Nuclear Pioneer MCA RIID gamma spectrometer

[rhelectronics]

Amateur based RIID gamma spectrometer for spectrum acquisition, isotope identification and activity calculation.
Supports NaI(Tl) or CsI(Tl) crystals 63x63, 51x51, 40x40, 25x25, 10x40

Isotope Library Include: Cs-137, Ra-226, Th-232, Bi-214, Ba-133, Am-241, Lu-177, K-40, Co-60, U-235
Activity calculator for: Cs-137, Ra-226, Ba-133, Am-241

• 12-bit 4096 channels ADC
  TFT LCD 3.5" 480x320 with adjustable backlight level
  Rotary Encoder for controls
  600V-1000V adjustable high voltage for photomultiplier probe positive polarity
  400V or 500V high voltage for an internal Geiger Counter
  Adjustable gain & pulse shape pre-amplifier for an external photomultiplier probe
  Gamma Spectrometer Mode (tested up to 10.000 CPS)
  Scintillation Counter Mode with PMT and GM Sensor
  Easy Channel to Energy calibration with selectable scheme and channels pick
  Real time background subtract mode for gamma spectrometer
  Real time gaussian peak detection
  Real time activity calculation (beta since 4.07 firmware)
  Linear or Logarithmic spectrum viewer
  Energy compensated dose rate
  0.30 uSv/h doserate alert and 2-sigma CPS alert in scint.mode
  CPS standard deviation calibration for scint.mode
  Mute / Alert / Clicking in scint.mode
  Spectrum LCD zoom 512-4096 channels
  Micro SD card for data storage
  RTC (require CR2032 battery for date and time keeping)
  Internal temperature sensor
  Bluetooth BLE module (optional)
  12Mbit USB port for programming, calibration or data transfer
  Easy firmware update via USB and friendly bootloader
  Power supply: 3.7V LiPo battery, battery current consumption 250mA-350mA, LiPo included
  3.7V LiPo battery USB charger, software low battery alert

User Manual PDF:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dt8vcm1a24iiiu/Nuclear-Pioneer-MCA-manual-08.pdf?dl=1

[rhelectronics]

activity calculator for the selected crystal and point source geometry

[rhelectronics]

Fiestaware and U-glass with 63x63 probe detection

[rhelectronics]

gamma doserate is energy compensated

[rhelectronics]

RIID performance video:

How to use activity calculator:

How to calibrate energy scale

How to use background subtract

[rhelectronics]

new firmware released with supporting Eu-152 in RIID's library

[rhelectronics]

Experiment with brick wall shielding

[Henri]

Hmmm sieht nach einem sehr schönen und durchdachten Gerät mit vielen tollen Funktionen aus


Was mich davon abhält, mich damit mal näher zu beschäftigen, ist allerdings der recht hohe Preis. $745 (incl. BT-Modul), + Versand  + Zoll, da kommt dann einiges zusammen, und es ist ja nur die Elektronik, ein Szintillator ist noch gar nicht dabei.

Außerdem scheint es mir vor allem für den Laboreinsatz konzipiert, denn es ist zu groß und unhandlich, um es wirklich viel dabei zu haben. Das Display lässt sich in der Sonne sicherlich auch nicht gut ablesen. Was für Möglichkeiten gibt es denn, das Gerät direkt an den PC anzuschließen und die Messdaten von dort aus gleich weiterzuverarbeiten, z.B. durch Import in Interspec?

Wenn man ein portables Gerät sucht, ist der Radiacode gerade schwer zu schlagen. Der hat schon einen Szimtillator an Bord und kostet nur 1/4 des Preises. Wer einen größeren Kristall möchte, nimmt den RaysID in der besten Auflösung, mit der Größe einer Streichholzschachtel, und zahlt dann immer noch deutlich weniger.

Was ich wirklich vermisse auf dem "Hobby-Markt", wäre ein kompletter Szintillator-Treiber (positive HV, mind. 200µA) in einer kleinen, stabilen Box ohne Display und Bedienelemente, aber mit Temperaturkompensation über das Monitoring der Lage des 1460 keV-Peaks. Das Spektrum wird in einem einstellbaren Intervall als ASCII-Diagramm über eine RS232/RS485 Schnittstelle gesendet. Konfiguration komplett über Terminal-Kommandos. Das wäre dann ein geniales Gerät für 24/7 Monitoring der Umgebungsstrahlung. Man hängt Szintillator und Treiber draußen auf die Veranda und könnte sich auf dem PC (oder auf einem Raspberry Pi mit großem Farb-TFT) Live-Wasserfallplots anzeigen lassen und z.B. bei Regen sehen, wie sich das Spektrum verändert, wenn Radon ausgewaschen wird. Oder wenn auf einmal Linien auftauchen, die vorher nicht da waren...

Viele Grüße!

