Radioactive Waste Transportation

1. Radioactive Waste Transportation With contributions from by: Prof. John Poston, Sr (Texas A&M University) Brian Wolf (Purdue University) Alex Elman (Purdue University)

2. History • First regulations by U.S. Post Office in 1936. • IAEA regulations on safe transport issued in 1973. • Adopted by the Department of Transportation on July 1, 1983. • Adopted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on September 6, 1983.

3. Regulatory Organizations • Department of Transportation Act of 1966. • Transportation Safety Act of 1974. • DOT has regulatory authority on all modes of transport in interstate and foreign commerce. • Exception are postal shipments – U.S. Postal Service . • Non-interstate or foreign shipments are subject to state control.

4. Regulatory Organizations • Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. • Nuclear Regulatory Commission has responsibility for safety in the possession and use, including transport, of by-product, source and special nuclear materials. • These regulations are found in 10CFR71.

5. Sources of Federal Regulations

6. 10CFR 71 Transport of Radioactive Materials • Subpart A-general • B-Exemptions • C-general licenses • D-Applications • E- approvals • F-packages • G-Operation procedures • H-QA

7. Transport Regulations • Place primary responsibility on packaging • Shipper is primarily responsible • Carrier is less responsible • Packaging requirements are commensurate with hazards

8. HAZMAT Transportation Classes • There are nine (9) classes of hazardous cargo as defined by the DOT: • Explosives • Gases • Flammable Liquids • Flammable Solids • Oxidizing Materials • Toxic & Infectious Materials • Radioactive Materials • Corrosive Materials • Misc. Dangerous Goods

9. DOE Shipments www.ntp.doe.gov/ question_answers.html

10. Materials Transported • Uranium ores • Nuclear fuel assemblies • Spent fuel • Radioisotopes (research, defense, commercial) • Radioactive waste Summary of Radioactive Shipment Destinations (Excluding weapons and weapons components) Data taken from: Tranportation of Hazardous Materials

11. How is it transported? Trucks Railcars Barge Ships Air- some medical isotopes that are short-lived require fast travel to a destination, but most waste is not transported in this manner.

12. Regulating Agencies • U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) • U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) • U.S. Department of Energy • U.S. Postal Service • State Agencies

13. Yucca Mountain http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste/states/us.htm

14. Where is it going? http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste/states/us.htm

15. Preparation • The shipper • Prepares materials • Classifies and packages materials • Marks and labels packages • Prepares shipping papers • Signs papers certifying correct information • The carrier • Examines certification papers • Checks packages for proper labeling • Placards vehicle • Secures packages

16. Factors Determining Packaging Requirements 1) Type of waste: >0.002 цCi/g? 2 nCi/g? 74 Bq/g? 2) Quantity of radionuclides: Total activity in Bq? 3) Forms of the radionuclides • Special form • Normal form

17. Types of Packaging Containers • De minimus • Below threshold – no regulation. • Type A – Low to Modest Activity Waste • A1 – Special Form (non-dispersible) • A2 – Normal Form (dispersible) • Type B - High activity waste • Spent nuclear fuel • High Level Waste • TRU Waste • TRUPACT-II

18. TRUPACT II (for TRU Waste) More on this later

19. De minimus Requirements • Lowest transportation category • Specific activity < 2 nCi/g (< 74 Bq/g). • Poses no radiological safety problems. • Essentially “unregulated” • Limited quantities • Specified allowable package activity. • Allowable quantities in 49CFR 173.425. • No exterior marking or labeling required. • Packages containing less than one-tenth of these quantities are “mailable.”

20. Type A Shipping Containers • Contain Low Specific Activity (LSA) Waste • Pose low risk and are “inherently safe” • Low activity solids • Tritiated water • Certain naturally occurring materials • Surface contaminated objects (SCO) • Designed to withstand normal handling and minor accidents. • Fiberboard box • Wooden Box • Steel Drum

21. Packaging Requirements • Type A quantity limits • Rely only partially on package integrity. • Considers the radiation exposure from an unshielded source. • Considers the possible uptake of radioactive material. • Packages are designed to withstand certain test and environmental conditions.

22. Type A1 ad A2 Defined Activity Limits • A1 is “nondispersible” after release from package • Limits defined assuming an emergency exposure for 3 hours not exceeding 1 rem/h at 3 meters from the source. • A2 limit is for material assumed to be “dispersible” • Assumes 0.1% of package contents is released. • Assumes 0.1% of the amount released is taken into the body. • Limits intake to one-half allowable intake values.

23. Special /Normal Form - Special form source • double encapsulated • Has to undergo specific tests for pressure, penetration, submersion • Source has certificate • Normal form • Any source that does not have this special form certification • Usually single encapsulated, Be window

24. Type A Package Quantity Limits for Selected Radionuclides

25. Activity Limits for Limited Quantities, Instruments and Articles

26. Low level radiation materials radioisotopes (medical, industry, agriculture, and research) Small packages tested to withstand rigors of routine transportation (rain, rough handling, slight mishaps) Type A

27. Industrial • Low specific activity materials • Contaminated tools • Mine waste • Medical isotopes • Waste from soil cleanup • Ordinary strong industrial packages

28. DOT Spec. 17C Steel Drum (55 gal)

29. B-25 Container

30. Steel Container Box

31. Shipping Requirements - LSA • Non-exclusive use vehicles • Low levels only. • Individual packages are labeled. • Exclusive use vehicles • Packages are excepted from specific packaging, marking and labeling. • Specific requirements and administrative controls apply. • Exclusive use requirements • “Strong and tight” packaging. • Loaded by consignor and unloaded by consignee from transport in which originally loaded. • Packages blocked and braced to prevent movement. • Vehicle must be placarded by consignor. • Exclusive Use Requirements • Packages marked “radioactive LSA.” • Specific instructions for maintenance of shipment must be provided by shipper to the carrier. • Higher package/vehicle radiation levels are allowed.

32. Exclusive Use – Allowed Radiation Levels • 1 rem/hour at package surface. • 200 mrem/hour at vehicle surface. • 10 mrem/hour at 2 meters from the lateral surfaces of the vehicle. • 2 mrem/hour in cab of vehicle.

33. Designed for the transport of very radioactive material (e.g., spent fuel). Meet all ‘A’ requirements Must also withstand serious accident conditions. Certified by NRC to withstand severe accident conditions. Very strong – can weigh up to 125 tons Type B Shipping Containers

34. Packaging Requirements • Type B quantities are also called a “Highway Route-Controlled Quantity” • Formerly called “large quantity” • Provide a high degree of integrity in a severe accident • Involve SNF and HLW • DOT regulations prescribe highway routes

35. Type B Package Tests (examples) • 30 ft. drop on an unyielding surface • 40 inch drop onto a 6 inch diameter steel pin • Thermal exposure at 1475 °F (800 °C) for 30 min. • Submersion to 3 ft. for 8 hours (fissile materials) • Submersion to 50 ft. for 8 hours

36. Shipping Cask Tests

37. “Crunch” Test of Package

38. Schematic of Drop Test

39. Free Drop Test

40. Free Drop Test

41. Impact from 30 feet

42. Puncture Test

43. Steel Spike

44. Thermal Test

45. Thermal Test

46. Thermal Test

47. Thermal Test Results

48. Immersion Tests

49. Crash Testing of Casks

50. Crash Testing Sequence(Rocket powered truck at impact)