• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.244-252
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• 2021

Wind plays an important role in cases of unexpected radioactive pollutant dispersion, deciding distribution and concentration of the leaked substance. The accurate prediction of wind has been challenging in numerical weather prediction models, especially near the surface because of the complex interaction between turbulent flow and topographic effect. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material (i.e. ¹³⁷Cs) according to the simulated boundary layer around the HANARO research nuclear reactor in Korea using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Mesoscale Model Interface (MMIF)-California Puff (CALPUFF) model system. We examined the impacts of orographic drag on wind field, stability calculation methods, and planetary boundary layer parameterizations on the dispersion of radioactive material under a radioactive leaking scenario. We found that inclusion of the orographic drag effect in the WRF model improved the wind prediction most significantly over the complex terrain area, leading the model system to estimate the radioactive concentration near the reactor more conservatively. We also emphasized the importance of the stability calculation method and employing the skillful boundary layer parameterization to ensure more accurate low atmospheric conditions, in order to simulate more feasible spatial distribution of the radioactive dispersion in leaking scenarios.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2021

Radioactive materials from nuclear power facilities can be released into the atmosphere through various channels. Recently, the dispersion of radioactive materials has become critical issue in Korea after Kori Unit 1 and Wolsong Unit 1 were permanently shut down. In this study, annual atmospheric dispersion factors were compared based on the continuous release and purge release using the XOQDOQ computer program, a method for calculating atmospheric dispersion factors at commercial nuclear power stations. The meteorological data analyzed in this study was based on the Shin Kori nuclear power meteorological tower which has the largest operating nuclear power plants in Korea, for three years (from 2008 to 2010). The analysis results of the dispersion factor of the radioactive material release obtained using the XOQDOQ program showed that the difference between the continuous release and purge release was within two times. This study will be valuable helpful for revealing the uncertainty of the predictive atmospheric dispersion factor to achieve regulation.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.573-584
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• 2015

In this study, the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material ($^{137}Cs$) was simulated with regard to its impact within a 50-km radius from the Kori Nuclear Power Plant (NKPP) based on two different types of models (the non-steady-state puff model CALPUFF and the lagrangian model HYSPLIT) during the spring of 2012 (May 2012). The dispersion distribution of $^{137}Cs$ calculated in the CALPUFF model was similar to that of the HYSPLIT model, but the magnitudes of differences in its spatio-temporal concentrations between the two models were different. The $^{137}Cs$ concentrations simulated by the CALPUFF were significantly lower than those of the HYSPLIT due to a limitation of puff models (e.g. puff size growth over time). The CALPUFF had the advantage of determining the dispersion of radioactive materials and their impacts on the surrounding regions, compared with the HYSPLIT that had high concentrations of $^{137}Cs$ in only small local areas with the movement of air masses along the local winds.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.81-96
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• 2015

The characteristics of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material (i.e. $^{137}Cs$) related to local wind patterns around the Kori nuclear power plant (KNPP) were studied using WRF/HYSPLIT model. The cluster analysis using observed winds from 28 weather stations during a year (2012) was performed in order to obtain representative local wind patterns. The cluster analysis identified eight local wind patterns (P1, P2, P3, P4-1, P4-2, P4-3, P4-4, P4-5) over the KNPP region. P1, P2 and P3 accounted for 14.5%, 27.0% and 14.5%, respectively. Both P1 and P2 are related to westerly/northwesterly synoptic flows in winter and P3 includes the Changma or typhoons days. The simulations of P1, P2 and P3 with high wind velocities and constant wind directions show that $^{137}Cs$ emitted from the KNPP during 0900~1400 LST (Local Standard Time) are dispersed to the east sea, southeast sea and southwestern inland, respectively. On the other hands, 5 sub-category of P4 have various local wind distributions under weak synoptic forcing and accounted for less than 10% of all. While the simulated $^{137}Cs$ for P4-2 is dispersed to southwest inland due to northeasterly flows, $^{137}Cs$ dispersed northward for the other patterns. The simulated average 137Cs concentrations of each local wind pattern are $564.1{\sim}1076.3Bqm^{-3}$. The highest average concentration appeared P4-4 due to dispersion in a narrow zone and weak wind environment. On the other hands, the lowest average concentration appeared P1 and P2 due to rapid dispersion to the sea. The simulated $^{137}Cs$ concentrations and dispersion locations of each local wind pattern are different according to the local wind conditions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.2195-2206
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• 2021

