• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.387-400
• /
• 1991

An ocean compartment model simulating transport of nuclides by advection due to ocean circulation and intertaction with suspended sediments is developed, by which concentration breakthrough curves of nuclides can be calculated as a function of time. Dividing ocean into arbitrary number of characteristic compartments and performing a balance of mass of nuclides in each ocean compartment, the governing equation for the concentration in the ocean is obtained and a solution by the numerical integration is obtained. The integration method is specially useful for general stiff systems. For transfer coefficients describing advective transport between adjacent compartments by ocean circulation, the ocean turnover time is calculated by a two-dimensional numerical ocean model. To exemplify the compartment model, a reference case calculation for breakthrough curves of three nuclides in low-level radioactive wastes, Tc-99, Cs-137, and Pu-238 released from hypothetical repository under the seabed is carried out with five ocean compartments. Sensitivity analysis studies for some parameters to the concentration breakthrough curves are also made, which indicates that parameters such as ocean turnover time and ocean water volume of compartments have an important effect on the breakthrough curves.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.167-172
• /
• 2010

CANDU spent fuel is to be disposed of at repository finally rather than recycled because of its low fissile nuclide concentration. But the difficult situation of finding a repository site can not help introducing a interim storage in the short term. It is required to find an optimum timing of geological disposal of CANDU spent fuels related to the interim storage operation period. The major factors for determining the disposal starting time are considered as safety, economics, and public acceptance. Safety factor is compared in terms of the decay heat and non-proliferation. Economics factor is compared from the point of the operation cost, and public acceptance factor is reviewed from the point of retrievability and inter-generation ethics. This paper recommended the best solution for the disposal starting time by analyzing the above factors. It is concluded that the optimum timing for the CANDU spent fuel disposal is around 2041 and that the sooner disposal time, the better from the point of technical and safety aspects.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.457-469
• /
• 2023

The clearance level by nuclide is announced by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. However, the clearance level of uranium existing in nature has not been announced, and research is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the clearance level of uranium nuclides appropriate to domestic conditions preliminary. For this purpose, this study selected major processes for recycling metal wastes and analyzed the exposure scenarios and major input factors by investigating the characteristics of each process. Then, the radiation dose to the general public and workers was evaluated according to the selected scenarios. Finally, the results of the radiation dose per unit radioactivity for each scenario were analyzed to derive the clearance level of uranium in metal waste. The results of the radiation dose assessment for both the general public and workers per unit radioactivity of uranium isotopes were shown to meet the allowable dose (individual dose of 10 µSv y^-1 and collective dose of 1 Man-Sv y^-1) regulated by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. The most conservative scenarios for volumetric and surface contamination were evaluated for the handling of the slag generated after the melting of the metal waste and the direct reuse of the contaminated metal waste into the building without further disposal. For each of these scenarios, the radioactivity concentration by uranium isotope was calculated, and the clearance level of uranium in metal waste was calculated through the radioactivity ratio by enrichment. The results of this study can be used as a basic data for defining the clearance level of uranium-contaminated radioactive waste.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.10-16
• /
• 2009

Characteristics of natural radioactivity were investigated for soils collected from seven sites of different bed rocks distributed in the Keum River area of Korea by the use of a Gamma-ray spectrometry. Specific activity (SA) and SA ratio (SAR) of typical naturally occurring radioactive nuclide such as $^{226}$Ra, $^{228}$Ac and $^{40}$K were determined for the soil samples. The SA values of $^{226}$Ra, $^{228}$Ac and $^{40}$K in 41 soils of 7 sites are 26.7-485 (74.2 ${\pm}$ 72.2), 30.9-157 (90.7 ${\pm}$ 32.7) and 203-1558 (990 ${\pm}$ 203) Bq/kg, respectively. The SA of $^{226}$Ra has very different values by the soils and the sites. Especially the SA of $^{226}$Ra in a soil sample of Ogcheon site is 485 Bq/kg while most SA of 41 soil samples are < 100 Bq/kg. SA of $^{228}$Ac has a little different values with the soils and sites, however the SA of $^{40}$K has almost constant values in all soil samples. The SAR values of $^{26}$Ra/$^{228}$Ac, $^{226}$Ra/$^{40}$K and $^{228}$Ac/$^{40}$K in 41 soils of 7 sites are 0.343-6.11 (0.865 ${\pm}$ 0.883), 0.0258-0.759 (0.0814 ${\pm}$ 0.1l17) and 0.0373-0.178 (0.0945 ${\pm}$ 0.0373), respectively. The SARs of $^{226}$Ra/$^{228}$Ac and $^{226}$Ra/$^{40}$K have very different values by the soils and the sites, however the SAR of $^{228}$Ac/$^{40}$K has a little difference by the soil and sites.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.123-131
• /
• 2009

