• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.8
• /
• pp.1772-1777
• /
• 2017

Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) periodically evaluate the radioactive gaseous and liquid effluents released from power reactors to protect the public from radiation exposure. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the release of radioactive effluents from Korean NPPs and the effects on the annual radiation doses to the public. The amounts of radioactive effluents released to the environment and the resulting radiation doses to members of the public living around NPPs were analyzed for the years 2011-2015 using the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd's annual summary reports of the assessment of radiological impact on the environment. The results show that tritium was the primary contributor to the activity in both gaseous and liquid effluents. The averages of effective doses to the public were approximately on the order of $10^{-3}mSv$ or $10^{-2}mSv$. Therefore, even though Korean NPPs discharged some radioactive materials into the environment, all effluents were within the regulatory safety limits and the resulting doses were much less than the dose limits.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.61-64
• /
• 2014

Radioactive materials are in use and have many applications from the generation of electricity to the purposes of research, industry and medicine such as diagnosis and therapy. In the course of their use some of radioactive substances may be discharged into the environment from facilities using the unsealed radioactive materials, which are main artificial sources occurring the public exposure. Discharges are in the form of gases, particles or liquids. This paper provides procedures to estimate the level of the public exposure based on the conservative assumptions and simple calculations in the facility using unsealed liquid sources. They consist of two processes; (1) to calculate maximum concentration of gaseous effluents discharged through the exhaust pipe and average concentration of liquid effluents discharged through the drain of the storage tank, (2) to compare each of them to numerical guidances for the discharges of radioactive gaseous and liquid effluents mentioned in the related notification. For this purpose followings are assumed properly; daily usage, form and dispersion rate of radionuclides, daily amount of radioactive liquid waste and exhaust and drainage equipment. The procedures are readily applicable to evaluate environmental effects by planned effluent discharges from facilities using the unsealed radioactive materials. In addition they may be utilized to obtain practical requirements for radiation safety control necessary for the reductions of the public exposure.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 1998

A diffusion model of radioactive liquid effluents is developed and applied for YGN NPP's site, based on the Gaussian plume type model. Due to the complexity of oceanic diffusion characteristics of YGN site, a simple and reliable statistical model based on Reg. Guide 1.113 is developed. Also, a computer code package to calculate dilution factors as a function of plant operation conditions and pathway of radioactive materials. A liquid effluents diffusion model is developed by dividing the diffusion range into two categories, i. e, a near field mixing region and a far field mixing region. In the near field, the initial mixing is affected by a buoyance force, a high initial turbulence and momentum which is characterized by a plant operation condition and environmental conditions. The far field mixing is similar to gaseous effluents diffusion. So, beyond the near field region, wellknown Gaussian plume model was adopted. A different area averages of Gaussian plume equation was taken for each radioactive exposure pathway. As a result, we can get different dilution factors for different pathways. Results shows that present dilution factors used for YGN ODCM is too much overestimated compared with dilution factors calculated with the developed model.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.138-145
• /
• 2012

As of the end of 2010, 21 nuclear power reactors were operating in Korea. Radioactive effluents from nuclear power plants (NPPs) had been increased continuously and the radioactivity of effluents released in 2010 was 547.12 TBq. From 2001 to 2010, the annual average radioactivity of gaseous and liquid effluents per reactor was 11.61 TBq for pressurized water reactor (PWR) plants and 118.12 TBq for PHWR (pressurized heavy water reactor) plants. Most of the radioactivity from gaseous and liquid effluents was came from $^3H$. Based on the results of release trends and analysis, effluents characteristics was suggested for the management of radioactive effluents from NPPs.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.38-45
• /
• 2014

This paper describes the results of assessment of radiological dose resulting from operation of the Daedeok nuclear facilities including the HANARO research reactor, which has been performed to assure whether or not to comply with the regulation standards of the radioactive effluents releases. Based on the meteorological data and the radiation source term, the maximum individual doses were evaluated from 2010 to 2012. The atmospheric dispersion and the deposition factors of gaseous effluents were calculated using the XOQDOQ computer code. ENDOS-G and ENDOS-L code systems were also used for maximum individual dose calculation from gaseous and liquid effluents, respectively. The results were compared with the regulation standards for the radioactive effluents presented by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC). The effective doses and the thyroid doses of the maximum individual were calculated at the maximum exposed point in the Daedeok site, and contributions of exposure pathways to the radiological doses resulting from gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents were evaluated at each facility of the Daedeok site. As a result, the maximum exposed age was analysed to be the child group, and the operation of HANARO research reactor had a major effect more than 90% on the individual doses. The main exposure pathways for gaseous radioactive effluent were from ingestion and inhalation. The effective doses and the thyroid doses were considerably influenced by tritium and iodine, respectively. The gaseous radioactive effluents contributed more than 90% on the total doses, whereas the contributions of the liquid radioactive effluents were relatively low. Consequently, the maximum individual dose due to radioactive effluents from the nuclear facilities within the Daedeok site were less than 3% of the regulation standard over 3 years; therefore, it can be concluded that radioactive effluents from the nuclear facilities were well managed, with the radiation-induced health detriment for residents around the site being negligible.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.69-76
• /
• 1976

