Probabilistic dose assessment of normal operations and accident conditions for an assured isolation facility in Texas /
Texas is investigating building a long-term waste storage facility, also known as an Assured Isolation Facility. This is an above-ground low-level radioactive waste storage facility that is actively maintained and from which waste may be retrieved. A preliminary, scoping-level analysis has been ex...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
2002.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=765073011&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | Texas is investigating building a long-term waste storage facility, also known as an Assured Isolation Facility. This is an above-ground low-level radioactive waste storage facility that is actively maintained and from which waste may be retrieved. A preliminary, scoping-level analysis has been extended to consider more complex scenarios of radiation streaming and skyshine by using the computer code Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) to model the facility in greater detail. Accidental release scenarios have been studied in more depth to better assess the potential dose to off-site individuals. Using bounding source term assumptions, the projected radiation doses and dose rates are estimated to exceed applicable limits by an order of magnitude. By altering the facility design to fill in the hollow cores of the prefabricated concrete slabs used in the roof over the "high-gamma rooms," where the waste with the highest concentration of gamma emitting radioactive material is stored, dose rates outside the facility decrease by an order of magnitude. With the modified design, the annual dose at the site fenceline is estimated at 86 mrem, below the 100 mrem annual limit for exposure of the public. Within the site perimeter, the dose rates are lowered sufficiently such that it is not necessary to categorize many workers and contractor personnel as radiation workers, saving on costs as well as being advisable under ALARA principles. A detailed analysis of bounding accidents incorporating information on the local meteorological conditions indicate that the maximum committed effective dose equivalent from the passage of a plume of material released in an accident at any of the cities near the facility is 59 []rem in the city of Eunice, NM based on the combined day and night meteorological conditions. Using the daytime meteorological conditions, the maximum dose at any city is 7 []rem, also in the city of Eunice. The maximum dose at the site boundary was determined to be 230 mrem using the combined day and night meteorological conditions and 33 mrem using the daytime conditions. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Nuclear Engineering". |
| Physical Description: | x, 161 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilm Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-91). |