• Title/Summary/Keyword: Radioactive release

Search Result 208, Processing Time 0.022 seconds

Radiological Safety Assessment of a HLW Repository in Korea using MASCOT-K (MASCOT-K를 이용한 가상 방사성폐기물 처분장에서의 종합성능 평가)

  • 황용수;이연명;강철형
    • Tunnel and Underground Space
    • /
    • v.10 no.4
    • /
    • pp.553-558
    • /
    • 2000
  • Since 1977, KAERI has conducted the fundamental R&D on the permanent disposal of potential HLW repository in Korea. The first ten year project is divided into three short-term phase studies. The first phase study which shall be finished in March of 2000, has the prime target to develop the disposal concept of HLW. Throughout this study the preliminary and generic disposal repository system has been introduced. The potential repository is proposed to be emplaced into crystalline rocks which is the most common rock types in Korea. The proposed depth of the repository is between 300 to 700 meter. The numerical code, MASCOT-K was developed to asserts the long term safety of the proposed repository concept. Based on this conceptual design preliminary safely assessment was performed. Results show that for the given disposal system the potential radioactive release it well below the regulatory limit.

  • PDF

Initiating Events Study of the First Extraction Cycle Process in a Model Reprocessing Plant

  • Wang, Renze;Zhang, Jiangang;Zhuang, Dajie;Feng, Zongyang
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
    • /
    • v.41 no.2
    • /
    • pp.117-121
    • /
    • 2016
  • Background: Definition and grouping of initiating events (IEs) are important basics for probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). An IE in a spent fuel reprocessing plant (SFRP) is an event that probably leads to the release of dangerous material to jeopardize workers, public and environment. The main difference between SFRPs and nuclear power plants (NPPs) is that hazard materials spread diffusely in a SFRP and radioactive material is just one kind of hazard material. Materials and Methods: Since the research on IEs for NPPs is in-depth around the world, there are several general methods to identify IEs: reference of lists in existence, review of experience feedback, qualitative analysis method, and deductive analysis method. While failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is an important qualitative analysis method, master logic diagram (MLD) method is the deductive analysis method. IE identification in SFRPs should be consulted with the experience of NPPs, however the differences between SFRPs and NPPs should be considered seriously. Results and Discussion: The plutonium uranium reduction extraction (Purex) process is adopted by the technics in a model reprocessing plant. The first extraction cycle (FEC) is the pivotal process in the Purex process. Whether the FEC can function safely and steadily would directly influence the production process of the whole plant-production quality. Important facilities of the FEC are installed in the equipment cells (ECs). In this work, IEs in the FEC process were identified and categorized by FMEA and MLD two methods, based on the fact that ECs are containments in the plant. Conclusion: The results show that only two ECs in the FEC do not need to be concerned particularly with safety problems, and criticality, fire and red oil explosion are IEs which should be emphatically analyzed. The results are accordant with the references.

CFD Analysis of a Concept of Nuclear Hybrid Heat Pipe with Control Rod (원자로 제어봉과 결합된 하이브리드 히트파이프의 CFD 해석)

  • Jeong, Yeong Shin;Kim, Kyung Mo;Kim, In Guk;Bang, In Cheol
    • The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
    • /
    • v.17 no.6
    • /
    • pp.109-114
    • /
    • 2014
  • After the Fukushima accident in 2011, it was revealed that nuclear power plant has the vulnerability to SBO accident and its extension situation without sufficient cooling of reactor core resulting core meltdown and radioactive material release even after reactor shutdown. Many safety systems had been developed like PAFS, hybrid SIT, and relocation of RPV and IRWST as a part of steps for the Fukushima accident, however, their applications have limitation in the situation that supply of feedwater into reactor is impossible due to high pressure inside reactor pressure vessel. The concept of hybrid heat pipe with control rod is introduced for breaking through the limitation. Hybrid heat pipe with control rod is the passive decay heat removal system in core, which has the abilities of reactor shutdown as control rod as well as decay heat removal as heat pipe. For evaluating the cooling performance hybrid heat pipe, a commercial CFD code, ANSYS-CFX was used. First, for validating CFD results, numerical results and experimental results with same geometry and fluid conditions were compared to a tube type heat pipe resulting in a resonable agreement between them. After that, wall temperature and thermal resistances of 2 design concepts of hybrid heat pipe were analyzed about various heat inputs. For unit length, hybrid heat pipe with a tube type of $B_4C$ pellet has a decreasing tendency of thermal resistance, on the other hand, hybrid heat pipe with an annular type $B_4C$ pellet has an increasing tendency as heat input increases.

