Abstract
This paper describes the design approach and associated shielding analysis for radiological protection of occupational personnel in the subsurface facility of a potential repository that could be located at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The VA (viability assessment) reference repository design provides a sufficient number of emplacement drifts for a capacity of 70,000 MTU spent nuclear fuel and defense high-level waste packages. The use of a simple, cost-effective concrete shadow shield after each last-emplaced waste package in an emplacement drift substantially eliminates direct radiation to subsurface workers in accessible areas such as the main drifts. The scattered radiation field becomes the major concern for worker safety in the subsurface facility. Adequacy of personnel protection was verified in a detailed shielding analysis using the MCNP4A code. Results show that the radiation field in the accessible main drifts is 1 mrem/hr at the worker elevation, once waste emplacement is complete and the drift isolation doors are closed. Therefore, the concrete shadow shield at the end of each emplacement drift provides adequate shielding for protection of repository workers.
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