It measures radon, a radioactive gas found in nature. It can accumulate in residential and work premises, posing a threat to human health. For example, in areas with a potentially high density of radon flow from underlying soils, or in basement and ground floor premises, where shops and pick-up points are often opened. Currently, there are no radon radiometers available for free sale in Russia that could measure around the clock, but NSTU NETI seems to be solving this problem.
Nikita Barilo, a student at the Faculty of Energy of NSTU NETI, with the support of his scientific supervisor Evgeny Udaltsov, Associate Professor of the Department of Labor Safety of the Faculty of Energy of NSTU NETI, has created and is testing a radiometer that measures the volumetric activity of radon in the air all the time. Changes are recorded around the clock and in real time. Existing Russian analogues of this device make instantaneous measurements, determining only the concentration at the time of measurement. However, the new development works differently.
Our radiometer is based on the method of electrostatic deposition of radon decay products (DPR) on a deposition electrode. The accumulation of DPR is carried out for 6-8 hours for the first measurement, and then, with constant operation of the sampler, measurements of the volumetric activity (VA) of radon can be carried out at any time, since the activity of radon and its DPR are in radioactive equilibrium. It turns out that the device works continuously, and you can measure the activity of radon at any time, which will allow you to permanently monitor that the VA of radon does not exceed the maximum permissible and safe norm.
The device provides constant monitoring of radon activity, which is necessary for home and private use. Currently, domestic software is being finalized and debugged for the radiometer prototype. After testing in various rooms with variable levels of radon activity, the developers plan to patent their invention.
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