Henri

[rhelectronics]

If you in DIY field you can get the module for $299 + shipping
https://rhelectronics.net/store/nuclear-pioneer-mca-multichannel-analyzer-electronic-module-only.html

The device is the handcrafted: created, programmed, soldered and assembled only by me. If it was manufactured in tons assembled by machine, maybe it would cost less. But I'm only one person who work on it - I'm a student and enthusiast. But I'm alone can do things better quality and performance than some companies produce today by group of an "engineers" If you love their 1^3cm with 12%-15% resolution I cannot argue it
Nuclear Pioneer is independent from a smartphone. I think smartphone application can be a nice bounty for my device, but if smartphone becomes the major CPU to compute and display the spectrum data coming from the device, then in my view the device it's just a gadget toy. I love only the big boys devices with good resolution and high detection efficiency. Nuclear Pioneer it's DIY radioisotope identification device intended to work with large volume crystal. To implement RIID algorithm that can identify 2-3 isotopes in different conditions it's not a trivial task (if you know what I'm talking about) I made it mostly for my own education and research and I'm planning to develop the software and make it better.       

[Henri]

Hallo,

ja, ich kann mir vorstellen, dass da eine riesige Menge an Zeit in so einem Gerätchen steckt. Und auch, dass es garantiert sehr viel Spaß bringt, sich ein Gerät genau so zu bauen, wie man es gerne haben möchte

Ich wollte nur mal kurz was dazu schreiben, weil Du alle paar Wochen hier von den Verbesserungen berichtest und noch niemand darauf eingegangen war.

Viele Grüße!

Henri

[rhelectronics]

beta firmware with iodine I-131

[NuclearPhoenix]

Nice device! The firmware and display look great, good job. Also I love the case idea with the cheap, off-the-shelf, moisture-tight plastic enclosure

Looks like a really capable device with all the features, though I have to agree with Henri that the price is hefty if you don't want to DIY it. Although, that being said, I know how much work and know-how is involved in this process so it's surely justified with your small-batch production (Do you actually hand-solder these?).

Also what energy resolution do you get with your current scintillator setup? I guess, you're probably very close to the crystal energy resolution.

[rhelectronics]

Yes I'm doing hand soldering because many parts of this project not made by China and sold only from USA official suppliers, so logistic of electronic components will not allow me to assemble SMD boards in China. But I have no problem to solder SMD in small batches since doing it already for many years. If I'll need, I can do local assembling in one of the local factory. To make device cheaper I need to order at least 100pcs SMD assembling, however it require funds investments that I'm as a student and as a small business don't have. Global crisis with chips also has big impact of +50% to the components prices. 

The resolution mostly depend on crystal and PMT quality, In practice I get about the possible theoretical limit of 5.8% with tiny CsI(Tl), NaI(Tl) vary from 6.0%-9% depend on the crystal sample.

[rhelectronics]

4.11 firmware update released for Nuclear Pioneer MCA.
You are welcome to download the latest firmware file including programming instruction PDF here:
https://rhelectronics.net/store/nuclear-pioneer-mca-multichannel-analyzer-firmware-updates

What is new in 4.11 firmware:

New isotopes added to the library: I-131, Co-57
Improved identification of Co-60
Fixed minor RIID bugs for low activity Ra-226 / Cs-137
RIID f(x) menu now includes also I-131, Co-57, Co-60 tolerance settings. If one of the isotopes from the library list pop-up with false positive too often, then you can decrease the tolerance %. Set all 0% as the default levels. Correct setting for your probe geometry can be found experimentally, normally I set Ba-133 to -15% (minus 15%) , Eu-152 to +5%/+10%, all other to the default 0%
Added support for the new website browser application:  https://spectrum.nuclearphoenix.xyz/ You can use USB serial connection to view live data uploaded from Nuclear Pioneer to the browser. NuclearPhoenix is very nice online MCA that allows to open CSV spectrum files and support live data logging from a different hardware MCA. You can contact the author of this application through the forum: https://www.geigerzaehlerforum.de/index.php/topic,969.0.html

By default, serial logging is OFF for live data. Nuclear Pioneer uses ";" delimiter for serial logging to make it compatible with the website logging. To toggle live data upload please send serial service command s1818 to the Nuclear Pioneer prior connecting with browser application. You can use Arduino IDE serial terminal to send service commands. Built-in serial console is expected to be added to the NuclearPhoenix website later.

All previous bug fix and updates from 4.01-4.10 are included in 4.11

[rhelectronics]

4.12 firmware update
What is new in 4.12 firmware:

Library is structured into two groups. Now you can set in the RIID f(x) menu what type of the library to use: Industrial/N.O.R.M or Medical. Selected library hint is also shown on the main display as MED or IND. IND/N.O.R.M. includes:Cs-137, Am-241, Co-60, Co-57, Ba-133, Eu-152, Ra-226, Th-232, U-235, K-40  MED includes: I-131, Lu-177, F-18(beta) and following isotopes as it also used in Nuclear Medicine for calibration or procedures: Cs-137, Co-60, Co-57
I-131 assigned to the correct Medical classification.
Fixed false positive detection of I-131 caused by Ba-133 peaks
Fixed false positive detection of Bi-214 caused by Lu-177
Start logo of the device is replaced with a smaller image to free 137kBytes of storage memory for further updates.
Added F-18 511keV to the medical library, currently in beta mode.
Added blink notification for successful identification.