A MODEL FOR PREDICTING FISSION PRODUCT ACTIVITIES IN REACTOR COOLANT: APPLICATION OF MODEL FOR ESTIMATING I-129 LEVELS IN RADIOACTIVE WASTE

A general model was developed to estimate the activities of fission products in reactor coolant and hence to predict a value for the I-129/Cs-137 scaling factor; the latter can be applied along with measured Cs-137 activities to estimate I-129 levels in reactor waste. The model accounts for fission product release from both defective fuel rods and uranium contamination present on in-core reactor surfaces. For simplicity, only the key release mechanisms were modeled. A mass balance, considering the two fuel source terms and a loss term due to coolant cleanup was solved to estimate fission product activity in the primary heat transport system coolant. Steady state assumptions were made to solve for the activity of shortlived fission products. Solutions for long-lived fission products are time-dependent. Data for short-lived radioiodines I-131, I-132, I-133, I-134 and I-135 were analyzed to estimate model parameters for I-129. The estimated parameter values were then used to determine I-1 29 coolant activities. Because of the chemical affinity between iodine and cesium, estimates of Cs-137 coolant concentrations were also based on parameter values similar to those for the radioiodines; this assumption was tested by comparing measured and predicted Cs-137 coolant concentrations. Application of the derived model to Douglas Point and Darlington Nuclear Generating Station plant data yielded estimates for I-129/I-131 and I-129/Cs-137 which are consistent with values reported for pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs). The estimated magnitude for the I-129/Cs-137 ratio was 10-8 - 10-7