• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

A model for radiological dose assessment in an urban environment, METRO-K has been developed. Characteristics of the model are as follows ; 1) mathematical structures are simple (i.e. simplified input parameters) and easy to understand due to get the results by analytical methods using experimental and empirical data, 2) complex urban environment can easily be made up using only 5 types of basic surfaces, 3) various remediation measures can be applied to different surfaces by evaluating the exposure doses contributing from each contamination surface. Exposure doses contributing from each contamination surface at a particular location of a receptor were evaluated using the data library of kerma values as a function of gamma energy and contamination surface. A kerma data library was prepared fur 7 representative types of Korean urban buildings by extending those data given for 4 representative types of European urban buildings. Initial input data are daily radionuclide concentration in air and precipitation, and fraction of chemical type. Final outputs are absorbed dose rate in air contributing from the basic surfaces as a function of time following a radionuclide deposition, and exposure dose rate contributing from various surfaces constituting the urban environment at a particular location of a receptor. As the result of a contaminative scenario for an apartment built-up area, exposure dose rates show a distinct difference for surrounding environment as well as locations of a receptor.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.441-454
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• 2018

Since the permanent shutdown of Kori Unit 1 in 2017, a full-scale decommissioning project for a commercial nuclear reactor has been approaching. It is estimated that about 160,000 t of low-activity concrete waste will be produced from decommissioning of one unit of this commercial nuclear power reactor. Accordingly, it is necessary to review whether the effectiveness of the current regulatory framework for clearance waste (i.e. waste stream that meets activity concentration guidelines or dose criteria for clearance set forth in NSSC Notice No. 2017-65) can be maintained for the clearance of a bulk amount of concrete waste. In this regard, the IAEA SRS No. 44, which was used as a basis for revision of the Korean clearance regulations, is thoroughly analyzed and the radiological effects from four different clearance scenarios, along with input values and parameters derived from industrial practices in Korea, were evaluated. Though it is shown that the maximum annual dose from most recycling scenarios will be less than the clearance dose criterion for the normal scenario (i.e. an order of magnitude of $0.01mSv{\cdot}y^{-1}$), the radiation dose, estimated with conservative assumptions for the banking scenario, may exceed the above clearance dose criteria. Therefore, for safe and sustainable clearance of the bulk amount of concrete waste, it is required to diversify the concrete waste processors, perform more detailed site-specific assessment, and apply limiting conditions to the banking scenario.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.27-31
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• 2008

The radiation protection measures for the photoneutrons are one of the most important issue of radiation safety in high energy X-ray facilities. When the photoneutrons are released from the facility, the general public as well as occupational workers are exposed to unexpected radiations by neutron skyshine effect. In this study, the photoneutron inventory are calculated using monte carlo mothed, and the neutron skyshine dose rate is assessed using the inventory. A 9MeV X-ray cargo inspection facility is considered as a reference facility.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.207-212
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• 2015

When performing Chest x-ray examination to pregnant woman, normally we shield back side of abdomen. In this situation, scattered rays made by equipment and surrounding structure can enter front side of abdomen. Therefore, in this study, we evaluate suitability of abdomen shield especially to pregnant woman. In case of One shielding material placed back of abdomen, the measured value is $0.676{\pm}0.19uSv/hr$. Two shielding material is $0.764{\pm}0.04uSv/hr$. Three is $0.685{\pm}0.16uSv/hr$. The exposure dose inferred in this study does not excess annual effective dose limit. But It is not mean absolute safety. So we have to minimize occurrence of stochastic effect of radiosensitivity by shielding front side of abdomen of pregnant woman in clinic.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.950-956
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• 2018

For complete assessment of inhalation doses of radon and its progeny inside the three main ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara, seasonal radon concentrations have been measured by using a new electronic device that allows for measurement of real-time-resolved radon concentrations. Measurements were complemented by very fast measurements of thoron concentrations, which turned out to be low. Based on these measurements, annual residence time inside these tombs and the newest International Commission on Radiological Protection-recommended radon dose conversion coefficients or seasonal effective doses were calculated. The results indicate that workers receive highest annual effective doses of up to 140 mSv, which exceeds the annual limit of 20 mSv, whereas lower values up to 15 mSv are received by guides. In contrast, much lower doses were obtained for one-time visitors of the investigated tombs. The obtained results are somewhat different but still consistent with those previously obtained by means of fixed passive dose meters at some of the investigated places. This indicates that reasonable estimates of the effective dose of radon can be also obtained from short-term radon measurements carried out only twice a year (summer and winter season). Increasing the ventilation, minimizing the working times, etc., are highly recommended to reduce the annual effective dose.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.837-842
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• 2019