Measurement of Properties of Domestic Bentonite for a Buffer of an HLW Repository (고준위폐기물 처분장의 완충재용 국내산 벤토나이트의 특성 측정)

  • Yoo, MalGoBalGaeBitNaLa;Choi, Heui-ju;Lee, Min-soo;Lee, Seung-yeop
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
    • /
    • v.14 no.2
    • /
    • pp.135-147
    • /
    • 2016
  • The buffer in geological disposal system is one of the major elements to restrain the release of radionuclide and to protect the container from the inflow of groundwater. The buffer material requires long-term stability, low hydraulic conductivity, low organic content, high retardation of radionuclide, high swelling pressure, and high thermal conductivity. These requirements could be determined by the quantitative analysis results. In case of South Korea, the bentonites produced in Gyeongju area have been regarded as candidate buffer/backfill materials at KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) since 1997. According to the study on several physical and chemical characteristics of domestic bentonite in the same district, this is the Ca-type bentonite with about 65% of montmorillonite content. Through this study, we present the criteria for the performance evaluation items and methods when collecting new buffer/backfill materials.

Functional Characterization and Regional Expression of Dopamine Transporter (도파민 수송체의 기능적 특성 및 발현에 관한 연구)

  • 이상훈;이송득;성기욱;이동섭;이용성;고재경
    • YAKHAK HOEJI
    • /
    • v.39 no.2
    • /
    • pp.161-168
    • /
    • 1995
  • Brain dopamine systems play a central role in the control of movement, hormone release, and many complex behavior. The action of dopamine at its synapse is terminated predominately by high affinity reuptake into presynaptic terminals by dopamine transporter (DAT). The dopamine transporter(DAT) is membrane protein localized to dopamine-containing nerve terminals and closely related with cocaine abuse, Parkinsonism, and schizophrenia. In present study, the recombinant plasmid pRc/CMV-DAT, constructed by subcloning of a cDNA encoding a bovine DAT into eukaryotic expression vector pRc/CMV, was stably transfected into CV-1 cells(monkey kidney cell line). The DAT activities in the cell lines selected by Geneticin$^{R}$ were determined by measuring the uptake of $[^3H]$-dopamine. The transfected cell lines showed 30-50 fold higher activities than untransfected CV-1 cell line, and this result implies that DAT is well expressed and localized in transfected cells. The transfected cells accumulated $[^3H]$-dopamine in a dose-dependent manner with a $K_{m}$ of 991.6nM. Even though high doses of norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, and choline neurotransmitters inhibited the uptake of $[^3H]$-dopamine, DAT in transfected cell line was proven to be much more specific to dopamine. The psychotropic drugs such as GBR12909, CFT, normifensine, clomipramine, desipramine, and imipramine inhibited significantly the dopamine uptake in tissue culture cells stably transfected with DAT cDNA. Radioactive in situ hybridization was done to map the cellular localization of DAT mRNA-containing cells in the adult rat central nervous system. The strong hybridization signals were detected only in the substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area. The restricted anatomical localization of DAT mRNA-containing cells confirms the DAT as a presynaptic marker of dopamine-containing cells in the rat brain.

  • PDF

Dephosphorylation Study of Phosphorylated Myelin Basic Protein: A Model Substrate for Protein Phosphatase (인산화된 신경수초 염기성 단백질의 탈인산화 연구: 단백질 탈인산화 효소의 기질 모델)

  • Kim, Jin Hahn;Choi, Myung Un
    • Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
    • /
    • v.41 no.4
    • /
    • pp.205-209
    • /
    • 1997
  • The site specificity of dephosphorylation of myelin basic protein(MBP) was studied in vitro. To assign amino acid site of dephosphorylation, MBP was phosphorylated by protein kinase C(PKC) and dephosphorylated by protein phosphatase PP2A. The phosphorylated MBP was digested by trypsine and the digested peptides were separated by a reverse phase HPLC chromatography. The radioactivity of each fraction was counted and partially sequenced. Seven radioactive peptides were observed and $Ser^{55}$ in the second peak($P_2$) shows the best susceptibility for the phosphorylation. However in the dephosphorylation, the fifth peak($P_5$) appeared to release it's phosphate group most rapidly. This result demonstrates that MBP is a suitable substrate for protein phosphatase.

  • PDF

Analysis of Internal Pressure Capacity of Modular Containment Structure for Small Modular Reactor (소형 원자로용 모듈화 격납구조의 내압성능 분석)

  • Park, Woo-Ryong;Yhim, Sung-Soon
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
    • /
    • v.20 no.8
    • /
    • pp.362-370
    • /
    • 2019
  • The internal pressure capacity of a modular containment structure requires analysis to prevent the release of radioactive material in the case of an accident. To analyze the capacity, FEM models were prepared while considering the tendon arrangements and the contact surfaces between precast concrete modules, and then static analyses were carried out. The changing characteristics in the displacement and stress under step-wise loading were analyzed, along with the effects of selected parameters. For comparison, the capacity of a monolithic containment structure was also analyzed. Parametric analyses were done to suggest ranges of parameters such as the tendon force, tendon spacing, tendon location in concrete thickness direction, friction coefficient, and concrete thickness. The tendon force and frictional force provide a combined effect between contact surfaces of modules. The same level of internal pressure capacity can be secured even in the modular containment structure as in the monolithic containment structure by increasing the tendon force with additional tendons.

