Radiological impact on the environment by intermittent gaseous effluents from fuel-reprocessing plants

Nuclear fuel-reprocessing plants are now, and will be in the future, main sources of radioactive emissions into the atmosphere. The radiological burden to the environment is calculated for different modes of release. This may help in site selection and licensing procedures. The annual local doses at several points in the vicinity of the plant are assessed and compared for continuous, periodic, and randomly changing activity release. Most unfavourable short-time emission is also considered. All doses refer to the same activity of 85Kr released annually. The emission rhythm and rate are extrapolated from the small Karlsruhe pilot plant. A 24-hour periodic or pseudoperiodic operation yields the lowest doses, if the time of the beginning of emission is suitably chosen. (author)