Analysis of natural radioactivity in Yatağan coal - fired power plant in Turkey (original) (raw)
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Analysis of Natural Radioactivity in Coal and Ashes from a Coal Fired Power Plant
Coal is widely used mineral due to its accessibility and abundance in nature. Coal contains naturally occurring radionuclides or Natural Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) from Uranium and Thorium series including their decayed daughters namely Uranium-238 (238 U), Radium-226 (226 Ra) and Thorium-232 (232 Th) along with Potassium-40 (40 K). These radionuclides which are a natural phenomenon are released to the environment and concentrated in the ashes resulting from the combustion process. This paper presents an evaluation of the radioactivity content found in the feed coal (FC), bottom ash (BA) and fly ash (FA) sampled from a typical coal fired power plant (CFPP). The samples were measured for activity concentration of several radionuclides namely 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K by using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). The radiological hazard based on Radium Equilibrium (Raeq) and External Hazard Index (Hex) was assessed. In this study the activity concentration of all radionuclides in FA was enriched much higher compared to BA and FC. This work found that the degree of enrichment determined by the Enrichment Factor (EF) is differed for bottom and fly ash. The results indicated that each sample have different radiological characteristics. For Raeq and Hex the values calculated for the samples were acceptable and within the limit for construction material. Generally the results proved that the values obtained were much lower and complied with the Malaysia regulatory limit and global values.
Analysis of natural radionuclides in coal, slag and ash in coal-fired power plants in Serbia
Journal of Mining and Metallurgy, Section B: Metallurgy, 2011
The radioactivity monitoring in the ?Nikola Tesla?, ?Kolubara?, ?Morava? and ?Kostolac? coal-fired power plants was performed by the Radiation and Environmental Protection Laboratory, Vinca Institute of nuclear sciences in the period 2003-2010. Monitoring included the analysis of soil, water, flying ash, slag, coal and plants. This paper presents the results of the radioactivity analysis of coal, ash and slag samples. Naturally occurring radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 235U, 238U, and 210Pb as well as the man-made radionuclide 137Cs were determined by gamma spectrometry using HPGe detector. The concentrations of pairs of radionuclides were statistically tested to determine the correlation between them. Based on the obtained results, health effect due to the activity of these radionuclides was estimated via radium equivalent (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), external gamma absorbed dose rate () and annual effective dose.
Environment International, 1996
Investigations carried out in the vicinity of four coal-tired power plants showed that the average annual emission of natural radionuclides for each MWe of produced electric power is an average of 0.200 MBq for each component of 238U chain, and of 0.130 MBq for each component of 232Th chain, respectively, and of 1.027 MBq for 4%. The average annual absorbed dose of about 1 mGy was found on five locations studied. The results of specific activity measurements on the samples taken from several locations studied showed that there is a concentration of natural radionuclides in ash and slag of up to about five times. The absorbed dose levels found on depots of ash and slag were close to the values recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.
Radiological Characterization around the Afsin-Elbistan Coal-Fired Power Plant in Turkey
Energy & Fuels, 2008
A radiological characterization of soil samples around the Afsin-Elbistan coal-fired thermal power plant in the Mediterranean region of Turkey was carried out. Moreover, activity concentrations and chemical analyses of coal samples used in this power plant and fly ash and slag samples originating from coal combustion were measured. For this purpose, coal, fly ash, slag, and soil samples were collected from this region. The analysis shows that the samples include relevant natural radionuclides such as 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K. The mean activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K were 167, 44, and 404 Bq • kg-1 , respectively. Obtained values shows that the average radium equivalent activity, air-absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose, and external hazard index for all samples are 258 Bq • kg-1 , 121 nGy • h-1 , 148 µSv • y-1 , and 0.7, respectively. The environmental effect of natural radionuclides caused by coal-fired power plants was considered to be negligible because the Ra eq values of the measured samples are generally lower than the limit value of 370 Bq • kg-1 , equivalent to a gamma dose of 1.5 mSv • y-1. A comparison of the concentrations obtained in this work with other parts of the world indicates that the radioactivity content of the samples is not significantly different.
2016
The results referring to radioactivity analysis in soil, water, plant, coal, slag and flying ash samples from the environment around two power plants "Nikola Tesla A" and "Kolubara" for 2015 are explained. The analysis of samples was performed by gamma spectrometry using HPGe detector. In the investigated soil, flying ash, slag and coal samples, naturally occurring radionuclides 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, 235 U, 238 U, as well as the man-made radionuclide 137 Cs, were detected. The highest values of natural radionuclides were obtained in flying ash samples, which is known for the effect of concentrating the combustion of coal. In plant samples, beside these radionuclides, 210 Pb and 7 Be were also detected. In water samples, 226 Ra and 40 K were detected, while the concentrations of 232 Th, 235 U, 238 U and 137 Cs were below the minimum detectable concentration. In water (river, drinking, drain and overflow) samples, beside the gamma spectrometry analysis, gross alpha and gross beta activity was also determined. The obtained values for gross alpha and beta activity in these water samples are in accordance with the current legislation in Serbia (Official Gazette 86/11), which refers only to drinking water. The results presented in this paper showed that there was no significant difference in the activity of radionuclides in all investigated samples compared to the values obtained in previous years.
