Tour the Human Monitoring Laboratory

A series of photographs is available that will show you the layout and counting equipment in use in the Human Monitoring Laboratory (HML). Photographs of the phantoms and other equipment (ultrasound etc.) has been posted on other pages within this section.

• Entrance to the Human Monitoring Laboratory (HML)
• The Counting Chambers
• The Counting Chamber's Viewport
• The Whole Body Counter
• The Lung Counter
• Electronics Rack
• Data Acquisition System
• The HML (view from workshop entrance)

Entrance to the Human Monitoring Laboratory (HML)

The HML is at the rear of the Radiation Protection Bureau. It is, in fact the original building, and has had two additions added since that time.

The Counting Chambers

The low background counting chambers are made of pre-world war II steel and are lead lined and painted. They weigh approximately 20 tons and stand on a reinforced floor. The heavy doors are well balanced and can be opened by hand, if necessary. They are opened by electric motors which you can see mounted on top of the doors.

The Counting Chamber's Viewport

Each counting chamber has a water filled viewport so that the subject can still see the outside world. The ends are made of glass. The viewport helps relieve claustrophobia, let some daylight into the chamber, and allow the operator to visually check on the subject. There is also an intercom for verbal communication.

The Whole Body Counter

The whole body counter is a scanning detector system. A 30 litre Dewar with 4 150% HpGe detectors is mounted below the bed. They scan from head to foot. The array can be used in Multi Channel Scaling mode so that heterogeneous distributions can be detected. There is an oxygen sensor within the counting chamber to ensure the subject's safety.

The Lung Counter

The lung counter is comprised of four 85 mm (diameter) x 30 mm (thick) germanium detectors. They have thin Carbon-fibre windows. The large Dewars are nominally 17 literes and have a holding time of approximately 8 days. There is an oxygen sensor within the counting chamber to ensure the subject's safety.

Electronics Rack

These two stacks contain eight individual DSPEC Juniors; four for the lung counter (left), and four for the whole body counter (right). Each DSPEC Junior acts as a high voltage supply and a digital multichannel buffer.

Data Acquisition System

The microcomputer controls the hardware for both the lung counter and the whole body counter. The Multi Channel Analyzer (MCA) emulation software is capable of analyzing the spectra from both the whole body counter and the lung counter.

The HML (view from workshop entrance)

The Human Monitoring Laboratory (HML) as seen from the entrance from the small workshop that is at the back of the laboratory. A viewport into a counting chamber can be on the left of the photograph, and the data acquisition system in the centre. The liquid nitrogen tanks can be seen on the right of the photograph.

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