• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.2652-2660
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• 2021

The gamma-ray exposure doses in decontamination operation after a nuclear accident were evaluated with a consideration of various geometrical conditions and specific gamma-ray energies. The calculation domain is organized with three residence types and each form is divided into two kinds of geometrical arrangements. The position-wise air KERMA values were calculated with an assumption of evenly distributed gamma-ray source based on Monte Carlo radiation transport analysis using the MCNP code. The radioactivity is initially set to be unity to be multiplied by the deposition value measured in the actual accident condition. The workforce data set depending on the target object was determined by modifying the Fukushima report. The external exposure doses for decontamination workers were derived from the calculated KERMA values and the workforce analysis. These results can be used to efficiently determine the workforce required by the characteristics of the area and the structure to be decontaminated within the dose limits.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.389-396
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• 2018

The Kori-1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), WH 2-Loop Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) operated for approximately 40 years in Korea, was permanently ceased on June 18, 2017. To reduce worker exposure to radiation by reducing the dose rate in the system before starting main decommissioning activities, the permanently ceased Kori-1 NPP will be subjected to full system decontamination. Generally, the range of system decontamination includes Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPV), Pressurizer (PZR), Steam Generators (SG), Chemical & Volume Control System (CVCS), Residual Heat Removal System (RHRS), and Reactor Coolant System (RCS) piping. In order to decontaminate these systems and equipment in an effective manner, it is necessary to evaluate the influence of the flow characteristics in the RCS during the decontamination period. There are various methods of providing circulating flow rate to the system decontamination. In this paper, the flow characteristics in Kori-1 NPP reactor coolant according to RHR pump operation were evaluated. The evaluation results showed that system decontamination using an RHR pump was not effective at decontamination due first to impurities deposited in piping and equipment, and second to the extreme flow unbalance in the RCS caused deposition of impurities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4181-4190
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• 2023

Nuclear power plants are subjected to various processes during decommissioning, including cutting, decontamination, disposal, and treatment. The cutting of massive bio-shields is a significant step in the decommissioning process. Cutting is performed near the target structure, and during this process, workers are exposed to potential radioactive elements. However, studies considering worker exposure management during such cutting operations are limited. Furthermore, dismantling a nuclear power plant under certain circumstances may result in the unnecessary radiation exposure of workers and an increase in secondary waste generation. In this study, a cutting scenario was formulated considering the bio-shield as a representative structure. The specifications of a standard South Korean radioactive waste disposal drum were used as the basic conditions. Additionally, we explored the hot-to-cold and cold-to-hot methods, with and without the application of polishing during decontamination. For evaluating various scenarios, different cutting time points up to 30 years after permanent shutdown were considered, and cutting speeds of 1-10nullm²/h were applied to account for the variability and uncertainty attributable to the design output and specifications. The obtained results provide fundamental guidelines for establishing cutting methods suitable for large structures.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.347-354
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• 2020

Site characterization for decommissioning Kori Unit 1 is ongoing in South Korea after 40 years of successful operation. Kori Unit 1's containment building is assumed to be mostly radioactively contaminated, and therefore radiation exposure management and detailed contamination investigation are required for decommissioning and dismantling it safely. In this study, site-specific Derived Concentration Guideline Levels (DCGLs) were derived using the residual radioactivity risk evaluation tool, RESRAD-BUILD code. A conceptual model of containment building for Kori Unit 1 was set up and limited occupational worker building inspection scenario was applied. Depending on the source location, the maximum contribution source and exposure pathway of each radionuclide were analyzed. The contribution of radionuclides to dose and exposure pathways, by source location, is expected to serve as basic data in the assessment criteria of survey areas and classification of impact areas during further decommissioning and decontamination of sites.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.165-174
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• 1993

For the safety assessment of the demonstration-scale incineration plant for treating the combustible radioactive wastes, radiation doses of a worker and a residential individual were estimated. The demonstration plant showed a good performance of trial-burn tests using non-radioactive tracers with resulting In high mass reduction of around 40 times and very low emmission of dusts through a stack, which promised a high decontamination factor in an order of 10$^{7}$ . Based on the result s obtained from the trial-burns in the process, the estimation of radiation dose for workers and general publics near the plant was made using dose pathway calculation theories. The parametric values for calculation were selected from design and operational results of the process and from more conservative conditions In reference data. The estimated annual doses for workers and residential indivisuals were 3.07 $\times$ 10$^{-4}$ and 4.35 X 10$^{-8}$ $\mu$Sv/y, respectively, which were high enough to operate the process when comparing with the allowable dose limit in the regulation. The dose calculation models were quite applicable with showing an excellent safety for the process.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2023

Background: As the number of nuclear facilities nearing their pre-determined design life increases, demand is increasing for technology and infrastructure related to the decommissioning and decontamination (D&D) process. It is necessary to consider the nature of the dismantling environment constantly changing and the worker doing new tasks. A method was studied that can calculate the effect of learning and the change in work time on the work process, according to the learning-forgetting curve model (LFCM). Materials and Methods: The LFCM was analyzed, and input values and scenarios were analyzed for substitution into the D&D process of a nuclear facility. Results and Discussion: The effectiveness and efficiency of the training were analyzed. It was calculated that skilled workers can receive a 16.9% less collective radiation dose than workers with only basic training. Conclusion: Using these research methods and models, it was possible to calculate the change in the efficiency of workers performing new tasks in the D&D process and the corresponding reduction in the work time and collective dose.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.84-85
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• 2009

