Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

An estimation and radioactivity measurement for radiocarbon(14C) in the Korean nuclear power plants

  • Seo Ra Yang (Department of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jin Hong Lee (Department of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jae Hwan Yang (Department of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Geun-Il Park (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  • Received : 2024.01.07
  • Accepted : 2024.02.26
  • Published : 2024.08.25
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Radiocarbon (14C), with a radioactive half-life of approximately 5730 years, poses a long-term environmental contamination risk when released into the atmosphere. The quantification analysis of its release estimates plant-specific generation rates based on factors such as plant power, core neutron flux distribution, and the volume of water exposed to this flux. Utilizing the improved estimation method, the 14C production rate for several Korean Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) was calculated. Also, improvements in measurement methods through sampling have also been made. These enhancements include the verification of the absorption method versus the mixing method. The results of this study indicate that plant-specific 14C production rates range from 0.213 to 0.317 TBq/yr, which are comparable to the global range observed in PWRs. Furthermore, the study evaluated a quenching correction curve for a liquid scintillation counter using two quenching correction methods: the external standard method and the internal standard method. The accuracy of these methods with 72 samples was validated with an average relative error within ±2.5%. The relative error of the mixing method, when compared to the direct absorption method, was found to be within ±20%. This finding underscores the validity of the improved measurement technique.

Keywords

References

  1. U.S. Nuclear regulatory commission, measuring, evaluating, and reporting radioactive material in liquid and gaseous effluents and solid waste, Regul. Guidee 1 (21) (June 2009).
  2. Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Standards for Radiation Protection, etc., Notification No. 2019-10, 2019.
  3. D.W. Kang, K.B. Sung, E.H. Kim, Development of 14C emission monitoring technology during operation of heavy water reactor, KEPRI, TR.95ZJ14.J 11 (1998) 1998.
  4. H.Y. Yang, G.-R. Park, et al., Emission Monitoring and Environmental Impact Assessment for Light Water Reactor 14C, KHNP, 2009. TR-64000332-J2009-51.
  5. C. Kunz, Carbon-14 discharge at three light-water reactors, Health Phys. 49 (1) (1985) 25-35.
  6. A. Olivier, L. Tenailleau, Measurement of the carbon-14 activity at natural level in air samples, Radioprotection 40 (2005). Suppl. 1.
  7. E. Hertelendi, G. Uchrin, P. Orman, 14C release in various chemicals with gaseous effluents from the pressurized nuclear power plant, Radiocarbon 310 (1989) 754-761.
  8. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Carbon-14 in the Environment", 1985, pp. 6-23. Report No. 081.
  9. Electric Power Research Institute, Characterization of Carbon-14 Generated by the Nuclear Power Industry Final Report TR-105715, 1995. Research Project 2724-04.
  10. M.S. Yim, F. Caron, Life cycle and management of carbon-14 from nuclear power generation", Prog. Nucl. Energy 48 (2006) 8-9.
  11. M.J. Kessler, Liquid Scintillation Analysis, Publication No. 169-305, Rev. G), Packard Instrument Co., Inc., 1989.
  12. Electric Power Research Institute, Estimation of Carbon-14 in Nuclear Power Plant Gaseous Effluents, 4-1~vols. 4-12, Final Report TR-1021106, 2010.
  13. PerkinElmer, LSC in Practice : Radiocarbon Dioxide(14CO2) Trapping and Counting, 2013. www.perkinelmer.com.
  14. T. Chandrasekaran, J.Y. Lee, C.A. Willis, Calculation of releases of radioactive materials in gaseous and liquid effluents from pressurized water reactors (PWR-GALE code), U.S. Nuclear regulatory commission, NUREG-0017 Rev. 1 (1985).
  15. H.G. Kim, H.S. Lee, Y.H. Yang, D.W. Kang, H.M. Eum, C-14 Discharge and Dose Assessment at Nuclear Power Plant, Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Autumn Meeting, Suwon, Korea, 2001. October 26-27.
  16. E.L. Nazarov, A.A. Ekidin, A.V. Kruzhalov, M.E. Vasyanovich, A.L. Lysikov, P. N. Kalinkin, L.M. Russkikh, Organic and inorganic carbon-14 in discharge of JSC Institute of nuclear materials, Nucl. Eng. Technol. 55 (2023), 2107-2011.
  17. X. Hou, Tritium and 14C in the environment and nuclear facilities: sources and analytical methods, J. Nucl. Fuel Cycle Waste Tech. 16 (1) (2018) 11-39.