Title: Operational air pollution prediction and doses calculation in case of nuclear emergency at Krško Nuclear Power Plant

Authors: Primož Mlakar; Marija Zlata Božnar; Borut Breznik

Addresses: MEIS d.o.o., Mali Vrh pri Šmarju 78, SI-1293 Šmarje-Sap, Slovenia ' MEIS d.o.o., Mali Vrh pri Šmarju 78, SI-1293 Šmarje-Sap, Slovenia ' Nuklearna elektrarna Krško – Krško Nuclear Power Plant, Vrbina 12, SI-8270 Krško, Slovenia

Abstract: The paper presents fully operational air pollution prediction and doses calculation system working in 2/24/7/365 mode for more than a decade in Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Krško NPP lies in complex terrain in Slovenia very close to Croatia border. A dedicated software is available for detailed estimation of possible radioactive emission (source term). This part of the procedure is used by trained NPP operators and then automatically coupled with dilution coefficients to obtain radionuclide air pollution concentrations. As radioactive material causes dose also with distant cloud shine not only by direct touch or inhalation, special procedure is implemented for dose estimation. We present in detail our algorithm for distant cloud shine estimation based on dilution coefficients calculation. The paper concludes by stressing the importance of correct air pollution prediction with best possible modelling techniques where achieving time and space accurate modelling is required for proper population protection.

Keywords: air pollution; cloud gamma; dose calculation; dose estimation; radioactive emissions; Lagrangian particle dispersion modelling; nuclear emergency; population protection; pollution prediction; radioactive source term; radionuclide concentration; nuclear power plants; NPP; nuclear energy; air quality; radiation dosage.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2014.065119

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2014 Vol.54 No.2/3/4, pp.184 - 192

Published online: 29 Oct 2014 *

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