Development of CANDU-specific operational intervention levels

Luke Lebel; Manit Shah; Sohan Chouhan; Morgan Brown; Andrew Morreale; Geoff Edwards; Volodymyr Korolevych

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108890

Development of CANDU-specific operational intervention levels

Luke Lebel
, Manit Shah
, Sohan Chouhan
, Morgan Brown
, Andrew Morreale
, Geoff Edwards
, Volodymyr Korolevych

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Operational intervention levels (OILs) are measurement-based criteria to indicate whether the prompt implementation of protective response actions (e.g., evacuation, relocation, food restrictions) should be undertaken in a nuclear emergency. The IAEA published a new set in 2017 based on light water reactors, while the uncertainties on whether they could be applicable to CANDU reactors (which have different fuel burn-up and severe accident progression characteristics) are addressed in this study. By and large, the CANDU-specific OIL(t,mix) function values were similar to the light water reactor-based IAEA values. One exception was OIL7 for food restrictions, which required that an additional marker radionuclide, ¹⁰⁶Ru, be considered in addition to ¹³¹I and ¹³⁷Cs, to reduce the uncertainty of the OIL. The CANDU-specific OIL values that result from this study will help to inform national authorities on how to adapt OILs to the emergency response arrangements in Canada and other countries operating CANDU reactors.

Original language	English
Article number	108890
Journal	Annals of Nuclear Energy
Volume	168
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108890
State	Published - Apr 2022
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Funding for this work was provided by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited under the auspices of their Federal Nuclear Science and Technology Program. The authors would also like to thank representatives from the Health Canada Radiation Protection Bureau, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and IAEA Emergency Incident Centre for the valuable discussions and input during the conceptualization and execution of this study. Funding for this work was provided by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited under the auspices of their Federal Nuclear Science and Technology Program. The authors would also like to thank representatives from the Health Canada Radiation Protection Bureau, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and IAEA Emergency Incident Centre for the valuable discussions and input during the conceptualization and execution of this study.

Keywords

CANDU reactors
Emergency planning
Environmental fate and transport modelling
Environmental monitoring
Operational intervention levels (OILs)
Severe accidents

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10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108890

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title = "Development of CANDU-specific operational intervention levels",

abstract = "Operational intervention levels (OILs) are measurement-based criteria to indicate whether the prompt implementation of protective response actions (e.g., evacuation, relocation, food restrictions) should be undertaken in a nuclear emergency. The IAEA published a new set in 2017 based on light water reactors, while the uncertainties on whether they could be applicable to CANDU reactors (which have different fuel burn-up and severe accident progression characteristics) are addressed in this study. By and large, the CANDU-specific OIL(t,mix) function values were similar to the light water reactor-based IAEA values. One exception was OIL7 for food restrictions, which required that an additional marker radionuclide, 106Ru, be considered in addition to 131I and 137Cs, to reduce the uncertainty of the OIL. The CANDU-specific OIL values that result from this study will help to inform national authorities on how to adapt OILs to the emergency response arrangements in Canada and other countries operating CANDU reactors.",

keywords = "CANDU reactors, Emergency planning, Environmental fate and transport modelling, Environmental monitoring, Operational intervention levels (OILs), Severe accidents",

author = "Luke Lebel and Manit Shah and Sohan Chouhan and Morgan Brown and Andrew Morreale and Geoff Edwards and Volodymyr Korolevych",

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AU - Lebel, Luke

AU - Shah, Manit

AU - Chouhan, Sohan

AU - Brown, Morgan

AU - Morreale, Andrew

AU - Edwards, Geoff

AU - Korolevych, Volodymyr

PY - 2022/4

Y1 - 2022/4

N2 - Operational intervention levels (OILs) are measurement-based criteria to indicate whether the prompt implementation of protective response actions (e.g., evacuation, relocation, food restrictions) should be undertaken in a nuclear emergency. The IAEA published a new set in 2017 based on light water reactors, while the uncertainties on whether they could be applicable to CANDU reactors (which have different fuel burn-up and severe accident progression characteristics) are addressed in this study. By and large, the CANDU-specific OIL(t,mix) function values were similar to the light water reactor-based IAEA values. One exception was OIL7 for food restrictions, which required that an additional marker radionuclide, 106Ru, be considered in addition to 131I and 137Cs, to reduce the uncertainty of the OIL. The CANDU-specific OIL values that result from this study will help to inform national authorities on how to adapt OILs to the emergency response arrangements in Canada and other countries operating CANDU reactors.

AB - Operational intervention levels (OILs) are measurement-based criteria to indicate whether the prompt implementation of protective response actions (e.g., evacuation, relocation, food restrictions) should be undertaken in a nuclear emergency. The IAEA published a new set in 2017 based on light water reactors, while the uncertainties on whether they could be applicable to CANDU reactors (which have different fuel burn-up and severe accident progression characteristics) are addressed in this study. By and large, the CANDU-specific OIL(t,mix) function values were similar to the light water reactor-based IAEA values. One exception was OIL7 for food restrictions, which required that an additional marker radionuclide, 106Ru, be considered in addition to 131I and 137Cs, to reduce the uncertainty of the OIL. The CANDU-specific OIL values that result from this study will help to inform national authorities on how to adapt OILs to the emergency response arrangements in Canada and other countries operating CANDU reactors.

KW - CANDU reactors

KW - Emergency planning

KW - Environmental fate and transport modelling

KW - Environmental monitoring

KW - Operational intervention levels (OILs)

KW - Severe accidents

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DO - 10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108890

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VL - 168

JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy

JF - Annals of Nuclear Energy

M1 - 108890

ER -

Development of CANDU-specific operational intervention levels

Abstract

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Keywords

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