In order to mitigate the damage caused by accidents in nuclear power plants (NPPs), evacuation strategies are usually managed on the basis of off-site effects such as the diffusion of radioactive materials and evacuee traffic simulations. However, the interactive behavior between evacuees and the accident environment has a significant effect on the consequential gap. Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a method that can control and observe such interactions by establishing agents (i.e., the evacuees) and patches (i.e., the accident environments). In this paper, a radiological emergency evacuation model is constructed to realistically check the effectiveness of an evacuation strategy using NetLogo, an ABM toolbox. Geographic layers such as radiation sources, roads, buildings, and shelters were downloaded from an official geographic information system (GIS) of Korea, and were modified into respective patches. The dispersion model adopted from the puff equation was also modified to fit the patches on the geographic layer. The evacuees were defined as vehicle agents and a traffic model was implemented by combining the shortest path search (determined by an A ^* algorithm) and a traffic flow model incorporated in the Nagel-Schreckenberg cellular automata model. To evaluate the radiological harm to the evacuees due to the spread of radioactive materials, a simple exposure model was established to calculate the overlap fraction between the agents and the dispersion patches. This paper aims to demonstrate that the potential of ABM can handle disaster evacuation strategies more realistically than previous approaches.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.2305-2314
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• 2023

The governing equations of atmospheric dispersion most often taking the form of a second-order partial differential equation (PDE). Currently, typical computational codes for predicting atmospheric dispersion use the Gaussian plume model that is an analytic solution. A Gaussian model is simple and enables rapid simulations, but it can be difficult to apply to situations with complex model parameters. Recently, a method of solving PDEs using artificial neural networks called physics-informed neural network (PINN) has been proposed. The PINN assumes the latent (hidden) solution of a PDE as an arbitrary neural network model and approximates the solution by optimizing the model. Unlike a Gaussian model, the PINN is intuitive in that it does not require special assumptions and uses the original equation without modifications. In this paper, we describe an approach to atmospheric dispersion modeling using the PINN and show its applicability through simple case studies. The results are compared with analytic and fundamental numerical methods to assess the accuracy and other features. The proposed PINN approximates the solution with reasonable accuracy. Considering that its procedure is divided into training and prediction steps, the PINN also offers the advantage of rapid simulations once the training is over.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.315-327
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• 2016

Background: This study evaluated the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material according to local weather conditions and emission conditions. Materials and Methods: Local weather conditions were defined as 8 patterns that frequently occur around the Kori Nuclear Power Plant and emission conditions were defined as 6 patterns from a combination of emission rates and the total number of particles of the $^{137}Cs$, using the WRF/HYSPLIT modeling system. Results and Discussion: The highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 0900 LST under the ME4_1 (main wind direction: SSW, daily average wind speed: $2.8ms^{-1}$), with a wide region of its high concentration due to the continuous wind changes between 0000 and 0900 LST; under the ME3 (NE, $4.1ms^{-1}$), the highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 1500 and 2100 LST with a narrow dispersion along a strong northeasterly wind. In the case of ME4_4 (S, $2.7ms^{-1}$), the highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 0300 LST because $^{137}Cs$ stayed around the KNPP under low wind speed and low boundary layer height. As for the emission conditions, EM1_3 and EM2_3 that had the maximum total number of particles showed the widest dispersion of $^{137}Cs$, while its highest mean concentration was estimated under the EM1_1 considering the relatively narrow dispersion and high emission rate. Conclusion: This study showed that even though an area may be located within the same radius around the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, the distribution and levels of $^{137}Cs$ concentration vary according to the change in time and space of weather conditions (the altitude of the atmospheric boundary layer, the horizontal and vertical distribution of the local winds, and the precipitation levels), the topography of the regions where $^{137}Cs$ is dispersed, the emission rate of $^{137}Cs$, and the number of emitted particles.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.260-267
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• 2016

