Earticle

In this paper, we used computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) software with several models for the simulation of a TL glow curve which was used for analysis. By using the general approximation plus model, parameters values of the glow curve were analyzed and compared with the other models parameters (general approximation, mixed order kinetics, general order kinetics). The LiF:Mg,Cu,Si and the LiF:Mg,Cu,P material were used for the glow curve analysis. And we based on figure of merits (FOM) which was the goodness of the fitting that was monitored through the value between analysis model and TLD materials. The ideal value of FOM is 0 which represents a perfect fit. The main glow peak makes the most effect of radiation dose assessment of TLD materials. The main peak of the LiF:Mg,Cu,Si materials has a intensity rate 80.76% of the whole TL glow intensity, and that of LiF:Mg,Cu,P materials has a intensity rate 68.07% of the whole TL glow intensity. The activation energy of LiF:Mg,Cu,Si was analyzed as 2.39 eV by result of the general approximation plus(GAP) model. In the case of mixed order kinetics (MOK), the activation energy was analyzed as 2.29 eV. The activation energy was analyzed as 2.38 eV by the general order kinetics (GOK) model. In the case of LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLD, the activation energy was analyzed as 2.39 eV by result of the GAP model. In the case of MOK, the activation energy was analyzed as 2.55 eV. The activation energy was analyzed as 2.51 eV by the GOK model. The R value means different ratio of retrapping‐recombination. The R value of LiF:Mg,Cu,Si TLD main peak analyzed as 1.12 x 10‐6 and α value analyzed as 1.0 x 10‐3. The R of LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLD analyzed as 7.91 x 10‐4, the α value means different ratio of initial thermally trapped electron density‐initial trapped electron density (include thermally disconnected trap electrons density). The α value was analyzed as 9.17 x 10‐1 which was the difference from LiF:Mg,Cu,Si TLD. The deep trap electron density of LiF:Mg,Cu,Si was higher than the deep trap electron density of LiF:Mg,Cu,P.

Two dosimeters are provided to radiation workers participating in tasks where high radiation exposure is expected during maintenance at nuclear power plants. At Korean nuclear power plants, two dosimeters are currently provided for tasks where exposure rates exceed 1 mSv/hr, the difference of equivalent dose to specific parts of the body is more than 30% and an exposure of more than 2 mSv is expected in a single task. These conditions for the provisioning of two dosimeters are based on previous field test results, and it is recommended that the dosimeters be worn on the chest and back. It was also found that the workers felt it was more convenient when they wore two dosimeters on chest and back rather than on chest and head. After the application of previous field test results to practice, it was found that the calculated effective dose for workers during radiation work was lower than the maximum dose of chest or back dosimeter by approximately 10%–30%. This performance is regarded not only to meet the international guideline but also to provide convenience for workers during radiation work.

감마선분광분석법을 이용하여 비상시 환경방사능 모니터링을 수행할 경우 스펙트럼 측정시 해당 시료의 종류에 따른백그라운드 자료 확보와 이를 활용한 체계적인 핵종확인 과정이 선행되어야 한다. 비상시 환경방사능 모니터링을 고려하여 24시간 동안 포집 후 회화시킨 공기부유진 시료를 HPGe 감마선분광분석 시스템으로 계측하여 감마선에너지 스펙트럼을 얻었으며, 그 스펙트럼에서 보이는 피이크들의 핵종을 판별하기 위해 두 가지 방법 - 1) 반감기 추정 2) 핵자료를 이용한 축차우연동시합성피이크 확인 - 으로 접근하였다. 그 결과로서 공기부유진의 감마선에너지스펙트럼에 대한 핵종판별결과 자료를 산출하였다.

For the emergency radiation monitoring using gamma spectrometry, we should sufficiently survey the background spectra as environmental samples with systematic nuclide identification method. In this study, we obtained the gamma ray energy spectrum using a HPGe gamma spectrometry system from an air sample. And we identified nuclide of the gamma ray energy peaks in the spectrum using two methods -1) Half life calculation and 2) survey for cascade coincidence summing peaks using nuclear data. As the results, we produced the nuclide identification results for the air sample.

