Emergency Response in Case of an Accident During Transport of Radioactive Materials

STRASS project is an INTERREG project, collaboration between Greece and North Macedonia that includes the following aims a) Discovery and identification of radioactive materials (especially orphan radioactive sources and materials that are transferred mainly accidentally) during check in cross border area, b) Location of dangerous points of the roadway Thessaloniki-Skopje. c) Investigation of radiological risk after a traffic accident d) Establishment of common emergency response protocols for both countries. The project deals with circular economy and sustainability and its main challenge that is presented here is to minimize any risk of accident (traffic accident during transportation, dispersion, loss etc) and pollution when handling and transferring willfully or accidentally hazardous radioactive materials.

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Systematic Approach to Transboundary Radioactivity Monitoring for Accidents in External Nuclear Power Plants

Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science ◽

10.1115/1.4049279 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kampanart Silva ◽

Piyawan Krisanangkura ◽

Krirerk Phungsara ◽

Chatchai Chaiyasaen ◽

Suchin Udomsomporn

Keyword(s):

Emergency Response ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Atmospheric Dispersion ◽

Nuclear Accidents ◽

Radioactive Materials ◽

Loss Of Coolant Accident ◽

Loss Of Coolant ◽

Radioactivity Monitoring ◽

Dispersion Calculation

Abstract Past nuclear accidents demonstrated that radioactive materials from an accident in a nuclear power station (NPS) can disperse to other countries or even across the globe. This means all countries need to be prepared to respond to a nuclear power emergency even if they have no nuclear power program. This study aims to propose a structured framework for such a country to perform transboundary atmospheric dispersion assessment of an accidental release in an external NPS with limited calculation resources. A trial calculation of a hypothetical release from an interfacing system loss of coolant accident (ISLOCA) in Unit 1 of Fangchenggang NPS during different representative meteorological scenarios is carried out to demonstrate the usability of the proposed framework. It was found that a relatively large release can reach the border of Thailand within 24 hours when the wind along the dispersion pathway is basically in northeast direction with significant amount of rainfall, though it may not be able to trigger the alarm at the radiation monitoring stations. However, it is highly likely that the release that fulfills the aforementioned conditions be detected by one of the stations within 48 hour-timeframe. As the trial calculation could deliver insightful findings with limited calculation resources, the proposed transboundary atmospheric dispersion calculation framework can be used in other non-nuclear power countries to prepare for emergency response to accidents in external NPSs.

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