Nuclear transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2003-01-01

During january and february 2003, a unique event concerning nuclear transport was reported and rated 1 on the INES scale. This event concerns the absence of a maintenance operation on a shipping cask. This shipping cask was used for several years for nuclear transport inside La-hague site before being re-assigned to transport on public thoroughfare. The re-assignment of the cask should have been preceded and conditioned by a maintenance operation whose purpose is to check the efficiency of its radiation shield. During this period 2 on-site inspections concerning the transport of nuclear materials were performed. (A.C.)

Transportation of nuclear materials: the nuclear focus of the 80's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyers, S.; Hardin, E.C. Jr.; Jefferson, R.M.

1980-01-01

The transport of radioactive material has been carried out since the inception of the nuclear age (over 30 years) with an unparralled safety record. Despite these achievements, there is a need to strive for improvements, to develop safer and more efficient transportation systems, moreover to perform these tasks in a highly visible manner so that public concern can be allayed. But, in the same vein that the past record is not of itself sufficient, neither is public participation the solution to all the issues surrounding the transportation of radioactive materials. The solutions to the problems facing the nuclear transport industry involve many disciplines, much of which rest on a foundation of sound technology. This conference is built around a core of papers on the developing technology of nuclear transportation: on systems, their design and development, their manufacturing processes, their operation and the methodologies of quality assurance in each of these activities. The role of IAEA in the collecting of data to compile information on the flow of radioactive materials, the mode of transport and the corresponding accident/incident experience, as well as its role in initiating a program to develop a worldwide uniform methodology to address the risks of transporting radioactive materials are covered in this symposium

Transportation of failed or damaged foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messick, C.E.; Mustin, T.P.; Massey, C.D.

1998-01-01

Since resuming the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF) Acceptance Program in 1996, the Program has had to deal with difficult issues associated with the transportation of failed or damaged spent fuel. In several instances, problems with failed or damaged fuel have prevented the acceptance of the fuel at considerable cost to both the Department of Energy (DOE) and research reactor operators. In response to the problems faced by the Acceptance Program, DOE has undertaken significant steps to better define the spent fuel acceptance criteria. DOE has worked closely with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to address failed or damaged research reactor spent fuel and to identify cask certificate issues which must be resolved by cask owners and foreign regulatory authorities. The specific issues associated with the transport of Materials Testing Reactor (MTR)-type FRR SNF will be discussed. The information presented will include U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulatory issues, cask certificate issues, technical constraints, and lessons learned. Specific information will also be provided on the latest efforts to revise DOE's Appendix B, Transport Package (Cask) Acceptance Criteria. The information presented in this paper will be important to foreign research reactor operators, shippers, and cask vendors, so that appropriate amendments to the Certificate of Compliance for spent fuel casks can be submitted in a timely manner to facilitate the safe and scheduled transport of FRR SNF

Transport Nuclear Liability Insurance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Folens, M.

2006-01-01

Although transport of nuclear substances represents only a very small part of the global transport of dangerous goods, it takes place every day all over the world and it is part of our daily life. Transport of nuclear material takes also place at every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle; radioactive materials are carried out all over the world by all major modes of transport: sea, air, road and rail. Despite the large number of nuclear transports, they are not considered as posing a serious risk. A major nuclear incident is almost always associated with the operating of fixed installations such as nuclear power plants; just think about Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. This perception is strengthened by the absence so far of serious accidents in the nuclear transport sector and this finding is in fact proof of the very safe conditions of nuclear transport. But accidents can never be excluded entirely and in some cases damages could be as large as those caused by fixed installations. This means that protection of the interests of possible victims should also be covered in a correct way. That is why the special nuclear liability regime has also been developed to cover damage caused by a nuclear transport accident. As stated by Patrick Reyners, the prime motivation for originally adopting a special nuclear regime was the harmonisation of national legislation and that nowhere more than in the field of international transport operations is such harmonisation felt desirable . The international legal regime has been developed along two tracks, one based on the mode of transport and the other based on the notion of dangerous goods. The linkage between those two tracks is of permanent concern and the mode of transport is the key element to determine which international instrument should be applicable. The purpose of this paper is to briefly introduce the financial security provided by the insurance industry to cover the international nuclear liability regime for nuclear

Transportation of failed or damaged foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messick, Charles E.; Mustin, Tracy P.; Massey, Charles D.

1999-01-01

Since initiating the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF) Acceptance Program in 1996, the Program has had to deal with difficult issues associated with the transportation of failed or damaged spent fuel. In several instances, problems with failed or damaged fuel have prevented the acceptance of the fuel at considerable cost to both the Department of Energy and research reactor operators. In response to the problems faced by the Acceptance Program, DOE has undertaken significant steps to better define the spent fuel acceptance criteria. DOE has worked closely with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to address failed or damaged research reactor spent fuel causing a degradation of the fuel assembly exposing fuel meat and to identify cask certificate issues which must be resolved by cask owners and foreign regulatory authorities. The specific issues and implementation challenges associated with the transport of MTR type FRR SNF will be discussed. The information presented will include U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulatory issues, cask certificate issues, technical constraints, implementation status, and lessons learned. Specific information will also be provided on the latest efforts to revise DOE's Appendix B, Transport Package (Cask) Acceptance Criteria. The information presented in this paper will be of interest to foreign research reactor operators, shippers, and cask vendors in evaluating the condition of their fuel to ensure it can be transported in accordance with appropriate cask certificate requirements. (author)

Nuclear data physics issues in Monte Carlo simulations of neutron and photon transport in the Indian context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganesan, S.

2009-01-01

In this write-up, some of the basic issues of nuclear data physics in Monte Carlo simulation of neutron transport in the Indian context are dealt with. In this lecture, some of the aspects associated with usage of the ENDF/B system, and of the PREPRO code system developed by D.E. Cullen and distributed by the IAEA Nuclear Data Section are briefly touched upon. Some aspects of the SIGACE code system which was developed by the author in collaboration with IPR, Ahmedabad and the IAEA Nuclear Data Section are also briefly covered. The validation of the SIGACE package included investigations using the NJOY and the MCNP compatible ACE files. Appendix-1 of the paper provides some useful discussions pointing out that voluminous and high-quality nuclear physics data required for nuclear applications usually evolve from a national effort to provide state-of-the-art data that are based upon established needs and uncertainties. Appendix-2 deals with some interesting work that was carried out using the SIGACE Code for Generating High Temperature ACE Files. Appendix-3 mentions briefly Integral nuclear data validation studies and use of Monte Carlo codes and nuclear data. Appendix-4 provides a brief summary report on selected Indian nuclear data physics activities for the interested reader in the light of BARC/DAE treating the subject area of nuclear data physics as a thrust area in our atomic energy programme

Development of nuclear safety issues program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, J. C.; Yoo, S. O.; Yoon, Y. K.; Kim, H. J.; Jeong, M. J.; Noh, K. W.; Kang, D. K

2006-12-15

The nuclear safety issues are defined as the cases which affect the design and operation safety of nuclear power plants and also require the resolution action. The nuclear safety issues program (NSIP) which deals with the overall procedural requirements for the nuclear safety issues management process is developed, in accordance with the request of the scientific resolution researches and the establishment/application of the nuclear safety issues management system for the nuclear power plants under design, construction or operation. The NSIP consists of the following 4 steps; - Step 1 : Collection of candidates for nuclear safety issues - Step 2 : Identification of nuclear safety issues - Step 3 : Categorization and resolution of nuclear safety issues - Step 4 : Implementation, verification and closure The NSIP will be applied to the management directives of KINS related to the nuclear safety issues. Through the identification of the nuclear safety issues which may be related to the potential for accident/incidents at operating nuclear power plants either directly or indirectly, followed by performance of regulatory researches to resolve the safety issues, it will be possible to prevent occurrence of accidents/incidents as well as to cope with unexpected accidents/incidents by analyzing the root causes timely and scientifically and by establishing the proper flow-up or remedied regulatory actions. Moreover, the identification and resolution of the safety issues related to the new nuclear power plants completed at the design stage are also expected to make the new reactor licensing reviews effective and efficient as well as to make the possibility of accidents/incidents occurrence minimize. Therefore, the NSIP developed in this study is expected to contribute for the enhancement of the safety of nuclear power plants.

Development of nuclear safety issues program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, J. C.; Yoo, S. O.; Yoon, Y. K.; Kim, H. J.; Jeong, M. J.; Noh, K. W.; Kang, D. K.

2006-12-01

The nuclear safety issues are defined as the cases which affect the design and operation safety of nuclear power plants and also require the resolution action. The nuclear safety issues program (NSIP) which deals with the overall procedural requirements for the nuclear safety issues management process is developed, in accordance with the request of the scientific resolution researches and the establishment/application of the nuclear safety issues management system for the nuclear power plants under design, construction or operation. The NSIP consists of the following 4 steps; - Step 1 : Collection of candidates for nuclear safety issues - Step 2 : Identification of nuclear safety issues - Step 3 : Categorization and resolution of nuclear safety issues - Step 4 : Implementation, verification and closure The NSIP will be applied to the management directives of KINS related to the nuclear safety issues. Through the identification of the nuclear safety issues which may be related to the potential for accident/incidents at operating nuclear power plants either directly or indirectly, followed by performance of regulatory researches to resolve the safety issues, it will be possible to prevent occurrence of accidents/incidents as well as to cope with unexpected accidents/incidents by analyzing the root causes timely and scientifically and by establishing the proper flow-up or remedied regulatory actions. Moreover, the identification and resolution of the safety issues related to the new nuclear power plants completed at the design stage are also expected to make the new reactor licensing reviews effective and efficient as well as to make the possibility of accidents/incidents occurrence minimize. Therefore, the NSIP developed in this study is expected to contribute for the enhancement of the safety of nuclear power plants

The juridical issues of nuclear activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillaume, M.; Kerever, A.; Pasquier, J.L.; Brillanceau, F.; Besson, J.P.; Chaumette, L.; Niel, J.C.; Reculeau, Y.; Treflez, M.; Pezennec, D.; Cochaud, J.F.; Phan Van, L.; Cormis, F. de; Galmot, Y.; Saint-Raymond, P.; Blanchard, P.; Robert, J.H.

1997-01-01

This issue is dedicated to the juridical aspects of civil nuclear activities. It comprises 3 parts and 16 papers. Radiation protection law is dealt with in part 1: prevention of risks due to ionizing radiations in occupational environment; sources and men; the regulation of radioactive materials transport; the regulation of the rejection of gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents. Part 2 tackles the question of checking the pacific uses of nuclear energy, that is the juridical consequences of the non-proliferation and physical protection policies are reviewed: international efforts that aim to limit the military uses of nuclear energy; the juridical and practical aspects of non-proliferation rules and international controls; the national control of radioactive materials. The juridical framing of nuclear activities, nuclear civil liability and infraction of the law are gathered in part 3: the CIINB and its contribution to the safety of nuclear installations; the mining law; the control of nuclear installations safety; the influence of the realization of the nuclear program on the evolution of the French law; the intervention of the administrative judge in nuclear affairs; the protection of population against nuclear risk - statement of existing provisions and new trends; the special regime of the civil nuclear responsibility - at the time of change; the penal infractions of the nuclear law. (J.S.)

Regulatory Framework for the Safe and Secure Transport of Nuclear Material in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konnai, A.; Shibasaki, N.; Ikoma, Y.; Kato, M.; Yamauchi, T.; Iwasa, T.

2016-01-01

Regulations for nuclear material transport in Japan are based on international regulations. Safety and security regulations, however, have sometime different aspects which have caused a conflict of operations. This paper aims to introduce framework of safety and security regulations for nuclear material transport in Japan, and shows some issues in cooperation of these regulations. (author)

Transportation of spent nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meguro, Toshiichi

1976-01-01

The spent nuclear fuel taken out of reactors is cooled in the cooling pool in each power station for a definite time, then transported to a reprocessing plant. At present, there is no reprocessing plant in Japan, therefore the spent nuclear fuel is shipped abroad. In this paper, the experiences and the present situation in Japan are described on the transport of the spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors, centering around the works in Tsuruga Power Station, Japan Atomic Power Co. The spent nuclear fuel in Tsuruga Power Station was first transported in Apr. 1973, and since then, about 36 tons were shipped to Britain by 5 times of transport. The reprocessing plant in Japan is expected to start operation in Apr. 1977, accordingly the spent nuclear fuel used for the trial will be transported in Japan in the latter half of this year. Among the permission and approval required for the transport of spent nuclear fuel, the acquisition of the certificate for transport casks and the approval of land and sea transports are main tasks. The relevant laws are the law concerning the regulations of nuclear raw material, nuclear fuel and reactors and the law concerning the safety of ships. The casks used in Tsuruga Power Station and EXL III type, and the charging of spent nuclear fuel, the decontamination of the casks, the leak test, land transport with a self-running vehicle, loading on board an exclusive carrier and sea transport are briefly explained. The casks and the ship for domestic transport are being prepared. (Kato, I.)

10 CFR 70.20a - General license to possess special nuclear material for transport.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General license to possess special nuclear material for transport. 70.20a Section 70.20a Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DOMESTIC LICENSING OF... transport. (a) A general license is issued to any person to possess formula quantities of strategic special...

IAEA activities on communication of nuclear safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieland, P.

2001-01-01

The regulatory authorities in several countries have taken the initiative to overcome the renowned difficulties of communicating nuclear safety issues. They communicate with segments of the public specially in case of nuclear/radiological accidents, waste disposal, transport of radioactive material or food irradiation. This reflects the full recognition of the importance of the topic. However it is also recognized that there is hitherto a need of international assistance in order to develop a regulatory communication strategy that could be harmonized and at the same time customized to the different needs. Communications on nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety are needed to: disseminate information on safety to the public in both routine and emergency situations ; be attentive to public concerns, and address them; maintain social trust and confidence by keeping society informed on the established safety standards and how they are enforced; facilitate the decision-making process on nuclear matters by promptly presenting factual information in a clear manner; integrate and maintain an information network at both the national and international levels; improve co-operation with other countries and international organizations; encourage the dissemination of factual information on nuclear issues in schools. A major factor in addressing all of these questions is understanding the audience(s). A two way communication process is needed to establish what particular audiences want to know and in what form they prefer to receive information. This will differ depending on the audience and circumstances. For example, the information on a routine day-to-day basis will be different from what might be needed at the time of an accident. Communication with the news media is a matter of particular importance, as they are both an audience in themselves and a channel for communicating with wider audiences. (author)

The Alsos library for nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Settle, F.A.; Whaley, T.; Blackmer, E.

2005-01-01

Full text: This presentation will describe the content and features of the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues (http://alsos.wlu.edu). The library, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, provides a broad, balanced collection of indexed, annotated references for the study of nuclear issues ranging from nuclear reactors to Japanese poetry. All annotations have been reviewed by members of the library's prestigious National Advisory Board. The searchable collection includes books, articles, films, CD-ROMs, and websites. It currently contains approximately 1600 references and receives over 15000 visits per month. The mission of the library is to make the history and current status of nuclear issues more accessible and comprehensible to the general public as well as to students, educators, and other professionals in the many fields influenced by the forces of the nuclear age. References may be accessed by conventional keyword, creator, and title searches or by browsing topics under one of five categories; issues, warfare, science, people, and places. Of particular interest to conference participants are topics in the issues category that include nuclear power, terrorism, and nuclear waste. The library can also provide bibliographies for specific topics which can be embedded as hyperlinks on other websites which address of nuclear issues. Finally the Alsos Library is the bibliographical component of Nuclear Pathways (nuclearpathways.org), a composite site which is attempting to integrate websites dedicated to nuclear issues. The initial partner sites are: Atomic Archive (http://atomicarchive.com), Nuclear Chemistry in the Community (http://www.chemcases.com/2003version/nuclear/index2.htm), and Nuclear Files (http://nuclearfiles.org). (author)

Nuclear materials transport worldwide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stellpflug, J.

1987-01-01

This Greenpeace report shows: nuclear materials transport is an extremely hazardous business. There is no safe protection against accidents, kidnapping, or sabotage. Any moment of a day, at any place, a nuclear transport accident may bring the world to disaster, releasing plutonium or radioactive fission products to the environment. Such an event is not less probable than the MCA at Chernobyl. The author of the book in hand follows the secret track of radioactive materials around the world, from uranium mines to the nuclear power plants, from reprocessing facilities to the waste repositories. He explores the routes of transport and the risks involved, he gives the names of transport firms and discloses incidents and carelessness, tells about damaged waste drums and plutonium that 'disappeared'. He also tells about worldwide, organised resistance to such nuclear transports, explaining the Greenpeace missions on the open sea, or the 'day X' operation at the Gorleben site, informing the reader about protests and actions for a world freed from the threat of nuclear energy. (orig./HP) [de

Probabilistic Risk Assessment on Maritime Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christian, Robby; Kang, Hyun Gook [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management has been an indispensable issue in South Korea. Before a long term SNF solution is implemented, there exists the need to distribute the spent fuel pool storage loads. Transportation of SNF assemblies from populated pools to vacant ones may preferably be done through the maritime mode since all nuclear power plants in South Korea are located at coastal sites. To determine its feasibility, it is necessary to assess risks of the maritime SNF transportation. This work proposes a methodology to assess the risk arising from ship collisions during the transportation of SNF by sea. Its scope is limited to the damage probability of SNF packages given a collision event. The effect of transport parameters' variation to the package damage probability was investigated to obtain insights into possible ways to minimize risks. A reference vessel and transport cask are given in a case study to illustrate the methodology's application.

Current trends in nuclear material transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravenscroft, Norman; Oshinowo, Franchone

1997-01-01

The business of radioactive material transportation has evolved considerably in the past 40 years. Current practices reflect extensive international experience in handling radioactive cargo within a mature and tested regulatory framework. Nevertheless, new developments continue to have an impact on how shipments of nuclear material are planned and carried out. Entities involved in the transport of radioactive materials must keep abreast of these developments and work together to find innovative solutions to ensure that safe, smooth transport activities may continue. Several recent trends in the regulatory environment and political atmosphere require attention. There are four key trends that we'll be examining today: 1) the reduction in the pool of available commercial carriers; 2) routing restrictions; 3) package validation issues; and 4) increasing political sensitivities. Careful planning and cooperative measures are necessary to alleviate problems in each of these areas. (author)

Transportation of hazardous and nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boryczka, M.; Shaver, D.

1989-01-01

Transportation of hazardous and radioactive materials is a vital part of the nation's economy. In recent years public concern over the relative safety of transporting hazardous materials has risen sharply. The United States has a long history of transporting hazardous and radioactive material; rocket propellants, commercial spent fuel, low-level and high-level radioactive waste has been shipped for years. While the track record for shipping these materials is excellent, the knowledge that hazardous materials are passing through communities raises the ire of citizens and local governments. Public outcry over shipments containing hazardous cargo has been especially prominent when shippers have attempted to transport rocket propellants or spent nuclear fuel. Studies of recent shipments have provided insight into the difficulties of shipping in a politically charged environment, the major issues of concern to citizens, and some of the more successful methods of dealing with public concerns. This paper focuses on lessons learned from these studies which include interviews with shippers, carriers, and regulators

Uranium and nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

This seminar focussed on the major issues affecting the future of the entire nuclear fuel cycle. In particular it covered issues bearing on the formation of public policy in relation to the use of uranium as an energy source: economic risk, industrial risks, health effects, site selection, environmental issues, and public acceptance

Review on the NEI Methodology of Debris Transport Analysis in Sump Blockage Issue for APR1400

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Uk; Lee, Jeong Ik; Hong, Soon Joon; Lee, Byung Chul; Bang, Young Seok

2007-01-01

Since USNRC (United State Nuclear Regulatory Committee) initially addressed post-accident sump performance under Unresolved Safety Issue USI A-43, sump blockage issue has gone through GSI-191, Regulation Guide 1.82, Rev. 3 (RG. 1.82 Rev.3), and generic Letter 2004-02 for PWRs (Pressurized Water Reactors). As a response of these USNRC's activities, NEI 04-07 was issued in order to evaluate the post-accident performance of a plant's recirculation sump. The baseline methodology of NEI 04-07 is composed of break selection, debris generation, latent debris, debris transport, and head loss. In analytical refinement of NEI 04-07, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) is suggested for the evaluation of debris transport in emergency core cooling (ECC) recirculation mode as guided by RG. 1.82 Rev.3. In Korea nuclear industry also keeps step with international activities of this safety issue, with Kori 1 plant as a pioneering edge. Korean nuclear industry has been also pursuing development of an advanced PWR of APR1400, which incorporates several improved safety features. One of the key features, considering sump blockage issue, is the adoption of IRWST (In-containment Refueling Water Storage Tank). This device, as the acronym implies, changes the emergency core cooling water injection pattern. This fact makes us to review the applicability of NEI 04-07's methodology. In this paper we discuss the applicability of NEI 04- 07's methodology, and more over, new methodology is proposed. And finally the preliminary debris transport is analyzed

Vulnerability Analysis Considerations for the Transportation of Special Nuclear Material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholson, Lary G.; Purvis, James W.

