Open AccessDose consequences from a postulated criticality occurring in a low-level waste disposal facility
Author(s) -
B.L. Broadhead,
R.L. Childs,
C.M. Hopper,
C.V. Parks
Publication year - 1997
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/634004
Subject(s) - criticality , uranium , fissile material , radioactive waste , environmental science , nuclear criticality safety , nuclear engineering , groundwater , waste management , nuclear physics , geology , engineering , physics , neutron , geotechnical engineering
Evaluations were done to determine conditions that could permit nuclear criticality with fissile uranium in low-level waste (LLW) facilities and to estimate potential radiation exposures to personnel if there were such an accident. Simultaneous hydrogeochemical and nuclear criticality studies were done (1) to identity realistic scenarios for uranium migration and concentration increase at LLW disposal facilities, (2) to model groundwater transport of uranium and subsequent concentration via sorption or precipitation, (3) to evaluate the potential for nuclear criticality resulting from potential increases in uranium concentration over disposal limits, and (4) to estimate potential radiation exposures to personnel resulting from criticality consequences. This paper presents the details of the radiation exposure calculations relying on the conditions as determined from the preceding studies detailed in a cited reference