In this study, total suspended particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter range between 0.05 and 5 µm) levels in the vicinity of the Diamond Cement (DIACEM) Factory, Aflao, Ghana were measured and analyzed for As, Cr, Ni and Zn using multi-elemental technique of instrumental neutron-activation analysis. The primary objective of the study was to assess the human health risk of the trace metals exposure for children and adult population in four stratified zones in the study area. From the results, the mean dust level (538.92 µg/m 3 ) around the cement facility deviated completely from regulatory specification (150 µg/m 3 ) indicating massive air pollution in the area. The mean concentration (mg/kg) of trace metals in the area were found in the order of Ni (44.38) >Zn (25.65) > Cr (15.26) >As (2.87). The human-risk assessment study indicated that non-carcinogenic risk was insignificant but the risk of cancer could be probable. Ingestion exposure was the highest level of risk found for both adults and children population in the area. The study encourages more work as it cautioned that the current results cannot symbolize a general portrait of the cement industry in Ghana, explaining that similar facilities may differ in their pollution cleaning strategies and environmental conditions.
The worldwide demand for portable water is steadily growing due to population, industrial and agricultural growth, the result is water shortages that are already reaching serious proportions in many parts of the world. This is particularly true in Ghana where there is an increasing reliance on bottled water due to shortage of safe, fresh drinking water. Nuclear and conventional co-production of electricity and portable water has been identified as key solution to the perennial water shortages in coastal towns in Ghana. A reliable desalination cost date catering for site-specific condition in Ghana is required for policy makers, planners, consultants, process engineers, plant suppliers and researchers. This present paper is aims comparing the cost of co-production of power and portable water using reverse osmosis (RO) plant coupled with both nuclear and fossil power plant operating under different cycles using the desalination economic evaluation programme(DEEP4.0) developed by the international atomic energy agency(IAEA). The study concentrates on conditions of seawater in Accra, Ghana. Results show that co-production nuclear power plant operating on steam cycle can be the most economic among a number of power-water production options.
Fault trees (FT) and event trees (ET) are widely used in industry to model and evaluate the reliability of safety systems. This work seeks to analyze and estimate the core damage frequency (CDF) due to flow blockage (FB) and loss of coolant accident (LOCA) due to large rupture of primary circuit pipe with respect to a specific 10 MW Water-Water Research Reactor in Ghana using the FT and ET technique. Using FT, the following reactor safety systems: reactor protection system, primary heat removal system, isolation of the reactor pool, emergency core cooling system (ECCS), natural circulation heat removal, and isolation of the containment were evaluated for their dependability. The probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) Level 1 was conducted using a commercial computational tool, system analysis program for practical coherent reliability assessment (SAPHIRE) 7.0. The frequency of an accident resulting in severe core damage for the internal initiating event was estimated to be 2.51e − 4/yr for the large LOCA as well as 1.45e − 4/yr for FB, culminating in a total core damage frequency of 3.96e − 4/yr. The estimated values for the frequencies of core damage were within the expected margins of 1.0e − 5/yr to 1.0e − 4/yr and of identical sequence of the extent as found for similar reactors.
GHARR-1 facility is a miniature neutron source reactor with a rated power of 30 kW. GHARR-1 was commissioned on 8 th March, 1995. The facility has been operating using the microcomputer closed loop system (MCCLS) and the control console (CC) for 19 years. Age-related degradation effects in safety-related systems of nuclear reactors are managed to prevent safety margins from eroding below the acceptable limits provided in reactors design. This paper, therefore, provides an update on managing the safety aspects of ageing of structures, systems, and components (SSC) of GHARR-1. Managing the safety aspects of research reactor ageing requires a proactive, systematic, and integrated ageing management approach for the coordination of all activities relating to control, monitoring, and mitigation of ageing degradation of SSC through the life cycle of GHARR-1. This paper outlines the ageing management programme and mitigation practices. Strategies for the ageing management include periodic safety reviews, design features for components and unit replacement, and succession planning. Information sharing with other operating organizations is one of the means considered by GHARR-1 to attain excellence. This paper again concisely reviews and integrates information developed by other ageing management studies and other available information related to understanding and managing age-related degradation effects.
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