Example Background cont'd

DOE-HDBK-3010-94

7.0 Application Examples; Introductory Material

The mock operation and example models are developed to specific levels. The overall

processes and activities have been described at a functional level sufficient for identifying

scenarios. The scenario development in examples is at a level sufficient to understand the

use of operational parameters in the development of models. To demonstrate the traditional

uses of such models, a simple consequence estimation sufficient to understand radiological

dose implications is provided as well.

Because one of the purposes of using this handbook for source term determination is to

"indicate relative significance of unmitigated releases," a basic measure of significance is

provided for the mock operation. That measure is maximally exposed individual dose at the

site boundary. This exposure is determined by the equation:

Dose

(7-1)

EDE

where:

source term (grams),

Dose =

total committed effective dose equivalent (rem),

crosswind concentration standard deviation for F stability at site

boundary (m),

vertical concentration standard deviation for F stability at site

boundary (m),

wind speed (m/sec),

material specific activity (Ci/gram)

EDE

material committed effective dose equivalent (rem/Ci)

maximally exposed individual breathing rate (m3/sec)

This equation is a simple algebraic rearrangement of the equation for Gaussian plume

centerline dose for a ground level release to solve for source term instead of dose.

The mock operation handles plutonium, predominantly in the form of Pu-239. Therefore,

doses calculated are committed effective dose equivalent has been used since, for alpha-

emitters, the 50-year internal exposure due to inhalation dwarfs all other dose contributors.

No attempt is made to correct for precise isotopic composition because the effect is not major

unless an obvious error is made such as equating the health effects of curies of Pu-239 to

curies of Pu-241. The specific activity of Pu-239 is 0.062 Ci/g, with committed effective

dose equivalent values of 3.3E+8 rem/Ci for insoluble plutonium (i.e., oxides) and 5.1E+8

rem/Ci for soluble plutonium, which includes most other compounds by default. The mock

operation handles plutonium metal, oxide, nitrates, and fluorides. However, the site

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