Purpose: We tested a sample of nuclear medicine workers at Korean healthcare institutions for internal contamination with radioactive isotopes, measuring concentrations and evaluating doses of individual exposure. Materials and Methods: The detection and measurement was performed on urine samples collected from 25 nuclear medicine workers at three large hospitals located in Seoul. Urine samples were collected once a week, 100~200 mL samples were gathered up to 6~10 times weekly. A high-purity germanium detector was used to measure gamma radiations in urine samples for the presence of radioactive isotopes. Based on the detection results, we estimated the amounts of intake and committed effective doses using IMBA software. In cases where committed effective doses could not be adequately evaluated with IMBA software, we estimated individual committed effective doses for radionuclides with a very short half life such as $^{99m}Tc$ and $^{123}I$, using the methods recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency. Results: Radionuclides detected through the analysis of urine samples included $^{99m}Tc$, $^{123}I$, $^{131}I$ and $^{201}Tl$, as well as $^{18}F$, a nuclide used in Positron Emission Tomography examinations. The committed effective doses, calculated based on the radionuclide concentrations in urine samples, ranged from 0 to 5 mSv, but were, in the majority of cases, less than 1 mSv. The committed effective dose exceeded 1 mSv in three of the samples, and all three were workers directly handling radioactive sources. No nurses were found to have a committed effective dose in excess of 1 mSv. Conclusions: To improve the accuracy of results, it may be necessary to conduct a long-term study, performed over a time span wide enough to allow the clear determination of the influence of seasonal factors. A larger sample should also help increase the reliability of results. However, as most Korean nuclear medicine workers are currently not necessary to monitored routinely for internal contamination with radionuclides. Notwithstanding, a continuous effort is recommended to reduce any unnecessary exposure to radioactive substances, even if in inconsequential amounts, by regularly surveying workplace environments and frequently monitoring atmospheric concentrations of radionuclides.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.18 no.2_spc
• /
• pp.305-315
• /
• 2020

For geological disposal of radioactive wastes, a method was proposed to evaluate the radionuclide transport in the biosphere by calculating the elapsed time of nuclide migration. The radionuclides were supposed to be introduced from a natural barrier and reached a large surface water body following a groundwater flow in a shallow subsurface. The biosphere was defined as a shallow subsurface environment that included aquifers on a host rock. Using the proposed method, a calculation algorithm was established, and a computer code that implemented the algorithm was developed. The developed code was verified by comparing the simulation results of the simple cases with the results of the analytical solution and a public program, which has been widely used to evaluate the radiation dose using the radionuclide transport near the surface. A case study was constructed using the previous research for radionuclide transport from the hypothetical geological disposal repository. In the case study, the code calculated the mass discharge rate of radionuclide to a stream in the biosphere. Because the previous research only demonstrated the transport of radionuclides from the hypothetical repository to the host rock, the developed code in the present study could help identify the total transport of radionuclide along the complete pathway.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.133-141
• /
• 2020

