• Title/Summary/Keyword: Radioactive material

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Comparison of CALPUFF and HYSPLIT Models for Atmospheric Dispersion Simulations of Radioactive Materials (CALPUFF와 HYSPLIT의 방사성물질 대기확산 특성 비교)

  • An, Hye Yeon;Kang, Yoon-Hee;Song, Sang-Keun;Kim, Yoo-Keun
    • 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.

Algorithm for Computational Age Dating of Nuclear Material for Nuclear Forensic Purposes

  • Park, Jaechan;Song, Jungho;Ju, Minsu;Chung, Jinyoung;Jeon, Taehoon;Kang, Changwoo;Woo, Seung Min
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.171-183
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    • 2022
  • The parent and daughter nuclides in a radioactive decay chain arrive at secular equilibrium once they have a large half-life difference. The characteristics of this equilibrium state can be used to estimate the production time of nuclear materials. In this study, a mathematical model and algorithm that can be applied to radio-chronometry using the radioactive equilibrium relationship were investigated, reviewed, and implemented. A Bateman equation that can analyze the decay of radioactive materials over time was used for the mathematical model. To obtain a differential-based solution of the Bateman equation, an algebraic numerical solution approach and two different matrix exponential functions (Moral and Levy) were implemented. The obtained result was compared with those of commonly used algorithms, such as the Chebyshev rational approximation method and WISE Uranium. The experimental analysis confirmed the similarity of the results. However, the Moral method led to an increasing calculation uncertainty once there was a branching decay, so this aspect must be improved. The time period corresponding to the production of nuclear materials or nuclear activity can be estimated using the proposed algorithm when uranium or its daughter nuclides are included in the target materials for nuclear forensics.

Selection of a carrying agent for obtaining radioactive methyliodide vapors under dynamic conditions

  • Obruchikov, Alexander V.;Merkushkin, Aleksei O.;Magomedbekov, Eldar P.;Anurova, Olga M.;Vanina, Elena A.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.53 no.8
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    • pp.2761-2766
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    • 2021
  • A method for preparing "reagent" for radioactive methyliodide vapors production using an isotopic exchange reaction has been developed. Based on the obtained data of the isotopic exchange efficiency and hydraulic resistance, white fused alumina (700-840 ㎛) was selected as the carrying agent material for "reagent" production. The radioiodine isotopic exchange dependences on such parameters as temperature, gas flow velocity, and the methyliodide concentration in it were determined. Optimal conditions have been selected to achieve 85% of the isotopic exchange rate in 1 h of the experiment. The obtained data allowed to develop an approach to the test of iodine filters for nuclear power plants and to determine their efficiency.

Design and Graphic Simulation of a Cleaning Robot for a Radioactive Environment Application

  • Kim, K.;Park, J.;M. Yang;C. Oh
    • 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2001.10a
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    • pp.161.3-161
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    • 2001
  • This paper describes design features of a cleaning robot for use in a radioactive zone of the Isolation room of the Irradiated Material Examination Facility (IMEF) at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). This cleaning robot is intended to completely eliminate human interaction with hazardous radioactive contaminants. The clean ing robot that is operated either by manual mode or by autonomous mode is designed to be capable of cleaning the isolation room´s floor surface and collecting dry nuclear fuel debris and other radioactive waste placed on the floor. The functional, mechanical and electrical design considerations of the cleaning robot in terms of remote cleanup operation and remote maintenance at a radioactive environment are presented. A graphical representation of the cleaning ...

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A Study on the Long-Term Integrity of Polymer Concrete for High Integrity Containers

  • Young Hwan Hwang;Mi-Hyun Lee;Seok-Ju Hwang;Jung-Kwon Son;Cheon-Woo Kim;Suknam Lim
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.411-417
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    • 2023
  • During the operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP), the generation of radioactive waste, including dry active waste (DAW), concentrates, spent resin, and filters, mandates the implementation of appropriate disposal methods to adhere to Korea's waste acceptance criteria (WAC). In this context, this study investigates the potential use of polymer concrete (PC) as a high-integrity container (HIC) material for solidifying and packaging these waste materials. PC is a versatile composite material comprising binding polymers, aggregates, and additives, known for its exceptional strength and chemical stability. A comprehensive analysis of PC's long-term integrity was conducted in this study. First, its compressive strength, which is crucial for ensuring the structural stability of HICs over extended periods, was evaluated. Subsequently, the resilience of PC was tested under various stress conditions, including biological, radiological, thermal, and chemical stressors. The findings of this study indicate that PC exhibits remarkable long-term properties, demonstrating exceptional stability even when subjected to diverse stressors. The results therefore underscore the potential viability of PC as a reliable material for constructing high-integrity containers, thus contributing to the safe and sustainable management of radioactive waste in NPPs.

