Analytical formulation for the radioactive contaminant released from nuclear power plants

• Published in: Transactions on ecology and the environment Vol. 157; pp. 13 - 22
• Main Authors: BODMANN, B. E. J, RIZZA, U, BUSKE, D, VILHENA, M. T, TIRABASSI, T
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Southampton WIT Press 2012; W I T Press
• Subjects: Accidental release; Advection-diffusion equation; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Computer simulation; Contaminants; Dispersion; Exact sciences and technology; Mesoscale phenomena; Meteorological parameters; Nuclear accidents & safety; Nuclear energy; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Pollution; Radioactive contaminants; Radioactive contamination; Radioactive pollution; Three dimensional models; Velocity distribution; Weather forecasting; Wind speed; United States; North America; America; Atmospheric condition; Radioactive pollution; Wind field; Power plant; Pollutant behavior; Wind velocity; Advection diffusion equation; Modeling; Nuclear accident; Nuclear power plant; Fission reactor accidents; Atmospheric pollution forecasting; Air pollution; Atmospheric dispersion
• ISBN: 1845645820; 9781845645823
• ISSN: 1746-448X; 1743-3541
• DOI: 10.2495/AIR120021

In this contribution we discuss analytical modelling of radioactive substance dispersion that results from either controlled or accidental release by nuclear power plants. Our model is based on the three-dimensional advection–diffusion equation with mean wind velocity field from observation. All meteorological parameters are determined using the meso-scale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) platform. The obtained solution permits us to simulate radioactive substances dispersion in a turbulent regime in the environment around a power plant, which is of interest for nuclear reactor accident scenarios and their related emergency actions.We discuss the closed form method for solving the equation which is then applied to radioactive substance dispersion. Finally, the results of the model are presented.