This experiment has been carried out for the removal of long-lived radioactive-nuclides (Sr-90, Ru-106, Cs-137 and Ce-144) contained in the low-level radioactive effluents from the spent fuel reprocessing plant and nuclear power plant, in order to determine the decontaminability of various chemical coagulants and domestic clay mineral (montmorillonite). Phosphate process showed prominent efficiency for the removal of Ce-144, and lime-soda process did good removal efficiency for Sr-90. About Cs-137 copper-ferrocyanide process is much desirable. In phosphate or lime-soda process, most favorable removal efficiency was obtained at more than pH 11. The montmorillonite treated with sodium chloride showed a considerable improvement in the removal of the radioactive-nuclides. By a combined chemicals-montmorillionite process, the radioactive-nuclides could be more effectively removed than by the only chemicals process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.321-331
• /
• 2005

Recently. three-dimensional models have been used for aquatic dispersion of radioactive effluents in relation to nuclear power plant siting based on the Notice No. 2003-12 'Guideline for investigating and assessing hydrological and aquatic characteristics of nuclear facility site' of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in Korea. Several nuclear power plants have been under construction or planed. which are Shin-Korl Unit 1 and 2, Shin-Wolsong Unit 1 and 2, and Shln-Ulchin Unit 1 and 2. For assessing the aquatic dispersion of radionuclides released from the above nuclear power plants, it is necessary to know the coastal currents around sites which are affected by circulation of East Sea. In this study, a three dimensional hydrodynamic model for the circulation of the East Sea of Korea has been developed as the first Phase, which Is based on the RIAMOM. The model uses the primitive equation with hydrostatic approximation, and uses Arakawa-B grid system horizontally and Z-coordinate vertically. Model domain is $126.5^{\circ}E\;to\;142.5^{\circ}E$ of east longitude and $33^{\circ}N\;and\;52^{\circ}N$ of the north latitude. The space of the horizontal grid was $1/12^{\circ}$ to longitude and latitude direction and vortical level was divided to 20. This model uses Generalized Arakawa Scheme. Slant Advection, and Mode-Splitting Method. The input data were from JODC, KNFRDI, and ECMWF. The model ing results are in fairly good agreement with schematic patterns of the surface circulation in the East Sea The local current model and aquatic dispersion model of the coastal region will be developed as the second phase. The oceanic dispersion experiments will be also tarried out by using ARGO Drifter around a nuclear pelter plant site.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.463-469
• /
• 2003

PWR-GALE Code is a computerized mathematical model for calculating the releases of radioactive material in gaseous and liquid effluents from PWRs. In PWR-GALE Code, Auxiliary building iodine removal efficiency, one of the code input data, did not reflect adequately the new design of KSNP which has two auxiliary buildings(PAB and SAB). In this study, we developed a revised method how to correct iodine removal efficiency in KSNP. And newly proposed methodology through case study using Ul-Jin 5, 6 design data was verified.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.291-298
• /
• 2001

The designed release rate of liquid effluents from radwaste treatment system should be calculated and evaluated during normal operation, including anticipated operational occurrence and be assured that the release concentration and off-site dose at unrestricted area do not exceed the limits of regulation. The expected annual release rate and off-site dose for the currently operating nuclear power plants in Korea had been calculated and evaluated using PWR-GALE and LADTAP-II which was based on USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.109. Recently, the MOST Notice 2001-2 related to release concentration and off-site dose at unrestricted area was revised to reflect the concept of ICRP-60. It is necessary for KORI 3&4 to re-calculate the release concentration and off-site dose and to compare these results with the limits of regulation. As the results of assessment, we confirmed that the release concentrations were less than its limits of MOST Notice 2001-2 and the off-site dose at unrestricted area using K-DOSE60 was 3.61E-03 mSv/yr to the age of five for the effective dose, and 4.10E-2 mSv/yr to thyroid of the age of five for the organ equivalent dose. We also confirmed the off-site dose was within the limits of MOST Notice 2001-2. Therefore, the release concentration and off-site dose re-evaluated at unrestricted area in KORI 3&4 were well below the regulation limits of MOST Notice 2001-2.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.455-462
• /
• 2003

According to Korean nuclear code requires Periodic Safety Review(PSR) every 10 years should be perform for operating reactor, and selects the eleven PSR safety factors. Among them the review objective of the environmental impact is to determine whether the operator has an adequate programme for surveillance of the environmental impact of the nuclear power plant based on current safety standards. In this paper, the environmental impact in PSR of Wolsong Unit 1 was reflected current safety standards as of the evaluation date. As a result, all items generally satisfied the standards, and the staff also verified that the population dose due to the operation of Wolsong Unit 1 was controlled safely as of the evaluation date.