• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.825-836
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• 2014

Predicting radioactive fission product (FP) behaviors in the reactor coolant system and the containment of a nuclear power plant (NPP) is one of the major concerns in the field of reactor safety, since the amount of radioactive FP released into the environment during the postulated accident sequences is one of the major regulatory issues. Radioactive FPs circulating in the primary coolant loop and released into the containment are basically in the form of gas or aerosol. In this study, a multi-component and multi-sectional analysis module for aerosol fission products has been developed based on the MAEROS model [1,2], and the aerosol transport model has been developed and verified against an analytic solution. The deposition of aerosol FPs to the surrounding structural surfaces is modeled with recent research achievements. The developed aerosol analysis model has been successfully validated against the STORM SR-11 experimental data [3], which is International Standard Problem No. 40. Future studies include the development of the resuspension, growth, and chemical reaction models of aerosol fission products.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 2016

Background: Very fine radiation-induced aerosol particles are produced in intense radiation fields, such as high-intensity accelerator rooms and containment vessels such as those in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP). Size measurement of the aerosol particles is very important for understanding the behavior of radioactive aerosols released in the FDNPP accident and radiation safety in high-energy accelerators. Materials and Methods: A combined technique using wire screens and imaging plates was developed for size measurement of fine radioactive aerosol particles smaller than 100 nm in diameter. This technique was applied to the radiation field of a proton accelerator room, in which radioactive atoms produced in air during machine operation are incorporated into radiation-induced aerosol particles. The size of $^{11}C$-bearing aerosol particles was analyzed using the wire screen technique in distinction from other positron emitters in combination with a radioactive decay analysis. Results and Discussion: The size distribution for $^{11}C$-bearing aerosol particles was found to be ca. $70{\mu}m$ in geometric mean diameter. The size was similar to that for $^7Be$-bearing particles obtained by a Ge detector measurement, and was slightly larger than the number-based size distribution measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer. Conclusion: The particle size measuring method using wire screens and imaging plates was successfully applied to the fine aerosol particles produced in an intense radiation field of a proton accelerator. This technique is applicable to size measurement of radioactive aerosol particles produced in the intense radiation fields of radiation facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.1088-1098
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• 2018

Kori unit #1, which is the first commercial nuclear power plant in Korea, was permanently shutdown in June 2017, and it is about to be decommissioned. Currently in Korea, researches on the decommissioning technology are actively conducted, but there are few researches on workers internal exposure to radioactive aerosol that is generated in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants. As a result, the over-exposure of decommissioning workers is feared, and the optimal working time needs to be revised in consideration of radioactive aerosol. This study investigated the annual exposure limits of various countries, which can be used as an indicator in evaluating workers' internal exposure to radioactive aerosol during pipe cutting in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants, and the growth and dynamics of aerosol. Also, to evaluate it, the authors compared/analyzed the cases of aerosol generated when activated pipes are cut in the process of nuclear power plants and the codes for evaluating internal exposure. The evaluation codes and analyzed data conform to ALARA, and they are believed to be used as an important indicator in deriving an optimal working time that does not excess the annual exposure limit.

• 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.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.137-154
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• 2014

Prediction of the behavior of radioactive aerosol particles in a containment is of importance for the assessment of the consequences of nuclear power plant severe accidents because most radioactive air pollutants are emitted as aerosol particles upon severe accident. The performance of engineering safety features (ESFs) is also influenced by the characteristics of the aerosol particles. In this article, the characteristics of aerosol particles in reactor containments reported by previous studies were reviewed. The results of the experiments for postulated accidents in test reactors, for aerosol behavior analysis using artificial test aerosols, and for ESF performance evaluation were summarized. The summary of this article will be of use in designing and performance-evaluating ESFs.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2017.10a
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• pp.283-284
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• 2017

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.303-304
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• 2019

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.460-461
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• 2018

• 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.