<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Heterogeneous catalytic recombination of hydrogen with oxygen is one of the methods used to remove hydrogen from the containment of a light-water nuclear reactor (LWR). Inside a passive autocatalytic recombiner (PAR), hydrogen and oxygen molecules are adsorbed at catalyst active spots and they recombine to yield water. Heat released in this exothermic reaction creates natural convection of gas in the spaces between the elements supporting a catalyst. Hot and humid gas flows upwards into the PAR chimney, while fresh, hydrogen-rich gas enters the PAR from below. Catalytic recombination should start spontaneously at room temperature and low hydrogen concentration. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to study the dynamic behaviour of a plate-type Areva FR-380 recombiner in a quiescent environment for several test scenarios, including different rates of increase in hydrogen concentration and temporary catalyst deactivation. A method for the determination of pressure boundary conditions at the PAR exits was proposed and implemented into a CFD code. In this way, transient operation of PAR could be simulated without the need to model gas circulation outside the device. It was found that first a slow downward flow of gas is developed, which may persist until the temperature of the catalyst foils rises. As soon as the gas inside the PAR absorbs enough heat to become lighter than the gas outside the PAR, it starts to flow upwards. Criteria for determining the start-up time of PAR were proposed. Model predictions were also compared with experimental data obtained in tests conducted at the THAI facility.</abstract>

Simulation of start-up behaviour of a passive autocatalytic hydrogen recombiner

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Radon Rn-222 is a commonly occurring natural radionuclide found in the environment from uranium-radium radioactive series, which is the decay product of radium Ra-226. The presence of radon carries negative health effects. It is, in fact, classified as a carcinogen, and therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor its concentration. The aim of this study was to determine the level of radon-222 concentration in water intended for human consumption in the two voivodeships of Poland: West Pomeranian and Kuyavian-Pomeranian. Measurements were performed for more than 60 intakes. The level of radon was measured by using the liquid scintillation counting method. The range of measured radon concentration in the water from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship was from 0.90 to 11.41 Bq/dm3 with an average of 5.01 Bq/dm3, while that from the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship was from 1.22 to 24.20 Bq/dm3 with an average of 4.67 Bq/dm3. Only in three water intakes, the concentration of radon-222 exceeded the value of 10 Bq/dm3. The obtained results allowed to conclude that population exposure associated with radon-222 in water is negligible and there is no need to take further action. In the case of three intakes where a higher concentration of radon was found, the potential exposure was low.</abstract>

Radon 222Rn in drinking water of West Pomeranian Voivodeship and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">An economical and easy-to-implement technique is outlined by which the mean nocturnal atmospheric mixing state (“stability”) can be assessed over a broad (city-scale) heterogeneous region solely based on near-surface (2 m above ground level [a.g.l.]) observations of the passive tracer radon-222. The results presented here are mainly based on summer data of hourly meteorological and radon observations near Łodź, Central Poland, from 4 years (2008–2011). Behaviour of the near-surface wind speed and vertical temperature gradient (the primary controls of the nocturnal atmospheric mixing state), as well as the urban heat island intensity, are investigated within each of the four radon-based nocturnal stability categories derived for this study (least stable, weakly stable, moderately stable, and stable). On average, the most (least) stable nights were characterized by vertical temperature gradient of 1.1 (0.5)°C·m−1, wind speed of ~0.4 (~1.0) m·s−1, and urban heat island intensity of 4.5 (0.5)°C. For sites more than 20 km inland from the coast, where soils are not completely saturated or frozen, radon-based nocturnal stability classification can significantly enhance and simplify a range of environmental research applications (e.g. urban climate studies, urban pollution studies, regulatory dispersion modelling, and evaluating the performance of regional climate and pollution models).</abstract>

Department of Meteorology and Climatology, Faculty of Geographical Sciences

ANSTO Institute for Environmental Research

Radon-based technique for the analysis of atmospheric stability – a case study from Central Poland

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Original Paper

Simulation of start-up behaviour of a passive autocatalytic hydrogen recombiner

Radon ²²²Rn in drinking water of West Pomeranian Voivodeship and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland

Radon-based technique for the analysis of atmospheric stability – a case study from Central Poland

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