Hongnian Jow - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Hongnian Jow
As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel... more As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to increase around the world, and if most such countries continue to postpone decisions about direct disposal or recycling of spent fuel, interim storage will be the de facto solution for SNF management for decades to come. The International Atomic Energy Agency has projected worldwide inventories of SNF to increase steadily over the next few decades, with estimated total worldwide SNF stored in either pools or interim dry-storage facilities reaching 350,000 tHM (tones of heavy metal) by 2020. Safety, security, and safeguards concerns for such interim storage facilities will become increasingly important.
As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel... more As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to increase around the world, and if most such countries continue to postpone decisions about direct disposal or recycling of spent fuel, interim storage will be the de facto solution for SNF management for decades to come. The International Atomic Energy Agency has projected worldwide inventories of SNF to increase steadily over the next few decades, with estimated total worldwide SNF stored in either pools or interim dry-storage facilities reaching 350,000 tHM (tones of heavy metal) by 2020. Safety, security, and safeguards concerns for such interim storage facilities will become increasingly important.
As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel... more As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to increase around the world, and if most such countries continue to postpone decisions about direct disposal or recycling of spent fuel, interim storage will be the de facto solution for SNF management for decades to come. The International Atomic Energy Agency has projected worldwide inventories of SNF to increase steadily over the next few decades, with estimated total worldwide SNF stored in either pools or interim dry-storage facilities reaching 350,000 tHM (tones of heavy metal) by 2020. Safety, security, and safeguards concerns for such interim storage facilities will become increasingly important. SNF storage facilities must collect a variety of information in order to monitor operations, site security, and compliance with safeguards requirements. Such information is relevant not only to a facility's operator, but to a variety of stakeholders, including r...
Description/Abstract This paper presents an overview of the methodology used in the recent perfor... more Description/Abstract This paper presents an overview of the methodology used in the recent performance assessment (PA) to support the US Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Area Offices (CAOs) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Compliance Certification ...
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being developed by the US Department of Energy for the ... more The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being developed by the US Department of Energy for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. A Compliance Certification Application (CCA) of the WIPP (1) for such disposal was submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October, 1996, and is currently under review, with a decision anticipated in late 1997. An important component of the CCA is a performance assessment (PA) for the WIPP carried out by Sandia National Laboratories. The final outcome of the PA is a complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) for radionuclide releases from the WIPP to the accessible environment and an assessment of the confidence with which this CCDF can be estimated. This paper describes the computational process used to develop the CCDF. The results of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis are also presented.
Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2000
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE... more The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic disposal of transuranic waste. The construction of complementary cumulative distribution fimctions (CCDFS) for total radionuclide release from the WIPP to the accessible environment is described. The resultant CCDFS (i) combine releases due to cuttings~d cavings, spallings, direct brine release, and long-term transportin flowing groundwater, (ii) fall substantially to the left of the boundary line specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) standard40 CFR 191 for the geologic disposal of radioactive waste, and (iii) constitute an important component of the DOE's successfid Compliance Certification Application to the EPA for %.heWIPP.
Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2000
The conceptual structure of the 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Pl... more The conceptual structure of the 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is described. This structure involves three basic entities (EN1, EN2, EN3): (i) EN1, a probabilistic characterization of the likelihood of different fimmes occurring at the WIPP site over the next 10,000 yr, (ii) EN2, a procedure for estimating the radionuclide releases to the accessible environment associated with each of the possl%le futures that could occur at the WIPP site over the next 10,000 yr, and (iii) EN3, a probabilistic characterization of the uncertainty in the parameters used in the definition of EN1 and EN2. In the formal development of the 1996 WIPP PA EN 1 is characterized by a probability space {S~fi~~pJ for stochastic (i.e., aleatory) uncertainly; EN2 is characterized by a function J that corresponds to the models and associated computer programs used to estimate radionuclide release$ and EN3 is characterized by a probability space (S~u, d SW pm) for subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty. A high-level overview of the 1996 WIPP PA and references to additional sources of information are given in the context of (S~t, Sp ps:),f md (Ssu,~Su, PJ
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 1998
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy as a... more The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy as a geologic (i.e., deep underground) disposal facility for transuranic waste. An analysis is presented of possible radiation exposures associated with inadvertent drilling intrusions through the WIPP using future drilling rates obtained in accordance with requirements specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
Health Physics, 1999
Abstract Doses of internal radiation from inhalation of metal tritide aerosols are potentially a ... more Abstract Doses of internal radiation from inhalation of metal tritide aerosols are potentially a major radiation protection problem encountered by nuclear industry workers. Based on results of experiments with rats intratracheally instilled with titanium tritide particles and on ...