1999-01-01

The vulnerability analysis methodology developed for fixed nuclear material sites has proven to be extremely effective in assessing associated transportation issues. The basic methods and techniques used are directly applicable to conducting a transportation vulnerability analysis. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that the same physical protection elements (detection, delay, and response) are present, although the response force plays a dominant role in preventing the theft or sabotage of material. Transportation systems are continuously exposed to the general public whereas the fixed site location by its very nature restricts general public access

Force Triggers YAP Nuclear Entry by Regulating Transport across Nuclear Pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Elosegui-Artola, Alberto; Andreu, Ion; Beedle, Amy E M; Lezamiz, Ainhoa; Uroz, Marina; Kosmalska, Anita J; Oria, Roger; Kechagia, Jenny Z; Rico-Lastres, Palma; Le Roux, Anabel-Lise; Shanahan, Catherine M; Trepat, Xavier; Navajas, Daniel; Garcia-Manyes, Sergi; Roca-Cusachs, Pere

2017-11-30

YAP is a mechanosensitive transcriptional activator with a critical role in cancer, regeneration, and organ size control. Here, we show that force applied to the nucleus directly drives YAP nuclear translocation by decreasing the mechanical restriction of nuclear pores to molecular transport. Exposure to a stiff environment leads cells to establish a mechanical connection between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton, allowing forces exerted through focal adhesions to reach the nucleus. Force transmission then leads to nuclear flattening, which stretches nuclear pores, reduces their mechanical resistance to molecular transport, and increases YAP nuclear import. The restriction to transport is further regulated by the mechanical stability of the transported protein, which determines both active nuclear transport of YAP and passive transport of small proteins. Our results unveil a mechanosensing mechanism mediated directly by nuclear pores, demonstrated for YAP but with potential general applicability in transcriptional regulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teaching nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, D.W.

1986-01-01

This paper is based on the assumption that the nuclear debate, both globally and within Britain, is one of critical importance in the late twentieth century and that it should therefore, at some juncture, be explored as part of the school curriculum. An essential part of 'good education' in a democratic society is to teach young people how to think about such an issue, but not what to think about it. This paper attempts to set out some of the key issues and dilemmas in relation to what we may call 'nuclear education'. It perhaps asks more questions than it gives answers, but they are all essential questions which teachers must ask themselves if they are to teach sensitively about these matters. Some of these questions are given as examples. (author)

Nuclear materials transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushakov, B.A.

1986-01-01

Various methods of nuclear materials transportation at different stages of the fuel cycle (U 3 O 8 , UF 6 production enrichment, fuel element manufacturing, storage) are considered. The advantages and drawbacks of railway, automobile, maritime and air transport are analyzed. Some types of containers are characterized

Nuclear economics: Issues and facts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudson, C.R.

1993-01-01

Nuclear economics has become on the more prominent topics related to nuclear power. Beyond the subjects of nuclear safety and waste disposal, questions and concerns of nuclear power economics have emerged with growing frequency in utility board rooms, in state and federal regulatory proceedings, and in the media. What has caused nuclear power economics to become such a popular topic? This paper addresses issues and facts related to historical nuclear plant costs, new nuclear plant projections, and warning signals for future plants

The nuclear controversy-what are the issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wyatt, A.

1976-01-01

The various issues raised by anti-nuclear groups are outlined and rebutted. Issues are grouped under four headingss - Economic; Technical; Social/Ethical/Moral; Political. Issues debated under economic aspects include conservation, unemployment resulting from energy use, use of alternative enrgy sources, high capital cost of nuclear power, high energy consumption in construction of plants, performance unreliability, depletion of uranium and excessive cost of decommissioning. Technically related issues, reactor safety, possibility of nuclear power plant explosion, waste managment, toxicity of plutonium, emission of radioactive material, thermal pollution and environmental effect of heavy water production are also discussed. Social/ethical/moral issues rebutted include radiation effects on health and genetic effects, deaths among uranium miners, morality of long-term waste storage, lack of faith in technical solutions and technical people, opposition to current life style, secrecy of information, nuclear proliferation and unsuitability of nuclear technology to the needs of developing countries. Political issues discussed are sabotage/terrorism possibilites, police state tactics in protection of nuclear facilities, misuse of technolgy by society, high energy society is capitalist and low energy society is Marxist, centralization of power, need for a great nuclear debate and the question of who pays for safety. Scientists and technical people are called upon to debate in their areas of specialty and are cautioned to be aware of tactics involved in meeting challengers head-on. (J.T.A.)

The transports of nuclear fuel cycle: An essential activity, safely managed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.; Savornin, B.; Curtis, H.W.

1989-01-01

Transports associated with the nuclear fuel cycle normally use public means of transport by rail, road, sea and air and it might therefore be expected that they would be the Achilles heel of the cycle from a safety point of view. In fact, despite a few minor accidents, no radioactive releases resulting in a significant exposure of the public or the environment have occurred. On the other hand, during the last quarter, the news media have reported major spillages of crude oil and chemicals of high toxicity which have jeopardized the environment, the explosion of gas tankers with dozens of fatalities, and even the sinking of a nuclear submarine. All reports show that the radiation exposure to the public resulting from transports is negligible, i.e., far below 1% of that due to the whole nuclear industry. Similarly, the radiation exposure of transport workers has been lower than anticipated over several decades. The demonstrations and attacks by opponents of the nuclear industry against transports have been limited and have been used as an attempt to freeze the activity of different plants or disposal sites, and to focus public attention on the nuclear issue, rather than to question the fuel cycle transports themselves or the safety principles ruling them. When looking for explanations of such a favorable situation, which they should endeavour to perpetuate, without being surprised if any incident occurs, one finds two major reasons: First, the awareness by the fuel cycle operators, of the vital importance of a safe and reliable implementation of the necessary transports. Secondly, the results of assessments of safety conducted by international organizations and most countries, which have resulted in detailed international recommendations, as well as uniform national and modal regulations, thus establishing the necessary link between the basic rules for radioprotection and the needs of the Transport Industry

Implementation of Safety and Security Issues in the Transport of Radioactive Material in Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López Vietri, J.; Elechosa, C.; Gerez Miranda, C.; Menossi, S.; Rodríguez Roldán, M.S.; Fernández, A.

2016-01-01

This paper is intended to describe implementation of safety and security issues in the transport of radioactive material by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (in Spanish Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear, ARN), which is the Competent Authority of Argentina in Safety, Security and Safeguards of radioactive and nuclear material. There are depicted main regulatory activities dealing with the mentioned issues, and relevant milestones of national regulatory standards and guidance applied, that are based on requirements and guides from IAEA. Interfaces between Safety and Security sections are most of the times complementary but sometimes conflictive, therefore the resolution of such conflicts and goals achieved during their implementation are also commented; as well as future joint planned activities between both sections of ARN as a way to provide safety and security without compromising one or the other. (author)

Nuclear safety - Topical issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The following topical issues related to nuclear safety are discussed: steam generators; maintenance strategies; control rod drive nozzle cracks; core shrouds cracks; sump strainer blockage; fire protection; computer software important for safety; safety during shutdown; operational safety experience; external hazards and other site related issues. 5 figs, 5 tabs

Canada's domestic nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

The Interfaith Program for Public Awareness of Nuclear Issues (IPPANI) is a committee of representatives of religious groups in Toronto, a group of people concerned about the moral and ethical implications of the operation of Canada's nuclear industry and of its exports to other countries. The faith groups represented are the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, the Baha'i Community of Canada, the Jewish Community of Toronto, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto and the United Church of Canada Toronto Conference. Wishing to encourage the Canadian government to enquire into this broad question, the faith groups established IPPANI and assigned to it the task of enhancing their knowledge of the nuclear industry. IPPANI was to develop an effective set of questions to be placed before governments and to promote public discussion so that governments might become more responsive to these issues

Review of criticality safety and shielding analysis issues for transportation packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parks, C.V.; Broadhead, B.L.

1995-01-01

The staff of the Nuclear Engineering Applications Section (NEAS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been involved for over 25 years with the development and application of computational tools for use in analyzing the criticality safety and shielding features of transportation packages carrying radioactive material (RAM). The majority of the computational tools developed by ORNL/NEAS have been included within the SCALE modular code system (SCALE 1995). This code system has been used throughout the world for the evaluation of nuclear facility and package designs. With this development and application experience as a basis, this paper highlights a number of criticality safety and shielding analysis issues that confront the designer and reviewer of a new RAM package. Changes in the types and quantities of material that need to be shipped will keep these issues before the technical community and provide challenges to future package design and certification

Inspection of nuclear fuel transport in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobo Mendez, J.

1977-01-01

The experience acquired in inspecting nuclear fuel shipments carried out in Spain will serve as a basis for establishing the regulations wich must be adhered to for future transports, as the transport of nuclear fuels in Spain will increase considerably within the next years as a result of the Spanish nuclear program. The experience acquired in nuclear fuel transport inspection is described. (author) [es

Program strategy document for the Nuclear Materials Transportation Technology Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jefferson, R.M.

1979-07-01

A multiyear program plan is presented which describes the program of the Nuclear Materials Transportation Technology Center (TIC) at Sandia Laboratories. The work element plans, along with their corresponding work breakdown structures, are presented for TTC activities in the areas of Technology and Information Center, Systems Development, Technology, and Institutional Issues for the years from 1979 to 1985

Study of rural transportation issues.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

This report is in response to Section 6206 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (PL : 110-246), which directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and Transportation jointly to conduct a : study of rural transportation issues. The report revie...

Transportation access to Yucca Mountain: Critical issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halstead, R.J.; Souleyrette, R.R.; Bartolo, R. di

1991-01-01

Transportation planning for a repository at Yucca Mountain is complicated because of uncertainty about the modes and numbers of nuclear waste shipments and because of uncertainty about the routes which will be used. There could be as many as 76,000 truck shipments, or as few as 1,060 dedicated train shipments, during repository operations. The site lacks rail access. Three rail access options currently under study range in length from 120 miles to more than 400 miles. The site is more than 100 miles from the Interstate highway system. The UNLV Transportation Research Center has evaluated three rail and four highway routes using a broad range of impact measures. This preliminary evaluation found that the routing options differ significantly regarding resident and non-resident populations, environmentally sensitive areas, accident rates, and other factors. Crosscutting issues include impacts on Nevada Indian tribes, potential conflicts with US Air Force operations, and future population growth in southern Nevada. Considerable additional analysis will be required prior to environmental impact statement scoping

The Next Nuclear Gamble. Transportation and storage of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Resnikoff, M.

1985-01-01

The Next Nuclear Gamble examines risks, costs, and alternatives in handling irradiated nuclear fuel. The debate over nuclear power and the disposal of its high-level radioactive waste is now nearly four decades old. Ever larger quantities of commercial radioactive fuel continue to accumulate in reactor storage pools throughout the country and no permanent storage solution has yet been designated. As an interim solution, the government and utilities prefer that radioactive wastes be transported to temporary storage facilities and subsequently to a permanent depository. If this temporary and centralized storage system is implemented, however, the number of nuclear waste shipments on the highway will increase one hundredfold over the next fifteen years. The question directly addressed is whether nuclear transport is safe or represents the American public's domestic nuclear gamble. This Council on Economic Priorities study, directed by Marvin Resnikoff, shows on the basis of hundreds of government and industry reports, interviews and surveys, and original research, that transportation of nuclear materials as currently practiced is unsafe

Adolescents' knowledge of nuclear issues and the effects of nuclear war

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roscoe, B.; Goodwin, M.P.

1987-01-01

Three hundred fifty-seven college students were surveyed to assess later adolescents' awareness of the status of nuclear arms development and possible effects of a nuclear war on people and the environment. Chi-square analyses were performed to determine whether the frequency of correct responses differed with regard to participants' sex, political orientation, and position toward the United States' possession of nuclear weapons. Results suggest that later adolescents are extremely uninformed regarding the current status of nuclear issues and the consequences of a nuclear war. These data, coupled with findings from previous studies reporting children's and adolescents' concerns and fears about nuclear war, indicate that there is a strong need to educate young people concerning nuclear issues

Transport device for nuclear fuel powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adelmann, M.

1987-01-01

The transport device for nuclear fuel powder, which does not disintegrate during transport, has a transport pipe which starts with its entry end from the floor or a closed container and opens with its outlet end at the top into a closed separation container connect via a powder filter to a suction pump. By alternate regular opening and closing of a first control valve for transport gas fitted to a transport pipe to a supply duct and a second control valve for transport gas fitted to the container to an additional supply duct, alternating plugs of nuclear fuel powder and transport gas cushions are formed and are transported to the outlet end of the transport pipe. (orig./HP) [de

Transportation of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brobst, W.A.

1977-01-01

Twenty years of almost accident-free transport of nuclear materials is pointed to as evidence of a fundamentally correct approach to the problems involved. The increased volume and new technical problems in the future will require extension of these good practices in both regulations and packaging. The general principles of safety in the transport of radioactive materials are discussed first, followed by the transport of spent fuel and of radioactive waste. The security and physical protection of nuclear shipments is then treated. In discussing future problems, the question of public understanding and acceptance is taken first, thereafter transport safeguards and the technical bases for the safety regulations. There is also said to be a need for a new technology for spent fuel casks, while a re-examination of the IAEA transport standards for radiation doses is recommended. The IAEA regulations regarding quality assurance are said to be incomplete, and more information is required on correlations between engineering analysis, scale model testing and full scale crash testing. Transport stresses on contents need to be considered while administrative controls have been neglected. (JIW)

Transport Properties in Nuclear Pasta

Science.gov (United States)

Caplan, Matthew; Horowitz, Charles; Berry, Donald; da Silva Schneider, Andre

2016-09-01

At the base of the inner crust of neutron stars, where matter is near the nuclear saturation density, nuclear matter arranges itself into exotic shapes such as cylinders and slabs, called `nuclear pasta.' Lepton scattering from these structures may govern the transport properties of the inner crust; electron scattering from protons in the pasta determines the thermal and electrical conductivity, as well as the shear viscosity of the inner crust. These properties may vary in pasta structures which form at various densities, temperatures, and proton fractions. In this talk, we report on our calculations of lepton transport in nuclear pasta and the implication for neutron star observables.

Next nuclear gamble: transportation and storage of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Resnikoff, M.

1983-01-01

Accidents during transport of nuclear waste are more threatening - though less likely - than a reactor meltdown because transportation accidents could occur in the middle of a populous city, affecting more people and property than a plant accident, according to the Council on Economic Priorities, a non-profit public service research organization. Transportation, as presently practiced, is unsafe. Shipping containers, called casks, are poorly designed and constructed, CEP says. The problem needs attention because the number of casks filled with nuclear waste on the nation's highways could increase a hundred times during the next 15 years under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, which calls for storage areas. Recommendations, both technical and regulatory, for reducing the risks are presented

Transport insurance of unirradiated nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matto, H.

1985-01-01

Special conditions must be taken into account in transport insurance for nuclear materials even if the nuclear risk involved is negligible, as in shipments of unirradiated nuclear fuels. The shipwreck of the 'Mont Louis' has raised a number of open points which must be solved pragmatically within the framework of transport insurance. Some proposals are outlined in the article. (orig.) [de

Nuclear fuel transport and particularly spent fuel transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.

1986-01-01

Nuclear material transport is an essential activity for COGEMA linking the different steps of the fuel cycle transport systems have to be safe and reliable. Spent fuel transport is more particularly examined in this paper because the development of reprocessing plant. Industrial, techmical and economical aspects are reviewed [fr

Nuclear Data Newsletter. Issue No. 15

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-03-01

This issue of the Nuclear Data Newsletter (March 1991) gives information on the following topics: Data indexes and bibliographies, new data libraries received, selected new publications on nuclear data, related to the activity of the Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA

The nuclear debate - examination of the issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellington, H.I.; Addinall, E.

1981-01-01

Issues examined in a package of educational exercises, written by the present authors, entitled The Nuclear Debate are discussed. The three sections are entitled: (1) Does Britain really need nuclear power. (2) What sort of nuclear power programme would be best suited to meeting Britain's future energy needs. (3) Is nuclear power socially and environmentally acceptable in an open society such as Britain (alleged dangers to workers, dangers to the general public, and genetic hazards, political freedom and proliferation issues). (U.K.)

Nuclear Issues in the Post-September 11 era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, Lewis; Wheeler, Michael; May, Michael; Pikayev, Alexander; Wolfstahl, Jon; Roberts, Brad; Tertrais, Bruno; Umbach, Frank

2003-03-01

In the fall of 2002, the Foundation for Strategic Research convened a small group of high-level experts on nuclear policy issues to discuss the consequences of September 11 and of the 'war on terrorism' for nuclear debates. Participants met in Paris on September 26-27, 2002, and later provided papers which are reproduced here. This project was sponsored by the French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA). Contents: 1 - Nuclear Issues in the Post-September 11 era: emerging Trends (Bruno Tertrais); 2 - Nuclear energy Issues: Global Dimensions and Security Challenges (Frank Umbach); 3 - Proliferation and Non-Proliferation: What's Changed-What Hasn't? (Jon B. Wolfstahl); 4 - Non-Proliferation: Possible New Trends after September 11 (Alexander A. Pikayev); 5 - Nuclear Deterrence Issues in the Post-September 11 World: An American Perspective (Michael O. Wheeler); 6 - The Nuclear Balance of Terror and September 11 (Brad Roberts); 7 - Nuclear Weapons after September 11 (Lewis A. Dunn); 8 - September 11 and the Need for International Nuclear Agreements (Michael May)

Measures to strengthen international co-operation in nuclear, radiation and transport safety and waste management. Nuclear safety review for the year 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

The Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2003 presents an overview of the current issues and trends in nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety during 2003. As in 2002 the overview is supported by more detailed Notes by the Secretariat: Safety Related Events and Issues Worldwide during 2003 (document 2004/Note 6), The Agency's Safety Standards: Activities during 2003 (document 2004/Note 7) and Providing for the Application of the Safety Standards (document 2004/Note 8). In January 2003, the Agency implemented an organization change and developed an integrated approach to reflect a broader assignment of nuclear safety and nuclear security and to better exploit synergy between them. The Office of Physical Protection and Material Security renamed to Office of Nuclear Security was transferred from the Department of Safeguards to the Department of Nuclear Safety, which became the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security to reflect the change. This Review provides information primarily on nuclear safety, and nuclear security will be addressed in a separate report

Fuel Behaviour in Transport after Dry Storage: a Key Issue for the Management of used Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Issard, Herve

2014-01-01

Interim used fuel dry storage has been developed in many countries providing an intermediate solution while waiting for evaluation and decisions concerning future use (such as recycling) or disposal sites. There is an important industrial experience feedback and excellent safety records. It appears that the duration of interim storage may become longer than initially expected. At the start of storage operations 40 years was considered sufficiently long to make a decision on either recycling or direct disposal of used nuclear fuel. Now it is said that storage time may have to be extended. Whatever the choice for the management of used fuel, it will finally have to be transported from the storage facility to another location, for recycling or final disposal. Bearing in mind the important principle that radioactive waste shall be managed in such a way that undue burdens will not be imposed on future generations, there is no guarantee that the fuel characteristics can be maintained in perpetuity. On the other hand, transport accident conditions from applicable regulation (IAEA SSR-6) are very severe for irradiated materials. Therefore, in compliance with transport regulations, the safety analysis of the fuel in transport after storage is mandatory. This paper will give an overview of the current situation related to the used fuel behaviour in transport after dry storage. On this matter there are some elements of information already available as well as some gaps of knowledge. Several national R and D programs and international teams are presently addressing these gaps. A lot of R and D work has already been done. An objective of these R and D projects is to aid decision makers. It is important to fix a limit and not to multiply intermediate operations because it means higher costs and more uncertainties. The identified gaps concern the following issues especially for high burn-up (HBU) fuels: thermal model for casks, degradation process of fuel material, cladding creep

Potential cooperative measures on nuclear issues in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, J.