World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 2016
Coal is the main energy source for electricity generation in the world. In Morocco, 37% of electricity generation comes from combustion coal in thermal power plants. This combustion process generates large amounts of fly and bottom ashes. In recent years, these ashes became a great topic of interest because of their different uses and especially in construction materials. In this work, we assess radiation risks due to natural radioactivity in samples of fly and bottom ashes collected from JLEC (Jorf Lasfar Energy Company) thermal power plant, and different analyses are performed through two nuclear techniques such as gamma spectrometry and alpha dosimetry based on the use of LR115 films detectors. Our analysis shows that 226 Ra activities and 232 Th in both ash samples are well above the permissible activity. The values of the external risk index (Hex) and internal one (Hin) for these ashes are below unity, with the exception of 1.28 in fly ash for Hin. The obtained values for the equivalent radium Raeq and annual effective doses Ė in fly and bottom ashes are 324 Bq/kg and 210 Bq/kg, and 0.18 mSv/y and 0.11 mSv/y, respectively. The surface radon exhalation rates for the samples of fly and bottom ashes are 276 mBq•m −2 •h −1 and 381 mBq•m −2 •h −1 , respectively. Based on these results, we have shown that fly ash and bottom one from thermal power plant JLEC didn't have, in any case, a health risk to the public so it can be effectively used in various construction activities.
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 1998
ABS¹RAC¹ ¹he radionuclides present in coal may not only be a health hazard for the coal miners but also may be a threat to the general population if these radionuclides disperse in the environment. ¹his research has been conducted to quantify the radionuclides present in the coal samples from various coalmines of two provinces, Punjab and Balochistan of Pakistan. In this regard, a high-purity Ge-detector-based -spectrometer was used. ¹he maximum activity concentrations for 226 Ra, 232 ¹h and 40 K were found to be 31)4$3)0, 32)7$3)2 and 21)4$5)0 Bq kg\ 1 , respectively. A theoretical model to compute external -ray dose rate from a coal-mine surface was developed. ¹he Monte Carlo simulation was employed to compute the required mass attenuation coefficients corresponding to the various -ray energies from 226 Ra, 232 ¹h, their progeny and 40 K present in the coal samples. In addition, the effective thickness of coal slab for self-absorption was also computed using the Monte Carlo Neutron Photon (MCNP) transport code. ¹he computed external -ray dose rate has been found to be much below the dose rate limits for occupational persons as well as for the general population.
Certain materials used and produced in a wide range of non-nuclear industries contain enhanced activity concentrations of natural radionuclides. In particular, electricity production from coal is one of the major sources of increased human exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials. A methodology was developed to assess the radiological impact due to natural radiation background. The developed research was applied to a specific case study, the Sines coal-fired power plant, located in the southwest coastline of Portugal. Gamma radiation measurements were carried out with two different instruments: a sodium iodide scintillation detector counter (SPP2 NF, Saphymo) and a gamma ray spectrometer with energy discrimination (Falcon 5000, Canberra). Two circular survey areas were defined within 20 km of the power plant. Forty relevant measurements points were established within the sampling area: 15 urban and 25 suburban locations. Additionally, ten more measurements points were defined, mostly at the 20-km area. The registered gamma radiation varies from 20 to 98.33 counts per seconds (c.p.s.) corresponding to an external gamma exposure rate variable between 87.70 and 431.19 nGy/h. The highest values were measured at locations near the power plant and those located in an area within the 6 and 20 km from the stacks. In situ gamma radiation measurements with energy discrimination identified natural emitting nuclides as well as their decay products (
Coal An Impure Fuel Source: Radiation Effects of Coal-fired Power Plants in Turkey
Turkish coal is generally poor quality and the levels of chemical and radiological toxic trace elements in it are higher with respect to mean values of activity concentrations given in United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) Report. The main pathways through which the population living around soal-fired power plant (CFPP) is exposed to natural radionuclides are external and internal (ingestion and inhalation) dose and fly ash particles are the major component of the risk. It is estimated that the people working or living near the CFPP in Turkey receive a dose in between 0.1 mSv to 1 mSv extra from CFPP because nearly all the region of Turkey uranium (U) and thorium (Th) content in the coal are higher than 5 ppm to 7 ppm and around 25 ppm to 40 ppm respectively. Continuous monitoring is essential to determine occupational exposure levels in all stages of the coal fuel-cycle and proper measures should be taken to prevent direct contact of the ash pile with the top soil and local drainage systems.
Radioprotection, 2011
Over the past few decades there has been some discussion concerning the increase of the natural background radiation originated by coal-fired power plants, due to the uranium and thorium content present in combustion ashes. The radioactive decay products of uranium and thorium, such as radium, radon, polonium, bismuth and lead, are also released in addition to a significant amount of 40 K. Since the measurement of radioactive elements released by the gaseous emissions of coal power plants is not compulsory, there is a gap of information concerning this situation. Consequently, the prediction of dispersion and mobility of these elements in the environment, after their release, is based on limited data and the radiological impact from the exposure to these radioactive elements is unknown. This paper describes the methodology that is being developed to assess the radiological impact due to the raise in the natural background radiation level originated by the release and dispersion of the emitted radionuclides. The current investigation is part of a research project that is undergoing in the vicinity of Sines coal-fired power plant (south of Portugal) until 2013. Data from preliminary stages are already available and possible of interpretation.