Nuclear Accidents

Detailing the estimation and perception of nuclear risk, this book follows military and civilian nuclear accidents, plus the systems put in place by national and international authorities for recording and analyzing feedback. Prevention and anticipation being the best defenses against a nuclear accident, the authorities have also categorized the different types of accidents, and are doing research to better understand and control them.

In light of this, this book shows how the authorities take practical measures to protect neighboring populations and limit radioactive contamination of the environment. France s experience in this arena is well-documented and a chapter of this book is devoted to the fight against terrorist attacks in the nuclear field.

Nuclear Accidents is based on scientifically-recognized publications, as well as on reports from the various countries concerned, and the national and international organizations competent in this field (IAEA, WHO, UNSCEAR, IRSN, etc.).

Auteur
Jean-Claude Amiard is a State Doctor in Radioecology, Emeritus Research Director at CNRS (University of Nantes) and former Associate Professor in Quebec and China. He is the author of more than 200 publications, 76 books or chapters and 150 papers for international conferences.

Contenu

Acknowledgments xi

Preface xiii

Chapter 1. Assessment and Perception of Nuclear Risk 1

1.1. Introduction 1

1.2. Danger, exposure, radiotoxicity and risk 4

1.2.1. Identification of radionuclide hazards 5

1.2.2. Contamination of the environment, including the anthroposphere, by radionuclides 7

1.2.3. Exposure to radiation 11

1.2.4. Collective doses 17

1.3. From dose to adverse effect in non-human organisms (flora and fauna) 17

1.3.1. The harmful effects of ionizing radiation 18

1.3.2. The doseresponse relationship 20

1.3.3. Recommended threshold values 22

1.4. From dose to adverse effect in humans 24

1.4.1. Deterministic and stochastic effects 24

1.4.2. Doseresponse relationships for average doses: epidemiological studies 25

1.4.3. Responses to low doses 26

1.5. Radiation protection and recommendations for human irradiation 32

1.6. Risk perception 35

1.6.1. Probability of a future nuclear accident 36

1.6.2. Countries using or renouncing the use of nuclear energy 37

1.6.3. Opinion polls on nuclear power 38

1.6.4. Estimated risk and perceived risk 41

1.7. Conclusion 42

Chapter 2. Lessons from the Past in the Field of Nuclear Accidents 45

2.1. Early signals and late lessons 45

2.2. Structures for disseminating information on radioactive risk 45

2.2.1. Situation from 1945 to 1990 46

2.2.2. Situation from the Chernobyl accident to the present day 47

2.2.3. The example of France 48

2.2.4. Future change? 50

2.3. Feedback (REX) 51

2.3.1. Introduction: what is REX? 51

2.3.2. The overall REX process 52

2.3.3. Causes of REX failure 54

2.4. Lessons from the past 55

2.4.1. Lessons learned from military nuclear activities and accidents 55

2.4.2. Lessons from industrial accidents 57

2.4.3. Medical accidents 72

2.5. Crisis exercises 77

2.5.1. Transnational exercises 77

2.5.2. National exercises 78

2.6. Incident and accident reporting 80

2.6.1. A common severity scale 80

2.6.2. Management of declarations 81

2.6.3. Reporting systems 81

2.6.4. Websites 82

2.7. Conclusion 83

Chapter 3. Research for the Future 85

3.1. Introduction: safety and the main types of accidents 85

3.1.1. Safety history 85

3.1.2. The main safety objectives 86

3.1.3. Defense in depth 87

3.1.4. New research in the field of nuclear safety 88

3.1.5. The aging of nuclear installations 90

3.2. International actions 92

3.2.1. Improving the organization of security at the level of each state 92

3.2.2. The IAEA 94

3.2.3. The NEA 95

3.2.4. The ICRP 98

3.2.5. UNSCEAR 99

3.2.6. The ICRU 100

3.2.7. The IRSN at international level 100

3.3. European actions 101

3.3.1. Euratom 101

3.3.2. Complementary safety assessments (ECS) process 102

3.4. French actions 103

3.5. Advances in nuclear safety 106

3.5.1. Better knowledge of nuclear fuel 107

3.5.2. Better preventing the risk of steam and hydrogen explosions 110

3.5.3. Controlling radionuclide releases 111

3.5.4. Consequences of a fire 112

3.5.5. Knowing more about corium 113

3.5.6. Controlling a water injection into a molten core 115

3.5.7. Mastering electrical distribution systems 115

3.5.8. Improving modeling 116

3.6. Advances in radioecology 118

3.6.1. Determination of the source term 118

3.6.2. Modeling of radionuclide dispersion in the terrestrial environment 119

3.6.3. Modeling of radionuclide dispersion in aquatic environments 120 3.6.4. Modeling of trophic transfer of radionuclides in organisms 121&...