New approaches for detecting, preventing and remedying environmental damage are important for protection of the environment. Procedures must be developed and implemented to reduce the amount of waste produced in chemical processes, to detect the presence and/or concentration of contaminants and decontaminate fouled environments. Contamination can be classified into three general types: airborne, surface and structural. The most dangerous type is airborne contamination, because of the opportunity for inhalation and ingestion. The second most dangerous type is surface contamination. Surface contamination can be transferred to workers by casual contact and if disturbed can easily be made airborne. The decontamination of the surface in the nuclear facilities has been widely studied with particular emphasis on small and large surfaces. The amount of wastes being produced during decommissioning of nuclear facilities is much higher than the total wastes cumulated during operation. And, the process of decommissioning has a strong possibility of personal's exposure and emission to environment of the radioactive contaminants, requiring through monitoring and estimation of radiation and radioactivity. So, it is important to monitor the radioactive contamination level of the nuclear facilities for the determination of the decontamination method, the establishment of the decommissioning planning, and the worker's safety. But it is very difficult to measure the surface contamination of the floor and wall in the highly contaminated facilities. In this study, the poly(styrene-ethyl acrylate) [poly(St-EA)] core-shell composite polymer for measurement of the radioactive contamination was synthesized by the method of emulsion polymerization. The morphology of the poly(St-EA) composite emulsion particle was core-shell structure, with polystyrene (PS)as the core and poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) as the shell. Core-shell polymers of styrene (St)/ethyl acrylate (EA) pair were prepared by sequential emulsion polymerization in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SOS) as an emulsifier using ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator. The polymer was made by impregnating organic scintillators, 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) and 1,4-bis[5-phenyl-2-oxazol]benzene (POPOP). Related tests and analysis confirmed the success in synthesis of composite polymer. The products are characterized by IT-IR spectroscopy, TGA that were used, respectively, to show the structure, the thermal stability of the prepared polymer. Two-phase particles with a core-shell structure were obtained in experiments where the estimated glass transition temperature and the morphologies of emulsion particles. Radiation pollution level the detection about under using examined the beta rays. The morphology of the poly(St-EA) composite polymer synthesized by the method of emulsion polymerization was a core-shell structure, as shown in Fig. 1. Core-shell materials consist of a core structural domain covered by a shell domain. Clearly, the entire surface of PS core was covered by PEA. The inner region was a PS core and the outer region was a PEA shell. The particle size distribution showed similar in the range 350-360 nm.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 2018

The decommissioning of nuclear power plants is generally executed in five steps, including preparation, decontamination, cutting/demolition, waste disposal and environmental restoration. So, for efficient decommissioning of nuclear power plants, worker safety, effects compared to cost, minimization of waste, possibility of reuse, etc., shall be considered. Worker safety and measurement technology shall be secured to exert optimal efficiency of nuclear power plant decommissioning work, for which accurate measurement technology for systems and devices is necessary. Typical In-Situ methods for decommissioning of nuclear plants are CZT, Gamma Camera and ISOCS. This study used ISOCS, which can be applied during the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant site without collecting representative samples, to take measurements of the S/G Water Chamber. To validate the measurement values, Microshield and the GEANT4 code was used as the actual method were used for modeling, respectively. The comparison showed a difference of $1.0{\times}10^1Bq$, which indicates that it will be possible to reduce errors due to the influence of radiation in the natural environment and the precision of modeling. Based on the research results of this paper, accuracy and reliability of measurement values will be analyzed and the applicability of the direct measurement method during the decommissioning of NPPs will be assessed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 1970

Radiation accidents which occured in the A.E.R.I. during last ten years are described (table 1). It seemed to the authors that some of these accidents were considered to be hazardous to man body and associated installations. This report deals with the following four major accidents involving body contamination incidents that our health physicists have been experienced. 1. Over-exposures (up to 130 rem) to the total body due to the mismanipulation in the Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation facility. 2. Floor surface contamination (up to 13 mrad/hr) and its spread out due to the mishandling of radioiodine contained in the bottle. 3. Body surface contamination and 0.36 uCi radioactivity accumulated in the thyroid gland of a worker due to the inhalation of gaseous iodine-131. 4. A void capsule due to the leakage out of the radium therapeutic source (3mg\ulcorner) These accidents were treated by definitely prompt action to protect the workers and associated installations from any radiation hazards and every possible efforts were made to confine the spread of radioactive contamination as small area as possible by means of elaborate decontamination work and monitoring.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.1098-1108
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• 2019

Korea's first commercial nuclear power plant at Kori site was permanently shut down in 2017 and is currently in transition stage. Preparatory activities for decommissioning such as historical site assessment, characterization, and dismantling design are being actively carried out for successful D&D (Dismantling and Decontamination) at Kori site. The ultimate goal of decommissioning will be to ensure the safety of workers and residents that may arise during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and, thereby finally returning the site to its original status in accordance with the release criteria. Upon completion of decommissioning, the resident's safety at a site released will be assessed from the evaluation of dose caused by radionuclides expected to be present or detected at the site. Although the U.S. commercial nuclear power plants with decommissioning experience use different site release criteria, most of them are 0.25 mSv/y. In Korea, both the unrestricted and restricted release criteria have been set to 0.1 mSv/y by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. However, since the dose is difficult to measure, measurable concentration guideline levels for residual radionuclides that result in dose equivalent to the site release criteria should be derived. For this derivation, site reuse scenario, selection of potential radionuclides, and systematic methodology should be developed in planning stage of Kori site decommissioning. In this paper, for calculation of a preliminary site-specific Derived Concentration Guideline Levels (DCGLs) for the Nuclear Power Plant site, a novel approach has been developed which can fully reflect practical reuse plans of the Kori site by taking into account multiple site reuse scenarios sequentially, thereby striking a remarkable distinction with conventional approaches which considers only a single site scenario.