Work

RUCAS: Software for assessing radiological risk to the public in metallic radioactive waste recycling from decommissioning nuclear facilities

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Deregulation of the resultant radioactive waste from the increasing decommissioning of nuclear facilities worldwide has become crucial for accurately estimating potential radiological risks to the public. This study introduces the Recycling-Underlying Computational Dose Assessment Software (RUCAS), developed by the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in the Republic of Korea. RUCAS addresses the limitations of existing tools, such as RESRAD-RECYCLE and MicroShield® (MS), which suffer from outdated methodologies and inefficient risk assessments, respectively, while integrating their strengths. By incorporating the latest data, including dose conversion factors and nuclide data, as well as employing the point-kernel method, RUCAS offers a more accurate, robust, and versatile dose assessment framework compared to currently available tools. The advancements made with RUCAS signify substantial progress in developing safer and more feasible recycling strategies for radioactive waste.

Source: Nuclear Engineering and Technology

DOI: 10.1016/j.net.2025.103585

Authors: Ugyu Jeong, Hyeongjin Byeon, Jaeyeong Park

Institutions: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Nuclear and radioactivity studies

Subfield: Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $200

Funder: Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power