1997-01-01

Cooperation on nuclear issues is receiving increased attention in Asia. In Northeast Asia, where the nuclear industry is well-developed, cooperation in the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle could help deal with issues such as disposition of spent fuel and long term storage options. In Southeast Asia, where countries are just beginning to introduce nuclear energy, cooperation would be useful in developing standards for the nuclear industry. Throughout Asia, nuclear research and power activities can raise concerns about safety, environmental pollution and proliferation. The sharing of relevant information, i.e. cooperative monitoring, will be essential to addressing these issues. In fact, a number of regional interactions on nuclear issues are already occurring. These range from training exchanges sponsored by the more advanced states to participation in environmental monitoring of the East Sea (Sea of Japan). Several states are considering sharing information from their nuclear facilities; some exchanges of radiation data are already in place. The KEDO reactor project will involve close working relations between the nuclear experts of South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and the US. Areas for further regional cooperation are discussed

Legal aspects of transport of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobsson, Mans.

The Paris Convention and the Brussels Supplementary Convention are briefly discussed and other conventions in the field of civil liability for nuclear damage are mentioned: the Vienna Convention, the Nuclear Ships Convention and the 1971 Convention relating to civil liability in the field of maritime carriage of nuclear material. Legislation on civil liability in the Nordic countries, which is based on the Paris Convention and the Supplementary Convention is discussed, notably the principle of channelling of liability and exceptions from that principle due to rules of liability in older transport conventions and certain problems due to the limited geographical scope of the Paris Convention and the Supplementary Convention. Insurance problems arising in connection with transport of nuclear materials are surveyed and an outline is given of the administrative provisions concerning transport (based on the IAEA transport regulations) which govern transport of radioactive materials by different means: road, rail, sea and air. Finally, the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is discussed. (NEA) [fr

Nuclear power and greenhouse - twin issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Row, R.W.

1990-01-01

It is shown that nuclear electric power generation has been widely vilified in recent years. Its detractors have gained ascendancy over its proponents in guiding the political processes that control the approval of new civilian nuclear power stations for electricity generation in many countries. As a consequence, worldwide nuclear capacity growth is slowing to about 2.5% per year through the 1990s with a potential decline in nuclear capacity thereafter. This is occurring despite nuclear power's excellent record of safety and economy in comparison with other means of producing electricity, and while technical developments to improve this record continue. Proponents hope that its virtue of being the only proven means of generating electricity worldwide on a large scale that does not produce any greenhouse gases will appeal to environmentalists and help lead to a renewed nuclear age. This paper suggests that more than hope and rational argument based on scientific facts are needed to persuade the public to revise its opinion of nuclear power. A widespread nuclear fear based in part on ignorance, misinformation, and nuclear mythology, encouraged by nuclear opponents and ineptly countered by nuclear advocates, has had an important role in creating this situation. The greenhouse issues, closely resembling the nuclear issues in a number of ways, are also discussed. 23 refs

Management of the process of nuclear transport; Gestion del proceso de transporte nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Requejo, P.

2015-07-01

Since 1996 ETSA is the only Spanish logistics operator specialized on servicing the nuclear and radioactive industry. Nowadays ETSA has some technological systems specifically designed for the management of nuclear transports. These tools have been the result of the analysis of multiple factors involved in nuclear shipments, of ETSAs wide experience as a logistics operator and the search for continuous improvement. (Author)

Rules specific to nuclear incidence occurring in installations or during transport of nuclear substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocamora, P.

1976-01-01

International nuclear third party liability conventions deal in depth with the liability system governing the transport of nuclear substances. Without appropriate legislation, international transport would be likely to meet very serious legal difficulties. The rule of nuclear conventions apply the same system to transport as to nuclear installations and mainly enable a determination of the operator liable. They also allow the person responsible for transport to assume liability therefor in place of the operator who whould normally have been liable. These nuclear conventions do not affect application of international transport conventions and this provision has been the cause of serious difficulties regarding maritime transport. This resulted in the adoption in 1971 in Brussels of a convention relating to civil liability in the field of maritime carriage of nuclear material. The purpose of this convention is to establish in the field of maritime transport, the priority of the system of absolute, exclusive and limited liability in the nuclear conventions. (NEA) [fr

Special issue: the nuclear industry in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1982-01-01

This special issue contains papers on the following topics: French nuclear policy; nuclear energy development in Europe; nuclear diversification; Alsthom-Atlantique in the nuclear field; 1981 nuclear electricity generation; EDF siting policy; the N4 model of the 1300 MW series; Creys-Malville; the nuclear industry in Europe; pumps in the nuclear industry [fr

New safety and security requirements for the transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials in Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katona, T.; Horvath, K.; Safar, J.

2016-01-01

In addition to the promulgation of mode-specific regulations of international transport of dangerous goods, some Hungarian governmental and ministerial decrees impose further conditions upon the transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials. One of these ministerial decrees on the transport, carriage and packaging of radioactive materials is under revision and it will require • approval of emergency response plan (including security and safety contingency plan); • report on transport incidents and accidents for classifying them in accordance with the INES scale; • the competent authority to request experts’ support for the approval of package designs, radioactive material designs and shipments. Regarding the security of the transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials a new Hungarian governmental decree and a related guidance are about to be published which will supply additional requirements in the field of the transport security especially concerning radioactive materials, implementing - among others - IAEA recommendations of the NSS No9 and No14. The main and relevant features of the Hungarian nuclear regulatory system and the details of both new decrees regarding the safety and security issues of transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials will be discussed. (author)

The transportation issue management system: A tool for issue resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Branch, K.M.; Boryczka, M.K.

1987-01-01

During the last decade, issue management programs have been developed and used by a number of large corporations in the United States. These systems have generally been designed to help senior program managers identify issues, develop strategic plans, and resolve issues. These systems involve scanning and abstracting literature to create a database that is then used for 1) issue identification, 2) issue analysis, 3) priority assessment, 4) development of corporate position/strategic options, and 5) action planning and implementation. Most of the existing systems rely on staff to identify trends in the computerized output, analyze the importance of the issue to the company, and assist in developing corporate responses. The Department of Energy has recently developed an issue management system for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management's (OCRWM) transportation program. This system is designed to help DOE identify institutional issues related to radioactive waste transportation, analyze the issues, and resolve them in a manner that is responsive to interested parties. The system will contain pertinent information from DOE technical reports, other federal documents, correspondence, professional journals, popular literature, newsclips, legislation and testimony. The program is designed around a number of institutional issues including: prenotification, physical protection procedures; highway, rail, and barge routing; inspections and enforcement of shipments; emergency response; liability, cask design and testing; overweight trucks; rail service; modal mix; infrastructure improvements; training standards, and operational procedures

Radioactivity and Nuclear Issues in Science Fiction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franic, Z.

2008-01-01

In this work are presented and reviewed science fiction narratives, films and comics that exploit radioactivity and nuclear issues. These topics to some science fiction authors serve as metaphor of evil and holocaust as well as nice instrument for elaborating various manipulations and conspiracy theories. In that context are of special interest science fiction works depicting apocalyptic post-nuclear worlds and societies, such works being closely connected with cyberpunk genre. However, other more technologically optimistic authors nuclear energy and research regarding nuclear technology and radioactivity consider as eligible and inevitable solution for world peace and prosperity Nowadays, public interest and global fears are shifted from radioactivity and nuclear issues to other catastrophic scenarios threatening future of the mankind, these for example being climate changes and global warming, asteroid impact, collapse of information infrastructure, nanotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence etc. Consequently, these issues are as well increasingly reflected in contemporary science fiction stories.(author)

The eyes, ears and collective voice for nuclear transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, L.

2000-01-01

Transport is a vital part of the nuclear industry and the safety record of radioactive materials transport across the world is excellent. This record is due primarily to well-founded regulations developed by such intergovernmental organisations as the International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Maritime Organisation. It is due, also, to the professionalism of those in the industry. Attitudes to nuclear transport are important. They have the potential, if not heeded, and not responded to sensitively and convincingly to make life very much more difficult for those committed to the safe, reliable and efficient transport of nuclear materials. What is required is a balanced situation, which takes account both of the public's attitudes and industry's need for an efficient operation. The voices of the nuclear transport industry and those who value the industry need to be heard. The World Nuclear Transport Institute was established to provide the nuclear transport industry with the collective eyes, ears and voice in the key intergovernmental organisations which are so important to it. The nuclear transport industry has a safety record which could be regarded as a model for the transport of dangerous goods of all kinds. The industry is situated within a comprehensive and strict regime of national and international standards and regulations. That is the message to be disseminated, and that is the commitment of the World Nuclear Transport Institute as it works to protect and to promote the safe, efficient and reliable transport of radioactive materials. (author)

Public and media acceptance of nuclear materials transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindeman, E.

1999-01-01

Transport is absolutely essential to the continued existence of a nuclear industry that includes large-scale power generation, sophisticated research, and medicine. Indeed, transport of nuclear materials is hardly a new business. What is new is the public's awareness and distrust of this transport - a distrust fuelled by the well-funded and skilled manipulation of the nuclear industry's detractors. The nuclear industry itself has only recently begun to acknowledge the importance and the implications of transport. This paper looks at the public and media response to the European-Japanese and the US Department of Energy's transport campaigns and quotes from several telling newspaper articles. It emphasizes the need for the nuclear industry to continue to be vigilant in its efforts to reach the public, media and governments with good science, openness and well-communicated facts. (author)

Transport of nuclear substances in Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faille, S. [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2015-07-01

CNSC Regulates all Nuclear-related facilities and activities including Uranium mines and mill;, uranium fuel fabrication and processing; nuclear power plants; nuclear substance processing; industrial and medical applications; nuclear research and education; transport; export/import control; security and safeguards and waste management facilities. Our mandate is to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment, and implement Canada's International commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public. Based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, 1996 Edition, Revised and currently being revised to reflect the 2012 edition of the IAEA Regulations.

Transport of nuclear substances in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faille, S.

2015-01-01

CNSC Regulates all Nuclear-related facilities and activities including Uranium mines and mill;, uranium fuel fabrication and processing; nuclear power plants; nuclear substance processing; industrial and medical applications; nuclear research and education; transport; export/import control; security and safeguards and waste management facilities. Our mandate is to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment, and implement Canada's International commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public. Based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, 1996 Edition, Revised and currently being revised to reflect the 2012 edition of the IAEA Regulations.

Focusing on real-world nuclear issues at the University of New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, R.D.

1996-01-01

Traditional nuclear engineering education in the universities has focused on nuclear power and reactor physics. Since 1980, the United States has had little need for reactor designers and few job opportunities available in the nuclear power industry. Although slow to get the message, most university nuclear engineering programs have shifted focus in the 1990s from neutron physics and power generation to environmental and regulatory issues. In the University of New Mexico (UNM) chemical and nuclear engineering department, we have done this in two ways: through a shift of emphasis in our basic theory classes and by introducing new courses. One example of the shift of emphasis is illustrated by the way we now teach our senior computational methods class. Rather than focusing on ways to analyze the neutronics of reactor cores, we now look at using computational tools - particularly, diffusion, transport, and Monte Carlo codes - to evaluate the criticality safety aspects of processes involving fissile material

Science Communication for the Public Understanding of Nuclear Issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Seongkyung [Myungji Univ., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2006-04-15

Uncertainty, stigma, risk perception, and value judgment represent characteristics of nuclear issues in the public arena. Nuclear issue, in the public arena, is a kind of risk rather than technology that we are willing to use for good purpose. There are uncertainty, stigma, risk perception, and value judgment as characteristics of nuclear. The notion of the public, here is of active, sensitive, and sensible citizens, with power and influence. The public understands nuclear issues less through direct experience or education than through the filter of mass media. Trust has been a key issue on public understanding of nuclear issues. Trust belongs to human. The public understanding process includes perception, interpretation, and evaluation. Therefore, science communication is needed for public understanding. Unfortunately, science communication is rarely performed well, nowadays, There are three important actors-the public, experts, and media. Effective science communication means finding comprehensible ways of presenting opaque and complex nuclear issues. It makes new and strong demands on experts. In order to meet that requirement, experts should fulfill their duty about developing nuclear technology for good purpose, understand the public before expecting the public to understand nuclear issues, accept the unique culture of the media process, take the responsibility for any consequence which nuclear technologies give rise to, communicate with an access route based on sensibility and rationality, have a flexible angle in the science communication process, get creative leadership for the communication process with deliberation and disagreement, make efficient use of various science technologies for science communication. We should try to proceed with patience, because science communication makes for a more credible society.

Science Communication for the Public Understanding of Nuclear Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seongkyung

2006-01-01

Uncertainty, stigma, risk perception, and value judgment represent characteristics of nuclear issues in the public arena. Nuclear issue, in the public arena, is a kind of risk rather than technology that we are willing to use for good purpose. There are uncertainty, stigma, risk perception, and value judgment as characteristics of nuclear. The notion of the public, here is of active, sensitive, and sensible citizens, with power and influence. The public understands nuclear issues less through direct experience or education than through the filter of mass media. Trust has been a key issue on public understanding of nuclear issues. Trust belongs to human. The public understanding process includes perception, interpretation, and evaluation. Therefore, science communication is needed for public understanding. Unfortunately, science communication is rarely performed well, nowadays, There are three important actors-the public, experts, and media. Effective science communication means finding comprehensible ways of presenting opaque and complex nuclear issues. It makes new and strong demands on experts. In order to meet that requirement, experts should fulfill their duty about developing nuclear technology for good purpose, understand the public before expecting the public to understand nuclear issues, accept the unique culture of the media process, take the responsibility for any consequence which nuclear technologies give rise to, communicate with an access route based on sensibility and rationality, have a flexible angle in the science communication process, get creative leadership for the communication process with deliberation and disagreement, make efficient use of various science technologies for science communication. We should try to proceed with patience, because science communication makes for a more credible society

Cyber security issues imposed on nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Do-Yeon

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Provide history of cyber attacks targeting at nuclear facilities. • Provide cyber security issues imposed on nuclear power plants. • Provide possible countermeasures for protecting nuclear power plants. - Abstract: With the introduction of new technology based on the increasing digitalization of control systems, the potential of cyber attacks has escalated into a serious threat for nuclear facilities, resulting in the advent of the Stuxnet. In this regard, the nuclear industry needs to consider several cyber security issues imposed on nuclear power plants, including regulatory guidelines and standards for cyber security, the possibility of Stuxnet-inherited malware attacks in the future, and countermeasures for protecting nuclear power plants against possible cyber attacks

Questions raised on transport of nuclear material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lubinska, A.

1984-01-01

Public opinion is demanding safer rules for the shipment of radioactive materials since the recent collision and sinking of a French freighter carrying uranium hexafluoride. At issue is the secrecy of the cargo, the delay in releasing information to the public and salvage crews, and the use of unmarked trucks. The nuclear industry points out that no recent incidents have led to the loss of human life, but there is concern among European Community members that a number of countries have yet to ratify international conventions and agreements on hazardous materials transport, that none of these agreements are mandatory, and that none address the transfrontier movement of waste materials

Strategic perspective: Nuclear issues in the New Zealand media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fridriksson, L.N.

1992-01-01

New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy drew international attention and threw the nation into a foreign policy crisis with the United States over the trilateral mutual security pact ANZUS. After more than a year of diminished intelligence and military cooperation, New Zealand was expelled from the alliance. This study involved a content analysis of coverage of these events and other nuclear issues in selected newspapers of New Zealand and the United States. Research points to the roles of the media as a critical one in the overall relations among countries. Through their frequent use of official government sources, the media tend to uphold the government line or status quo with regard to foreign affairs. This study sought to identify the nuclear issues covered in the New Zealand and US media, the characteristics of that coverage, the sources of that coverage and how coverage varied during changing US-New Zealand relations. The official frame prevailed in coverage of nuclear issues. In the New Zealand and US newspapers under study, most sources of nuclear issue news were government officials. This research also found that most coverage of nuclear issues in the New Zealand media was related to some aspect of US interests, and that coverage of New Zealand's policy in the US media was covered most often when related to the United States. Nuclear issue coverage was most often not crisis-oriented in New Zealand and US newspapers, but coverage of all nuclear issues increased dramatically during the period of the ANZUS policy crisis. This study found a number of changes in nuclear issue coverage in the New Zealand media after the policy crisis was resolved. Among those changes were a tendency to focus less on economic and trade effects of the anti-nuclear policy, a tendency to focus more on ties with other South Pacific nations, use more sources from those countries, and a tendency to focus less on the moral and ethical position of the country

Urban Transportation: Issue and Solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haryati Shafii

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Generally, quality of life of urban population is heavily dependent on social facilities provided within the environment. One of the most important facilities is transportations. Study on transportation mode in an urban area is especially very important because for almost every individual living in a large and densely populated area, mobility is one of the most crucial issues in everyday life. Enhance mobility, faster journey to work and less pollution from petrol-propelled vehicles can increase the quality of life, which in turn lead to a sustainable urban living. The study present transportation mode usage issues faced by community related to quality of life in an urban area. This study identifies several issues of transportation mode in urban areas and its impact on the quality of life. The study areas are Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Kajang, Selangor. The methodology used in this research is secondary and primary data. The questionnaires for the survey were distributed from May 2008 to Jun 2008. These researches were conducted on 144 respondents for to evaluate their perception of transportation mode correlated to the quality of life. The collected data were then analyzed using “Statistical Packages for the Social Science” (SPSS. The respondents comprise of 61 males and 84 females from the age group of 18 to 57 years. This study identifies the percentage of public transportation mode usage in urban area, such as buses (16.7%, train (ERL, monorail and commuter-6.4%; which is very low compared to owning personal car (45.8% and motorcycle (25.4%.The result shows owning personal car is the highest (45.8% in three study areas and monorail and taxi are the lowest (1.4%. The Chi Square Test shows that among the mode transportation with traffic jam is quite difference in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Kajang. Analysis of the Chi Square Test shows the result is 0.000 (two sides to respondent answering “yes” and analysis of Spearman

High-speed civil transport issues and technology program

Science.gov (United States)

Hewett, Marle D.

