1. INTRODUCTION page 1
Model PRM-470B
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF MANUAL
This manual is designed to enable operating and service personnel to properly operate and care
for the PRM 470B. Since applications are necessarily site-specific, operation procedures are
given in general terms. Service and repair are covered to the board or assembly level. Anything
more complex than this requires that the instrument or assembly be returned to TSA.
1.2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The TSA Model PRM-470B Portable Radiation Monitor is a light-weight, portable, hand- held
instrument designed to detect radioactive materials. The standard detector is a large plastic
scintillator that is both gamma and neutron sensitive. A display backlight is supplied to permit
use in low light conditions.
Uses for the PRM include Special Nuclear Material (SNM) searches at plant exits and material
access areas, as well as contamination and background monitoring. The small size and light
weight make it ideal for extended search time applications.
Upon power-up, the instrument goes through a self-test and warm-up period followed by an
initial ten second background count. In background mode it continues to update background
counts at ten second intervals; the display flashes the current background. In search mode, the
current background is stored and the instrument makes alarm comparisons every 50
milliseconds. The display will show counts per second, divided by 1000, updated every second.
If the detected radiation level exceeds the pre-programmed alarm level, an audio alarm is
sounded.
