Estimation of Temporal Variation of Discharged Tritium from Port of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant: Analysis of the Temporal Variation and Comparison with released Tritium from Japan and Major Nuclear Facilities Worldwide

Abstract

We estimate the monthly discharge inventory of tritium from the port of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant（1F）from Jun. 2013 to Mar. 2020 using the Voronoi tessellation scheme, following the tritium monitoring inside the port that started in Jun. 2013. As for the missing period from the initial month, Apr. 2011 to May 2013, we calculate the tritium discharge by utilizing the ratio of tritium concentration to137Cs concentration in stagnant contaminant water during the initial direct runoff period to Jun. 2011 and the discharge inventory correlation between tritium and137Cs for the next-unknown continuous-discharge period up to May 2013. From all the estimated results over 9 years, we found that the monthly discharge inventory sharply dropped immediately after closing the seaside impermeable wall in Oct. 2015 and subsequently coincided well with the sum of those of drainage and subdrain etc. By comparing the estimated results with those in the normal operation period before the accident, we point out that the discharge inventory from the 1F port after the accident is not very large. Even the estimation for the year 2011 is found to be comparable to the maximum of operating pressurized water reactors releasing relatively large inventories in the number of digits. In the national level, the total domestic release inventory in Japan significantly decreased after the accident owing to the operational shutdown of most plants. Furthermore, 1F and even the total Japanese discharge inventory are found to be minor compared with those of nuclear reprocessing plants and heavy-water reactors on a worldwide level. From the above, we suggest that various scenarios can be openly discussed regarding the management of tritium stored inside 1F with the help of the present estimated data and its comparison with the past discharge inventory.