1992-01-01

A strawman program plan is presented, consisting of technology developments and demonstrations required to support the construction of a high-speed civil transport. The plan includes a compilation of technology issues related to the development of a transport. The issues represent technical areas in which research and development are required to allow airframe manufacturers to pursue an HSCT development. The vast majority of technical issues presented require flight demonstrated and validated solutions before a transport development will be undertaken by the industry. The author believes that NASA is the agency best suited to address flight demonstration issues in a concentrated effort. The new Integrated Test Facility at NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility is considered ideally suited to the task of supporting ground validations of proof-of-concept and prototype system demonstrations before night demonstrations. An elaborate ground hardware-in-the-loop (iron bird) simulation supported in this facility provides a viable alternative to developing an expensive fill-scale prototype transport technology demonstrator. Drygen's SR-71 assets, modified appropriately, are a suitable test-bed for supporting flight demonstrations and validations of certain transport technology solutions. A subscale, manned or unmanned flight demonstrator is suitable for flight validation of transport technology solutions, if appropriate structural similarity relationships can be established. The author contends that developing a full-scale prototype transport technology demonstrator is the best alternative to ensuring that a positive decision to develop a transport is reached by the United States aerospace industry.

The sea transport of irradiated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, M.L.

1995-01-01

The paper describes the development of a transport system dedicated to the sea transport of irradiated nuclear fuel. It reviews the background to why shipments were required and the establishment of a specialist shipping company, Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. A description of the ships, flasks and other equipment utilized is provided, together with details of key procedures implemented to ensure safety and customer satisfaction

Nuclear Cyber Security Issues and Policy Recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Cheol-Kwon; Lee, Dong-Young [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Na-Young; Hwang, Young-Soo [Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

The cyber-attack against computer systems causes the loss of function which brings about the big economic loss, and it becomes a national-wide issue. In recent days the cyber threat has occurred in the national critical infrastructure around the world. In the nuclear industry, while discussing responses to various threats against nuclear facilities since 2006, cyber-terrorism was also discussed. But at that time, cyber-attacks against control networks in nuclear facilities were not seriously considered because those networks were isolated from the Internet thoroughly and it was evaluated that cyber penetration would not be possible. However Stuxnet worm virus which attacked Iran's nuclear facilities confirmed that the cyber security problem could occur even in other nuclear facilities. The facilities were isolated from the Internet. After the cyber incident, we began to discuss the topic of NPP cyber security. It is very difficult to predict whether or when or how the cyber-attack will be occurred, which is a characteristic of cyber-attack. They could be always detected only after when an incident had occurred. This paper summarizes the report, 'Nuclear Cyber Security Issues and Policy Recommendations' by issue committee in the Korea Nuclear Society, which reviewed the cyber security framework for nuclear facilities in the Republic of Korea being established to prevent nuclear facilities from cyber-attacks and to respond systematically. As a result this paper proposes several comments to improve the security and furthermore safety of nuclear facilities Digital technology will be used more widely at the national critical infrastructure including nuclear facilities in the future, and moreover wireless technologies and mobile devices will be soon introduced to nuclear industry. It is therefore anticipated that the rapid advance in digital technology will accelerate the opportunity of hacking these facilities.

Nuclear Cyber Security Issues and Policy Recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Cheol-Kwon; Lee, Dong-Young; Lee, Na-Young; Hwang, Young-Soo

2015-01-01

The cyber-attack against computer systems causes the loss of function which brings about the big economic loss, and it becomes a national-wide issue. In recent days the cyber threat has occurred in the national critical infrastructure around the world. In the nuclear industry, while discussing responses to various threats against nuclear facilities since 2006, cyber-terrorism was also discussed. But at that time, cyber-attacks against control networks in nuclear facilities were not seriously considered because those networks were isolated from the Internet thoroughly and it was evaluated that cyber penetration would not be possible. However Stuxnet worm virus which attacked Iran's nuclear facilities confirmed that the cyber security problem could occur even in other nuclear facilities. The facilities were isolated from the Internet. After the cyber incident, we began to discuss the topic of NPP cyber security. It is very difficult to predict whether or when or how the cyber-attack will be occurred, which is a characteristic of cyber-attack. They could be always detected only after when an incident had occurred. This paper summarizes the report, 'Nuclear Cyber Security Issues and Policy Recommendations' by issue committee in the Korea Nuclear Society, which reviewed the cyber security framework for nuclear facilities in the Republic of Korea being established to prevent nuclear facilities from cyber-attacks and to respond systematically. As a result this paper proposes several comments to improve the security and furthermore safety of nuclear facilities Digital technology will be used more widely at the national critical infrastructure including nuclear facilities in the future, and moreover wireless technologies and mobile devices will be soon introduced to nuclear industry. It is therefore anticipated that the rapid advance in digital technology will accelerate the opportunity of hacking these facilities

EDITORIAL: Special issue containing papers presented at the 12th International Workshop on H-mode Physics and Transport Barriers Special issue containing papers presented at the 12th International Workshop on H-mode Physics and Transport Barriers

Science.gov (United States)

Hahm, T. S.

2010-06-01

The 12th International Workshop on H-mode Physics and Transport Barriers was held at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey, USA between September 30 and October 2, 2009. This meeting was the continuation of a series of previous meetings which was initiated in 1987 and has been held bi-annually since then. Following the recent tradition at the last few meetings, the program was sub- divided into six sessions. At each session, an overview talk was presented, followed by two or three shorter oral presentations which supplemented the coverage of important issues. These talks were followed by discussion periods and poster sessions of contributed papers. The sessions were: Physics of Transition to/from Enhanced Confinement Regimes, Pedestal and Edge Localized Mode Dynamics, Plasma Rotation and Momentum Transport, Role of 3D Physics in Transport Barriers, Transport Barriers: Theory and Simulations and High Priority ITER Issues on Transport Barriers. The diversity of the 90 registered participants was remarkable, with 22 different nationalities. US participants were in the majority (36), followed by Japan (14), South Korea (7), and China (6). This special issue of Nuclear Fusion consists of a cluster of 18 accepted papers from submitted manuscripts based on overview talks and poster presentations. The paper selection procedure followed the guidelines of Nuclear Fusion which are essentially the same as for regular articles with an additional requirement on timeliness of submission, review and revision. One overview paper and five contributed papers report on the H-mode pedestal related results which reflect the importance of this issue concerning the successful operation of ITER. Four papers address the rotation and momentum transport which play a crucial role in transport barrier physics. The transport barrier transition condition is the main focus of other four papers. Finally, four additional papers are devoted to the behaviour and control of

Transportation research activities in support of nuclear waste management programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, G.C.; Luna, R.E.; Jefferson, R.M.; Wowak, W.E.

1983-01-01

The Transportation Technology Center has been conducting a wide range of technical and non-technical research activities to assure the ability to transport radioactive materials in a safe, reliable, and publicly acceptable manner. These activities include tasks in Information and Intergovernmental issues, Safety Assessment and Environmental Analysis and Technology Development. Until recently, the requirements of defense waste shipments have served as a focal point for development tasks with the expectation that they would serve as a precursor for commercial activities. The passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act has placed additional responsibility on DOE for concerns involving the shipments of civilian materials. The development of additional research responsibilities is expected to proceed concurrently with the evolution of the transportation mission plan for civilian spent fuel and high-level wastes

Major nuclear safety and regulatory issues in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Soon Heung

2004-01-01

Recently the value of nuclear energy is being re-considered due to the increase of oil price, the lack of energy supply, and the competition with renewable energy source. In Unites States, Europe, and East Asia, the prospects for continuous nuclear energy development or the policy for retaining nuclear energy have been announced. According to the nuclear energy promotion plan in Korea, there are 19 operating nuclear plants currently and more 7 plants will be constructed in the future. Until now, qualitative as well as quantitative growth is remarkable. Korean nuclear power plants achieved world-best level of capacity factor. However, because of the various nuclear industrial activities, we have a lot of regulatory issues for operating plants, building new plants, and other nuclear related facilities such as research reactors or radioactive waste storage facility. In this article, important regulatory issues which are emerging in Korea will be reviewed and the approaches to solve the issues including public acceptance will be presented. Especially, I will go into detail of two special case studies: The one is the thermal sleeve separation incident in Younggwang nuclear units 5 and 6 whose outage lasts about 80 days and 90 days respectively, which is not common in worldwide nuclear history. The other is about consensus meeting of Korea nuclear energy policy which was managed by a non-governmental organization. (author)

Corrosion issues in nuclear industry today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cattant, F.; Crusset, D.; Feron, D.

2008-01-01

In the context of global warming, nuclear energy is a carbon-free source of power and so is a meaningful option for energy production without CO 2 emissions. Currently, there are more than 440 commercial nuclear reactors, accounting for about 15% of electric power generation in the world, and there has not been a major accident in over 20 years. The world's fleet of nuclear power plants is, on average, more than 20 years old. Even though the design life of a nuclear power plant is typically 30 or 40 years, it is quite feasible that many nuclear power plants will be able to operate for longer than this. The re-emergence of nuclear power today is founded on the present generation of nuclear reactors meeting the demands of extended service life, ensuring the cost competitiveness of nuclear power and matching enhanced safety requirements. Nuclear power plant engineers should be able to demonstrate such integrity and reliability of their system materials and components as to enable nuclear power plants to operate beyond their initial design life. Effective waste management is another challenge for sustainable nuclear energy today; more precisely, a solution is needed for the management of high-level and long-lived intermediate-level radioactive waste over the very long term. Most nuclear countries are currently gathering the data needed to assess the feasibility of a deep geological waste repository, including the prediction of the behaviour of materials over several thousands of years. The extended service life of nuclear power plants and the need for permanent disposal for nuclear waste are today's key issues in the nuclear industry. We focus here on the major role that corrosion plays in these two factors, and on the French approaches to these two issues. (authors)

Nuclear transports. Unpopular as never before?; Nukleartransporte. Ungeliebter denn je?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feldmann, Ulrike

2014-11-15

Since many years there are initiatives in cities with large German seaports to prevent nuclear transports through the cities and transshipment at these harbours. Through the reactor accident in Fukushima and the Federal Government's decision 2011 to opt out, initiatives against nuclear transports seem to have gotten fresh wind in their sails. This is indicated by initiatives in Bremen and Hamburg. Though, to protect health and material goods from hazards and harmful ionising radiation, transportation of radioactive material is regulated by nuclear law as well as traffic law, enactments, guidelines, standards and recommendations, nationally and internationally. These regulations have contributed to the fact that nuclear material has been transported worldwide routinely without harm for the past five decades with an average of roughly 20 million nuclear material transports per year. These attempts disregard that about 95 % of all nuclear transports is not caused by the nuclear energy industry. We should stop demonising nuclear transports and rather acknowledge that they are necessary part of our everyday life.

Nuclear materials transportation workshops: USDOE outreach to local governments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

To provide direct outreach to local governments, the Transportation Management Division of the United States Department of Energy asked the Urban Consortium and its Energy Task Force to assemble representatives for two workshops focusing on the transport of nuclear materials. The first session, for jurisdictions east of the Mississippi River, was held in New Orleans on May 5--6, 1988; the second was conducted on June 6--7, 1988 in Denver for jurisdictions to the west. Twenty local government professionals with management or operational responsibility for hazardous materials transportation within their jurisdictions were selected to attend each workshop. The discussions identified five major areas of concern to local government professionals; coordination; training; information resources; marking and placarding; and responder resources. Integrated federal, state, and local levels of government emerged as a priority coordination issue along with the need for expanded availability of training and training resources for first-reponders

Attitudes of the Japanese elite toward nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Yasumasa

1979-01-01

The results of a survey by questionnaire on ''the attitudes of Japanese elite toward nuclear issues'' are described as follows: post-TMI Japanese attitude toward nuclear issues, dominant 'must-is-master' attitude toward nuclear power, domestic enrichment and reprocessing seen as more proliferation-prone, high consensus gained on internationalization of enrichment and reprocessing, diminishing psychological deterrent against nuclear proliferation, dim future of nuclear non-proliferation and growing importance of nuclear-age nationalism, knowledge of leaders concerning the number of nuclear power reactors in Japan. For so-called 'consistency' operating in attitude system, the data were cross-tabulated by the question ''Japan should increase nuclear power to free itself from excessive dependence upon oil imports,'' and the resultant cross-tabulations were submitted to chi-square test. Throughout, the presence of attitudinal consistency was confirmed. (J.P.N.)

Emerging Environmental Justice Issues in Nuclear Power and Radioactive Contamination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dean Kyne

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Nuclear hazards, linked to both U.S. weapons programs and civilian nuclear power, pose substantial environment justice issues. Nuclear power plant (NPP reactors produce low-level ionizing radiation, high level nuclear waste, and are subject to catastrophic contamination events. Justice concerns include plant locations and the large potentially exposed populations, as well as issues in siting, nuclear safety, and barriers to public participation. Other justice issues relate to extensive contamination in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, and the mining and processing industries that have supported it. To approach the topic, first we discuss distributional justice issues of NPP sites in the U.S. and related procedural injustices in siting, operation, and emergency preparedness. Then we discuss justice concerns involving the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and the ways that uranium mining, processing, and weapons development have affected those living downwind, including a substantial American Indian population. Next we examine the problem of high-level nuclear waste and the risk implications of the lack of secure long-term storage. The handling and deposition of toxic nuclear wastes pose new transgenerational justice issues of unprecedented duration, in comparison to any other industry. Finally, we discuss the persistent risks of nuclear technologies and renewable energy alternatives.

Emerging Environmental Justice Issues in Nuclear Power and Radioactive Contamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyne, Dean; Bolin, Bob

2016-07-12

Nuclear hazards, linked to both U.S. weapons programs and civilian nuclear power, pose substantial environment justice issues. Nuclear power plant (NPP) reactors produce low-level ionizing radiation, high level nuclear waste, and are subject to catastrophic contamination events. Justice concerns include plant locations and the large potentially exposed populations, as well as issues in siting, nuclear safety, and barriers to public participation. Other justice issues relate to extensive contamination in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, and the mining and processing industries that have supported it. To approach the topic, first we discuss distributional justice issues of NPP sites in the U.S. and related procedural injustices in siting, operation, and emergency preparedness. Then we discuss justice concerns involving the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and the ways that uranium mining, processing, and weapons development have affected those living downwind, including a substantial American Indian population. Next we examine the problem of high-level nuclear waste and the risk implications of the lack of secure long-term storage. The handling and deposition of toxic nuclear wastes pose new transgenerational justice issues of unprecedented duration, in comparison to any other industry. Finally, we discuss the persistent risks of nuclear technologies and renewable energy alternatives.

Nuclear transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2002-01-01

During September and October 2001, 1 event has been reported and classified at the first level of the INES scale. This incident concerns the violation of the European regulation that imposes to any driver of radioactive matter of being the holder of a certificate asserting that he attended a special training. During this period, 13 in-site inspections have been made in places related to nuclear transport. (A.C.)

Harmonisation of criticality assessments of packages for the transport of fissile nuclear fuel cycle materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrington, L.

2004-01-01

The transport of fissile nuclear fuel cycle materials is an international business, and for international shipments the regulations require a package to be certified by each country through or into which the consignment is to be transported. This raises a number of harmonisation issues, which have an important bearing on transport activities. National authorities carry out independent reviews of the criticality safety of packages containing fissile materials but the underlying assumptions used in the calculations can differ, and the outcome is that implementation of the regulations is not uniform. A single design may require multiple criticality analyses to obtain base approval and foreign validations. When several competent authorities are involved, the approval and validation process of package design can often become a time-consuming, expensive and unpredictably lengthy process that can have a significant detrimental effect upon the businesses involved. The characteristics of the fissile nuclear fuel cycle materials transported by the various countries have much in common and so have the designs of the packages to contain them. A greater degree of standardisation should allow criticality safety to be assessed consistently and efficiently with benefits for the nuclear transport industry and the regulatory bodies. (author)

Harmonisation of criticality assessments of packages for the transport of fissile nuclear fuel cycle materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrington, L.

2004-01-01

The transport of fissile nuclear fuel cycle materials is an international business and for international shipments the regulations require a package to be certified by each country through or into which the consignment is to be transported. This raises a number of harmonisation issues, which have an important bearing on transport activities. National authorities carry out independent reviews of criticality safety of packages containing fissile materials but the underlying assumptions used in the calculations can differ, and the outcome is that implementation of the regulations is not uniform. A single design may require multiple criticality analyses to obtain base approval and foreign validations. When several Competent Authorities are involved, the approval and validation process of package design can often become time consuming, expensive and an unpredictably lengthy process that can have a significant detrimental effect upon the businesses involved. The characteristics of the fissile nuclear fuel cycle materials transported by the various countries have much in common and so have the designs of the packages to contain them. A greater degree of standardisation should allow criticality safety to be assessed consistently and efficiently with benefits for the nuclear transport industry and the regulatory bodies

Liability and insurance aspects of international transport of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

van Gijn, S.H.

1985-01-01

The Paris and Vienna Conventions do not affect the application of any international transport agreement already in force. However, in certain circumstances both the nuclear operator and the carrier may be held liable for nuclear damage which arises during international transports of nuclear materials. The ensuing cumulation of liabilities under the Nuclear and Transport Conventions may cause serious problems in obtaining adequate insurance cover for such transports. The 1971 Brussels Convention seeks to solve this problem by exonerating any person who might be held liable for nuclear damage under an international maritime convention or national law. Similar difficulties are encountered in the case of transports of nuclear materials between states which have and states which have not ratified the Paris and Vienna Conventions. (NEA) [fr

Public policy issues in nuclear waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nealey, S.M.; Radford, L.M.

1978-10-01

This document aims to raise issues and to analyze them, not resolve them. The issues were: temporal equity, geographic and socioeconomic equity, implementation of a nuclear waste management system, and public involvement

GLONASS satellite monitoring of nuclear transports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davydov, Yu.L.

2012-01-01

In 2011 Rosatom has made the decision to create the industry-wide automated system for monitoring of transports of radioactive substances (RS) and wastes (RAW), as well as hazardous loads by rail and automobile, based upon the same hardware as used by the GLONASS satellite navigation system - the so-called ASBT-GLONASS system. The new system will use the same technical infrastructure as the existing operational Automated System for Safe Transport of Nuclear Materials of Categories I and II (ASBT). The ASBT structure includes a network of control centres fitted with automation and communication hardware. In addition, ASBT includes technical complexes installed upon transport vehicles intended for nuclear material transport. In order to identify transport vehicle location, the GLONASS/GPS (GALS-P-ASBT) satellite navigational receiver device is used, it is developed especially for ASBT systems taking in account information security requirements. By now the basic software and hardware complex ASBT-GLONASS has been created (equipment to be carried on-board the transport vehicle loaded with RS and RAW, as well as the transport control stations) that supports transport monitoring and transmission of an emergency signal to control stations of companies which deal with RS and RAW transportation [ru

Nuclear Waste Transportation Safety Act of 1979. Hearings before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Sixth Congress, first session on S. 535, July 18-20, 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

The Nuclear Waste Transportation Safety Act of 1979 provides for the safe transportation of nuclear waste and nuclear fuel. The issues evaluated during the hearing included: (1) The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 conveyed to the NRC the prior existing authority of the former Atomic Energy Commission to regulate transportation of radioactive nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. The Hazardous Material Transportation Act of 1974 consolidated within the Department of Transportation the regulatory authority for safety and transportation of all hazardous substances, including radioactive materials; should consultation and coordination between these regulating authorities continue to be used. (2) The specific areas of transportation regulation involved in this combination; (3) Should the Department of Transportation (DOT) become a separate office; (4) Is security against theft and sabotage necessary and realistically attainable; (5) Should DOT be responsible for assuring a coordinated Federal-State emergency response plan for possible nuclear related transportation emergencies; and (6) Is the Federal grant program of S. 535 necessary and adequate

Some issues on environmental impact report of radioactive material transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jiaming

2001-01-01

The author puts forward some issues which should be paid attention to when compiling a environmental impact report of radioactive material transport. The main issues discussed are as follows: (1) Optimization analysis for transport routes. (2) Source terms under accident conditions in transport. (3) Precautions against accidents and emergency preparedness. (4) Quality assurance of transport, etc

Demarketing fear: Bring the nuclear issue back to rational discourse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Charles C.

