor of 1000 will be indicated by displaying E. For example: 10,400 = 10.4E 127,000 = 127E b. LED: A LED indicator, located above the LCD, flashes with each incident radiation pulse. c. Reading reset: To reset the reading press the RESET push-button. The reset function provides a rapid means of discharging the display and enables accurate measurement of low level contamination. d. Audible indication: When the meter is turned on, the audible indication is activated at its high volume, so that the rate and trend of measurement are noticed. To turn the speaker off, press the SPEAKER push-button. This volume control is sounded especially at low rates of measurement. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 9

10 3.5. Threshold Selection Threshold value can be selected from a range of 10 threshold values. The selected value is also kept in memory after the meter is turned off. The following threshold values may be selected: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 70, 80, 200, 300, [cps] 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 1000, 5000, , , [cpm] To choose the required threshold value, proceed with the following steps: Enter threshold mode by pressing the RESET push-button for two seconds. The reading will be zero, and later on the thr. LCD s will be displayed to indicate that the threshold setting mode is activated Pressing the SPEAKER push-button displays the existing threshold value Each additional press on the SPEAKER push-button displays the next threshold value, according to the order described in section To exit set threshold mode and to save the new threshold value, press the RESET pushbutton for 2 seconds. Saving will be verified by an audible beep and blinking of the threshold value To exit the set threshold mode without saving new values (cancel threshold change), press RESET push-button for a very short period (less than 2 seconds). Threshold value blinks and no beep will be sounded. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 10

11 3.6. Alarms a. Detector alarm: If the detector is defective or disconnected, the Err. LCD s blinks on the display and an interrupted audible alarm is activated. To mute the audible alarm, press the SPEAKER push-button. b. Battery alarm: If battery voltage decreases below 6.2V, the bat. LCD s blinks on the display, and an interrupted audible alarm is activated. To display the measured readings and mute the audible alarm, press the SPEAKER pushbutton. After the SPEAKER push-button is pressed, the bat. LCD s will reappear every five minutes for 2 seconds, and every 30 minutes accompanied by an audible beep to remind of low battery condition. c. Overflow alarm: If the displayed count rate is over 42.0E ( cps) or 999E ( cpm), the OFLO LCD s blinks on the display and an interrupted audible alarm is activated. To mute the audible alarm, press the SPEAKER push-button. d. Threshold alarm: If the reading exceeds threshold value, the ALr. LCD s and the reading are displayed alternately, accompanied by an audible beep. Pressing the SPEAKER push-button mutes the audible alarm, but the ALr. LCD s and the reading are continuing to be displayed alternately, until the reading decreases to 0.75 from threshold value. In case the reading exceeds threshold value and then decreases below 0.75 of threshold value, the ALr. LCD s and the beep sound are automatically canceled, even though the SPEAKER push-button has not been pressed. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 11

3.7. Battery Replacement The battery compartment is located at the back of the instrument. To replace the battery, slide out the battery compartment cover carefully.

12 3.7. Battery Replacement The battery compartment is located at the back of the instrument. To replace the battery, slide out the battery compartment cover carefully. Use one 9-Volt alkaline battery; be sure to connect it with the right polarity. Figure 3-1. RAM GENE Battery Compartment RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 12

13 4. Calibration 4.1. Calibration with a Contamination Source Calibration should be performed by an authorized technician. To calibrate the RAM GENE meter, use dip-switch U9 on PC # Expose the detector to a 99 Tc * source whose activity is 50 to 250 Kdpm Check the RAM GENE reading and compare it with the expected reading. For example: 100 Kdpm 99 Tc should give cpm for copper beryllium screen and cpm with stainless steel wire mesh screen. If the difference is lower than 10%, the detector is calibrated. If the difference is higher than 10%, perform the following steps: a. Loosen the 4 screws located on the meter's back. b. Open the case and turn the internal switch to the calibration position. (Turn dip-switch 1 to ON position). The Cal. LCD s will be displayed. c. Press the SPEAKER push-button once, the reading and factor values will flash alternately on the display (the factor is indicated by the letter F, e.g. F 1.23). d. Expose the unit to a known radiation field and calculate the new factor. Old factor * Radiation field New factor = ! Instrument reading e. Press the SPEAKER push-button to increase the factor value (meter reading) and the RESET push-button to decrease the factor value (meter reading). The display will return to the alternate mode only when either SPEAKER or RESET push-button is not pressed for more than 3 seconds. f. When the required reading (factor) is obtained, turn the internal switch back to the measuring position and the meter will enter the measuring mode. The calibration factor is a value between 0.60 to 1.40 stored in the EEPROM. g. Check again the meter reading in the above radiation field. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 13

14 Figure 4-1. CPU Card * If a different source is used, other than 99 Tc, the meter has to be calibrated against a known expected value based on detector efficiency for the specific isotope. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 14

Appendix 1 Operating Instructions and Technical Data for RAM GENE-1 1. The operating instructions for RAM GENE-1 are identical to those of RAM GENE, except for the following points: 1.

