Hydrodynamic Modeling of Radionuclide Effluent in Moticher Lake, Kakrapar Atomic Power Station, India
Publication: Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 24, Issue 1
Abstract
Radioactive effluent is generated through a nuclear fuel cycle involving the use of radioactive materials in nuclear power plants. The concentration of the nuclear effluent is of concern if it is discharged into a natural water body and potentially used for human consumption. The present study involves numerical simulation of hydrodynamic parameters for prediction of near-field concentrations of tritium at various sampling points in a natural lake system in India. The modeling software with volume of fluid (VOF) two-phase model, for tracking the fraction of each fluid element, and model, as turbulence closure, is used to analyze the dispersion of tritium in the lake domain. The simulated results are validated using data on velocity and tritium () concentrations measured at sampling locations in the lake system. The simulated hydrodynamic parameters are reported to be in agreement with their measured values at sampling locations, particularly with a wind effect on the lake surface. The simulated values of hydrodynamic parameters as well as tritium concentrations are found to be within of their respective measured values in the lake domain. The safe disposal practices of tritium within the lake system are indicated because simulated effluent concentrations are well within the permissible limits of international standards. The numerical model would be useful for real-time operation and management of the chosen lake system in future while simulating the concentration of tritium at different sampling locations, monitoring their concentrations within permissible limits, and ensuring passage of safe water further downstream in the canal system for municipal, industrial, and irrigation usages.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code used during the study were provided by a third party (list items). Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider as indicated in the Acknowledgments.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support extended by the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, Ref. No. 36(4)/14/05/2014/BRNS/1075 dated July 14, 2014, and for providing the data for the current research.
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Published In
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 24 • Issue 1 • January 2020
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 22, 2019
Accepted: Jun 18, 2019
Published online: Sep 18, 2019
Published in print: Jan 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Feb 18, 2020
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