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The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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Smarter waste strategies: Helping deliver on the promise of advanced nuclear
At COP28, held in Dubai in 2023, a clear consensus emerged: Nuclear energy must be a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition. With electricity demand projected to soar as we decarbonize not just power but also industry, transport, and heat, the case for new nuclear is compelling. More than 20 countries committed to tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050. In the United States alone, the Department of Energy forecasts that the country’s current nuclear capacity could more than triple, adding 200 GW of new nuclear to the existing 95 GW by mid-century.
R. R. Smith
Nuclear Technology | Volume 53 | Number 2 | May 1981 | Pages 147-154
Technical Paper | Realistic Estimates of the Consequences of Nuclear Accident / Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT81-A32619
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Three series of destructive reactor experiments were examined from the viewpoint of fission product dispersal to the environment and fission product retention in the fuel, coolant, and structural surroundings.The experiments included the following: the Boiling Reactor Experiment (BORAX-I), 1954; Special Power Excursion Reactor Test (SPERT-I), 1962; and Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power Transient Reactor test series (SNAPTRAN) 2/10A-3, 1964; and SNAPTRAN-2, 1966. All but SNAPTRAN-2 were carried out in a water medium. Particular emphasis was placed on the release behavior of iodine fission products since it is these that have the highest radiological effectiveness. The results of the studies showed that when fuel is damaged in a water medium essentially all of the radioiodine is retained in the water. Essentially none was volatilized and dispersed to the atmosphere. In the case of fuel damage in an air medium (SNAPTRAN-2), 70% of the radioiodine was released to the atmosphere. Release fractions for the noble gas fission products were also evaluated. These ranged from a low of 3 to 4% in SNAPTRAN-2/10A-3 (water medium) to a high of 75% in SNAPTRAN-2 (air medium). These data, along with those for radioiodine, confirm the effectiveness of water as a medium for limiting the release of fission products to the environment from damaged fuel.
