RADIATION PROTECTION ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 216-222.doi: 10.27045/j.1000-8187.202603004

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Research on the application of the coupled simulation of vadose and saturated zones in the process design of nuclear facilities

ZHANG Xue, YANG Lijian   

  1. China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., LTD,Beijing 100840
  • Received:2025-10-30 Online:2026-05-20 Published:2026-06-18

Abstract: This paper carried out a groundwater environmental impact assessment without and with consideration of the attenuation of the vadose zone. The simulation results under the two conditions were compared and analyzed. At the same time, the evaluation of different vadose zone thicknesses and emergency repair duration were carried out to analyze their effects. The evaluation method of without considering the vadose zone is analytical method. The evaluation method of considering the vadose zone is the coupling simulation method for the vadose zone and saturated zone. The results show that:(1) Considering the hysteresis of vadose zone, annual committed effective dose from drinking for public decreased from 0.471 mSv to 6.28×10-5 mSv, in which 0.471 mSv is the result of not considering the vadose zone.(2) Under the simulation conditions, when the emergency repair duration was 15 days, the thickness limit of the vadose zone is 0.412 m, and when the thickness of the vadose zone being 0.5 m, the limit of emergency repair duration is 20.18 days. Pipeline layout and emergency plan can be coordinated according to the actual situation of the project.

Key words: vadose zone, coupling simulation, radionuclide, groundwater, process design

CLC Number: 

  • P641