ARC reactor: Radioactivity safety assessment and preliminary environmental impact study

Abstract The Affordable Robust Compact (ARC) reactor is a conceptual design for a Tokamak conceived by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. The ARC design is under development and update. Since ARC will be a D–T tokamak, neutron generation and material activation will be main issues for safety studies and assessment of environmental impact and siting questions. The safety assessment goal for ARC is to demonstrate that it could be easily sited in the US, without public health and environmental problems and the need of any emergency plan implying population evacuation or sheltering. Another safety feature that will be verified is the need of a containment building in which the reactor should be surrounded. Starting from activation studies already developed for the ARC’s vacuum vessel structure and the liquid blanket as well, a further and deeper analysis, that includes the first wall and neutron multiplier layer activation, has been carried out. Afterwards, taking advantage of the RESRAD population dose code, the study arrives to the assessment of doses to most exposed individuals from accidental activated material release in atmosphere, including possible tritium releases: radioactive safety limits for ARC environmental impact are finally defined.