Health Physics, 1997
Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as ... more Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as components of neutron generators. The current understanding of metal tritides and their radiation dosimetry for internal exposure is very limited, and the ICRP Publication 30 does not provide for tritium dosimetry in metal tritide form. However, a few papers in the literature suggest that the solubility of metal tritides could be low. The current radiation protection guidelines for metal tritide particles are based on the assumption that their biological behavior is similar to tritiated water, which could be easily absorbed into body fluid. Therefore, these particles could have relatively short biological half-lives (10 d). If the solubility is low, the biological half-life of metal tritide particles and the dosimetry of an inhalation exposure to these particles could be quite different from tritiated water. This paper describes experiments on the dissolution rate of titanium tritide particles in a simulated lung fluid. Titanium tritide particles with mean sizes of 103 microm (coarse) and 0.95 microm (fine) were used. The results showed that the coarse particles dissolved much more slowly than the fine particles. The long-term dissolution half times were 361 and 33 d for the coarse and fine particles, respectively. Dissolution data of the fine particles were consistent with the diffusion theory. The dissolution half times were longer than the 10-d biological half time for tritiated water in the body. This finding has significant implications for the current health protection guidelines, including annual limits of intakes and derived air concentrations.
Health Physics, 1997
Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as ... more Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as components of neutron generators. The current understanding of metal tritides and their radiation dosimetry for internal exposure is very limited, and the ICRP Publication 30 does not provide for tritium dosimetry in metal tritide form. However, a few papers in the literature suggest that the solubility of metal tritides could be low. The current radiation protection guidelines for metal tritide particles are based on the assumption that their biological behavior is similar to tritiated water, which could be easily absorbed into body fluid. Therefore, these particles could have relatively short biological half-lives (10 d). If the solubility is low, the biological half-life of metal tritide particles and the dosimetry of an inhalation exposure to these particles could be quite different from tritiated water. This paper describes experiments on the dissolution rate of titanium tritide particles in a simulated lung fluid. Titanium tritide particles with mean sizes of 103 microm (coarse) and 0.95 microm (fine) were used. The results showed that the coarse particles dissolved much more slowly than the fine particles. The long-term dissolution half times were 361 and 33 d for the coarse and fine particles, respectively. Dissolution data of the fine particles were consistent with the diffusion theory. The dissolution half times were longer than the 10-d biological half time for tritiated water in the body. This finding has significant implications for the current health protection guidelines, including annual limits of intakes and derived air concentrations.
As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel... more As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to increase around the world, and if most such countries continue to postpone decisions about direct disposal or recycling of spent fuel, interim storage will be the de facto solution for SNF management for decades to come. The International Atomic Energy Agency has projected worldwide inventories of SNF to increase steadily over the next few decades, with estimated total worldwide SNF stored in either pools or interim dry-storage facilities reaching 350,000 tHM (tones of heavy metal) by 2020. Safety, security, and safeguards concerns for such interim storage facilities will become increasingly important.
As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel... more As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to increase around the world, and if most such countries continue to postpone decisions about direct disposal or recycling of spent fuel, interim storage will be the de facto solution for SNF management for decades to come. The International Atomic Energy Agency has projected worldwide inventories of SNF to increase steadily over the next few decades, with estimated total worldwide SNF stored in either pools or interim dry-storage facilities reaching 350,000 tHM (tones of heavy metal) by 2020. Safety, security, and safeguards concerns for such interim storage facilities will become increasingly important.
As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel... more As more countries consider increased use of nuclear energy, interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will continue to increase around the world, and if most such countries continue to postpone decisions about direct disposal or recycling of spent fuel, interim storage will be the de facto solution for SNF management for decades to come. The International Atomic Energy Agency has projected worldwide inventories of SNF to increase steadily over the next few decades, with estimated total worldwide SNF stored in either pools or interim dry-storage facilities reaching 350,000 tHM (tones of heavy metal) by 2020. Safety, security, and safeguards concerns for such interim storage facilities will become increasingly important. SNF storage facilities must collect a variety of information in order to monitor operations, site security, and compliance with safeguards requirements. Such information is relevant not only to a facility's operator, but to a variety of stakeholders, including r...
Description/Abstract This paper presents an overview of the methodology used in the recent perfor... more Description/Abstract This paper presents an overview of the methodology used in the recent performance assessment (PA) to support the US Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Area Offices (CAOs) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Compliance Certification ...
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being developed by the US Department of Energy for the ... more The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being developed by the US Department of Energy for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. A Compliance Certification Application (CCA) of the WIPP (1) for such disposal was submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October, 1996, and is currently under review, with a decision anticipated in late 1997. An important component of the CCA is a performance assessment (PA) for the WIPP carried out by Sandia National Laboratories. The final outcome of the PA is a complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) for radionuclide releases from the WIPP to the accessible environment and an assessment of the confidence with which this CCDF can be estimated. This paper describes the computational process used to develop the CCDF. The results of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis are also presented.
Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2000
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE... more The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic disposal of transuranic waste. The construction of complementary cumulative distribution fimctions (CCDFS) for total radionuclide release from the WIPP to the accessible environment is described. The resultant CCDFS (i) combine releases due to cuttings~d cavings, spallings, direct brine release, and long-term transportin flowing groundwater, (ii) fall substantially to the left of the boundary line specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) standard40 CFR 191 for the geologic disposal of radioactive waste, and (iii) constitute an important component of the DOE's successfid Compliance Certification Application to the EPA for %.heWIPP.
Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 2000
The conceptual structure of the 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Pl... more The conceptual structure of the 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is described. This structure involves three basic entities (EN1, EN2, EN3): (i) EN1, a probabilistic characterization of the likelihood of different fimmes occurring at the WIPP site over the next 10,000 yr, (ii) EN2, a procedure for estimating the radionuclide releases to the accessible environment associated with each of the possl%le futures that could occur at the WIPP site over the next 10,000 yr, and (iii) EN3, a probabilistic characterization of the uncertainty in the parameters used in the definition of EN1 and EN2. In the formal development of the 1996 WIPP PA EN 1 is characterized by a probability space {S~fi~~pJ for stochastic (i.e., aleatory) uncertainly; EN2 is characterized by a function J that corresponds to the models and associated computer programs used to estimate radionuclide release$ and EN3 is characterized by a probability space (S~u, d SW pm) for subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty. A high-level overview of the 1996 WIPP PA and references to additional sources of information are given in the context of (S~t, Sp ps:),f md (Ssu,~Su, PJ
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 1998
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy as a... more The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the U.S. Department of Energy as a geologic (i.e., deep underground) disposal facility for transuranic waste. An analysis is presented of possible radiation exposures associated with inadvertent drilling intrusions through the WIPP using future drilling rates obtained in accordance with requirements specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
Health Physics, 1999
Abstract Doses of internal radiation from inhalation of metal tritide aerosols are potentially a ... more Abstract Doses of internal radiation from inhalation of metal tritide aerosols are potentially a major radiation protection problem encountered by nuclear industry workers. Based on results of experiments with rats intratracheally instilled with titanium tritide particles and on ...
Health Physics, 1997
Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as ... more Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as components of neutron generators. The current understanding of metal tritides and their radiation dosimetry for internal exposure is very limited, and the ICRP Publication 30 does not provide for tritium dosimetry in metal tritide form. However, a few papers in the literature suggest that the solubility of metal tritides could be low. The current radiation protection guidelines for metal tritide particles are based on the assumption that their biological behavior is similar to tritiated water, which could be easily absorbed into body fluid. Therefore, these particles could have relatively short biological half-lives (10 d). If the solubility is low, the biological half-life of metal tritide particles and the dosimetry of an inhalation exposure to these particles could be quite different from tritiated water. This paper describes experiments on the dissolution rate of titanium tritide particles in a simulated lung fluid. Titanium tritide particles with mean sizes of 103 microm (coarse) and 0.95 microm (fine) were used. The results showed that the coarse particles dissolved much more slowly than the fine particles. The long-term dissolution half times were 361 and 33 d for the coarse and fine particles, respectively. Dissolution data of the fine particles were consistent with the diffusion theory. The dissolution half times were longer than the 10-d biological half time for tritiated water in the body. This finding has significant implications for the current health protection guidelines, including annual limits of intakes and derived air concentrations.
Health Physics, 1997
Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as ... more Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti 3Hx) and erbium tritide (Er 3Hx) have been used as components of neutron generators. The current understanding of metal tritides and their radiation dosimetry for internal exposure is very limited, and the ICRP Publication 30 does not provide for tritium dosimetry in metal tritide form. However, a few papers in the literature suggest that the solubility of metal tritides could be low. The current radiation protection guidelines for metal tritide particles are based on the assumption that their biological behavior is similar to tritiated water, which could be easily absorbed into body fluid. Therefore, these particles could have relatively short biological half-lives (10 d). If the solubility is low, the biological half-life of metal tritide particles and the dosimetry of an inhalation exposure to these particles could be quite different from tritiated water. This paper describes experiments on the dissolution rate of titanium tritide particles in a simulated lung fluid. Titanium tritide particles with mean sizes of 103 microm (coarse) and 0.95 microm (fine) were used. The results showed that the coarse particles dissolved much more slowly than the fine particles. The long-term dissolution half times were 361 and 33 d for the coarse and fine particles, respectively. Dissolution data of the fine particles were consistent with the diffusion theory. The dissolution half times were longer than the 10-d biological half time for tritiated water in the body. This finding has significant implications for the current health protection guidelines, including annual limits of intakes and derived air concentrations.