{"title":"Forecast of tritium release into the environment during the normal operation of nuclear power plants","authors":"D. A. Vlasov, D. D. Desyatov, A. A. Ekidin","doi":"10.1007/s10512-025-01241-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Tritium (<sup>3</sup>H) is one of the main dose-forming radionuclides in emissions and discharges of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Taking into account the current levels of <sup>3</sup>H discharges and emissions, its release into the environment can be predicted for the future change in electricity production, as well as during the construction of new promising power units.</p><h3>Aim</h3><p>To forecast the release of <sup>3</sup>H from emissions and discharges during normal operation of NPPs with different types of reactors.</p><h3>Materials and methods</h3><p>A large array of data on the annual discharge and emission of <sup>3</sup>H by NPPs was analyzed: 66, 10, 55, and 38 NPPs in the USA, Russia, Europe, and other countries, respectively. The normalized values for the annual activity of emissions and discharges to the annual production of electrical energy are taken as specific emission and discharge indicators.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>An analysis of data on the annual activity of <sup>3</sup>H released into the environment during normal operation of NPPs with all types of reactor plants was conducted. The dynamics of <sup>3</sup>H specific emissions and discharges in the period 1985–2022 is considered. The absence of a tendency towards an increase in the indicators was shown for all types of nuclear reactors, with the exception of PWRs and BWRs. The ranking of NPPs with seven types of reactors (PWR, BWR, VVER, RBMK+EGP, GCR+AGR, PHWR, and FBR) was carried out in the best, worst, and sustainable categories according to the value of <sup>3</sup>H specific emissions and discharges. A forecast of tritium release into the environment from emissions and discharges of NPPs was made under optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>To assess the compliance of newly designed NPPs with the basic INPRO principle of sustainable development for the nuclear power system, we determined the minimum achievable levels of specific indicators: 2.62∙10<sup>−2</sup> and 7.19∙10<sup>−2</sup> GBq/(GWh) for <sup>3</sup>H emissions and discharges, respectively. According to our forecast of the total tritium release from emissions and discharges of NPPs in 2050, the tritium activity will not exceed 1.38∙10<sup>7</sup> GBq under the optimistic scenario; pessimistic and probable scenarios yield in 4.73∙10<sup>7</sup> and 3.73∙10<sup>7</sup> GBq, respectively. At the upper limit of NPP power generation, the accumulated activity of tritium, taking into account its decay by 2050, is estimated at 4.68∙10<sup>8</sup> GBq, which will be 18% of its natural equilibrium content. The present work is the 2nd part of a series of articles on tritium: the study uses the results of the 1st part “Global release of tritium into the environment: NPP reactor type contribution”. The next work in the series, planned for publication in the near future, aims to assess individual and collective doses of tritium entering the environment during normal operation of NPPs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":480,"journal":{"name":"Atomic Energy","volume":"138 3","pages":"162 - 170"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Atomic Energy","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10512-025-01241-9","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Tritium (3H) is one of the main dose-forming radionuclides in emissions and discharges of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Taking into account the current levels of 3H discharges and emissions, its release into the environment can be predicted for the future change in electricity production, as well as during the construction of new promising power units.
Aim
To forecast the release of 3H from emissions and discharges during normal operation of NPPs with different types of reactors.
Materials and methods
A large array of data on the annual discharge and emission of 3H by NPPs was analyzed: 66, 10, 55, and 38 NPPs in the USA, Russia, Europe, and other countries, respectively. The normalized values for the annual activity of emissions and discharges to the annual production of electrical energy are taken as specific emission and discharge indicators.
Results
An analysis of data on the annual activity of 3H released into the environment during normal operation of NPPs with all types of reactor plants was conducted. The dynamics of 3H specific emissions and discharges in the period 1985–2022 is considered. The absence of a tendency towards an increase in the indicators was shown for all types of nuclear reactors, with the exception of PWRs and BWRs. The ranking of NPPs with seven types of reactors (PWR, BWR, VVER, RBMK+EGP, GCR+AGR, PHWR, and FBR) was carried out in the best, worst, and sustainable categories according to the value of 3H specific emissions and discharges. A forecast of tritium release into the environment from emissions and discharges of NPPs was made under optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios.
Conclusion
To assess the compliance of newly designed NPPs with the basic INPRO principle of sustainable development for the nuclear power system, we determined the minimum achievable levels of specific indicators: 2.62∙10−2 and 7.19∙10−2 GBq/(GWh) for 3H emissions and discharges, respectively. According to our forecast of the total tritium release from emissions and discharges of NPPs in 2050, the tritium activity will not exceed 1.38∙107 GBq under the optimistic scenario; pessimistic and probable scenarios yield in 4.73∙107 and 3.73∙107 GBq, respectively. At the upper limit of NPP power generation, the accumulated activity of tritium, taking into account its decay by 2050, is estimated at 4.68∙108 GBq, which will be 18% of its natural equilibrium content. The present work is the 2nd part of a series of articles on tritium: the study uses the results of the 1st part “Global release of tritium into the environment: NPP reactor type contribution”. The next work in the series, planned for publication in the near future, aims to assess individual and collective doses of tritium entering the environment during normal operation of NPPs.
期刊介绍:
Atomic Energy publishes papers and review articles dealing with the latest developments in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Topics include nuclear chemistry and physics, plasma physics, accelerator characteristics, reactor economics and engineering, applications of isotopes, and radiation monitoring and safety.