Work

Gamma and neutron dose assessment for the spent fuel storage pool of a VVER-1000 reactor using an updated cross-section library under steady-state conditions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Spent fuel storage pools in nuclear power plants are designed to safely contain spent fuel assemblies, minimizing radioactive emissions and radiation exposure to both personnel and the environment. After irradiation in the reactor core, spent fuel assemblies, due to their residual radioactivity, are transferred to these pools to prevent environmental contamination. This study aims to quantify the gamma and neutron radiation doses emitted from the spent fuel storage pool and its surrounding areas using an updated nuclear cross-section library. To achieve this, a VVER-1000 reactor was modeled using the MCNPX code to generate a cross-section library for the ORIGEN2 code. Subsequently, the radiation dose in the spent fuel storage pool was calculated under maximum accumulation conditions at steady state. The results demonstrate a significant radiation dose around the pool and highlight the substantial role of the power plant building in reducing radiation levels.

Source: Kerntechnik

DOI: 10.1515/kern-2025-0077

Authors: Saeedeh Arabzadeh, Seyed Pezhman Shirmardi, Nasser Mansour Shariflou

Institutions: Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Nuclear and radioactivity studies

Subfield: Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,712