원전 계획예방정비기간 증기발생기 수실작업 등은 매우 높은 방사선량율을 보이는 지역으로, 짧은 시간 동안 작업으로 종사자는 높은 피폭을 받을 가능성이 있다. 특히, 방사성물질과 접촉작업을 하는 손 부위에서 고피폭이 예상된다. 이런점을 고려하여 2004년 수행된 국내 원전의 복수선량계 알고리즘 적용성 시험의 TLD 판독결과를 이용하여 고피폭 접촉작업의 방사선장을 분석하였다. 그 결과, 원전 고피폭 접촉작업의 입사방사선장은 고에너지 광자(High Energy Photon Field)에 의한 피폭으로 해석되었다. 한편 2009년 울진 4호기 계획예방정비기간 S/G 정비작업과 월성 1호기 압력관교체작업에 참여한 방사선작업종사자에 대해 말단선량 현황과 방사선장을 분석하기위한 현장시험을 실시하였다. 그결과 입사방사선장은 고에너지 방사선장으로 확인되었다.

Maintenance on the water chamber of steam generator during outage in nuclear power plants (NPPs) has a likelihood of high radiation exposure to whole body of workers even short time period due to the high radiation exposure rates. In particular, it is expected that hands would receive the highest radiation exposure because of its contact with radiation materials. In this study, characteristic analysis of inhomogeneous radiation fields for contact operations was conducted using thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) readouts from the application tests of two-dosimeter algorithm to Korean NPPs in 2004. It is regarded that inhomogeneous radiation fields for contact operations in NPPs are dominated by high energy photons. In addition, field tests for workers who participated in maintenance on the steam generator during outage at Ulchin NPPs in 2009 and pressure tube replacement at Wolsong NPPs in 2009 were conducted to analyze radiation fields and to estimate the extremity dose. As a result, radiation fields were dominated by high energy photons.

중수로원전의 방사선작업종사자는 방사선작업 종료 후에 뇨시료를 제출하여 공기중 삼중수소의 섭취에 따른 내부피폭선량을 평가하고 있다. 이 경우 종사자가 제출한 뇨시료는 삼중수소가 체내에서 평형에 도달한 대표시료(Representative sample)라는 전제를 필요로 한다. 국제방사선방호위원회(ICRP)의 간행물과 삼중수소의 인체평형에 대한 캐나다의 실험결과에 의하면 체내로 유입된 삼중수소는 약 2-3시간 후에 평형에 도달한다고 기술하고 있다. 그런데 원전에서는 계획예방정비기간 동안 일시에 많은 작업이 진행되고 빈번한 종사자의 출입으로, 방사선작업 종료 후 제출하는 뇨시료는 섭취 후 평형에 도달하는 약 2시간 경과 이전에 제출하거나, 지연하여 제출하는 경우가 발생할 수 있다. 따라서 이 논문에서는 방사선작업 종료 후 종사자가 제출하는 시간대별 뇨시료 중의 삼중수소 농도를 측정하였고, 이를 근거로 체내 삼중수소의 농도에 대한 변화추이와 선량평가에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 그 결과 종사자의 뇨시료는 대부분 삼중수소 섭취 후 2시간 정도에 신체 내에서 평형에 도달하는 것으로 확인되었다.

In pressurized heavy water reactors, workers who enter radiation controlled areas must submit their urine samples to health physicists after radiation work; these samples are then used to monitor internal radiation exposure from tritium intake. This procedure assumes that the samples submitted represent tritium concentration inside the body at equilibrium. According to both technical reports from the International Commission on Radiological Protection and experimental results from Canadian nuclear utilities, tritium inside the body generally reaches equilibrium concentration after approximately 2-3 hours of intake. In practice, urine samples can be submitted either before the 2 hours mark or after several hours of radiation work because of the numerous tasks that workers must perform and their frequent entries during nuclear power plant maintenance. In this paper, tritium concentration in workers' urine samples was measured as a function of time submitted after radiation work. Based on the measurement results, changes in the tritium concentration inside the body and its effect on internal dose assessment were then analyzed. As a result, it was found that tritium concentration reaches equilibrium concentration before the 2 hours mark for most workers' urine samples.

