Introduction
Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs) are passive radiation detection devices used for the screening of individuals, vehicles, cargo or other vectors for detection of illicit sources such as at borders or secure facilities. Fear of terrorist attacks with radiological weapons spurred RPM deployment for cargo scanning since 9/11, particularly in the United States.
RPMs were originally developed for screening individuals and vehicles at secure facilities such as weapons laboratories.[1] They were deployed at scrap metal facilities to detect radiation sources mixed among scrap that could contaminate a facility and result in a costly clean up.[citation needed] As part of the effort to thwart nuclear smuggling after the breakup of the Soviet Union, RPMs were deployed around that territory, and later around many other European and Asian countries, by the US Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Second Line of Defense Program (SLD)[2] starting in the late 1990s. After the attack of 9/11, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) started the Radiation Portal Monitor Program (RPMP) to deploy RPMs around all US borders (land, sea and air).[3]
Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM) was designed to detect traces of radiation emitted from an object passing through a RPM. Gamma radiation is detected, and in some cases complemented by neutron detection when sensitivity for nuclear material is desired
This article relates primarily to RPMs deployed for screening trucks at ports of entry. Over 1400 RPMs are deployed at US borders and a similar number at foreign locations for the purpose of interdicting illicit radiological and nuclear material. The US deployments cover all land border vehicles, all seaport containerized cargo, and all mail and express courier facilities. Efforts are also being made to deploy similar measures to other cross border vectors including:
Pedestrian radiation portal monitoring
Air freight radiation portal monitoring
Crane based radiation portal monitoring
Air luggage radiation portal monitoring
Railway radiation portal monitoring
RPMs are also deployed at civilian and military nuclear facilities to prevent theft of radiological materials. Steel mills often use RPMs to screen incoming scrap metal to avoid radioactive sources illegally disposed in this way. Garbage incineration plants often monitor incoming material to avoid contamination.
Specifications
Parameter | Technical index |
Detector type | Plastic scintillator detector |
Detector volume | 25 liters×4 |
Energy range | 50Kev~3Mev |
Working temperature | -30℃~55℃ |
False alarm rate | 1/1000 |
Detection area response width | 5 meter |
Protection grade | IP 65 |
Enclosure | Steel box |
Power supply | 100~250V(AC) |
Alarm method | Sound and light |
Limit the maximum speed | 8KM/H |
Customer Case