Noble gas radionuclides in RBMK-1500-type reactor

Abstract The presence of noble gas and other short-lived radionuclides in air borne effluents from RBMK-1500-type reactor has been investigated using experimental and theoretical instrumentation for detection purposes. Activity concentrations of 85m Kr, 87 Kr, 88 Kr, 135m Xe, 135 Xe, 133 Xe and 41 Ar were measured in air emissions from Ignalina NPP using a special method and special equipment. Theoretical detection of reactor-borne radionuclides and investigation of their behaviour in a nuclear fuel during operation of nuclear reactor was performed using an analytical model based on reactor physics. An innovative method for the estimation of noble gas flow time from the defective nuclear fuel element through the ventilation stack of NPP to the atmosphere based on comparison of the experimentally and theoretically evaluated activity ratios of 88 Kr/ 85m Kr; 135 Xe/ 133 Xe has been proposed. The estimated flow time of noble gas provides an excellent possibility to obtain modelling-based information about the qualitative and quantitative content of atmospheric releases from NPP.