2014-01-01

This paper attempts to explore the strategies for breaking the deadlock between the demand for resolving climate crisis and the resistance to deploying nuclear power. Since our present renewable technology is not advanced enough to replace fossil fuel power plants, nuclear power becomes the only available means that can buy us more time to explore better energy sources for coping with the dilemma of global warming and energy security. Therefore, this paper proposes an elaborated fear appeal framework that may shed light on the intervention points for mitigating fear. By examining the influence of fear appeal on the nuclear issue, three strategies for demarketing the nuclear fear of the public are recommended. The paper concludes that only when energy policy makers and the nuclear industry recognize the significance of minimizing fear and begin to work on removing the sources of fear, can we then expect to bring the nuclear issue back to rational discourse. - Highlights: • Both cognition and emotion are critical in decision-making processes. • Dealing with the emotion of fear is essential for resolving the nuclear issue. • Fear should be mitigated to make rational discourses on nuclear power happen. • Fear can be mitigated by manipulating issue familiarity and response feasibility. • Using equivalency and issue framing may alter public perceptions of nuclear power

Nuclear thermal propulsion transportation systems for lunar/Mars exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, J.S.; Borowski, S.K.; Mcilwain, M.C.; Pellaccio, D.G.

1992-09-01

Nuclear thermal propulsion technology development is underway at NASA and DoE for Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) missions to Mars, with initial near-earth flights to validate flight readiness. Several reactor concepts are being considered for these missions, and important selection criteria will be evaluated before final selection of a system. These criteria include: safety and reliability, technical risk, cost, and performance, in that order. Of the concepts evaluated to date, the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA) derivative (NDR) is the only concept that has demonstrated full power, life, and performance in actual reactor tests. Other concepts will require significant design work and must demonstrate proof-of-concept. Technical risk, and hence, development cost should therefore be lowest for the concept, and the NDR concept is currently being considered for the initial SEI missions. As lighter weight, higher performance systems are developed and validated, including appropriate safety and astronaut-rating requirements, they will be considered to support future SEI application. A space transportation system using a modular nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) system for lunar and Mars missions is expected to result in significant life cycle cost savings. Finally, several key issues remain for NTR's, including public acceptance and operational issues. Nonetheless, NTR's are believed to be the next generation of space propulsion systems - the key to space exploration

Holdup-related issues in safeguarding of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pillay, K.K.S.

1988-03-01

Residual inventories of special nuclear materials (SNM) remaining in processing facilities (holdup) are recognized as an insidious problem for both safety and safeguards. This paper identifies some of the issues that are of concern to the safeguards community at-large that are related to holdup of SNM in large-scale process equipment. These issues range from basic technologies of SNM production to changing regulatory requirements to meet the needs of safeguarding nuclear materials. Although there are no magic formulas to resolve these issues, there are several initiatives that could be taken in areas of facility design, plant operation, personnel training, SNM monitoring, and regulatory guidelines to minimize the problems of holdup and thereby improve both safety and safeguards at nuclear material processing plants. 8 refs

NMTC/JAM, Simulates High Energy Nuclear Reactions and Nuclear-Meson Transport Processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furihata, Shiori

2002-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: NMTC/JAM is an upgraded version of the code system NMTC/JAERI97. NMTC/JAERI97 simulates high energy nuclear reactions and nucleon-meson transport processes. It implements an intra-nuclear cascade model taking account of the in-medium nuclear effects and the pre-equilibrium calculation model based on the exciton one. For treating the nucleon transport process, the nucleon-nucleus cross sections are revised to those derived by the systematics of Pearlstein. Moreover, the level density parameter derived by Ignatyuk is included as a new option for particle evaporation calculation. A geometry package based on the Combinatorial Geometry with multi-array system and the importance sampling technique is implemented in the code. Tally function is also employed for obtaining such physical quantities as neutron energy spectra, heat deposition and nuclide yield without editing a history file. The code can simulate both the primary spallation reaction and the secondary particle transport in the intermediate energy region from 20 MeV to 3.5 GeV by the use of the Monte Carlo technique. The code has been employed in combination with the neutron-photon transport codes available to the energy region below 20 MeV for neutronics calculation of accelerator-based subcritical reactors, analyses of thick target spallation experimented and so on. 2 - Methods: High energy nuclear reactions induced by incident high energy protons, neutrons and pions are simulated with the Monte Carlo Method by the intra-nuclear nucleon-nucleon reaction probabilities based on an intra-nuclear nucleon cascade model followed by the particle evaporation including high energy fission process. Jet-Aa Microscopic transport model (JAM) is employed to simulate high energy nuclear reactions in the energy range of GeV. All reaction channels are taken into account in the JAM calculation. An intra-nuclear cascade model (ISOBAR code) taking account of the in-medium nuclear effects

Energetics of Transport through the Nuclear Pore Complex

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ghavami, Ali; van der Giessen, Erik; Onck, Patrick R

2016-01-01

Molecular transport across the nuclear envelope in eukaryotic cells is solely controlled by the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The NPC provides two types of nucleocytoplasmic transport: passive diffusion of small molecules and active chaperon-mediated translocation of large molecules. It has been shown

Nuclear materials transport in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korycanek, J.

1990-01-01

About 1.5 million tons of uranium ore, 8000 tons of uranium concentrate, 1000 tons of UF 6 , 340 spent fuel containers, and 30 000 m 3 of nuclear wastes are transported annually by trucks, trains and ships in France. Annual costs of this transportation amount to 500-600 million FRF, and about 200 employees are engaged in this activity. Transportation of spent fuel to the La Hague and Marcoule fuel reprocessing plants, and the transport of plutonium are dealt with in detail. (Z.M.). 5 figs., 1 ref

Gas transportation issues in the WCSB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, M.

1998-01-01

This paper addressed the issue of the competitiveness of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB), concentrating on transportation issues. Various related issues such as natural gas pricing dynamics, price convergence in late 1998, projected gas revenues, issues of supply and demand, reserves inventory, the worrisome rate of decline in well productivity, deliverability and drilling, all received attention. Despite the gloomy picture, the general conclusion was that industry activity in the Basin will need to increase as the growth of the WCSB will be driven by rising North American demand. A profile of Nova Gas Transmission Ltd. was also presented. 1 tab., 13 figs

GROUND TRANSPORTATION OF NUCLEAR PROPULSION STAGES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marjon, P. L.

1963-08-15

The results of studies on transportation problems associated with the development and testing of nuclear rocket powered space vehicles at the static test size are presented. Factors involved in selecting a transport mode are discussed. Radiation shutdown considerations and a conceptual transporter capable of handling test articles of foreseeable size are examined. (D.C.W.)

Women and the nuclear issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Locke, David

1989-01-01

From the opinion surveys it was concluded that women do have different attitudes towards nuclear power compared to men. Women are more likely to be suspicious of nuclear power, mention the problem areas and less likely to mention benefits. The reasons for this are not difficult to understand, with, for example, the media highlighting the dangers of nuclear power, in particular the hazards of radiation as it affects people, especially children. The majority of women associate nuclear power with weapons and radiation, though specific fears about cancer including leukaemia are not as strong as might be expected. The major issue is still the disposal of waste, though for a time after Chernobyl the major nuclear accident superseded this. Women tend to be more confused by the wide range of issues presented to them and the contradictory attitudes. In our experience about twice as many women as men admit to being a d on't know . Women are more concerned with people and the environment than men. Men are more inclined to be brought up from an early age to be machine minded and they tend as a result to be more sympathetic towards the use of technology in society. It is not necessarily true that women are more 'anti-nuclear' although this does come out in many opinion polls. I think that women react to the leading question as to whether they are 'in favour' or 'not' of nuclear power by responding negatively because of their confusion. We have asked similar questions in our own opinion surveys but have given the opportunity for the respondent to declare a positive attitude towards nuclear power 'with reservations'. If they are allowed to express their reservations they often come to the conclusion in an intuitive way that nuclear power will be needed in the next century to provide energy for their children when the oil and gas run out and the coal is used to substitute for the hydrocarbons. A 'necessary evil' as one person put it. In the main our recommendation is that although

Women and the nuclear issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Locke, David [UKAEA (United Kingdom)

1989-07-01

From the opinion surveys it was concluded that women do have different attitudes towards nuclear power compared to men. Women are more likely to be suspicious of nuclear power, mention the problem areas and less likely to mention benefits. The reasons for this are not difficult to understand, with, for example, the media highlighting the dangers of nuclear power, in particular the hazards of radiation as it affects people, especially children. The majority of women associate nuclear power with weapons and radiation, though specific fears about cancer including leukaemia are not as strong as might be expected. The major issue is still the disposal of waste, though for a time after Chernobyl the major nuclear accident superseded this. Women tend to be more confused by the wide range of issues presented to them and the contradictory attitudes. In our experience about twice as many women as men admit to being a ''don't know''. Women are more concerned with people and the environment than men. Men are more inclined to be brought up from an early age to be machine minded and they tend as a result to be more sympathetic towards the use of technology in society. It is not necessarily true that women are more 'anti-nuclear' although this does come out in many opinion polls. I think that women react to the leading question as to whether they are 'in favour' or 'not' of nuclear power by responding negatively because of their confusion. We have asked similar questions in our own opinion surveys but have given the opportunity for the respondent to declare a positive attitude towards nuclear power 'with reservations'. If they are allowed to express their reservations they often come to the conclusion in an intuitive way that nuclear power will be needed in the next century to provide energy for their children when the oil and gas run out and the coal is used to substitute for the hydrocarbons. A 'necessary evil' as one person put it. In the main our recommendation is that

Nuclear standards: current issues and future trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landis, J.W.

1985-01-01

A summary of the important issues that currently face the nuclear standards field is presented and a discussion of how each of these issues is being resolved is given. The economic benefits that properly developed standards produce are listed

Spent fuel transportation regulatory and institutional issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lippek, H.E.

1978-01-01

The problems that could result from state and local governments and other groups with relation to regulations concerning the transportation of spent nuclear fuels are discussed. The powers of the individual states as spelled out in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 are set forth in some detail. The possibility of transportation employees gaining a position to demand and receive more stringent protections from hazards of radiation is pointed out

Transportation risks in the US nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhoads, R.E.; Andrews, W.B.

1980-01-01

Estimated risks associated with accidental releases of materials transported for each step of the nuclear fuel cycle are presented. The risk estimates include both immediate and latent fatilities caused by releases of these materials in transportation accidents. Studies of the risk of transporting yellowcake, fresh nuclear and low level wastes from the front end of the fuel cycle have not been completed. Existing information does permit estimates of the risks to be made. The estimates presented result from the very low hazards associated with release of these materials. These estimates are consistent with the results of other studies. The results show that risks from all the fuel cycle transportation steps are low. The results also indicate that the total transportation risks associated with the nuclear fuel cycle are distributed about evenly between the fuel supply end and waste management end of the cycle. Risks in the front end of the cycle result primarily from the chemical toxicity of the materials transported. The results of the risk analysis studies for transportation of nuclear fuel cycle materials are compared with the results for the three studies that have been completed for non-nuclear systems. The risk analysis methodology used in these studies identifies the complete spectrum of potential accident consequences and estimates the probability of events producing that level of consequence. The maximum number of fatalities predicted for each material is presented. A variety of risk measures have been used because of the inherent difficulties in making risk comparisons. Examination of a number of risk measures can provide additional insights and help guard against conclusions that are dependent on the way the risk information has been developed and displayed. The results indicate that the risks from transporting these materials are all relatively low in comparison to other risks in society

Interfaith Program for Public Awareness of Nuclear Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-11-01

Planning for the Interfaith Progam for Public Awareness of Nuclear Issues (IPPANI) began at the time of the Falkland Islands crisis. At that time representatives of certain of the faith groups in Toronto became concerned about the moral and ethical implications of Canada's export of fuel for a CANDU nuclear generating plant in Argentina. In order to accomplish its goals, the Planning Committee devised a program to provide unbiased input to the faith groups' deliberations on the ethical and moral issues involved in the nuclear debate. The development of a fair set of questions was aided by obtaining advice from the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA), and from Energy Probe and others. The work of preparing a suitable agenda was completed early in 1984. Its result was embodied in appendices to the public document promoting the program, which is appended to this report. Invitations were sent to over six hundred individuals and organizations to appear before the panelists as 'presenters'. The resulting invitation list included spokespeople for both 'pro' and 'anti' nuclear positions on each of the three topics, as well as some who were found to be 'in the middle'. The three major topics were domestic nuclear issues, international trade and military uses of nuclear materials and technology. The next task of the Planning Committee is that of embodying the process and its results in an educational program for the supplementary and parochial school systems. The production of this book is the first step in that task

Experience of air transport of nuclear fuel material as type A package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawasaki, Masashi; Kageyama, Tomio; Suzuki, Toru

2004-01-01

Special law on nuclear disaster countermeasures (hereafter called as to nuclear disaster countermeasures low) that is domestic law for dealing with measures for nuclear disaster, was enforced in June, 2000. Therefore, nuclear enterprise was obliged to report accidents as required by nuclear disaster countermeasures law, besides meeting the technical requirement of existent transport regulation. For overseas procurement of plutonium reference materials that are needed for material accountability, A Type package must be transported by air. Therefore, concept of air transport of nuclear fuel materials according to the nuclear disaster countermeasures law was discussed, and the manual including measures against accident in air transport was prepared for the oversea procurement. In this presentation, the concept of air transport of A Type package containing nuclear fuel materials according to the nuclear disaster countermeasures law, and the experience of a transportation of plutonium solution from France are shown. (author)

Regulation on the transport of nuclear fuel materials by vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The regulations applying to the transport of nuclear fuel materials by vehicles, mentioned in the law for the regulations of nuclear source materials, nuclear fuel materials and reactors. The transport is for outside of the factories and the site of enterprises by such modes of transport as rail, trucks, etc. Covered are the following: definitions of terms, places of fuel materials handling, loading methods, limitations on mix loading with other cargo, radiation dose rates concerning the containers and the vehicles, transport indexes, signs and indications, limitations on train linkage during transport by rail, security guards, transport of empty containers, etc. together with ordinary rail cargo and so on. (Mori, K.)

Legal Framework and Best Practice for Improving Transport Security of Radioactive and Nuclear Materials in Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilijas, B.; Medakovic, S.

2012-01-01

Security of transporting radioactive and nuclear materials always poses a demanding task to the holder of the authorization or beneficiary, and especially transporter. Very strict and precise legal framework must be done for this purpose, yet it has not be too complicated to create a great problems in practice. The best balance between efficiency and simplicity should be achieved. In Croatia on power is 'The Dangerous Goods Transport Act' which stipulates the conditions for the carriage of dangerous goods in individual transport modes, obligations of persons participating in the carriage, requirements for packaging and vehicles, conditions for the appointment of safety advisers and safety adviser's rights and duties, competence and conditions for the implementation of training programs for persons participating in transport, competence of the state authorities related to such carriage and supervision of the implementation of the Act. Besides this Act, which regulates the issue in more general way, in preparation is a new 'Ordinance on Physical Security Measures for Radioactive Sources, Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities'. The intention of this Ordinance, in the part dealing with transport, is to bring specific approach, in accordance with IAEA guides, forwarding the most of obligations to the holder of the authorization or beneficiary and transporter, leaving state regulatory bodies mostly supervising role. In practice this can create some problems in the beginning, but with rising security awareness and after some experience collected, this can be the best way to achieve satisfactory security, yet not slowing down and complicating regular jobs with radioactive and nuclear materials.(author).

The nuclear risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choudens, Henri de

2013-06-01

After a presentation of some general notions related to radioactivity, to the action and effects of radiation on matter and on living creatures, to natural irradiation and irradiation resulting from human activities, and to standards and regulation in radiation protection, this publication presents issues related to the safety of nuclear installations: presentation of the different types of nuclear installations, safety principles. The next part proposes an overview of different types of criticality accidents by distinguishing those occurring in medical or industrial installations and radioactive sources, those related to military activities, and those occurring in nuclear reactors. Other addressed topics are: radioactive wastes and effluents (definitions, classification, origin and quantity, packaging and storage), transportation of radioactive materials (regulation, parcel types, radiation protection during transportation, transport accidents), regulation of basic nuclear installations and safety organisation (safety control during normal operation, crisis management, post-accidental management, public information), the protection of sensitive nuclear materials (material types and general principles, regulation, arrangement to protect materials in installations, transports, audits, international controls). Nuclear fusion is then presented (principle, confinement types, the ITER project), and an overview of military applications is finally proposed (ship propulsion, nuclear weapons, the non proliferation issue)

Spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste transportation. White paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

The High-Level Radioactive Waste Committee of the Western Interstate Energy Board has been involved in a year-long cooperative project with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an information base on the transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) so that western states can be constructive and informed participants in the repository program under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA). The historical safety record of transportation of HLW and spent fuel is excellent; no release of these radioactive materials has ever occurred during transportation. Projected shipments under the NWPA will, however, greatly exceed current shipments in the US. For example, over the past five years, 119 metric tons of civilian spent fuel have been shipped in this country, while shipments to the first and second repository are each expected to peak at 3000 metric tons per year. The Committee believes that the successful development and operation of a national HLW/spent fuel transportation system can best be accomplished through an open process based on the common sense approach of taking all reasonable measures to minimize public risk and performing whatever actions are reasonably required to promote public acceptance. Therefore, the Committee recommends that the Department of Energy further the goals of the NWPA by developing a Comprehensive Transportation Plan which adopts a systematic, comprehensive, and integrated approach to resolving all spent fuel and HLW transportation issues in a timely manner. The suggested scope of such a plan is discussed in this White paper. Many of the suggested elements of such a plan are similar to those being developed by the Department of energy for inclusion in the Department's Transportation Institutional Plan

Transport of nuclear materials: a major stake for the reprocessing-conditioning-recycling strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautrot, J.J.

1998-01-01

As the international reference in terms of fuel cycle services, the COGEMA Group has developed a wide range of industrialized products answering to its clients needs. But, as deregulation and competition are now expanding, utilities has to be perfectly aware of the cost level of their strategic choices, and to keep these costs down. This point is especially valid in the back-end of the fuel cycle. Several leading nuclear countries around the world have chosen the reprocessing-recycling option because it ensures a economically mastered vision. In that respect, transportation reliability is consequently a basic requirement. It ensures a balanced and continuous flows of materials. Transportation system must be reliable in terms of schedule, safety or industrial aspects (i.e. dedicated packaging for road, rail, sea or air transports, maintenance aspects...). Any serious flaw in one of these three points could lead to delays, thus lessening the economic advantage for utilities. But, one must not loose sight that transportation of nuclear materials is tied to extra-technical issues, such as environmental or regulatory factors, which are fundamental for a consistent understanding of this business. The COGEMA Group, through its subsidiary Transnucleaire, possesses a dedicated transport system, widely praised for its constant commitment in terms of safety, quality and operating. This papers presents the overall back-end transportation framework and details the transport organisations as well as the main achievements of Transnucleaire when it comes to sea, road or rail back-end transports. (authors)

Regulations of safe transport of radioactive material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, R.J.; Sumathi, E.

2017-01-01

BARC is a multi-disciplinary nuclear research organisation with facilities located at various parts of the country. The nuclear and radiological facilities in BARC include fuel fabrication facilities, nuclear research reactors, radiological laboratories, nuclear recycle facilities, waste management facilities and other associated facilities. RAdioactive Material (RAM) such as fresh nuclear fuel, irradiated fuel, radioactive sources, vitrified high level wastes, special nuclear material etc., are transported between these facilities either within the controlled premises or in public domain. In BARC the regulatory approval for the packages used for transport of RAM is issued by BARC Safety Council (BSC). Competent Authority for issuing the design approval for the BARC packages in public domain is Director, BARC. In this aspect BSC is assisted by Safety Review Committee-Transport of Radioactive Material (SRC-TRM) constituted by BSC entrusted with the mandate to ensure the packages are designed, manufactured and transported in accordance with the current regulations. This article summarizes the regulatory requirements for transport of RAM and experience in BARC facilities

Nuclear Knowledge Management Implementation Issues In Sri Lanka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandara, H.M.N.R.

