Wind Direction and Wind Speed Analysis around Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant

Abstract

The Korean Peninsula is affected by westerlies and seasonal monsoons. In addition, atyphoon may generate storms with maximum wind speeds of 17 m s-1 or more. The direction and speedof the wind have the greatest influence on the distribution of radioactivity (radioactive material) leaks froma nuclear facility to the outside. In the event of such a radiation emergency, local wind direction and windspeed data are very important when preparing resident protection measures, such as the evacuation ofresidents. Among the various weather data provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, in thisstudy, temperature, wind direction, and wind speed data measured and recorded from 2012 to August 2022at the Yeonggwang Weather Station, the location of the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, were provided andanalyzed. The characteristics of the wind direction and wind speed were investigated based on the annualwind speed and wind direction data in this area over a period of 10 years. The average temperature ofthe Yeonggwang area is 13.41 degrees, and the average temperature is gradually increasing. The maximumwind speed by year was counted as a gradual downward trend. In the case of wind direction, it wasfound that a northeast wind of 0~30 degrees and a north wind and northwest wind between 330~360degrees were predominant, despite the influence of the westerly and monsoon winds. Based on theHanbit Nuclear Power Plant, the location of the first aid station is mainly located in the east and south, andthe first aid station is concentrated in places where the influence of the wind direction is relatively smallin terms of the probabilistic impact of the emergency accident. Based on the nuclear power plant, thelocation of the monitoring center for radiation emergency prevention is located in the southeast, so it isexpected that the detector installed outside the plant fence can efficiently detect leakage accidents early.