Estimation of tritium generation and discharge of the AP1000 reactor based on historical discharge data from the U.S. Pressurized water reactors
During the normal operation of pressurized water reactors, tritium has contributed more than 95 % of the total radioactivity of all the radionuclides discharged into the environment and has been recognized as the key radionuclide in the design and operation of reactors. In the paper, the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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VINCA Institute of Nuclear Sciences
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection |
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| Online Access: | https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/1451-3994/2023/1451-39942302080W.pdf |
| Summary: | During the normal operation of pressurized water reactors, tritium has
contributed more than 95 % of the total radioactivity of all the
radionuclides discharged into the environment and has been recognized as the
key radionuclide in the design and operation of reactors. In the paper, the
tritium production of the AP1000 reactor by the Westinghouse approach has
been introduced and the diffusion fractions of tritium from fuel rods in the
approach have been reviewed according to advances in research on the
diffusion of tritium from zirconium alloys. The historical tritium discharge
data from the predecessors with very similar core designs of the AP1000
reactor have been collected and sorted. According to the statistical
results, the average tritium discharge approximates the tritium generated
from neutron activation of boric acid and lithium hydroxide and it shows
that the release fraction of tritium through fuel cladding with zirconium
alloy may be neglected for the best-estimated condition. The release of
tritium from secondary neutron sources has been validated by a comparison of
historical tritium discharge from the predecessors with and without
secondary sources. In addition, it indicates that local maximum tritium
emissions from the U.S. Pressurized Water Reactors are remarkably affected
by batch liquid release, especially before or during the overhauls. It will
help recognize the tritium generation in the primary loops and optimize the
management of radioactive emissions for the utilities of the AP1000 reactor
in the future. |
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| ISSN: | 1451-3994 1452-8185 |