Dose Rate Impacts of Activity Transport in Primary Coolant Systems

tplion

Abstract
    Recent United States PWR experiences have seen a myriad of radiological differences. Some plants have experienced very large crud bursts during forced oxidation, while others have had near zero releases. Some plants have noted higher than normal radiation fields on ex-core surfaces, while others have fields that are the lowest in the plant history. Complicating the problem is that very few plants in the United States operate similarly.
    These experiences have motivated the RP2020 initiative sponsored by NEI, INPO and EPRI. EPRI has been charged with the technical lead of understanding the causes of radioactivity transport and how plant operations and design differences (increased core duty, chemistry strategies and plant design) affect radiation fields.
    This report outlines the research strategy of the EPRI Source Term Reduction program. Highlights of the PWR Source Term Reduction Workshop are presented, and recommendations for short-term and long-term projects are given.
    Short term objectives include completing the PWR Chemistry Monitoring and Assessment Database, reviewing end of cycle normal operating chemistries, and developing a high activity release action template. Long-term strategies include evaluating the effects of steam generator surface state on release rates and performing a coordinated gamma spectroscopy analysis on a plant during shutdown.