A large amount of radioactive material was released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in 2011 and dispersed into the environment. Though seven years have passed since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, some parts of Japan are still under the influence of radionuclide contamination, especially Fukushima Prefecture and prefectures neighboring Fukushima Prefecture. The long-term effective doses and the contributions of each exposure pathway (5 exposure pathways) and radionuclide ($^{131}I$, $^{134}Cs$, and $^{137}Cs$) were evaluated for people living in the regions of Fukushima and neighboring prefectures in Japan using a developed dose assessment code system with Japanese specific input data. The results estimated in this study were compared with data from previously published reports. Groundshine and ingestion were predicted to contribute most significantly to the total long-term dose for all regions. The contributions of each exposure pathway and radionuclide show different patterns for certain regions of Japan.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2004

A safety assessment code, called SAGE (Safety Assessment Groundwater Evaluation), has been developed to describe post-closure radionuclide releases and potential radiological doses for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal in an engineered vault facility in Korea. The conceptual model implemented in the code is focused on the release of radionuclide from a gradually degrading engineered barrier system to an underlying unsaturated zone, thence to a saturated groundwater zone. The radionuclide transport equations are solved by spatially discretizing the disposal system into a series of compartments. Mass transfer between compartments is by diffusion/dispersion and advection. In all compartments, radionuclides ate decayed either as a single-member chain or as multi-member chains. The biosphere is represented as a set of steady-state, radionuclide-specific pathway dose conversion factors that are multiplied by the appropriate release rate from the far field for each pathway. The code has the capability to treat input parameters either deterministically or probabilistically. Parameter input is achieved through a user-friendly Graphical User Interface. An application is presented, which is compared against safety assessment results from the other computer codes, to benchmark the reliability of system-level conceptual modeling of the code.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

In this study, we proposed an image quality control for an automatic exposure control (AEC) of digital radiographic imaging system and tried to analyze the performance of the AEC by various manufacturer. The subjects of the experiment were analyzed for the AEC image quality evaluation using digital radiation generators from four manufacturer such as PHILIPS, GE Healthcare, SAMSUNG Healthcare, DK Medical Solution. We used as materials for the implementation of the image quality evaluation by coins (500 won, KOMSCO, Korea). This study evaluated the performance evaluation of the AEC as image quality and exposure dose (Milliampere-seconds; mAs). The image quality evaluation was tried visual assessment by two radiologic technologists and contrast to noise (CNR) by ImageJ. The exposure dose investigated mAs on digital radiation generators. The radiographic coin images acquired 360 images based on change in the control factors of the AEC, which were kVp, the consistency of field configuration and dominant zone, sensitivity and density. As a result, there was a significant difference in the AEC performance between manufacturer. The CNR by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 1.9 times. The exposed tube current by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 5.8 times. It is expected that our proposed evaluation method using coins could be applied as the AEC performance evaluation method in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2021

To evaluate the usefulness of Volume Axial Mode by comparing analyzing the exposure dose of the patients and the quality of each images from CT images obtained from high pitch mode using the local phantom or volume axial mode to determine the usefulness of he volume axial mode in diagnosing the head and cervical disease in adults. High Pitch Mode, Helical Mode, and Volume axial Mode as adult phantom were tested according to 70 kVp, 80 kVp, and 100 kVp tube voltages during an adult frontal CT scans. The equipment used was GE's Revolution (GE Healthcare, Wisconsin USA) model and iMED X-ray Phantom. The exposure dose of phantom was compared using the images obtained from each protocol, and the image quality was compared by calculating SNR and CNR by setting ROI on each image. When examined using Volume Axial Mode, the exposure dose of phantom was measured 17.12% lower than Helical Mode, 5.35% lower than High Pitch Mode, and both SNR and CNR were improved. Volume Axial Mode is a useful test that reduces investigation time without table movement using high speed rotary scanner, and in which exposure dose is reduced and image quality is improved by acquiring images in a short time of 0.28 seconds of phantom than using High Pitch Mode and Helical Mode. In addition, the fast testing time of Volume Axial Mode can be seen as the biggest advantage CT scans of emergency patients or patients with physical discomfort.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.489-504
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• 2006

A review has been made for the previous studies on safety of a geologic repository for high-level radioactive wastes (HLW) related to autocatalytic criticality phenomena with positive reactivity feedback. Neutronic studies on geometric and materials configuration consisting of rock, water and thermally fissile materials and the radionuclide migration and accumulation studies were performed previously for the Yucca Mountain Repository and a hypothetical water-saturated repository for vitrified HLW. In either case, it was concluded that it would be highly unlikely for an autocatalytic criticality event to happen at a geologic repository. Remaining scenarios can be avoided by careful selection of a repository site, engineered-barrier design and conditioning of solidified HLW. Thus, criticality safety should be properly addressed in regulations and site selection criteria. The models developed for radiological safety assessment to obtain conservatively overestimated exposure dose rates to the public may not be used directly for the criticality safety assessment, where accumulated fissile materials mass needs to be conservatively overestimated. The models for criticality safety also require more careful treatment of geometry and heterogeneity in transport paths because a minimum critical mass is sensitive to geometry of fissile materials accumulation.