Spectra MKS-11 User manual

MKS-11 “SPECTRA”
SEARCH DOSIMETER-RADIOMETER
Operating Manual

CONTENTS
1 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION..........................................3
1.1 PURPOSE OF USE....................................................................3
1.2 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS .................................................4
1.3 DELIVERY KIT OF THE DEVICE.............................................12
1.4 DESIGN AND PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION................................13
1.5 LABELING AND SEALING......................................................16
1.6 PACKING .............................................................................16
2 PROPER USE OF THE DEVICE.............................................17
2.1 OPERATING LIMITATIONS ....................................................17
2.2 PREPARATION FOR OPERATION............................................17
2.3 USE OF THE DEVICE.............................................................19
3 TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE..............................................74
3.1 TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE OF THE DEVICE .........................74
3.2 VERIFICATION OF THE DEVICE.............................................76
4 CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANCE .........................................86
5 PACKING CERTIFICATE........................................................86
6 WARRANTY ............................................................................87
7 REPAIR.....................................................................................88
8 STORAGE ................................................................................89
9 SHIPPING.................................................................................90
10 DISPOSAL..............................................................................90
ANNEX А....................................................................................91
ANNEX B....................................................................................92
ANNEX C....................................................................................93
ANNEX D....................................................................................94
ANNEX E ....................................................................................95
ANNEX F.....................................................................................96

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This Operating Manual (hereinafter called the OM) is intended
to inform the user about the principles of operation and rules of
application of the MKS-11 “SPECTRA” search dosimeter-
radiometer. The manual contains all information necessary for full
implementation of its technical capabilities and its proper use.
The MKS-11 “SPECTRA” search dosimeter-radiometer is
designed in the following modifications:
- MKS-11 G “SPECTRA” is designed to measure the ambient
dose equivalent rate of gamma radiation and X-rays, the ambient
dose equivalent of gamma radiation and X-rays, and identify gamma
radionuclides by their amplitude spectra;
- MKS -11 GN “SPECTRA” is intended to measure gamma
radiation and X-rays DER, the ambient equivalent dose of gamma
radiation and X-rays, identify gamma radionuclides by their
amplitude spectra, and determine the intensity of neutron radiation.
The OM contains the following abbreviations:
DER - ambient dose equivalent rate of gamma and X-ray
radiation (hereinafter –photon-ionizing radiation);
DE - ambient dose equivalent of gamma and X-ray
radiation (hereinafter –photon-ionizing radiation);
SGDU - scintillation detecting unit of photon-ionizing
radiation;
GMC - Geiger-Muller counter;
SNDU - scintillation neutron detecting unit;
PC - personal computer.

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1 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
1.1 Purpose of use
MKS-11 “SPECTRA” search dosimeter-radiometer (hereinafter
–the dosimeter) belongs to spectrometer-type devices and is
designed to:
•Measure DER of photon-ionizing radiation;
•Measure DE of photon-ionizing radiation;
•Display DER of neutron radiation;
•Determine gamma and neutron radiation intensity;
•Identify the type of radionuclides by their amplitude
gamma spectra;
•Store amplitude gamma spectra and events in the
nonvolatile memory.
The device is designed under ANSI N42.48-2008.
The device is used to detect and localize radioactive and nuclear
materials by gamma and neutron radiation so as to prevent their
illicit transfer, and at enterprises and organizations that deal with
sources of gamma and neutron radiation.
The device is employed in the following areas:
• Customs and Border Services;
• Law enforcement agencies (MIA, Security Service of Ukraine,
safeguard services);
• Vehicles monitoring, seaports, and airports;
• Environmental inspections;
• Radioactive waste disposals.

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1.2 Technical specifications
1.2.1 Key specifications are presented in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1
Name
Measure-
ment
unit
Standardized value
Total measurement and
display range of photon-
ionizing DER:
From built-in:
-SGDU
-GMC
μSv/h
0.01…106
0.01 to 50
50 to 106
Measurement and display
range of photon-ionizing
DE from the GMC
μSv
0.1…9.9·106
Display range of neutron
radiation DER
μSv/h
0.01 … 104
Display range of count rate
of photon-ionizing radiation
cps
1 … 25000
Display range of pulse count
rate of neutron radiation
from the SNDU
cps
0.01 … 25000
Main relative permissible
error limit when measuring
photon-ionizing radiation
DER from the SGDU at
0.95 confidence probability
(137Cs)
%
15+1/H*(10),
where H*(10) is a
numeric value of
measured DER in
μSv/h

