Process for the Accurate Characterization of Low Level Nuclear Waste

摘要

A method of accurately determining and quantifying the presence and concentration of various regulated radionuclides present in the filter material used to remove contaminants from the cooling water of a nuclear reactor. Multiple samples of the reactor cooling water are taken and the presence and concentration of directly measurable fission produced radionuclides and their related isotopes are determined. The release rate of radioactivity from the reactor as a function of the removal rate of the filter material is determined at equilibrium. The presence and the concentration of difficult to detect fission produced regulated isotopes as a function of release rates of the directly measurable fission produced isotopes are then calculated. The total concentration of activation produced regulated isotopes is based on measured surrogate isotopes. A running total of the concentration of the directly and difficult to detect fission produced regulated isotopes and of the activation produced regulated isotopes accumulated in the filter material is calculated and retained over a defined period of time. The contribution of any regulated radionuclides from secondary sources such as a spent fuel pool can also be measured and added to the total of the fission and activation produced radionuclides in the filter material.

主权项

1. A method of accurately determining the presence of regulated isotopes and their concentration in filter material used to remove the isotopes from cooling water used to cool a reactor of a nuclear power plant, comprising the steps of:
a. taking multiple samples of the reactor cooling water over a defined period of time from a first sample point, b. determining the presence and concentration of directly measurable fission produced isotopes and their related isotopes from the samples, c. calculating the release rate of radioactivity from the reactor as a function of the removal rate of the filter material, d. calculating the presence and the concentration of difficult to detect fission produced regulated isotopes as a function of release rates of the directly measurable fission produced isotopes, e. determining the total concentration of activation produced regulated isotopes based on measured surrogate isotopes, f. calculating and keeping a running total of the concentration of the directly and difficult to detect fission produced regulated isotopes and of the activation produced regulated isotopes accumulated in the filter material over the defined period of time.