Speaker
Description
The Contamination Alarm for Target (CAT) system ensures worker safety by detecting abnormal helium leaks from the ESS Target Primary Cooling System (TPCS) to the surrounding rooms where workers can be present, considering that the helium may be radiologically contaminated. When a leak is detected, the CAT system activates an alarm to warn personnel about the potential hazard and initiate evacuation from the area.
This work reviews and compares different detection methods, including monitoring of process parameters within the TPCS, detection of helium in the room, and direct radiation measurements in the rooms. Each method comes with its own technical and operational challenges, especially in terms of sensitivity, background discrimination, and reliability in a complex facility environment.
We present the current evaluation of these detection methods and highlight key limitations that influence the CAT system design. System design is ongoing, and we are open to input from similar applications or facilities/industries where helium with or without radiological contamination is monitored, to help benchmark solutions and identify best practices.