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Table 1.1 (continued)
Name
Measure-
ment unit
Standardized
value
Main relative permissible error
limit when measuring photon-
ionizing radiation DER and DE
from the GMC at 0.95
confidence probability (137Cs)
%
15
Energy range of detected
photon-ionizing radiation
MeV
0.02 … 3.00
Energy dependence of the
device’s readings when
measuring photon-ionizing
radiation DER in the energy
range from 0.05 MeV to
1.25 MeV relative to
0.662 MeV energy (137Cs)
%
±25
Anisotropy of the SGDU and
GMC detectors at incidence of
gamma quanta at angles from
+60о to –60оhorizontally and
vertically relative to the main
measurement direction, marked
by “+”:
- for 137Cs and 60Со isotopes
- for 241Am isotopes
%
30
75
Number of channels of
amplitude gamma spectrum
channel
2048
Resolution of SGDU for 137Cs,
not more than
%
8
Energy range of detected
neutron radiation
eV
0.025 …
14·106
Set-up time of the device
operation, not more than
min
1

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Table 1.1 (continued)
Name
Measure
ment
unit
Standardized
value
Calibration time by the level
of gamma background
s
2 … 90
Response time to over
10 times change of photon-
ionizing radiation DER
s
0.25
Operating supply voltage of
the device from a lithium-
polymer battery
V
3.7
Continuous operation of the
device when powered from the
charged battery under
background of gamma
radiation not more than
0.5 μSv/h:
- a switched-off display
backlight, with no alarm
triggering and a switched-off
navigation receiver, not less
than
- a switched-off display
backlight, with no alarm
triggering and a switched-on
navigation receiver, not less
than
h
200
55
Operating temperature range
°С
–20 … +50
Dimensions of the device
with no clip (with a clip), not
more than
mm
67×127×30 (45)
Weight of the device, not
more than
kg
0.28

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1.2.2 The photon-ionizing radiation sensitivity of (137Cs) CsI(Tl)
scintillation detector is at least 400 (cps)/(µSv/h).
Note.Attherequestoftheuser,thesensitivitycanbechangedtoavalue
ofnotless than200 (cps)/(μSv/h).
The neutron radiation sensitivity while using the LiI(Eu)
scintillation detector is equal to:
- At least 1.2 ± 0.12 (pulse×cm2)/n for thermal neutrons;
- At least 0.12 ± 0.012 (pulse×cm2)/n for fast neutrons.
1.2.3 The device features a threshold alarm system with four
independent threshold levels:
- Search threshold level or a sigma-threshold (a threshold level
of pulse count rate from the detector of photon-ionizing radiation);
- Safety threshold level (a threshold level of gamma radiation
DER);
- Neutron threshold level (a threshold level of count rate from
the neutron detector);
- Accumulated dose threshold level (a threshold level of photon-
ionizing DE).
1.2.4 The search threshold level is calculated automatically by
the device in the mode of calibration by the gamma background
intensity level and consists of the background counting rate and the
preset number of rms deviations of background counting rate.
Calibration time by the level of gamma background intensity ranges
from 2 to 90 s.
The adjustable range of the number of rms deviations is from 1
to 9.9. Programming resolution –0.1. The device notifies on
exceeding of the search threshold level with light (red), vibration,
or sound signals "Sigma threshold exceeding". Any combination
of alarms is possible, while at least one type must remain. On the
screen of the device appears a corresponding icon that duplicates the
alarm.

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1.2.5 The safety threshold level is adjusted in the format
XXX.YY in µSv/h or mSv/h. The minimum safety threshold level
may not be less than 0.3 µSv/h.
The device notifies on exceeding of this threshold level with
light (red), vibration, or sound signals "Safety threshold
exceeding". Any combination of alarms is possible, while at least
one type must remain. On the screen of the device appears a
corresponding icon that duplicates the alarm.
1.2.6 The conditional threshold alarm level by a neutron channel
is set with the values from 1 to 9, where 1 is the highest sensitivity
of the device to neutron radiation (but also the greatest probability
of false positives), and 9 is the lowest sensitivity and lowest
probability of false positives. Programming resolution –1. The
device notifies on exceeding of this threshold level with light (blue),
vibration, or sound signals "Neutron threshold exceeding". Any
combination of alarms is possible, while at least one type must
remain. On the screen of the device appears a corresponding icon
that duplicates the alarm.
1.2.7 Threshold level by the accumulated dose is adjusted in the
XXX.Y format in µSv/h and mSv/h, and in the X.YYY format in
Sv. While the DE threshold level can be set to 0, the alarm on
exceeding the DE threshold level will be turned off. Otherwise,
when the DE threshold level is exceeded, the device notifies by a
light (red), vibration, or a sound signal “Accumulated dose
threshold exceeding”. On the screen of the device appears a
corresponding icon that duplicates the alarm.
1.2.8. The device’s threshold alarm on exceeding of the search
threshold level triggers no later than in 2 s after the level of photon-
ionizing radiation increases above the background value (with
photon-ionizing DER level of 0.1 µSv/h) to the DER level of
0.5 µSv/h for a maximum time of 0.5 s.