Dynamic Qualification Tests Of Radiation Measurement Equipment - Using The D3S As An Example Of A Wearable RIID For Homeland Security

Radiation measuring instruments find a wide range of applications in the field of nuclear material management. They are used in areas ranging from nuclear safeguards and nuclear security as well as the field of homeland security, up to the growing contributions of nuclear techniques to sustainable development around the world. These systems are needed to fulfill different tasks such as monitoring, detecting, identifying and qualifying. One common element independent from the task is the need to gain reliable results. In order not to rely only on information given by the manufacturer concerning the performance and reliability of the device, tests results gained by third parties are necessary. Qualification tests can be performed against consensus standards for reproducibility independent of the testing location. Fraunhofer INT has conceived and built the QuTeSt test environment (Qualification Test System for radiation detection devices) to perform the corresponding dynamic and static test measurements using neutron and gamma sources. In the previous years the static part of QuTeSt was introduced and results gained during testing of radionuclide identification devices (RIID) as well as personal radiation dosimeters (PRD) were presented. The displayed readings are required to assess the situation also when approaching a measurement situation. Identification results produced while moving to or through a scene sometimes are very confusing and may not be correct, so that a closer examination of the influence of dynamic effects on identification results is necessary. However, these measurements are not static but of course dynamic which shows the need for dynamic qualification tests also for handheld devices like RIIDs and PRDs and not only for radiation portal monitors (RPM). This paper deals with the dynamic part of the Fraunhofer INT QuTeSt. A battery powered automated trolley runs on a rail system and moves radioactive sources by the device to be tested. The system was recently upgraded to perform tests for vehicle RPMs. Experiences gained with the dynamic system as well as first investigations with handheld devices like the D3S from Kromek are presented.