Background: This study analyzes the differences in the annual averaged atmospheric dispersion factor and ground deposition factor produced using two classification methods of atmospheric stability, which are based on a vertical temperature difference and the standard deviation of horizontal wind direction fluctuation. Materials and Methods: Daedeok and Wolsong nuclear sites were chosen for an assessment, and the meteorological data at 10 m were applied to the evaluation of atmospheric stability. The XOQDOQ software program was used to calculate atmospheric dispersion factors and ground deposition factors. The calculated distances were chosen at 400 m, 800 m, 1,200 m, 1,600 m, 2,400 m, and 3,200 m away from the radioactive material release points. Results and Discussion: All of the atmospheric dispersion factors generated using the atmospheric stability based on the vertical temperature difference were shown to be higher than those from the standard deviation of horizontal wind direction fluctuation. On the other hand, the ground deposition factors were shown to be same regardless of the classification method, as they were based on the graph obtained from empirical data presented in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Regulatory Guide 1.111, which is unrelated to the atmospheric stability for the ground level release. Conclusion: These results are based on the meteorological data collected over the course of one year at the specified sites; however, the classification method of atmospheric stability using the vertical temperature difference is expected to be more conservative.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.4543-4553
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• 2023

The dose from a possible accident at a microwave-based spent resin mixture treatment facility that was to be installed and operated at the Wolsong nuclear power plant was analyzed to evaluate the radiological safety prior to its installation and operation. The dose to which workers and nearby residents are likely to be exposed was calculated based on the atmospheric dispersion and deposition factors using the XOQDOQ code. The highest atmospheric dispersion factors were 1.349E-05 s/m³ (workers) and 1.534E-06 s/m³ (residents). The highest doses due to emissions from the mock-up tank before operation were 1.91E-06 mSv (workers) and 1.78E-07 mSv (residents). Even after 3 h of operation, emissions from the mock-up tank had the greatest impact ranging from 4.63E-08 to 1.24E-06 mSv (workers) and 2.74E-10 to 1.16E-07 mSv (residents), respectively. The doses were 7.09E-09-4.55E-07 mSv and 4.18E-11-4.25E-08 mSv at 4-5 h of operation, and the maximum doses after operation reached 5.69E-07 mSv and 5.31E-08 mSv for the workers and residents, respectively. Even at the exclusion area boundary (EAB), 4.76E-08-9.51E-07 mSv (annual dose:9.52E-05–1.90E-03 mSv/y) was below the dose limit of the EAB, and the safety of the facility installation inside the NPP was confirmed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.310-320
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• 1973

The sorption and fixation of cesium in dilute solutions by vermiculite saturated with Na or K were studied in order to investigate any possibibty of its use in radioactive effluent treatment. The cesium sorbed by vermiculite with the increase in pH is attributed to the increase of sorption surface as a result of the dispersion. The increased cesium sorption by Na-vermiculite is due to the different sorption rates by the different exchange sites : external surface and internal surface. It is shown that the larger amount of sorbed cesium was extracted by KCI rather than with any other extractants. It is suggested that the fixation of cesium by vermiculite occurs at the crystal edge where Cs may replace K. Domestic vermiculite is a valuable material for use in the cesium sorption and fixation, and might be useful as a good packing material outside the tank of highly radioactive liquid waste. And from these results one could suggest that the artificial alteration of the biotite to vermiculite might be occurring by treating with NaCl.