What Can Radiation Protection Experts Contribute to the Issue of the Treated Water Stored in the Damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant?

  • Yamaguchi, Ichiro
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
    • /
    • v.46 no.1
    • /
    • pp.24-31
    • /
    • 2021
  • Decommissioning efforts are underway at the reactor where the accident occurred, namely the damaged Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). However, a large amount of groundwater flowing into the site has become contaminated with radioactive substances and is stored in tanks on site, which has hampered the decommissioning work. Although the inflow of groundwater has been greatly reduced through measures such as the construction of frost walls, approximately 170 ㎥ of water treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) is being stored in tanks, each day. The tanks used to store this treated water are expected to become full by around the summer of 2022. It is not easy to get people to understand the efforts of all concerned parties, and providing clear information to these concerned parties is also a challenge. Questions have also been raised regarding whether other alternatives have been fully explored in the ALPS subcommittee. Some people have commented that the answers to the questions raised regarding the biological effects of tritium transmutation are inadequate. Some suspect that the answers are too detailed and incomprehensible, and that the respondents may be manipulating the public with some malicious intent. In any case, each possible plan presents both advantages and disadvantages, depending on the people who are involved. That makes it an ethical and vexing issue that can sway decisions, as perspectives change. While the environmental release plan is scientifically safe, it may represent a painful alternative. On the other hand, a more careful and imaginative approach to the idea of continued storage in tanks or other forms of storage may reveal some troublesome hidden disadvantages. Under these circumstances, experts must be prepared to answer people's questions in a comprehensive and robust manner.

Solidification of uranium mill tailings by MBS-MICP and environmental implications

  • Niu, Qianjin;Li, Chunguang;Liu, Zhenzhong;Li, Yongmei;Meng, Shuo;He, Xinqi;Liu, Xinfeng;Wang, Wenji;He, Meijiao;Yang, Xiaolei;Liu, Qi;Liu, Longcheng
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
    • /
    • v.54 no.10
    • /
    • pp.3631-3640
    • /
    • 2022
  • Uranium mill tailing ponds (UMTPs) are risk source of debris flow and a critical source of environmental U and Rn pollution. The technology of microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been extensively studied on reinforcement of UMTs, while little attention has been paid to the effects of MICP on U & Rn release, especially when incorporation of metakaolin and bacillus subtilis (MBS). In this study, the reinforcement and U & Rn immobilization role of MBS -MICP solidification in different grouting cycle for uranium mill tailings (UMTs) was comprehensively investigated. The results showed that under the action of about 166.7 g/L metakaolin and ~50% bacillus subtilis, the solidification cycle of MICP was shortened by 50%, the solidified bodies became brittle, and the axial stress increased by up to 7.9%, and U immobilization rates and Rn exhalation rates decrease by 12.6% and 0.8%, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of MBS can enhance the triaxial compressive strength and improve the immobilization capacity of U and Rn of the UMTs bodies solidified during MICP, due to the reduction of pore volume and surface area, the formation of more crystals general gypsum and gismondine, as well as the enhancing of coprecipitation and encapsulation capacity.

Case Study of Radiation Protection and Radiation Exposure (방사능 노출과 방사선 보호 사례 연구)

  • Young Sil Min
    • Advanced Industrial SCIence
    • /
    • v.2 no.3
    • /
    • pp.1-7
    • /
    • 2023
  • Recently, it is increasing that a issue of concern about radiation exposure. It affects soil, water, air, crops, etc., and in the long term, environmental pollution and food pollution occur, and it is considered to cause social problems and economic damage. Radiation exposure causes diseases and health problems, but as a method for diagnosing diseases, nuclear medicine tests such as X-ray imaging, CT, and PET-CT are conducted, and radiation isotopes are exposed for the purpose of cancer treatment. A Hungarian case study on radiation in water, particularly drinking water, following the release of radioactive waste from Fukushima, and an examination of the Larsemann Hills area in Antarctica, found that it was within the prescribed radioactivity limits of drinking water recommended by the World Health Organization. We looked at radioprotective agents, focusing on DNA damage, cell and organ damage, and cancer, and also investigated various literatures on ACE inhibitors, antioxidants, and natural substances among restoration materials. Although exposed to radiation in everyday life, the reason why it can be safe is probably because there is a radiation protection material and a recovery material for radiation exposure, so we are trying to find possible materials.