Environmental impact assessment of the nuclear reactor in Vinča, based on the data on emission of radioactivity from the literature: A modeling approach

Abstract

Research activities of Vinca Institute have been based on two heavy water research reactors: a 10 MW one, RA, and zero power, RB. Reactor RA was operational from 1962 to 1982. In 2010, spent fuel has been sent to the country of origin, and the reactor now is in decommissioning. During the operational phase of the reactor there were no recorded accidental releases into the environment, only operational ones. Results of the environmental impact assessment of the assumed emission of radionuclides from the ventilation of nuclear reactor 'RA' in Vinca to the atmospheric boundary layer are presented in this paper. Evaluation was done by using the Gaussian straight-line diffusion model and taking into account characteristics of the reactor ventilation system, the assumed emission release of radioactivity (from the literature), site-specific meteorological data for six-year period and local topography around nuclear reactor, and corresponding dose factors for inventory of radionuclides. Based on the described approach, and assuming that the range of appropriate meteorological data for six year period for the application of described mathematical model is enough for this kind of analysis, it can be concluded that the nuclear reactor RA, in the course of its work from 1962 to 1982, had no influence on the surrounding environment through the air above regulatory limits.

Deo istraživanja u Institutu Vinča zasnivao se na dva teškovodna istraživačka reaktora od 10 MW RA i nulte snage RB. Reaktor RA je bio u funkciji od 1962. do 1982. U 2010. godini istrošeno gorivo je poslato u zemlju porekla (Rusija), a reaktoru predstoji faza dekomisije. Tokom operativnog rada reaktora nije bilo akcidentalnih emisija radioaktivnosti u životnu sredinu. U radu su prikazani rezultati procene uticaja na okolinu nuklearnog reaktora RA u Vinči, za pretpostavljenu emisiju radionuklida (literaturni podatak) u granični sloj atmosfere preko ventilacije reaktora. Za procenu je primenjen Gausov pravolinijski model dimne perjanice sa karakteristikama reaktorskog ventilacionog sistema, sa šestogodišnjim nizom časovnih meteoroloških podataka na lokaciji reaktora RA, lokalnom topografijom terena oko reaktora i odgovarajućim doznim faktorima za radionuklide iz korišćenog inventara o emisiji u atmosferu. Na osnovu navedenih pretpostavki o emisiji radionuklida, primenom opisanog difuzionog modela, sa nizom časovnih meteoroločkih podataka, dovoljnim za ovakvu vrstu analiza, u radu je zaključeno da nuklearni reaktor RA u periodu od 1962. do 1982, preko vazduha nije uticao na svoju okolinu iznad propisanih granica.