INDIVIDUAL DOSIMETRY IN DISPOSAL REPOSITORY OF HEAT-GENERATING NUCLEAR WASTE

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2016 Sep;170(1-4):387-92. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncw112. Epub 2016 May 5.

Abstract

Certain working scenarios in a disposal facility of heat-generating nuclear waste might lead to an enhanced level of radiation exposure for workers in such facilities. Hence, a realistic estimation of the personal dose during individual working scenarios is desired. In this study, the general-purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle code MCNP6 (Pelowitz, D. B. (ed). MCNP6 user manual LA-CP-13-00634, Rev. 0 (2013)) was applied to simulate a representative radiation field in a disposal facility. A tool to estimate the personal dose was then proposed by taking into account the influence of individual motion sequences during working scenarios. As basis for this approach, a movable whole-body phantom was developed to describe individual body gestures of the workers during motion sequences. In this study, the proposed method was applied to the German concept of geological disposal in rock salt. The feasibility of the proposed approach was demonstrated with an example of working scenario in an emplacement drift of a rock salt mine.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Geology
  • Germany
  • Hazardous Waste Sites
  • Hot Temperature
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neutrons
  • Occupational Exposure / analysis*
  • Occupational Exposure / prevention & control*
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Radiation Monitoring / methods*
  • Radioactive Waste / analysis*
  • Refuse Disposal / methods*
  • Whole-Body Counting / methods

Substances

  • Radioactive Waste