Geiger Tube Applications

Geiger Muller tubes provide an easily-used means of both detecting and measuring the following types of radiation:

alpha particles
beta particles
X-rays
gamma rays

Typical applications of Geiger Muller tubes include the following, which occur in and around nuclear power stations:

checking satisfactory performance of shielding
ensuring safety of working staff
warning of any release of contamination
recording exposure levels
monitoring environment near nuclear installations
detecting hazards for emergency service staff

The environment near nuclear power sources is generally monitored by a number of peripheral instrument stations, each with two Geiger Muller tubes. lf release of activity occurs, it is immediately detected and a signal is fed to a computer-controlled monitoring system. The computers trigger alarm warnings and provide an indication of the location of probable 'downwind' areas where precautions should be taken. They also indicate the most probable 'upwind' location of the leakage source. For this type of application, our ZP1301 or ZP1313 for monitoring high level radiation, or our ZP1221/01 for monitoring low level radiation are ideal.

For detectors used at nuclear installations by the various emergency services, a suitable choice is ourZP1301. Additional applications not specifically associated with nuclear power stations include:

external monitoring of fluid levels in processing tanks in the chemical and petroleum industries
external monitoring of levels in coal hoppers, smelting furnaces, and liquified gas containers
thickness measurement by absorption in paint layers, thin metal sheets, and abrasive layers on 'sand papers'
finding cracks or voids in metal or stone
tracking the radioactive isotope 'labels' frequently used as tracers in chemistry, agriculture, civil engineering, petroleum engineering, and medicine
detecting tracers used for indicating a change of oil in a time-share oil pipe line, or for tracking underground movement of water
oil well logging
measuring output from nuclear sources in various types of educational
experimentation

In educational establishments, the robust ZP1481, for example, with its plug-in base and window guard, is ideal for beta and gamma radiation experiments. GM Detectors have an advantage of exhibiting a high degree of immunity when operating in a high Neutron Flux.