Argo Satrio Wicaksono. 020900242, 2013.

The Design of Nuclear Counting System

Based on Microcontroller Atmega8535. This Paper is under guidance by Sudiono and
Muhamad Khoiri M.Eng, they are the lecturer from Department of Nuclear
Technophysisc, Polytechnic Institute of Nuclear Technology National Nuclear Energy
Agency, Indonesia.

Abstract

STTN-BATAN* independence in conducting practical tools such as a nuclear

counting system is more active should be done. During this time, nuclear counting systems
available are still using products made overseas at a relatively expensive. Components and
spare parts were not all available in the local market. To overcome this, the Nuclear Counting
Systems Based On Microcontroller ATMega 8535 has been carried out. The purpose of this
research is to create a tool for the nuclear counting system that could support the process of
practicum in Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory STTN - BATAN. Research carried out by
the process of making the hardware, software and testing among modules or circuits and
testing the entire system.The counter system consists of a high voltage DC power provider,
inverting pulses, a pulse shaping, timer / counters, a key regulator and a seven segment
viewer. The test results, obtained important specifications of this tool is that the high voltage
output reaches within 1020 volts with the value of stability is 99.04%.The series of inverting
pulses and pulse shaping series accordance with TTL standard with high positive pulse output
of 5.2 volts and a maximum pulse width of 2.4 ms. Microcontroller ATMega8535 was used
as the digital viewer and voltage processor by using the six-digit seven segment. The entire
system testing was done with Cs-137 source, uncertainty values obtained nuclear enumerator
made for N = 20 at 830 volts working voltage is 4 count per 10 seconds. So that STTN-
BATAN independence to hold nuclear instrumentation equipment has been achieved.

Keywords: nuclear counting system, microcontroller, ATmega8535

* STTN-BATAN : Polytechnic Institute of Nuclear Technology - National Nuclear Energy

Agency

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Attachment:

1. Procedure of research

Radioactive
material

Figure 1. Nuclear Counting System Block Diagram

Start

Making schematic diagram and hardware System

2. with Bascom-AVR
Making software coding program

Download software to the hardware system

Yes
There is error ?

No

Trial and testing hardware and software

No
Appropriate?

Yes

Stop

Figure 2. Flowchart of Research Procedure

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2. Preparation of research

Figure 3. Schematic Diagram of Detector High Voltage

Figure 4. Schematic Diagram of Geiger Muller Pulse Inverter

Figure 5. Schematic Diagram of Geiger Muller Pulse Shaper

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 Figure 6. Schematic Diagram of 7 Segments Display

Figure 7. Schematic Diagram of Minimum System ATMega8535

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 Start

Initialization of timer, counter,

ADC, 7 segments, push button

Input ADC, input push button

input start, stop, reset

Set up Detector High Voltage

Show voltage and blue LED shine

No
Voltage appropriate?

Yes

Set up timer counter

Show timer and white LED shine

No
Timer appropriate ?

Yes

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 Start Counting

Yes
Red LED
Counting more
Shine
than 6 digit ?

No
Tampil Hasil Cacah, Indikator hijau nyala

Show counting result, green LED shine

Yes
Counting again?

No
Tampil Hasil Cacah, Indikator hijau nyala

Stop

Figure 8. Flowchart of main prgram

3. Research Result

Figure 9. Nuclear Counting System Based on Microcontroller Atmega8535

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Indicator LED, Detector High
reading mode Voltage regulator

Figure 10. Control Panel of Nuclear Counting System

Figure 11. Backside of Nuclear Counting System

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 Figure 12. Testing of Plateu Geiger Muller Detector

Table 1. Testing The System with Radioactive Material

No Counting Result (counting per 10 second)

1. 254
2. 257
3. 265
4. 267
5. 254
6. 268
7. 264
8. 263
9. 269
10. 265
11. 269
12. 278
13. 255
14. 271
15. 286
16. 276
17. 258
18. 250
19. 274
20. 254
N=20 = 5297; = 265

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