울진원자력발전소 주변의 환경시료 해조류에서 검출된 766 keV 감마선에너지 피크를 여러 연구기관에서 95Nb 핵종에서 방출된 것으로 해석하고 있다. 그러나 원전의 액체폐기물 처리설비의 장치개선으로 95Nb 배출량이 현격히 감소하였음에도 불구하고 지속적으로 환경시료에서 95Nb 핵종이 검출되고 있는 현상에 대해서 보다 더 정밀한 기술적인 검토가 필요하였다. 이에 측정 스펙트럼을 정밀 분석한 결과, 766 keV 감마선에너지 피크와 234Th-234mPa 붕괴 계열의 다른 감마선에너지 피크(63, 92 및 1001 keV)들이 동시에 같이 검출되고 있으며, 이들 4종의 감마선에너지 피크 계수율의 시간에 대한변화로부터 계산된 반감기가 234Th-234mPa 붕괴 계열의 방사평형시 방사능반감기 24.1 일과 매우 비슷한 값을 나타내었다. 또한 766 keV 와 1001 keV 피크의 상대적인 계수율의 비가 234mPa의 감마선방출율의 상대적인 비 0.35와 매우비슷한 값을 나타내었다. 따라서 이러한 점에서 지금까지 95Nb 핵종에서 방출된 것으로 판단했던 766 keV 감마선에너지 피크는 자연방사성핵종인 234mPa 핵종에서 방출된 것으로 판단된다.

Gamma spectral results for macroalgae samples taken from the environment of Ulchin nuclear power plants in Korea (east coast), showed 766 keV peaks, which were identified as 95Nb by several research institutes. After the enhancement of liquid radioactive waste disposal facility at Ulchin NPP site, the 95Nb amount in the liquid radioactive waste outflow has drastically reduced, but the expected reduction in 95Nb specific activity from environmental samples did not actually show up on gamma spectroscopy. Detailed re-investigation revealed that along with 766 keV peak, other peaks (63, 92 and 1001 keV) from 234Th-234mPa decay series were also detected on spectroscopy, and that the measured half lives of the four peaks were very close to known half life of 234Th-234mPa decay series, which is 24.1 day. The measured gamma yield ratios of 766 keV peak to 1001 peak were very close to known ratio 0.35 for 234mPa. It is concluded that 766 keV peaks on gamma spectroscopy of Ulchin NPP environmental amples were mainly from 234mPa, which is one of naturally occurring radionuclides.

원전에서는 많은 종류의 방사성물질이 생성되어 일부는 환경으로 방사성유출물로서 배출되고 있다. 이러한 방사성유출물 중에서 탄소 동위원소인 Carbon-14는 자연에서 이미 높은 준위의 백그라운드를 형성하고 있기 때문에, 원전에서 Carbon-14가 배출되더라도 환경이나 일반인의 피폭방사선량에 미치는 영향이 미미하여 과거에는 배출감시와 환경감시를 수행하지 않았다. 그런데, 핵연료 제조기술 발달과 운전방법 개선으로 핵연료로부터 불활성기체와 입자방사성물질의 방출이 계속 감소하고 있다. 또한 방사선계측기술의 향상에 따라 삼중수소와 Carbon-14 같은 저준위 베타방사능 핵종의 검출준위가 낮아져, 이들 핵종이 일반인 선량평가에서 미치는 비율이 상대적으로 높아지고 있다. 본 논문은 원자력시설에서 발생하는 Carbon-14에 대해 미국의 기술보고서와 논문 등을 검토하여 배출관리와 환경 영향평가에 대한 방사선감시의 기술적 배경을 조사하였다. 이를 바탕으로 Carbon-14 방사성핵종의 배출감시 방안에 대한 타당성을 제시하고자 하였다.

In nuclear power plants (NPPs), various radioactive materials produced during the operation are discharged as radioactive effluents to the environment. The activity of carbon-14, one of the radioactive effluents, in the environment is already high level and its effect on radiation exposure to the public and the environment is insignificant; thus, NPPs did not perform the carbon-14 monitoring in effluents in the past. By the way, effluents of noble gas and particulate radioactive materials originated from nuclear fuels has been continuously reduced due to both the advancement of manufacturing and integrity technology for nuclear fuels and the improvement of operation methods of NPPs. Futhermore, the portion of dose assessment by tritium and carbon-14 to the public has been relatively increased because the lower limit of detection for low-energy beta sources, such as tritium and carbon-14, is low due to the advancement of radiation detection technology. In this paper, the technical background for carbon-14 monitoring in nuclear facilities was investigated using United States technical reports and papers. This paper also reviews whether carbon-14 monitoring is necessary or not based on the investigated documents.