Development of a decommissioning waste assessment module for heavy water reactors

• Published in: Annals of nuclear energy Vol. 212; p. 111001
• Main Authors: Shin, Hyun Young, Park, Kyu Tae, Park, Chan Hee, Kim, Sung Ryul, Oh, Jung Min, Lee, Ba Ro, Kim, Ji Ung, Kim, Hye Jin, Jeong, So Yun, Yoo, Wook Jae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2025
• Subjects: CANDU decommissioning; Decommissioning program; Decommissioning waste amount; Waste assessment; CANDU decommissioning; Waste assessment; Decommissioning waste amount; Decommissioning program
• ISSN: 0306-4549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2024.111001

•We developed a Decommissioning Waste Assessment Module (DWAM) for HWRs.•DWAM is an advanced software tool designed to optimize the decommissioning process.•DWAM can serve as a simulation tool to select the optimal decommissioning process.
In this study, we developed a Decommissioning Waste Assessment Module (DWAM) for Heavy Water Reactors (HWRs). To evaluate the waste amount of radioactive structures that make up a significant portion of decommissioning waste, we establish a comprehensive DB containing detailed information on the volume, weight, material type, and radioactivity of each decommissioning waste segment. Decommissioning waste assessment algorithms were developed and applied in the proposed module to optimize the calculated results, and their performance was evaluated to ensure accuracy and reliability. The DWAM currently being developed for the Wolsong Unit 1 commercial pressurized heavy water reactor is a technology that has the potential to be utilized not only for domestic reactors but also for reactors worldwide. In addition, the technology is expected to contribute to the development of technology related to the decommissioning of both radioactive and non-radioactive structures.