Worldwide activities on the reduction of occupational exposure at nuclear power plants

Technical Report · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6913243

Kahn, T A; Baum, J W

This report is based on analysis of an informational data base set up at the Brookhaven National Laboratory ALARA Center. It is part of a project sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to monitor and evaluate research on dose reduction at nuclear power plants in the US and abroad. The main benefits to be expected from reducing occupational exposures are highlighted in the report, the chief causes of elevated doses are identified, and effective approaches to minimize radiation exposures are proposed. A wide range of research activity is covered, including plant chemistry, cobalt reduction techniques, stress corrosion cracking, decontamination, remote tools and devices, and robotics. Advanced reactors, which are designed for low radiation exposures, are examined, and health physics technology programs which have been effective in reducing occupational exposure at various utilities are discussed. The highlights of the programs on dose reduction conducted by a number of countries are described, and comparisons are made of the collective occupational radiation dose equivalents for selected countries. The short and long term trends such studies are pointing to are evaluated. It is concluded that the efforts to improve dose reduction, both in the US and abroad, remain in a healthy state but require continuing encouragement and further development.

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research; Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6913243
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-5158-Vol.1; BNL-NUREG-52086-Vol.1; ON: TI88013769
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220502 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Environmental Aspects-- Radioactive Effluents
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ASIA
BOILERS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CANADA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CLEANING
COBALT
CONTAMINATION
COOPERATION
CORROSION
CRACKS
DECONTAMINATION
DOSES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EUROPE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
FINLAND
FRANCE
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
JAPAN
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
METALS
MITIGATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
POWER PLANTS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RECOMMENDATIONS
RELIABILITY
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
ROBOTS
SAFETY
SCANDINAVIA
STEAM GENERATORS
STRESS CORROSION
SWEDEN
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUBES
UNITED KINGDOM
USA
VAPOR GENERATORS
WASTES
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
WESTERN EUROPE