Determination of dosimetric dependence for effective atomic number of LDR brachytherapy seed capsule by Monte Carlo simulation

  • Berkay Camgoz;Dilara Tarim
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.55 no.8
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    • pp.2734-2741
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    • 2023
  • Brachytherapy is a special case of radiotherapy. It should be arranged according to some principles in medical radiation applications and radiation physics. The primary principle is to use as low as reasonably achievable dose in all ionizing radiation applications for diagnostic and therapeutic treatments. Dosimetric distributions are dependent on radioactive source properties and radiation-matter interactions in an absorber medium such as phantom or tissue. In this consideration, the geometrical structure and material of the seed capsule, which surrounds a radioactive material, are directly responsible for isodose profiles and dosimetric functions. In this study, the radiometric properties of capsule material were investigated on dose distribution in a water phantom by changing its nuclear properties using the EGSnrc Monte Carlo (MC) simulation code. Effective atomic numbers of hypothetic mixtures were calculated by using different elements with several fractions for capsule material. Model 6711 brachytherapy seed was modeled by EGSnrc/Dosrcnrc Code and dosimetric functions were calculated. As a result, dosimetric parameters of hypothetic sources have been acquired in large-scale atomic number. Dosimetric deviations between the data of hypothetic seeds and the original one were analyzed. Unit dose (Gy/Particle) distributions belonging to different types of material in seed capsule have remarkably differed from the original capsule's data. Capsule type is major variable to manage the expected dose profile and isodose distribution around a seed. This study shows us systematically varied scale of material type (cross section or effective atomic number dependent) offers selective material usage in production of seed capsules for the expected isodose profile of a specific source.

A Study on the free drop impact analysis of the impact limiter for radioactive material transportation cask (방사성물질 운반용기 완충체의 자유낙하 충격 거동에 관한 연구)

  • 박홍윤;신동필;서기석;정성환;홍성인
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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    • 2002.05a
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    • pp.98-102
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    • 2002
  • As the nuclear power plant has been operated continuously and increased gradually, transportation and storage of spent fuel are seriously considered nowadays. The transportation cask which contains radioactive material needs to be inspected about structural safety. About safety verification, description of IAEA Safety Standards states that cask must withstand hypothetical accident conditions. In this paper, 9m free drop impact analysis was performed for transportation cask and impact limiter by using the finite element methods. Furthermore, we obtained the dynamic behavior of wood to as compared with safety test results, and verified the safety of transportation cask.

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Design Optimization of an Impact Limiter Considering Material Uncertainties

  • Lim, Jongmin;Choi, Woo-Seok
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.133-149
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    • 2022
  • The design of a wooden impact limiter equipped to a transportation cask for radioactive materials was optimized. According to International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Standards, 9 m drop tests should be performed on the transportation cask to evaluate its structural integrity in a hypothetical accident condition. For impact resistance, the size of the impact limiter should be properly determined for the impact limiter to absorb the impact energy and reduce the impact force. Therefore, the design parameters of the impact limiter were optimized to obtain a feasible optimal design. The design feasibility criteria were investigated, and several objectives were defined to obtain various design solutions. Furthermore, a probabilistic approach was introduced considering the uncertainties included in an engineering system. The uncertainty of material properties was assumed to be a random variable, and the probabilistic feasibility, based on the stochastic approach, was evaluated using reliability. Monte Carlo simulation was used to calculate the reliability to ensure a proper safety margin under the influence of uncertainties. The proposed methodology can provide a useful approach for the preliminary design of the impact limiter prior to the detailed design stage.

A Teleoperated Cleaning Robot for a High Radioactive Environment

  • Kim, Ki-Ho;Park, Jang-Jin;Yang, Myung-Seung;Oh, Chae-Youn
    • 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.10a
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    • pp.849-854
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    • 2003
  • The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has developed a teleoperated cleaning robot for use in the radioactive zone of the isolation room of the Irradiated Material Examination Facility where direct human access to the interior is strictly limited. The teleoperated cleaning robot that was designed to completely eliminate human interaction with the hazardous radioactive contaminants has five remotely replaceable submodules - a mobile module for navigation, a cleaning module for dislodging and sucking contaminated waste, a sensing module for obstacle avoidance, a collection module for storing the acquired waste, and a cover module for protecting the collection module. This cleaning robot is capable of cleaning the contaminated floor surface of the isolation room and collecting loose dry spent nuclear fuel debris and other radioactive waste fixed or scattered on the floor surface. The developed cleaning robot is operated either by a manual control or by autonomous control in conjunction with a graphical simulator, by which the human operator can monitor and intervene the robot performing cleanup tasks in the isolation room. In this paper, we present the mechanical and environmental design considerations and development of the teleoperated cleaning robot for radioactive isolation room use. We also demonstrate its mock-up performance test results from the viewpoint of a remote cleanup operation and remote maintenance.

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