A simple model for automatically measuring radon exhalation rate from medium surface

A simple model to measure radon exhalation rate from medium surface is developed in this paper. This model is based on a combination of the "accumulation chamber" technique and a radon monitor. The radon monitor is used to perform measurement of radon concentration evolution inside the accumulation chamber, and radon exhalation rate is evaluated via nonlinear least-square fitting of the measured data. If the flow rate of the pump is high enough, radon concentration in the detector's internal cell becomes to be equal to that in the accumulation chamber quickly, and the simple model for measuring the radon exhalation rate can be generated analytically. Generally, the pump flow rate of radon monitor is low, not satisfying the condition. We find other sufficient conditions of this simplified model. On these conditions, the radon exhalation rate can be calculated accurately through this model even the flow rate of the pump is not so high. This method can be applied to develop and improve the instruments for measuring the radon exhalation rate. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.