Consequences of tritium release to water pathways from postulated accidents in a DOE production reactor
A full-scale PRA of a DOE production reactor has been completed that considers full release of tritium as part of the severe accident source term. Two classes of postulated reactor accidents, a loss-of-moderator pumping accident and a loss-of-coolant accident, are used to bound the expected dose consequence from liquid pathway release. Population doses from the radiological release associated with the two accidents are compared for aqueous discharge and atmospheric release modes. The expectation values of the distribution of possible values for the societal effective dose equivalent to the general public, given a tritium release to the atmosphere, is 2.8 person-Sv/PBq (9.9 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} person-rem/Ci). The general public drinking water dose to downstream water consumers is 6.5 {times} 10{sup {minus}2} person-Sv/Pbq (2.4 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} person-rem/Ci) for aqueous releases to the surface streams eventually reaching the Savannah River. Negligible doses are calculated for freshwater fish and saltwater invertebrate consumption, irrigation, and recreational use of the river, given that an aqueous release is assumed to occur. Relative to the balance of fission products released in a hypothetical severe accident, the tritium-related dose is small. This study suggests that application of regional models (1610 km radius) will indicate larger dose consequences from short-term tritium release to the atmosphere than from comparable tritium source terms to water pathways. However, the water pathways assessment is clearly site-specific, and the overall aqueous dose will be dependent on downstream receptor populations and uses of the river.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 10131134
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-91-395; CONF-910920-18; ON: DE92009820
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 4. topical meeting on tritium technology in fission, fusion, and isotopic applications,Albuquerque, NM (United States),29 Sep - 4 Oct 1991; Other Information: PBD: [1991]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PRODUCTION REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
TRITIUM
RADIATION DOSES
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
LOSS OF COOLANT
LOSS OF FLOW
SURFACE WATERS
DRINKING WATER
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
SOURCE TERMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
220502
220900
220600
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS