• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.350-353
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• 2016

Background: Various characteristics such as size distribution, chemical component and radio-activity have been analyzed for radioactive aerosols released from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Measured results for radioactive aerosols suggest that the potential transport medium for radioactive cesium was non-sea-salt sulfate. This result indicates that cesium isotopes would preferentially attach with sulfate compounds. In the present work the attachment behavior of fission products to aqueous solution aerosols of sodium salts has been studied using a generation system of solution aerosols and spontaneous fission source of $^{248}Cm$. Materials and Methods: Attachment ratios of fission products to the solution aerosols were compared among the aerosols generated by different solutions of sodium salt. Results and Discussion: A significant difference according as a solute of solution aerosols was found in the attachment behavior. Conclusion: The present results suggest the existence of chemical effects in the attachment behavior of fission products to solution aerosols.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.1043-1050
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• 2020

Radioactive aerosols are produced during the cutting of contaminated and activated metals. They must be collected and removed by a high-performing filtration system before releasing to the environment from the decommissioning workplace. The filtration system requires regular replacement to ensure the sufficient removal of radioactive aerosols because its filtration efficiency gradually decreases. This study evaluates the efficiency and lifetime of filters while cutting metals by using a plasma arc cutter. Particularly, this study considers the aerodynamic diameter distribution of number and mass concentrations for aerosols from 6 nm to 10 ㎛ when evaluating the performance of filters. After 20 time reuses for cutting operation performed in a cutting chamber, the removal efficiency is reduced from over 99 to below 93% at 2 ㎛. The results are used to analyze the lifetime of filters, the frequencies of their replacements, and impact on internal radiation dose.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.2277-2288
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• 2021

To regulate the safety protocols in nuclear facilities, radioactive aerosols have been extensively researched to understand their health impacts. However, most measured particle-size distributions remain at low resolutions, with the particle sizes ranging from nanometer to micrometer. This study combines the high-resolution detection of 500 size classes, ranging from 6 nm to 10 ㎛, for aerodynamic diameter distributions, with a regional lung deposition calculation. We applied the new approach to characterize particle-size distributions of aerosols generated during the plasma arc cutting of simulated non-radioactive steel alloy wastes. The high-resolution measured data were used to calculate the deposition ratios of the aerosols in different lung regions. The deposition ratios in the alveolar sacs contained the dominant particle sizes ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 ㎛. We determined the distribution of various metals using different vapor pressures of the alloying components and analyzed the uncertainties of lung deposition calculations using the low-resolution aerodynamic diameter data simultaneously. In high-resolution data, the changes in aerosols that can penetrate the blood system were better captured, correcting their potential risks by a maximum of 42%. The combined calculations can aid the enhancement of high-resolution measuring equipment to effectively manage radiation safety in nuclear facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1830-1837
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• 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
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.3935-3939
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• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2017.10a
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• pp.281-282
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• 2017

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.247-248
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• 2018

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.269-279
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• 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.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 2020

Removing radioactive concrete is crucial in the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. However, this process generates radioactive aerosols, exposing workers to radiation. Although large amounts of radioactive concrete are generated during decommissioning, studies on the internal exposure of workers to radioactive aerosols generated from the cutting of radioactive concrete are very limited. In this study, therefore, we calculate the internal radiation doses of workers exposed to radioactive aerosols during activities such as drilling and cutting of radioactive concrete, using previous research data. The electrical-mobility-equivalent diameter measured in a previous study was converted to aerodynamic diameter using the Newton-Raphson method. Furthermore, the specific activity of each nuclide in radioactive concrete 10 years after nuclear power plants are shut down was calculated using the ORIGEN code. Eventually, we calculated the committed effective dose for each nuclide using the IMBA software. The maximum effective dose of ¹⁵²Eu constituted 83.09% of the total dose; moreover, the five highest-ranked elements (¹⁵²Eu, ¹⁵⁴Eu, ⁶⁰Co, ²³⁹Pu, ⁵⁵Fe) constituted 99.63%. Therefore, we postulate that these major elements could be measured first for rapid radiation exposure management of workers involved in decommissioning of nuclear power plants, even if all radioactive elements in concrete are not considered.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.371-372
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• 2018