2014-01-01

About Knowledge Management: Process of organizing and distributing an Organization’s collective wisdom so the right information gets to the right people at the right time. NKM Implementation Problems in Sri Lanka: • Difficulty of identifying nuclear knowledge holders; • NKM has not been given considerable importance; • Many nuclear science experts are in retirement age; • No proper mechanism is available to replace young personnel for their positions; • Unawareness of general public about his technology. • Capacity building through training and education and transferring knowledge from centers of knowledge to centers of growth are key issues. • Development of new courses related to nuclear science is a key issue to be highly considered. • The tendency towards the training and educations of nuclear personnel in the country is becoming less and less

Transportation of nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prowse, D.R.

1979-01-01

Shipment of used fuel from nuclear reactors to a central fuel management facility is discussed with particular emphasis on the assessment of the risk to the public due to these shipments. The methods of transporting used fuel in large shipping containers is reviewed. In terms of an accident scenario, it is demonstrated that the primary risk of transport of used fuel is due to injury and death in common road accidents. The radiological nature of the used fuel cargo is, for all practical purposes, an insignificant factor in the total risk to the public. (author)

Transport of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2002-01-01

During november and december 2001, 2 events concerning nuclear transport were reported and classified on the first grade (grade 1) of the INES scale. The first event concerns a hole in a transport cask of contaminated tools. The hole seems to have been made by the fork of a handling equipment. The second event concerns the loss of a parcel containing a technetium generator, this generator represented an activity of about 141 G Becquerel of 99 Mo the day it left the premises of CIS-bio in Saclay. (A.C.)

A report on high-level nuclear waste transportation: Prepared pursuant to assembly concurrent resolution No. 8 of the 1987 Nevada Legislature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-12-01

This report has been prepared by the staff of the State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects/Nuclear Waste Project Office (NWPO) in response to Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 8 (ACR 8), passed by the Nevada State Legislature in 1987. ACR 8 directed the NWPO, in cooperation with affected local governments and the Legislative committee on High-Level Radioactive Waste, to prepare this report which scrutinizes the US Department of Energy's (DOE) plans for transportation of high-level radioactive waste to the proposed yucca Mountain repository, which reviews the regulatory structure under which shipments to a repository would be made and which presents NWPO's plans for addressing high-level radioactive waste transportation issues. The report is divided into three major sections. Section 1.0 provides a review of DOE's statutory requirements, its repository transportation program and plans, the major policy, programmatic, technical and institutional issues and specific areas of concern for the State of Nevada. Section 2.0 contains a description of the current federal, state and tribal transportation regulatory environment within which nuclear waste is shipped and a discussion of regulatory issues which must be resolved in order for the State to minimize risks and adverse impacts to its citizens. Section 3.0 contains the NWPO plan for the study and management of repository-related transportation. The plan addresses four areas, including policy and program management, regulatory studies, technical reviews and studies and institutional relationships. A fourth section provides recommendations for consideration by State and local officials which would assist the State in meeting the objectives of the plan

A report on high-level nuclear waste transportation: Prepared pursuant to assembly concurrent resolution No. 8 of the 1987 Nevada Legislature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1988-12-01

This report has been prepared by the staff of the State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects/Nuclear Waste Project Office (NWPO) in response to Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 8 (ACR 8), passed by the Nevada State Legislature in 1987. ACR 8 directed the NWPO, in cooperation with affected local governments and the Legislative committee on High-Level Radioactive Waste, to prepare this report which scrutinizes the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) plans for transportation of high-level radioactive waste to the proposed yucca Mountain repository, which reviews the regulatory structure under which shipments to a repository would be made and which presents NWPO`s plans for addressing high-level radioactive waste transportation issues. The report is divided into three major sections. Section 1.0 provides a review of DOE`s statutory requirements, its repository transportation program and plans, the major policy, programmatic, technical and institutional issues and specific areas of concern for the State of Nevada. Section 2.0 contains a description of the current federal, state and tribal transportation regulatory environment within which nuclear waste is shipped and a discussion of regulatory issues which must be resolved in order for the State to minimize risks and adverse impacts to its citizens. Section 3.0 contains the NWPO plan for the study and management of repository-related transportation. The plan addresses four areas, including policy and program management, regulatory studies, technical reviews and studies and institutional relationships. A fourth section provides recommendations for consideration by State and local officials which would assist the State in meeting the objectives of the plan.

The maritime transport of nuclear substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Los Santos, A. de; Corretjer, L.

1976-01-01

In view of the fact that the regulation of maritime transport of nuclear materials comes under both maritime and nuclear law has raised problems which it was attempted to solve by specific standards. As regards the prevention of nuclear hazards, these standards are based on the recommendations of competent international organizations, while concerning compensation of nuclear damage, a Convention which has just come into force lays down that nuclear law has priority over maritime law. Despite the progress made, a study of the situation in this field shows that it can be further improved. (N.E.A.) [fr

Experience of air transport of nuclear fuel material in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, T.; Toguri, D.; Kawasaki, M.

2004-01-01

Certified Reference Materials (hereafter called as to CRMs), which are indispensable for Quality Assurance and Material Accountability in nuclear fuel plants, are being provided by overseas suppliers to Japanese nuclear entities as Type A package (non-fissile) through air transport. However, after the criticality accident at JCO in Japan, special law defining nuclear disaster countermeasures (hereafter called as to the LAW) has been newly enforced in June 2000. Thereafter, nuclear fuel materials must meet not only to the existing transport regulations but also to the LAW for its transport

The DOE transportation strategy: Public information, communications network and issue resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philpott, R.E.

1986-01-01

The OCRWM plans to issue a draft ''comprehensive transportation plan'' in the fall of 1987 that combines the Institutional Plan, the Transportation Business Plan (DOE/RW-0046, January 1986), and a framework for transportation operational procedures. This paper reviews the major elements of the OCRWM's institutional strategy. The OCRWM's strategy for addressing transportation issues relies on the development of public information to foster public understanding and acceptance of program activities and goals, and active communication and interaction with all parties having an interest in the development and operation of the NWPA transportation program. The OCRWM's goal in conducting such activities is to foster cooperative effort in addressing transportation issues, and to focus on communication and constructive interaction rather than conflict

Special nuclear materials cutoff exercise: Issues and lessons learned. Volume 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Libby, R.A.; Segal, J.E.; Stanbro, W.D.; Davis, C.

1995-08-01

This document is appendices D-J for the Special Nuclear Materials Cutoff Exercise: Issues and Lessons Learned. Included are discussions of the US IAEA Treaty, safeguard regulations for nuclear materials, issue sheets for the PUREX process, and the LANL follow up activity for reprocessing nuclear materials.

Special nuclear materials cutoff exercise: Issues and lessons learned. Volume 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Libby, R.A.; Segal, J.E.; Stanbro, W.D.; Davis, C.

1995-08-01

This document is appendices D-J for the Special Nuclear Materials Cutoff Exercise: Issues and Lessons Learned. Included are discussions of the US IAEA Treaty, safeguard regulations for nuclear materials, issue sheets for the PUREX process, and the LANL follow up activity for reprocessing nuclear materials

Human and social factors in the transportation of nuclear wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freudenburg, W.R.

1991-01-01

The main body of this report is a broad-based examination of human and social factors in the transportation of nuclear wastes. It deals with pair interested problems that, while familiar to the social science community, appear to have received little attention from the risk assessment community to data: The human and social attenuation of risk estimates, and the organizational amplification of risks. Second, given the special opportunities for learning that are presented by the recent Alaska oil spill, in particular, the Appendix to this report examines the issue of organizational foresight in the context of the Exxon oil spill

Nuclear Issues in a Non-nuclear Country Media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latek, S.

2002-01-01

The absence of nuclear power program in a given country does not mean that the nuclear option is not discussed. Greenhouse effect is a global phenomenon, thus each and every factor enabling the reduction of CO 2 emissions has to be examined. Not a single NPP is in operation in Poland and this will be so for the nearest dozen years. But the discussion over political decisions to delay the possible NPP construction beyond 2020 continues. In the country whose electricity in 95% comes from coal, the clean (from the greenhouse effect viewpoint) nuclear power makes an attractive solution for many experts. This paper presents Polish debates on the electricity production environmental impacts, which are followed by the media. Unfortunately, a favorite subject of Polish media is still Chernobyl accident, but presented in an exaggerated and often untrue way. This one-sided fear campaign has been interrupted recently by a publication calling the reports on Chernobyl victims a biggest bluff of XX century. This paper presents some examples of nuclear campaigns in the media, e.g. the issues of depleted uranium ammunition, Temelin NPP commissioning and the transit of fresh nuclear fuel for this facility through Poland, radiation accident in one of Polish hospitals, possible terrorist attacks on nuclear facilities, UNSCEAR report on Chernobyl accident health impacts. It remains to be seen how the hundreds of publications appearing each week will shape public attitudes towards nuclear power in Poland. (author)

Nuclear power systems: Their safety. Current issue review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, L.C.

1994-04-01

Human beings utilize energy in many forms and from a variety of sources. A number of countries have chosen nuclear-electric generation as a component of their energy system. At the end of 1992, there were 419 power reactors operating in 29 countries, accounting for more than 15% of the world's production of electricity. In 1992, 13 countries derived at least 25% of their electricity from nuclear units, with Lithuania leading at just over 78%, followed closely by France at 72%. In the same year, Canada produced about 16% of its electricity from nuclear units. Some 53 power reactors are under construction in 14 countries outside the former USSR. Within the ex-USSR countries, six new reactors are currently under construction. No human endeavour carries the guarantee of perfect safety and the question of whether of not nuclear-electric generation represents an 'acceptable' risk to society has long been vigorously debated. Until the events of late April 1986 in the then Soviet Union, nuclear safety had indeed been an issue for discussion, for some concern, but not for alarm. The accident at the Chernobyl reactor irrevocably changed all that. This disaster brought the matter of nuclear safety into the public mind in a dramatic fashion. Subsequent opening of the ex-Soviet nuclear power program to outside scrutiny has done little to calm people's concerns about the safety of nuclear power in that part of the world. This paper discusses the issue of safety in complex energy systems and provides brief accounts of some of the most serious reactor accidents that have occurred to date, as well as more recent, less dramatic events touching on the safety issue. (author). 7 refs

Some issues on Japanese nuclear armament

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Tetsuya

2007-01-01

The author considers the possibility that Japanese nuclear armament might be a realistic political option. Firstly introducing various issues on Japanese nuclear armament existing since long time ago, he classifies them according to the view point from internal and international problems. Internally, the armament is not possible at present on the ground of the nation's non-nuclear policy but it might be conditionally a choice in such case as the reliability of US nuclear deterrence declines or possibility of nuclear attack to Japan actually may be predicted. The armament may be possible technically and legally based on the consensus of the people. Various concerns by neighboring countries are discussed. Finally, the author stresses the importance of continuing to consolidate bilateral relationship with US, to deploy missile defensive system and to make every effort in the diplomatic activity for strong international ties and cooperation. (S. Ohno)

Nuclear power debate: moral, economic, technical, and political issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyers, D. III.

1977-01-01

The pace at which nuclear power will develop is clouded with uncertainties. At the end of 1976 in the United States, 61 nuclear reactors were operating, representing slightly more than 9 percent of the country's total generating capacity. Another 168 reactors were either planned, under construction, or on order. Outside the United States, commitments to nuclear power grew by 17 percent in 1975 over 1974. Indonesia, Turkey, and Poland ordered nuclear plants, bringing to 41 the number of countries committed to nuclear energy. In 1976, 112 nuclear reactors were operating in 18 countries; an additional 342 plants were planned, on order, or under construction. The speed at which nuclear power will continue to grow is dependent on a number of factors: the rate at which demand for energy increases, the changing economics of alternative methods of energy production, the processes by which decisions affecting nuclear power development are made, and the degree to which they satisfy public concerns about the safety of nuclear energy. This book addresses itself to these factors as follows: Economic issues: At what rate will demand for energy increase, and how can that demand be met. (Chapter 2.) How cost-competitive are the major alternative methods of producing electricity that now exist--nuclear power and coal. (Chapter 3.) Decision making issues: Are the processes by which decisions to proceed with development of nuclear power, both in government and in industry, adequate to protect the interests of the public and of investors. (Chapters 4 and 5.) Safety issues: Are nuclear power plants themselves safe. (Chapters 6 and 7.) Can adequate safeguards be established to ensure protection against misuse of the products or by-products of those plants and to ensure the permanent safe storage of radioactive wastes

Nuclear issues on the agenda of the conference on disarmament

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernauer, T.

1991-01-01

This research report examines three nuclear arms control and disarmament issues which figure on the agenda of the Conference on Disarmament - security assurance to non-nuclear-weapon States, the prevention of nuclear war, and the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament

The changing nature of nuclear transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brobst, W.A.

1976-01-01

The IAEA's efforts in transport safety have been proven through 25 years of nearly accident-free transport, with no evidence of death or injury from the nuclear characteristics of those shipments. Much testing has been done over the last five years to verify the technical bases for the IAEA Regulations. Rather than being complacent with the past, we should instead see ourselves at a turning point for the solution of problems coming up in the next few years. The number of shipments will increase drastically and this will result in changes of risk levels. A number of critical problems will be discussed: (1) lack of public acceptance of nuclear shipment safety; (2) transport safeguards; (3) incompleteness in the IAEA package damage tests; (4) need for innovative technology for spent fuel casks; (5) reduction of radiation dose to the public; (6) quality assurance; (7) engineering analyses versus scale-model and full-scale testing; and (8) transport controls. A recommendation is made to the IAEA to set up immediately a study group to define these problems, list alternatives and options, and recommend corrective actions. (author)

Plutonium: key issue in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshisaki, M.B.

1993-01-01

The technical report is a 1993 update on weapons-grade plutonium, a key issue in nuclear disarmament. Its vital significance would again be discussed during the fifth and the last Review Conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) for Nuclear Weapons which would end in 1995. Member States shall decide whether an indefinite or conditional extension of NPT is necessary for world peace and international security. Two Non-NPT States, Russia and U.S.A. are in the forefront working for the reduction of nuclear weapons through nuclear disarmament. Their major effort is focused on the implementation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I and II or START I and II for world peace. The eventual implementation of START I and II would lead to the dismantling of plutonium from nuclear warheads proposed to be eliminated by both countries. This report gives three technical options to be derived from nuclear disarmament issues for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons: (a) indefinite storage - there is no guarantee that these will not be used in the future (b) disposal as wastes - possible only in principle, because of lack of experience in mixing plutonium with high level wastes, and (c) source of energy - best option in managing stored weapons materials, because it satisfies non-proliferation objectives. It means fuel for energy in Light Water Reactors (LWR) or Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR). (author). 8 refs

Some power uprate issues in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tipping, Philip

2008-01-01

Issues and themes concerned with nuclear power plant uprating are examined. Attention is brought to the fact that many candidate nuclear power plants for uprating have anyway been operated below their rated power for a significant part of their operating life. The key issues remain safety and reliability in operation at all times, irrespective of the nuclear power plant's chronological or design age or power rating. The effects of power uprates are discussed in terms of material aspects and expected demands on the systems, structures and components. The impact on operation and maintenance methods is indicated in terms of changes to the ageing surveillance programmes. Attention is brought to the necessity checking or revising operator actions after power up-rating has been implemented

A survey on new nuclear legislative documents issued in the period 1 October, 2005 - 30 April, 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiripus, Vlad

2006-01-01

The paper presents a number of 46 legal documents concerning nuclear problems. issued in the period 1 October, 2005 - 30 April, 2006 in the 'Official Gazette' of Romania (Monitorul Oficial al Romaniei). These documents appear to be decisions of the Romanian Government, decisions of the Dentist Medical College, Ordinances of the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control, CNCAN, Ordinances of the Ministry of Transports Buildings and Tourism, Ministry of Economy and Trade, Ministry of Public Finances, Ministry of Administration and Internal Affairs, Ministry of Public Health, a presidential decree, laws and regulations. The documents are related to items concerning protection of environment in the neighborhood of nuclear facilities, radioactive sources handling, nuclear licensing, nuclear safeguards, emergency measures in case of nuclear events, financing the construction of Cernavoda NPP Unit 3, radioactive waste management, fast shutdown of CANDU type reactors, etc. Each document mentioned is shortly presented and commented

Nuclear issues in the Asia-Pacific region: socio-political factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Y.

1984-01-01

This paper explores the prospect of peaceful use of nuclear power in the Asia-Pacific region, criteria for judging the acceptability of nuclear electric power in the region, and alternative worldviews on the basis of which a regional nuclear order should be established. First, current nuclear power issues in Japan are discussed. Secondly, the Asia-Pacific countries are classified according to their stages of civil nuclear development, Thirdly, the acceptability of civil nuclear power in the region is discussed, using nuclear nonproliferation, safety, and public acceptance as three major criteria. Fourthly, conflicts of interest that cut across North/South, East/West, nuclear/non-nuclear, and nuclear weapons states/non-nuclear weapons states boundaries are discussed. Lastly,it is proposed that an international forum be convened of all the countries concerned with nuclear issues in the region. Several major objectives of this forum are suggested, including construction of a rational model for a solution for non-zero-sum gain to everyone regarding use of nuclear power in the region. (author)

NuPEER Dijon 2005 Symposium. Ageing issues in nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emond, David (ed.) [BCCN, Autorite de Surete Nucleaire, ASN, 6, place du Colonel Bourgoin, 75572 Paris Cedex 12 (France)

2005-07-01

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) organized an international symposium on regulatory aspects of ageing issues for nuclear pressure equipment. The ageing of nuclear pressure equipment is an issue of growing importance for nuclear regulators and material experts worldwide as age-related degradation of major pressure-retaining components challenges the remaining operating life of nuclear power plants. This symposium aimed at providing a forum for technical exchange among the staffs responsible for nuclear pressure equipment within the safety authorities and the associated expertise organisations. The contents of the symposium is as follows: 1. Control and supervision of safety of nuclear pressure equipment in France and abroad; 1.1. Position of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (1 paper); 1.2. Regulatory practices worldwide (4 papers); 1.3. Licence renewal: Field experience (2 papers); 1.4. Role of international organisations (1 paper); 2. Management of equipment and materials: From design to degradation mechanisms; 2.1. Operation and equipment (4 papers); 2. Evolution of materials (4 papers); 2.3. Fatigue degradation mechanisms (3 papers); 2.4. Contribution of research and development (4 papers); 3. In-service inspection: Evolutions, methods and strategies; 3.1. Methods and evolution (1 paper); 3.2. Qualification of methods (2 papers); 3.3. Surveillance strategies (2 papers); 4. Testimonies and points of view of utilities (3 papers); 5. Ageing issues taken into account in non nuclear fields (2 papers). The symposium began with workshops devoted to: Operation and equipment; Behaviour of materials; Fatigue degradations; Contributions of research and development. The symposium continued with plenary session that addressed the following issues: Control and supervision of safety of nuclear pressure equipment; Role of international organisations; In-service inspection: Objectives, methods and strategies; Point of view of utilities; Technical summary and

Nuclear energy policy issues after the 3.11 Fukushima nuclear accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, Tatsujiro [Japan Atomic Energy Commission (Japan)

2014-07-01

The Fukushima nuclear accident has become one of the worst accidents in nuclear history and it is not completely over yet. It will take at least 30 years or more to decontaminate and decommission the crippled nuclear reactors on site. Still, more than 140,000 people are away from home and restoring and assuring the life and welfare of those evacuated people is the top priority of Japanese government's nuclear energy policy. The government will release its new energy policy soon which will state that nuclear power is considered as an important base load electricity source, while committing to reduce its dependence as much as possible. For nuclear energy policy, there are certain important issues to be overcome regardless of future of nuclear power in Japan. They are: (1) spent fuel management and radioactive waste disposal, (2) restoring public trust (3) securing human resources and (4) plutonium stockpile management.