15 Appendix 1 Operating Instructions and Technical Data for RAM GENE-1 1. The operating instructions for RAM GENE-1 are identical to those of RAM GENE, except for the following points: 1.1 On switching on the RAM GENE-1, the measuring unit is cps or cpm (for measuring radiation contamination). 1.2 Change-over to mr/h or ìsv/h units (for measuring the radiation field) is done by pressing the RST and SPK keys simultaneously. 1.3 Change back to cps units is done by pressing RST and SPK simultaneously. 2. Measuring the radiation field should be done with the aluminum disk at the front of the detector. Place the disk inside the plastic cover and attach it to the front of the instrument. 3. Field radiation measurement range: 0.001mR/h to 700mR/h (0.01ìSv/h to 7000ìSv/h). Figure 1. RAM GENE-1 Radiation Meter RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 15

16 Appendix 2 RAM GENE-1 from Version Updated Changes and Additions for Previous Versions: , , Thresholds Threshold Selection Threshold value can be selected from a range of 10 threshold values. The selected value is also kept in memory after the meter is turned off. The following threshold values may be selected: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 70, 80, 200, 300, 42.0E [cps] 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 1000, 5000, 10.0E, 20.0E, 999E [cpm] To choose the required threshold value, proceed with the following steps: 1. Enter threshold mode by pressing the RESET pushbutton for two seconds. The reading will be zero, and later on the thr. LCD s will be displayed to indicate that the threshold setting mode is activated. 2. Pressing the SPEAKER push-button displays the existing threshold value. 3. Each additional press on the SPEAKER push-button displays the next threshold value, according to the order described above. 4. To exit set threshold mode and to save the new threshold value, press the RESET push-button for 2 seconds. Saving will be verified by an audible beep and blinking of the threshold value. 5. To exit the set threshold mode without saving new values (cancel threshold change), press RESET push-button for a very short period (less than 2 seconds). Threshold value blinks and no beep will be sounded. Threshold alarm If the reading exceeds threshold value, the ALr. LCD s and the reading are displayed alternately, accompanied by an audible beep. Pressing the SPEAKER push-button mutes the audible alarm, but the ALr. LCD s and the reading are continuing to be displayed alternately, until the reading decreases to 0.75 from threshold value. In case the reading exceeds threshold value and then decreases below 0.75 of threshold value, the ALr. LCD s and the beep sound are automatically canceled, even though the SPEAKER pushbutton has not been pressed. RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 16

17 Merging All the RAM GENE-1 Versions Four versions of RAM GENE-1 were available: cps + mr/h, cpm + mr/h, cps + µs/h, cpm + µs/h. Until now each version included a separate EPROM. The RAM GENE-1 new version is adequate for all the four versions. Setting the Units Perform a long press (for 10 sec.) on the SPEAKER push-button. One of the following readings will be displayed, each defining the instrument s operating units: U11 - cps + mr/h U12 - cps + µs/h U21 - cpm + mr/h U22 - cpm + µs/h A short press on the SPEAKER push-button enables transition between the units. An additional long press (for 10 sec.) returns the instrument to the measurement mode. Data Storage When turning off, the meter s data including threshold value, factor value and units code, is stored in the EPROM. Hardware In order to apply this new version, the following changes should be performed on the standard micro board (PC #1803): 1. Insert the U1-X24C04 component. 2. U9 dip-switch mode should be as depicted below: jmp jmp 5 - open 4 and 5 - short 2 and 7 - open 2 and 6 - short 1 and 8 short for calibration Note: Do not change dip-switches position (2-7, 3-6, 4-5). Any change in one of the dip-switches will interrupt the meter's correct operation. Reminder: 1. To pass between the contamination units and field units, press the RESET and SPEAKER push-buttons simultaneously. 2. Maximum readings: 42,000 cps 999,000 (999E) cpm 700 mr/h 7000 ìsv/h RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 17

18 RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Notes: RAM GENE / RAM GENE-1 Operating Manual Page 18

RAM GENE-1 ERK. Contamination & Radiation Meter. Operating Manual. Document #PRIR90N2.DOC Version 2.2 October 2009

RAM GENE-1 ERK. Contamination & Radiation Meter. Operating Manual. Document #PRIR90N2.DOC Version 2.2 October 2009 RAM GENE-1 ERK MK-Ι & MK-ΙΙ Contamination & Radiation Meter Operating Manual Document #PRIR90N2.DOC Version 2.2 October 2009 Version / Revision Log: RAM GENE-1 ERK/ Operating Manual Ver./Rev.# Date Revised