CFD modelling of radioactive pollutants in a radiological laboratory

Abstract

An important aspect of indoor air quality is the presence of radioactive pollutants. These pollutants can be present in the form of gas or particles, and are typically found in nuclear installations and radiological laboratories. In this work the dispersion of radioactive pollutants in an indoor environment is studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The aim of this work is to evaluate the exposure to radioactive particles during an accidental release, and to evaluate suitable ventilation design to minimise exposure. These CFD findings are used towards improvement of the Dutch assessment procedures for evaluating the risk of radioactive exposure to radiological workers. For the purpose of this work a CFD model is developed to simulate the dispersion and nuclear decay of gas and aerosols, and the attachment and deposition of radioactive aerosols. © 2009 WIT Press.