A geological repository comprises a natural barrier and an engineered barrier system. Its design components consist of canisters, buffers, backfill, and near-field rock. Among the engineered barrier system components, bentonite buffers minimize the groundwater flow from near-field rock and prevent the release of nuclide. Investigation of the hydraulic conductivity of the buffer to groundwater flow is an important factor in the performance evaluation of the stability and integrity of the engineered barrier of the repository. In this study, saturated hydraulic conductivity tests were performed using Gyeongju bentonite at various dry densities and temperatures, and a hydraulic conductivity prediction model was developed through multiple regression analysis using the 120 result sets of hydraulic conductivity. The test results showed that the hydraulic conductivity tends to decrease as the dry density increases. In addition, the hydraulic conductivity increased with increasing temperature. The multiple regression analysis results showed that the coefficient of determination (R²) of the hydraulic conductivity prediction equation was as high as 0.93. The hydraulic conductivity prediction equation presented in this study could be used for the design of engineered barrier systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.21-29
• /
• 2005

The HANARO, a multi-purpose research reactor of 30 MWth open-tank-in-pool type, has been under normal operation since its initial criticality in February, 1995. Recently, ten years after the initial operation of the HANARO, one of the two primary cooling pumps was decontaminated for overhaul maintenance in 2004. Before decontamination exposure doserate and surface contamination level of primary cooling pump measured at 4 points. After final decontamination exposure doserate and surface contamination level of primary cooling pump remeasured by same method done before. It is easy to decontaminate the out side exposed surfaces of the pump, but it is difficult to approach the inside surface due to double volute installed in the casing. Therefore, a new decontamination facility has been developed to solve this problem. A concentrated de-contaminant (DX-300) is rotated in the closed pump casing by the impeller actuated by a temporary motor. Nuclide particles are removed by the emulsification effect of the de-contaminant and the surface contaminants are chemically removed from the pump by the corrosion and dissolution effect. The inside surfaces of the primary cooling pump have been decontaminated by using the facility. As results, the contamination level of the inside surfaces was maintained below the surface contamination limit.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2017

Background: Phosphate rock and its by-product are widely used in various industries to produce phosphoric acid, gypsum, gypsum board, and fertilizer. Owing to its high level of natural radioactive nuclides (e.g., $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$), the radiological safety of workers who work with phosphate rock should be systematically managed. In this study, $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$ levels were measured to analyze the transport characteristics of these radionuclides in the production cycle of phosphate rock. Materials and Methods: Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and gamma spectrometry were used to determine the activity of $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$. To evaluate the extent of secular disequilibrium, the analytical results were compared using statistical methods. Finally, the distribution of radioactivity across different stages of the phosphate rock production cycle was evaluated. Results and Discussion: The concentration ratios of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were close to 1.0, while those found in gypsum and fertilizer were extremely different, reflecting disequilibrium after the chemical reaction process. The nuclide with the highest activity level in the production cycle of phosphate rock was $^{40}K$, and the median $^{40}K$ activity was $8.972Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ and $1.496Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$, respectively. For the $^{238}U$ series, the activity of $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$ was greatest in phosphate rock, and the distribution of activity values clearly showed the transport characteristics of the radionuclides, both for the byproducts of the decay sequences and for their final products. Conclusion: Although the activity of $^{40}K$ in k-related fertilizer was relatively high, it made a relatively low contribution to the total radiological effect. However, the activity levels of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were found to be relatively high, near the upper end of the acceptable limits. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically manage the radiological safety of workers engaged in phosphate rock processing.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.155-162
• /
• 2008

Inventories to be disposed of, reference turnup, and source terms for CANDU spent fuel were evaluated for geological disposal system design. The historical and projected inventory by 2040 is expected to be 14,600 MtU under the condition of 30-year lifetime for unit 1 and 40-year lifetime for other units in Wolsong site. As a result of statistical analysis for discharge burnup of the spent fuels generated by 2007, average and stand deviation revealed 6,987 MWD/MtU and 1,167, respectively. From this result, the reference burnup was determined as 8,100 MWD/MtU which covers 84% of spent fuels in total. Source terms such as nuclide concentration for a long-term safety analysis, decay heat, thermo-mechanical analysis, and radiation intenity and spectrum was characterized by using ORIGEN-ARP containing conservativeness in the aspect of decay heat up to several thousand years. The results from this study will be useful for the design of storage and disposal facilities.