Nuclear aerosol behavior during reactor accidents

Abstract

Some early reactor accidents are recalled together with their associated environmental consequences. One such consequence is the generation of radioactive aerosol. We describe the various physical processes that such an aerosol cloud undergoes within the secondary containment building. These physical processes are then brought together quantitatively in a balance equation for the aerosol size spectrum as a function of position and time. Methods for solving this equation are discussed and illustrated by the method of moments based upon log-normal and modified gamma distributions. Current problems are outlined and directions for future work into aerosol behavior are suggested.