Management of the process of nuclear transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Requejo, P.

2015-01-01

Since 1996 ETSA is the only Spanish logistics operator specialized on servicing the nuclear and radioactive industry. Nowadays ETSA has some technological systems specifically designed for the management of nuclear transports. These tools have been the result of the analysis of multiple factors involved in nuclear shipments, of ETSAs wide experience as a logistics operator and the search for continuous improvement. (Author)

Nuclear liability in the course of transport - some insurance aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, G.

1993-01-01

This presentation deals with some legal and practical problems in the transport liability field, problems the author has met over the years as an insurer of nuclear risks. The intention is not to give a presentation of the nuclear liability rules as such, which should be familiar to the reader, neither to give an overall survey of the insurance procedures as regards transport of nuclear substances. It will just point out a few questions that are typical for this kind of business and that might be of interest for those who in one way or another might be involved in the insurance of nuclear transports

Analysis of economic and infrastructure issues associated with hydrogen production from nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summers, W.A.; Gorensek, M.B.; Danko, E.; Schultz, K.R.; Richards, M.B.; Brown, L.C.

2004-01-01

Consideration is being given to the large-scale transition of the world's energy system from one based on carbon fuels to one based on the use of hydrogen as the carrier. This transition is necessitated by the declining resource base of conventional oil and gas, air quality concerns, and the threat of global climate change linked to greenhouse gas emissions. Since hydrogen can be produced from water using non-carbon primary energy sources, it is the ideal sustainable fuel. The options for producing the hydrogen include renewables (e.g. solar and wind), fossil fuels with carbon sequestration, and nuclear energy. A comprehensive study has been initiated to define economically feasible concepts and to determine estimates of efficiency and cost for hydrogen production using next generation nuclear reactors. A unique aspect of the study is the assessment of the integration of a nuclear plant, a hydrogen production process and the broader infrastructure requirements. Hydrogen infrastructure issues directly related to nuclear hydrogen production are being addressed, and the projected cost, value and end-use market for hydrogen will be determined. The infrastructure issues are critical, since the combined cost of storing, transporting, distributing, and retailing the hydrogen product could well exceed the cost of hydrogen production measured at the plant gate. The results are expected to be useful in establishing the potential role that nuclear hydrogen can play in the future hydrogen economy. Approximately half of the three-year study has been completed. Results to date indicate that nuclear produced hydrogen can be competitive with hydrogen produced from natural gas for use at oil refineries or ammonia plants, indicating a potential early market opportunity for large-scale centralized hydrogen production. Extension of the hydrogen infrastructure from these large industrial users to distributed hydrogen users such as refueling stations and fuel cell generators could

Regulatory issues for nuclear power plant life management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roe, J.

2000-01-01

The workshop of 26-27 june 2000, on nuclear power Plant LIfe Management (PLIM), also included working groups in which major issues facing PLIM activities for nuclear power plants were identified and discussed. The second group was on Regulation. The Regulatory Working Group will attempt to identify some of the more pertinent issues affecting nuclear plant regulation in a changing PLIM environment, to identify some possible actions to be taken to address these issues, and to identify some of the parties responsible for taking these actions. Some preliminary regulatory issues are noted below. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of such issues but rather is intended to stimulate discussion among the experts attending this Workshop. One of the concerns in the regulatory arena is how the structural integrity of the plants can be assured for an extended lifetime. Technological advances directed toward the following are likely to be important factors in the regulatory process of life extension. - Preventive and corrective maintenance (e.g., water chemistry control, pressure vessel annealing, and replacement of core internals). - Ageing and degradation mechanisms and evaluation (e.g., embrittlement, wear, corrosion/erosion, fatigue, and stress corrosion). - Monitoring, surveillance, and inspection (e.g., fatigue monitoring and non-destructive testing). - Optimisation of maintenance (e.g., using risk-based analysis). On the business side, there is concern about technical support by manufacturers, fuel companies, and construction companies. Maintaining a strong technical base and skilled workers in a potentially declining environment is another concern in the regulatory community. Waste management and decommissioning remain significant issue regarding PLIM. These issues affect all three areas of concern - technology, business, and regulation. It is against this background, that the issues put forth in this paper are presented. The objective of presenting these

Transporting spent nuclear fuel: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-03-01

Although high-level radioactive waste from both commercial and defense activities will be shipped to the repository, this booklet focuses on various aspects of transporting commercial spent fuel, which accounts for the majority of the material to be shipped. The booklet is intended to give the reader a basic understanding of the following: the reasons for transportation of spent nuclear fuel, the methods by which it is shipped, the safety and security precautions taken for its transportation, emergency response procedures in the event of an accident, and the DOE program to develop a system uniquely appropriate to NWPA transportation requirements

Perspective on transporting nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wymer, R.G.

1975-01-01

An evaluation is made of the material flow to be expected up to the year 2000 to and from the various steps in the nuclear cycle. These include the reactors, reprocessing plants, enrichment plants, U mills, U conversion plants, and fuel fabrication plants. A somewhat more-detailed discussion is given of the safety engineering that goes into the design of containers and packages and the selection of the mode of transportation. The relationship of shipping to siting and transportation accidents is considered briefly

Transport and reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.

1981-01-01

This contribution deals with transport and packaging of oxide fuel from and to the Cogema reprocessing plant at La Hague (France). After a general discussion of nuclear fuel and the fuel cycle, the main aspects of transport and reprocessing of oxide fuel are analysed. (Auth.)

Transportation of nuclear material in France: regulatory and technical aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flory, D.; Renard, C.

1995-01-01

Legislative and regulatory documentation define responsibilities in the field of security and physical protection for transportation of nuclear material. Any transportation activity has to conform to an advance authorization regime delivered by the Ministry of Industry. Responsibility for physical protection of nuclear material rests with the carrier under control of the public authority. Penalties reinforce this administrative regime. Operational responsibility for management and control of transport operations has been entrusted by the ministry to the operational transport unit (Echelon Operationnel des Transports - EOT) of IPSN (Institute for Nuclear Protection and Safety). To guarantee en efficient protection of transport operations, the various following means are provided for: -specialized transport means; - devices for real time tracking of road vehicles; - administrative authorization and declaration procedures; -intervention capacities in case of sabotage... This set of technical means and administrative measures is completed by the existence of a body of inspectors who may control every step of the operations. (authors). 3 tabs

Major issues associated with nuclear power generation cost and their evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuo, Yuji; Shimogori, Kei; Suzuki, Atsuhiko

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the evaluation of power generation cost that is an important item for energy policy planning. Especially with a focus on nuclear power generation cost, it reviews what will become a focal point on evaluating power generation cost at the present point after the estimates of the 'Investigation Committee on Costs' that was organized by the government have been issued, and what will be a major factor affecting future changes in costs. This paper firstly compared several estimation results on nuclear power generation cost, and extracted/arranged controversial points and unsolved points for discussing nuclear power generation cost. In evaluating nuclear power generation cost, the comparison of capital cost and other costs can give the understanding of what can be important issues. Then, as the main issues, this paper evaluated/discussed the construction cost, operation/maintenance cost, external cost, issue of discount rate, as well as power generation costs in foreign countries and the impact of fossil fuel prices. As other issues related to power generation cost evaluation, it took up expenses for decommissioning, disposal of high-level radioactive waste, and re-processing, outlined the evaluation results by the 'Investigation Committee on Costs,' and compared them with the evaluation examples in foreign countries. These costs do not account for a large share of the entire nuclear power generation costs. The most important point for considering future energy policy is the issue of discount rate, that is, the issue of fund-raising environment for entrepreneurs. This is the factor to greatly affect the economy of future nuclear power generation. (A.O.)

Physical protection of export/import and transportation of nuclear material in the Slovak Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaclav, J

2002-01-01

Full text: The paper contains short overview about average amount of nuclear materials transported on the territory of the Slovak Republic in a year, and the physical protection of these nuclear materials. There are several types of transportation and export/import of nuclear materials in the SR: fresh fuel import; import of other unirradiated nuclear materials (e.g. depleted uranium, natural uranium); export of unirradiated nuclear materials (e.g. natural uranium); internal transportation of fresh fuel; internal transportation of other unirradiated nuclear materials; internal transportation of spent fuel. The main objective of the nuclear regulatory authority SR is to supervise observation of the national legislation as follows: the act no. 130 / 1998 on peaceful use of nuclear energy; UJD SR's regulation no. 186/1999 which details the physical protection of the nuclear facilities, nuclear materials, and radioactive waste (following requirements of INFCIRC 225 / Rev. 4); UJD SR's regulation no. 284 / 1999 which details conditions of nuclear material and radioactive wastes transportation. (author)

Transport description of damped nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randrup, J.

1984-01-01

This lecture series is concerned with the transport description of damped nuclear reactions. Part 1 is an elementary introduction to the general transport theory of nuclear dynamics. It can be read without any special knowledge of the field, although basic quantum mechanics is required for the formal derivation of the general expressions for the transport coefficients. The results can also be used in a wider context than the present one. Part 2 gives the student an up-to-date orientation about recent progress in the understanding of the angular-momentum variables in damped reactions. The emphasis is here on the qualitative understanding of the physics rather than the, at times somewhat tedious, formal derivations. More detailed presentations are due to be published soon. By necessity entire topics have been omitted. For example, no discussion is given of the calculation of the form factors, and the several instructive applications of the theory to transport of mass and change are not covered at all. For these topics they refer to the literature. It is hoped that the present notes provide a sufficient basis to make the literature on the subject accessible to the student

Nuclear power and the non-proliferation issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-12-01

This leaflet, issued by the British Nuclear Forum on behalf of the industry, seeks first to place the problem of reconciling the need for nuclear power with its possible weapon uses in a historical perspective. Secondly, it describes the technical and political measures which are now taken, and others which could be introduced in order to ensure that nuclear power, which offers the cheapest and safest large-scale energy source for the future, can be made available without contributing to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Headings are: introduction; the early years; the IAEA; uranium enrichment; plutonium; secrecy has failed; the Non-Proliferation Treaty; the London Suppliers Group; the situation today; the British position; conclusions. (U.K.)

Irradiated nuclear fuel transport from Japan to Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavanagh, M.T.; Shimoyama, S.

1976-01-01

Irradiated nuclear fuel has been transported from Japan to Europe since 1969, although U.K. experience goes back almost two decades. Both magnox and oxide fuel have been transported, and the technical requirements associated with each type of fuel are outlined. The specialized ships used by British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) for this transport are described, as well as the ships being developed for future use in the Japan trade. The ship requirements are related to the regulatory position both in the United Kingdom and internationally, and the Japanese regulatory requirements are described. Finally, specific operational experience of a Japanese reactor operator is described

Current status of sea transport of nuclear fuel materials and LLW in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Hideo

2000-01-01

Along with the basic policy of the nuclear fuel cycle of Japan, many fuel cycle facilities have been already constructed in Rokkasho-Mura, Aomori prefecture, such as the uranium enrichment plant, the low level waste disposal center and the receiving pool of the spent nuclear fuels for reprocessing. These facilities belong to the Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited. (JNFL). Domestic sea transport of the spent nuclear fuels (SF) has been carried out since 1977 to the Tokai Reprocessing Plant, and the first sea transport of the SF to the fuel cycle facility in Rokkasho-Mura was done in Oct, 1998 using a new exclusive ship 'Rokuei-Maru'. Sea transport of the low level radioactive wastes (LLW) has been carried out since 1992 to the Rokkasho LLW Disposal Center, and about 130,000 LLW drams were transported from the nuclear power plant sites. These sea transport have demonstrated the safety of the transport of the nuclear fuel cycle materials. It is hoped that the safe sea transport of the nuclear fuel materials will contribute to the more progress of the nuclear fuel cycle activities of Japan. (author)

Introducing a European Partnership. First issue of 'European Nuclear Features'. A joint publication of atw, Nuclear Espana, Revue Generale Nucleare (2004)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

'European Nuclear Features' is a joint publication of the three specialized technical journals, Nuclear Espana (Spain), Revue Generale Nucleaire (France), and atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power (Germany), planned for six issues annually. ENF is to further greatly the international European exchange of information and news about energy and nuclear power. News items, comments, and scientific and technical contributions will cover important aspects of the field. The first issue of ENF contains contributions about these topics, among others: - European Nuclear Society and Foratom: Strengthening the Nuclear Network. - Report: EPR - the European Pressurized Water Reactor. - Finland: Starting Construction of the Fifth Nuclear Power Plant. - Czech Republic: Nuclear Power Report for 2003/2004. - The Decommissioning Project of the Bohunice-1 and -2 Units. - FRM-II: TUM Research Neutron Source Generates Its First Neutrons. (orig.)

Know Nukes: A Nuclear Power Issues Curriculum Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Butterfield, Charlie; McCandless, Marjorie

Classroom activities are presented to help teachers introduce general controversial issues and specific issues on nuclear power in their high school science, social studies, and English classes. Objectives are to help students understand the various techniques of persuasion; the relationship between bias, persuasion, and fact; how these techniques…

30 years of experience in safe transportation of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, K.

2004-01-01

In April 2003, Nuclear Fuel Transport Co., Ltd. (NFT) marked the 30 th anniversary of its founding. NFT was established in 1973 and in 1978, commenced SF transport to the reprocessing plant in Tokai-mura. And then, after making preparations to transport nuclear materials to the various facilities at the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Center in Rokkasho-mura, NFT successfully started transportation of LLW (low level waste) to Rokksho-mura's LLW disposal center in 1992, domestic land transportation of HLW returned from overseas to the HLW storage center in 1995, domestic land transportation of natural hexafluoride delivered from overseas to the uranium enrichment plant in 1996, and transportation of SF to the reprocessing plant in 2000. NFT has realized an annual SF transportation capacity of 300 MTU and is currently making great company wide efforts to meet the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant's future SF annual reprocessing capacity of 800MTU. At the end of FY2003, NFT had successfully transported 560 casks (about 1,730 MTU) of SF in more than 200 voyages in total, about 160,000 drums of LLW in around 100 voyages in total. This paper introduces the record of safe transport and its experience over the past 30 years and prospect for future transport business

30 years of experience in safe transportation of nuclear materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaneko, K. [Nuclear Fuel Transport Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

2004-07-01

In April 2003, Nuclear Fuel Transport Co., Ltd. (NFT) marked the 30{sup th} anniversary of its founding. NFT was established in 1973 and in 1978, commenced SF transport to the reprocessing plant in Tokai-mura. And then, after making preparations to transport nuclear materials to the various facilities at the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Center in Rokkasho-mura, NFT successfully started transportation of LLW (low level waste) to Rokksho-mura's LLW disposal center in 1992, domestic land transportation of HLW returned from overseas to the HLW storage center in 1995, domestic land transportation of natural hexafluoride delivered from overseas to the uranium enrichment plant in 1996, and transportation of SF to the reprocessing plant in 2000. NFT has realized an annual SF transportation capacity of 300 MTU and is currently making great company wide efforts to meet the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant's future SF annual reprocessing capacity of 800MTU. At the end of FY2003, NFT had successfully transported 560 casks (about 1,730 MTU) of SF in more than 200 voyages in total, about 160,000 drums of LLW in around 100 voyages in total. This paper introduces the record of safe transport and its experience over the past 30 years and prospect for future transport business.

Advanced nuclear reactor safety issues and research needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

On 18-20 February 2002, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) organised, with the co-sponsorship of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and in collaboration with the European Commission (EC), a Workshop on Advanced Nuclear Reactor Safety Issues and Research Needs. Currently, advanced nuclear reactor projects range from the development of evolutionary and advanced light water reactor (LWR) designs to initial work to develop even further advanced designs which go beyond LWR technology (e.g. high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and liquid metal-cooled reactors). These advanced designs include a greater use of advanced technology and safety features than those employed in currently operating plants or approved designs. The objectives of the workshop were to: - facilitate early identification and resolution of safety issues by developing a consensus among participating countries on the identification of safety issues, the scope of research needed to address these issues and a potential approach to their resolution; - promote the preservation of knowledge and expertise on advanced reactor technology; - provide input to the Generation IV International Forum Technology Road-map. In addition, the workshop tried to link advancement of knowledge and understanding of advanced designs to the regulatory process, with emphasis on building public confidence. It also helped to document current views on advanced reactor safety and technology, thereby contributing to preserving knowledge and expertise before it is lost. (author)

Resolving community conflict in the nuclear power issue: a report and annotated bibliography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burt, R.S.; Fischer, M.; Corbett, T.; Garrett, K.; Lundgren, M.

1978-02-01

This report is a scholarly discussion of the escalation and possible resolution of community conflict in the nuclear power issue. The concern is at all times with the social factors in this conflict; technical problems in nuclear power are only considered to the extent that such problems are raised in conflict over nuclear power. Social science research on conflict is only reviewed to the extent that it bears on community conflict over nuclear power. Chapter 1 describes the nature of community conflict escalation in the nuclear power issue: stages of escalation, typical individuals and groups involved, typical issues raised, typical manners in which participants become involved, and the basic social parameters of conflict escalation. Chapter 2 outlines the community level determinants of conflict escalation in the nuclear power issue: How is a community in which conflict over a nuclear facility is most likely different from a community in which such conflict is least likely. Chapter 3 is a detailed consideration of alternative methods of containing and resolving conflict. Chapter 4 summarizes principles for dealing with community conflict in the nuclear power issue. Finally, Chapter 5 is an annotated bibliography of the literature reviewed in the report. 840 references

Resolving community conflict in the nuclear power issue: a report and annotated bibliography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burt, R.S.; Fischer, M.; Corbett, T.; Garrett, K.; Lundgren, M.

1978-02-01

This report is a scholarly discussion of the escalation and possible resolution of community conflict in the nuclear power issue. The concern is at all times with the social factors in this conflict; technical problems in nuclear power are only considered to the extent that such problems are raised in conflict over nuclear power. Social science research on conflict is only reviewed to the extent that it bears on community conflict over nuclear power. Chapter 1 describes the nature of community conflict escalation in the nuclear power issue: stages of escalation, typical individuals and groups involved, typical issues raised, typical manners in which participants become involved, and the basic social parameters of conflict escalation. Chapter 2 outlines the community level determinants of conflict escalation in the nuclear power issue: How is a community in which conflict over a nuclear facility is most likely different from a community in which such conflict is least likely. Chapter 3 is a detailed consideration of alternative methods of containing and resolving conflict. Chapter 4 summarizes principles for dealing with community conflict in the nuclear power issue. Finally, Chapter 5 is an annotated bibliography of the literature reviewed in the report. 840 references.

The French nuclear safety authority's experience with radioactive transport inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, E.; Aguilar, J.

2004-01-01

About 300,000 radioactive material packages are transported annually in France. Most consist of radioisotopes for medical, pharmaceutical or industrial use. On the other hand, the nuclear industry deals with the transport of fuel cycle materials (uranium, fuel assemblies, etc.) and waste from power plants, reprocessing plants and research centers. France is also a transit country for shipments such as spent fuel packages from Switzerland or Germany, which are bound for Sellafield in Great Britain. The French nuclear safety authority (DGSNR: Directorate General for Nuclear Safety and Radioprotection) has been responsible since 1997 for the safety of radioactive material transport. This paper presents DGNSR's experience with transport inspection: a feedback of key points based on 300 inspections achieved during the past five years is given

Nuclear waste management in Canada : critical issues, critical perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durant, D.; Fuji Johnson, G.

