SMARTGUARD
Environmental Radiation Monitoring System

Environmental Radiation Monitoring System

The system is flexible in the sense that it can be configured to meet the specific needs of a site, where these needs can be of a regulatory, production monitoring and/or safety related nature.

The system is modular in the sense that there is a choice of (measurement) devices available, which can be used to build a small scale decentralized monitoring system up to a completely centralized, department wide, monitoring system. It is always possible to add devices when required.

Special attention has been paid to GMP requirements with respect to cleanable surfaces and out-of-sight cabling.

System architecture

At the heart of the SmartGuard system there is SmartGuard Software that allows its user to have an overview of all events in the facility, collect and analyse the data of measurements and configure and manage devices in custom designed maps of the facility.

• When levels are exceeded, the user will receive notifications of the event. A notification will be present when certain levels in measurements are exceeded on what place the event takes place. This way the user can take the right measurer in time when that is needed.
• Custom virtual maps that are designed to fit your facility. Every map exists out of four levels: area’s, zone’s, rooms, and devices. An Area is a part of the monitored floor in the facility, each area exists out of several rooms, with zones in them with the different devices.
• Collected data is gathered and easily read in a manner. In the software the data will be automatically collected and put into easy-to-read graphs or grids.
• Every device that is connected to the system can be configured remotely via the software.

A web-based solution that stores, reports and exports data of monitored areas, rooms, and devices. VMS will be installed on the local server of the customer, from that point the system can be accessed using a normal browser via any computer that is connected to the server.

A Detection Unit consists of a radiation detector and a controller/display unit. The detector type varies with the task at hand.

Detection Units for the following tasks are available:

• Production monitoring (hot cell)
• Area monitoring (rooms)
• Air monitoring (stack/hot cell/cyclotron)
• Neutron monitoring (vault)

All the Detection Units can be handled by the Controller Station. As SmartGuard is a web based system, remote display’s (VMS-RD) can be set up in any room of the facility (for example, Radiochemistry Lab, Quality Control, etc…), to visualise the system status.

Production monitoring in the hot cell and area monitoring in the lab is covered by the VRM-303 radiation monitor fitted with a VRM-GP Geiger-Müller detector. Measuring data is available locally as well as at the central Control Station.

For air monitoring two Detection Units are available.

The first system (VRM-SM) is meant for measuring activity (concentration) in stacks and ventilation ducts.

The second system (VRM-AM) is meant to measure the activity (concentration) inside of hot cells or rooms. Air from inside of the hot cells (or rooms) is sampled, standard VRM-AM supports up to four rooms. An option is available to increase this with five rooms to a total of nine rooms.

In all facilities subject to GMP regulations, installation is very important. The presence of visible cables, holes where dust can deposit, irregular surfaces, can impede good cleaning procedures.

Thanks to the use of:

• Hidden cables (also in case of remote detectors)
• Low profile connectors in the back panel of read-out units
• Integrated detector
• Roughed-in cables for the installation
• it is now possible to install detectors (wall mounted) without visible cables.

Also remote displays (VMS-RD) are installed without visible cables and can be easily cleaned.

Supply conditions

Some units will be powered locally. Customer must assure the line power and ground level consistency throughout the site. Most units are powered by Power over Ethernet, and we suggest that the customer is responsible for the implementation of this LAN infrastructure according to the layout supplied by Comecer.

Of course Comecer can be of service in this process, if required.