Environmental Aspects of a Pilot Power Complex in Project Breakthrough

Abstract

The particularities of the formation of the potential biological danger of actinides and fission products in time and the influence of the migration factor on it are examined. The calculation of the dose characteristics of long-lived radionuclides took account of the effect of internal and external irradiation on humans. The internal irradiation dose was calculated taking account of the transfer of radionuclides from soil into food products. It was found that the actinides, ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷C, make the main contribution to the biological danger for 500 years, and are followed by americium and ⁹⁹Tc from the fission products. The separation of 99% of the americium and technetium (which can be transmuted) from the irradiated fuel is optimal for satisfying the principle of radiation equivalence. The use of nitride fuel in fast reactors requires special attention to isolation of ¹⁴C from the environment. It was shown that taking account of the presence of agricultural lands in the action zone of enterprises in the pilot demonstration power complex softens the requirements of admissible carbon emission in the gas phase with absolute satisfaction of the safety requirements for the effect on the general public.