Post-Severe Nuclear Accident Chemical Water And Surface Clean-up Methods For LWRs To Reduce The Amounts Of Highly Contaminated Waste Water

摘要

In the event of a nuclear accident which occasions severe damages to the fuel, in many reactor designs the water will become highly contaminated with a wide range of both short and long lived radioisotopes. Organic contaminants formed by the pyrolysis and radiolysis of organic materials (cables, paint films) will complicate the water chemistry further. In addition the radiolysis of the air, release of metal chlorides from cables and the use of sea water for cooling as a final resort will increase the ionic strength of the water and complicate the management of the water both during and after an accident. The high ionic strength may prevent the usability of conventional ion exchange resins such as sulfonated polystyrenes. A series of methods designed to be useable in extremis to reduce the release of radioactivity to groundwater, rivers or the sea are presented and discussed. Also a method for the decontamination of painted surfaces to reduce the radiation exposure of decontamination workers, within the plant is presented. Some of the proposed methods are also applicable for environmental clean-up, waste water storage and fuel handling facilities.