Assessment of the total effective dose equivalent for accidental release from the Tehran Research Reactor

Highlights: ► We model radioactive release in accidental condition for Tehran research reactor. ► We use HOTSPOT 2.07 health physics computer code. ► It is concluded that unstable atmospheric condition increases the maximum TEDE. ► In addition the maximum TEDE decreases with increasing the wind speed. ► Computational results are lower than annual absorbed dose limits. -- Abstract: Assessment of the population total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) around the reactor sites during both normal nuclear reactor operation and under reactor accident conditions is essential for the safety and environmental analyses that are needed for reactor licensing. Estimation of the radionuclide atmospheric dispersion and TEDE need utilization of validated atmospheric dispersion models. In this study, the TEDE that will be received by the surrounding population as a result of radionuclide release from the 5 MW Tehran Research Reactor following a hypothetical accident has been calculated using HOTSPOT health physics computer code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, USA. The HOTSPOT 2.07 code uses a Gaussian plume model to simulate the radionuclide atmospheric dispersion for atmospheric stability classes (A–F), different wind speeds at various downwind distances up to 100 km from the reactor site. The computational results show that the maximum TEDE values for personnel and public around the TRR site are lower than the annual effective dose limits for worker and population under the assumed accidental condition. Therefore, based on well-known procedures presented in the regulatory guide we can conclude that the standards of safety are reasonably achieved in the TRR site.