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ISFSI site boundary radiation dose rate analyses
1Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC, PCAM/Radiation Analysis, Waltz Mill Site, P.O. Box 158, Madison, PA 15663, USA. haglerrj@westinghouse.com
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
|April 11, 2006
Summary
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSI) dose rates decrease significantly with distance. Photon and neutron contributions to radiation exposure change, with scattered radiation becoming more important further from the facility.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Engineering
- Radiation Shielding
- Computational Physics
Background:
- Nuclear utilities globally are developing Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSI) for above-ground storage.
- ISFSIs are crucial for managing spent nuclear fuel and mitigating the capacity issues of spent fuel pools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze neutron and photon dose rates from a generic ISFSI.
- To evaluate dose rates at various distances to comply with NRC regulations (10CFR72.104).
Main Methods:
- Combined discrete ordinates transport theory (DORT) and Monte Carlo (MCNP) simulation techniques.
- Analysis of a generic overpack and ISFSI pad configuration.
- Dose rate calculations at distances from 1 to 1700 meters.
Main Results:
- Dose rates decreased by three orders of magnitude within the first 200 meters from the ISFSI.
- The relative contributions of different radiation sources (photons, neutrons) varied with distance.
- Side photons were the primary dose contributors close to the ISFSI.
Conclusions:
- The study provides essential data for ensuring public safety around ISFSIs, meeting regulatory requirements.
- Scattered photons and neutrons become increasingly significant contributors to dose rates at greater distances from the ISFSI.
- Understanding these dose rate variations is critical for effective ISFSI design and safety analysis.