• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제46권6호
• /
• pp.825-836
• /
• 2014

Predicting radioactive fission product (FP) behaviors in the reactor coolant system and the containment of a nuclear power plant (NPP) is one of the major concerns in the field of reactor safety, since the amount of radioactive FP released into the environment during the postulated accident sequences is one of the major regulatory issues. Radioactive FPs circulating in the primary coolant loop and released into the containment are basically in the form of gas or aerosol. In this study, a multi-component and multi-sectional analysis module for aerosol fission products has been developed based on the MAEROS model [1,2], and the aerosol transport model has been developed and verified against an analytic solution. The deposition of aerosol FPs to the surrounding structural surfaces is modeled with recent research achievements. The developed aerosol analysis model has been successfully validated against the STORM SR-11 experimental data [3], which is International Standard Problem No. 40. Future studies include the development of the resuspension, growth, and chemical reaction models of aerosol fission products.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제41권3호
• /
• pp.216-221
• /
• 2016

Background: Very fine radiation-induced aerosol particles are produced in intense radiation fields, such as high-intensity accelerator rooms and containment vessels such as those in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP). Size measurement of the aerosol particles is very important for understanding the behavior of radioactive aerosols released in the FDNPP accident and radiation safety in high-energy accelerators. Materials and Methods: A combined technique using wire screens and imaging plates was developed for size measurement of fine radioactive aerosol particles smaller than 100 nm in diameter. This technique was applied to the radiation field of a proton accelerator room, in which radioactive atoms produced in air during machine operation are incorporated into radiation-induced aerosol particles. The size of $^{11}C$-bearing aerosol particles was analyzed using the wire screen technique in distinction from other positron emitters in combination with a radioactive decay analysis. Results and Discussion: The size distribution for $^{11}C$-bearing aerosol particles was found to be ca. $70{\mu}m$ in geometric mean diameter. The size was similar to that for $^7Be$-bearing particles obtained by a Ge detector measurement, and was slightly larger than the number-based size distribution measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer. Conclusion: The particle size measuring method using wire screens and imaging plates was successfully applied to the fine aerosol particles produced in an intense radiation field of a proton accelerator. This technique is applicable to size measurement of radioactive aerosol particles produced in the intense radiation fields of radiation facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제50권7호
• /
• pp.1088-1098
• /
• 2018

Kori unit #1, which is the first commercial nuclear power plant in Korea, was permanently shutdown in June 2017, and it is about to be decommissioned. Currently in Korea, researches on the decommissioning technology are actively conducted, but there are few researches on workers internal exposure to radioactive aerosol that is generated in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants. As a result, the over-exposure of decommissioning workers is feared, and the optimal working time needs to be revised in consideration of radioactive aerosol. This study investigated the annual exposure limits of various countries, which can be used as an indicator in evaluating workers' internal exposure to radioactive aerosol during pipe cutting in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants, and the growth and dynamics of aerosol. Also, to evaluate it, the authors compared/analyzed the cases of aerosol generated when activated pipes are cut in the process of nuclear power plants and the codes for evaluating internal exposure. The evaluation codes and analyzed data conform to ALARA, and they are believed to be used as an important indicator in deriving an optimal working time that does not excess the annual exposure limit.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제55권5호
• /
• pp.1830-1837
• /
• 2023

The thermal cutting of contaminated or activated metals during decommissioning nuclear power plants inevitably results in the release of radioactive aerosol. Since radioactive aerosols are pernicious particles that contribute to the internal dose of workers, air conditioning units with a HEPA filter are used to remove radioactive aerosols. However, a HEPA filter cannot be used permanently. This study evaluates the efficiency and lifetime of filters in actual metal cutting condition using a plasma arc cutter and a high-resolution aerosol detector. The number concentration and size distribution of aerosols from 6 nm to 10 ㎛ were measured on both the upstream and downstream sides of the filter. The total aerosol removal efficiency of HEPA filter satisfies the standard of removing at least 99.97% of 0.3 ㎛ airborne particles, even if the pressure drop increases due to dust feeding load. The pressure drop and particle size removal efficiency at 0.3 ㎛ of the HEPA filter were found to increase with repeated cutting experiments. By contrast, the efficiency of used HEPA filter reduced in removing nano-sized aerosols by up to 79.26%. Altogether, these results can be used to determine the performance guidance and replacement frequency of HEPA filters used in nuclear power plants.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제55권11호
• /
• pp.3935-3939
• /
• 2023

The paper presents the results of a study of radioactive noble gases and from decay products in the atmosphere of the reactor hall of the research nuclear reactor IVV-2M. The distribution of short-lived ⁸⁸Rb and ¹³⁸Cs activity by sizes of aerosol particles was measured in the range of 0.5-1000 nm. It is shown that radioactive aerosols are characterized by three main modes with AMTD 2-3 nm, 7-15 nm and 400 nm. About 70% of aerosol activity is due to ⁸⁸Rb. The equilibrium factor between ⁸⁸Kr and ⁸⁸Rb is 0.2 ± 0.1. The total concentration of aerosols particles was measured using an aerosol diffusion spectrometer. The value of unattached fraction of radioactive aerosols in the atmosphere of reactor hall IVV2M was f = 0.15-0.25 at the average total aerosol particles concentration from 20,000 cm³ to 53,000 cm³.

• 한국입자에어로졸학회지
• /
• 제10권4호
• /
• pp.137-154
• /
• 2014

문헌조사를 통해 그동안 선행연구로부터 밝혀진 방사성 에어로졸의 특성을 종합하고 정리하였다. 가상사고 실험 중 각재계통 및 원자로건물에서 측정한 에어로졸의 특성, 냉각재계통 및 원자로건물에서의 방사성 에어로졸 거동 해석을 위해 사용된 모델 에어로졸의 특성, 공학적 안전설비 성능평가를 위한 실험에 사용된 모델 에어로졸의 특성 등과 관련한 선행연구 내용을 종합해 볼 때, 원전사고 시 발생하는 에어로졸의 MMD는 $0.1{\sim}5{\mu}m$, GSD는 1.33~2.9, 에어로졸 농도는 $0.06{\sim}132g/m^3$의 범위를 보였다. 향후 공학적 안전설비의 설계를 위한 MMD와 GSD의 대표값은 대략 $1.5{\mu}m$와 1.8 내외라고 할 수 있으며, 에어로졸 농도는 대략 $10g/m^3$을 대표값으로 볼 수 있다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.269-279
• /
• 1997

The errors associated with incorrect sampling and transport of radioactive aerosol from radwaste thermal process off-gas are analyzed and the conditions of representative sampling and correct transport of radioactive aerosol for off-gas system evaluation are discussed. An estimation method of sampling errors for individual radionuclides is proposed and applied to simulated vitrification melter aerosols. Prediction methods for particle deposition in sample transport tube under laminar as well as turbulent flow conditions are also described by example calculations with simulated incinerator off-gas From the results of example calculations and plots, instrumental and operational conditions of radioactive aerosol sampling system with minimized errors and correction methods for nonideal sampling and transport are recommended.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2017년도 추계학술논문요약집
• /
• pp.283-284
• /
• 2017

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2019년도 춘계학술논문요약집
• /
• pp.303-304
• /
• 2019

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2018년도 추계학술논문요약집
• /
• pp.460-461
• /
• 2018