2009-01-01

As oil reserves decline and the environment takes centre stage in public policy discussions, the merits and dangers of nuclear power and nuclear waste management continue to be debated. Canada is intent on building more reactors to increase energy production without destroying the planet, but it and other nuclear energy-producing countries face not only technical problems but also social and ethical issues. This book provides a critical antidote to the favourable position of government and industry. The contributors build their case by exploring key issues and developments. What do frequently used terms such as safety, risk, and acceptability really mean? How and why did the public consultation process in Canada fail to address ethical and social issues? What is the significance and potential of a public consultation process that involves diverse interests, epistemologies, and actors, including Aboriginal peoples? And how do we ensure that our frameworks for discussion are inclusive and ethical? This timely collection defuses the uncertainty, ambiguity, and ignorance that surrounds nuclear energy. It will appeal to academics, students, and stakeholders in public policy or environmental studies who want to think critically and more broadly about how we approach energy generation and waste management.

Some Major Issues Influencing Nuclear Energy Prospective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feretic, D.

2012-01-01

The presentation analyses some issues which are of particular importance for future nuclear power application. These include duration of uranium reserves and high level radioactive waste decay period in function of uranium reserves (determined, assumed and speculative) and type of fuel cycle used. Public acceptance during essential historical milestones of nuclear power use, influence of safety and compatibility evaluations, quantified risk, externalities and nuclear accidents. Short review of major accidents, causes, consequences, impact of LNT and hormesis hypothesis. Particular problem for future of nuclear power is potential shortage of experienced personnel due to long period without plants construction. To address some of problems which may face future investors a brief review of specific events experienced during construction of NPP Krsko is presented. Such events could be of interest to countries planning to construct nuclear power plant.(author).

Ordinance concerning the filing of transport of nuclear fuel materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The ordinance is defined under the law for the regulations of nuclear source materials, nuclear fuel materials and reactors and the order for execution of the law. Any person who reports the transport of nuclear fuel materials shall file four copies of a notification according to the form attached to the public safety commission of the prefecture in charge of the dispatching place. When the transportation extends over the area in charge of another public safety commission, the commission which has received the notice shall report without delay date and route of the transport, kind and quantity of nuclear fuel materials and other necessary matters to the commission concerned and hear from the latter opinions on the items informed. The designation by the ordinance includes speed of the vehicle loaded with nuclear fuel materials, disposition of an accompanying car, arrangement of the line of the loaded vehicle and accompanying and other escorting cars, location of the parking, place of unloading and temporary storage, etc. Reports concerning troubles and measures taken shall be filed in ten days to the public safety commission which has received the notification, when accidents occur on the way, such as: theft or loss of nuclear fuel materials; traffic accident; irregular leaking of nuclear fuel materials and personal trouble by the transport. (Okada, K.)

Specific transport and storage solutions: Waste management facing current and future stakes of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deniau, Helene; Gagner, Laurent; Gendreau, Francoise; Presta, Anne

2006-01-01

With major projects ongoing or being planned, and also with the daily management of radioactive waste from nuclear facilities, the role of transport and/or storage packaging has been often overlooked. Indeed, the packaging development process and transport solutions implemented are a key part of the waste management challenge: protection of people and environment. During over four decades, the AREVA Group has developed a complete and coherent system for the transport of waste produced by nuclear industries. The transport solutions integrate the factors to consider, as industrial transportation needs, various waste forms, associated hazards and current regulations. Thus, COGEMA LOGISTICS has designed, licensed and manufactured a large number of different transport, storage and dual purpose cask models for residues and all kinds of radioactive wastes. The present paper proposes to illustrate how a company acting both as a cask designer and a carrier is key to the waste management issue and how it can support the waste management policy of nuclear producers through their operational choices. We will focus on the COGEMA LOGISTICS technical solutions implemented to guarantee safe and secure transportation and storage solutions. We will describe different aspects of the cask design process, insisting on how it enables to fulfill both customer needs and regulation requirements. We will also mention the associated services developed by the AREVA Business Unit Logistics (COGEMA LOGISTICS, TRANSNUCLEAR, MAINCO, and LEMARECHAL CELESTIN) in order to manage transportation of liquid and solid waste towards interim or final storage sites. The paper has the following contents: About radioactive waste; - Radioactive waste classification; - High level activity waste and long-lived intermediate level waste; - Long-lived low level waste; - Short-lived low- and intermediate level waste; - Very low level waste; - The radioactive waste in nuclear fuel cycle; - Packaging design and

Panel presentation: LDC rate design and transportation issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patrick, T.M.

1992-01-01

This paper covers four general views about local distributing company (LDC) sales rate design, transportation issues, and their implications for policy makers. LDC sales rates often hinder marketing to price sensitive customers. LDC rate design contributes to this problem, but there are other major causes such as add-on revenue taxes and pipeline take-or-pay charges that add to customer costs. State commissions, in varying degrees, are constrained in their ability to respond to a number of the barriers to improved gas marketing. Some problems are simply beyond the power of state commissions to remedy. These include federally imposed pipeline rate structures and take-or-pay costs, as well as various limits imposed by state legislatures (e.g., shut-off prohibitions, add-on taxes). Where they are feasible, LDC transportation services can mitigate marketing barriers that impede sales services. Customers select and pay for only their desired level of supply reliability and flexibility from sellers and pipeline transporters, as well as desired levels of standby service from the LDC. While it greatly benefits markets, the provision of transportation service by an LDC creates important new issues. One is fairness in allocating LDC resources between the sales and transportation functions and in pricing them, to avoid subsidies of one service by the other

Energetics of Transport through the Nuclear Pore Complex.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ghavami

Full Text Available Molecular transport across the nuclear envelope in eukaryotic cells is solely controlled by the nuclear pore complex (NPC. The NPC provides two types of nucleocytoplasmic transport: passive diffusion of small molecules and active chaperon-mediated translocation of large molecules. It has been shown that the interaction between intrinsically disordered proteins that line the central channel of the NPC and the transporting cargoes is the determining factor, but the exact mechanism of transport is yet unknown. Here, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to quantify the energy barrier that has to be overcome for molecules to pass through the NPC. We focus on two aspects of transport. First, the passive transport of model cargo molecules with different sizes is studied and the size selectivity feature of the NPC is investigated. Our results show that the transport probability of cargoes is significantly reduced when they are larger than ∼5 nm in diameter. Secondly, we show that incorporating hydrophobic binding spots on the surface of the cargo effectively decreases the energy barrier of the pore. Finally, a simple transport model is proposed which characterizes the energy barrier of the NPC as a function of diameter and hydrophobicity of the transporting particles.

Multipurpose containers for the transport of nuclear material: The example of transport flask CF6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gualdrini, G.F.; Borgia, M.G.

1989-03-01

The present paper summarizes the design and licensing activity carried out in the frame work of an ENEA working group which was set up with the aim of developing transport flasks for radioactive and non radioactive dangerous materials. In particular the nuclear design of the multipurpose transport flask CF6 is described. The paper was presented at the seminar on 'Nuclear wastes and transport of radioactive materials' held in Bologna on June 4th and 5th 1987 under the aegis of the Department of Physics of the University of Bologna. (author)

Risk management of onsite transportation of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field, J.G.; Wang, O.S.; Mercado, J.E.

1993-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site recently has undergone a significant change in mission. The focus of operations has shifted from plutonium production to environmental restoration. This transition has caused a substantial increase in quantities of nuclear waste and other hazardous materials packaged and transported onsite. In response to the escalating transportation activity, Westinghouse Hanford Company (Westinghouse Hanford), the Hanford Site operations and engineering contractor, is proposing an integrated risk assessment methodology and risk management strategy to enhance the safety of onsite packaging and transportation operations involving nuclear waste. The proposed methodology consists of three integral parts: risk assessment, risk acceptance criteria, and risk minimization. The purpose of the methodology is to ensure that the risk for each ongoing transportation activity is acceptable and to minimize the overall risk for current and future onsite operations. (authors). 2 figs., 6 refs

Risk management of onsite transportation of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field, J.G.; Wang, O.S.; Mercado, J.E.

1993-03-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site recently has undergone a significant change in mission. The focus of operations has shifted from plutonium production to environmental restoration. This transition has caused a substantial increase in quantities of nuclear waste and other hazardous materials packaged and transported onsite. In response to the escalating transportation activity, Westinghouse Hanford Company (Westinghouse Hanford), the Hanford Site operations and engineering contractor, is proposing an integrated risk assessment methodology and risk management strategy to enhance the safety of onsite packaging and transportation operations involving nuclear waste. The proposed methodology consists of three integral parts: risk assessment, risk acceptance criteria, and risk minimization. The purpose of the methodology is to ensure that the risk for each ongoing transportation activity is acceptable and to minimize the overall risk for current and future onsite operations

The new context for transport of radioactive and nuclear material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anne, C.; Galtier, J.

2002-01-01

The transportation of radioactive and nuclear materials involves all modes of transportation with a predominance for road and for air. It is but a minute fraction dangerous good transportation. Around 10 millions of radioactive packages are shipped annually all over the world of which ninety percent total corresponds to shipments of radioisotopes. In spite of the small volume transported, experience, evolution of transport means and technologies, the trend to constantly improve security and safety and public acceptance have modified the transport environment. During the last few years, new evolutions have applied to the transport of radioactive and nuclear materials in various fields and especially: - Safety - Security - Logistics means - Public acceptance - Quality Assurance. We propose to examine the evolution of these different fields and their impact on transportation methods and means. (authors)

Report on the Current Technical Issues on ASME Nuclear Code and Standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Gyeong Hoi; Lee, B. S.; Yoo, S. H.

2008-11-01

This report describes the analysis on the current revision movement related to the mechanical design issues of the U.S ASME nuclear code and standard. ASME nuclear mechanical design in this report is composed of the nuclear material, primary system, secondary system and high temperature reactor. This report includes the countermeasures based on the ASME Code meeting for current issues of each major field. KAMC(ASME Mirror Committee) of this project is willing to reflect a standpoint of the domestic nuclear industry on ASME nuclear mechanical design and play a technical bridge role for the domestic nuclear industry in ASME Codes application

Weapons dismantlement issues in independent Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zack, N.R.

1995-01-01

The American Association for the Advancement of Science sponsored a seminar during September 1993 in Kiev, Ukraine, titled, ''Toward a Nuclear-Free Future--Barriers and Problems.'' It brought together Ukrainians, Belarusians and Americans to discuss the legal, political, economic, technical, and safeguards and security dimensions of nuclear weapons dismantlement and destruction. US representatives initiated discussions on legal and treaty requirements and constraints, safeguards and security issues surrounding dismantlement, storage and disposition of nuclear materials, warhead transportation, and economic considerations. Ukrainians gave presentations on arguments for and against the Ukraine keeping nuclear weapons, the Ukrainian Parliament's nonapproval of START 1, alternative strategies for dismantling silos and launchers, and economic and security implications of nuclear weapons removal from the Ukraine. Participants from Belarus discussed proliferation and control regime issues. This paper will highlight and detail the issues, concerns and possible impacts of the Ukraine's dismantlement of its nuclear weapons

The issue resolution process in the Civilian Radioactive Waste Transportation Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holm, J.A.; Denny, S.

1987-01-01

The Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Program consists of various technical and institutional program activities which engender concern from the general public and from policymakers at federal, state, and local levels. Most familiar are the concerns centered around selection of a site for a repository; however, the transportation portion of the OCRWM program also engenders similar concerns for safety, efficiency and effectiveness. The major Transportation institutional issues were detailed in the Institutional Plan, issued in 1986, and include topics such as liability, defense waste, routing, emergency response, risk identification and mitigation, cash integrity, inspection and enforcement of high-level waste shipments and use of overweight trucks as part of the modal mix. This paper will define the process being used to identify and resolve institutional issues, show how the technical and institutional issues interface and are addressed, and briefly describe four specific activities which illustrate the process of resolving institutional issues in the Transportation program

Some issues in two-dimensional modeling of tritium transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tam, S.W.

1991-01-01

Among the major processes leading to tritium transport through Li ceramic breeders the percolation of gaseous tritium species through the connected porosity remains the lest amenable to a satisfactory treatment. The combination of diffusion and reaction through the convoluted transport pathways prescribed by the system of pores poses a formidable challenge. The key issue is to make the fundamental connection between the tortuousity of the medium with the transport processes in terms of only basic parameters that are amenable to fundamental understanding and experimental determinations. This fundamental challenges is met within the following approaches. The technique that we have employed is a random network percolation model. Local transport in each individual pore channel is described by a set of convection-diffusion-reaction equations. Long range transport is described by a matrix technique. The heterogeneous structure of the medium is accounted for via Monte Carlo methods. In this way the approach requires as inputs only physical-chemical parameters that are amenable to clear basic understanding and experimental determination. In the sense it provides predictive capability. The approach has been applied to an analysis of the concept of tritium residence time which is associated with the first passage time, a direct output of our analysis. In the next stage of our work the tool that we have developed would be employed to investigate the issues of vary large networks, realistic microstructural information and the effect of varying pressure gradient along the purge channels. We have demonstrated that the approach that has been adopted can be utilized to analyze in a very illuminating way the underlying issues of the concept of residence time. We believe that the present approach is ideally suited to tackle these very important yet difficult issues

Some issues related to the development of nuclear power plant in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panggabean, L.M.

1987-01-01

Indonesia being a member of ASEAN belongs to the group of developing country. If Indonesia decides to embark on the establishment of nuclear power plan then the country will have no choice but to discuss the following issues: Safe operation of the plant and management of the nuclear waste. Safe operation of the power plant is important not only from the point of view of hazards to human being, or economic loss, or even death, but equally important it is also from the psychological point of view in that not to loose the society's confidence in the overall nuclear power plant programme in the future. The issue of safe operation involves both a safely designed system as well as skilled personnels to execute a well designed operation procedure. The issue of nuclear safety is getting more and more attention lately for various, some due to a deep concern about the quality of the inherent safety of the nuclear power plant to be built, others may just use their emotion to ask question like ''what its''. The issue of nuclear waste is as fundamental as the plant safety. Common people make very little difference between an atomic bomb and waste from a nuclear power plant. Another issue is one of transfer of technology which needs to be tied up with the overall industrialization process, meaning that embarking on nuclear power programme needs to contribute to local industrial activities, at least for some parts or components which can be manufactured locally. (author)

Difficulties are multiplying - topical legal issues relating to nuclear waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strassburg, W.

1985-01-01

The report points out topical legal issues relating to nuclear waste disposal, yet leaves no doubt that the technical-scientific concept for nuclear waste disposal incorporated into the nuclear energy law in 1976 was a success. Nonetheless it is desirable that there should be persistent efforts especially on the part of parliament when issuing legislation or statutory orders to reach greater clearness and thus predictability in areas where technology has been proven by many years of practice. (orig./HSCH) [de

Demonstration of a transportable storage system for spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shetler, J.R.; Miller, K.R.; Jones, R.E.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the joint demonstration project between the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) regarding the use of a transportable storage system for the long-term storage and subsequent transport of spent nuclear fuel. SMUD's Rancho Seco nuclear generating station was shut down permanently in June 1989. After the shutdown, SMUD began planning the decommissioning process, including the disposition of the spent nuclear fuel. Concurrently, Congress had directed the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan for the use of dual-purpose casks. Licensing and demonstrating a dual-purpose cask, or transportable storage system, would be a step toward achieving Congress's goal of demonstrating a technology that can be used to minimize the handling of spent nuclear fuel from the time the fuel is permanently removed from the reactor through to its ultimate disposal at a DOE facility. For SMUD, using a transportable storage system at the Rancho Seco Independent Spent-Fuel Storage Installation supports the goal of abandoning Rancho Seco's spent-fuel pool as decommissioning proceeds

Summary report on transportation of nuclear fuel materials in Japan : transportation infrastructure, threats identified in open literature, and physical protection regulations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cochran, John Russell; Ouchi, Yuichiro (Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Japan); Furaus, James Phillip; Marincel, Michelle K.

2008-03-01

This report summarizes the results of three detailed studies of the physical protection systems for the protection of nuclear materials transport in Japan, with an emphasis on the transportation of mixed oxide fuel materials1. The Japanese infrastructure for transporting nuclear fuel materials is addressed in the first section. The second section of this report presents a summary of baseline data from the open literature on the threats of sabotage and theft during the transport of nuclear fuel materials in Japan. The third section summarizes a review of current International Atomic Energy Agency, Japanese and United States guidelines and regulations concerning the physical protection for the transportation of nuclear fuel materials.

Survey on Issues related to National Nuclear Promotion Policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Byungchool; Lee, Youngjoon; Lee, Youngcheol; Jeong, I. K.; Kim, Hyunjun; Kim, Youngsoo; Yun, Sungwon; Moon, Keehwan; Chung, Whansam

2013-06-01

Ο Major issues surrounding nuclear are including suspicions about nuclear safety, spent-fuel management, acquiring the advanced R and D capabilities and making the nuclear a creative industry Ο Solid measures for securing safety should be formulated and implemented for reducing public anxiety of nuclear use Ο The long-term R and D performance system from a scientific perspective should be established for expanding Research and Development for safer use of nuclear Ο The spent-fuel management policy should be determined through publicizing process Ο Establishing small and medium enterprises-oriented supply system of reactors and SMRs and Encouraging the radiation fusion technology industrialization for promoting creative industry utilizing nuclear

Public acceptance of nuclear power - Some ethical issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arungu-Olende, S; Francis, J M; Gaspar, D de; Nashed, W; Nwosu, B C.E.; Rose, D J; Shinn, R L [World Council of Churches, Working Committee on Church and Society, Energy Advisory Group, Geneva (Switzerland)

1977-12-15

With the increased public perception of the future scale of dependence on nuclear energy a debate has started, raising the level of public awareness of the social, political and technical risks that are inevitably associated with the large-scale and accelerating adoption of nuclear power generation. The nuclear industry has given a mixed response to this debate, to accusations of irresponsibility and to demands for more specific attention to the recognized hazards of the fuel cycle. In this situation, non-governmental bodies such as the World Council of Churches, has taken the responsibility to examine the issues so far identified and to place these in a social and ethical context. The W.C.C. general position on nuclear energy is presented. It includes the risk associated with nuclear technology; nuclear waste disposal; catastrophic accidents; accidents in reprocessing plants, low-level radiation; nuclear weapons; security; nuclear energy and a new international economic order; ethical and religious perspectives.

Public acceptance of nuclear power - Some ethical issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arungu-Olende, S.; Francis, J.M.; Gaspar, D. de; Nashed, W.; Nwosu, B.C.E.; Rose, D.J.; Shinn, R.L.

1977-01-01

With the increased public perception of the future scale of dependence on nuclear energy a debate has started, raising the level of public awareness of the social, political and technical risks that are inevitably associated with the large-scale and accelerating adoption of nuclear power generation. The nuclear industry has given a mixed response to this debate, to accusations of irresponsibility and to demands for more specific attention to the recognized hazards of the fuel cycle. In this situation, non-governmental bodies such as the World Council of Churches, has taken the responsibility to examine the issues so far identified and to place these in a social and ethical context. The W.C.C. general position on nuclear energy is presented. It includes the risk associated with nuclear technology; nuclear waste disposal; catastrophic accidents; accidents in reprocessing plants, low-level radiation; nuclear weapons; security; nuclear energy and a new international economic order; ethical and religious perspectives

Nuclear fuel assurance: origins, trends, and policy issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neff, T.L.; Jacoby, H.D.

1979-02-01

The economic, technical and political issues which bear on the security of nuclear fuel supply internationally are addressed. The structure of international markets for nuclear fuel is delineated; this includes an analysis of the political constraints on fuel availability, especially the connection to supplier nonproliferation policies. The historical development of nuclear fuel assurance problems is explored and an assessment is made of future trends in supply and demand and in the political context in which fuel trade will take place in the future. Finally, key events and policies which will affect future assurance are identified

Emerging nuclear security issues for transit countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabulov, I.A.

2003-01-01

Full text: Tragic events of September eleventh have made nuclear terrorism dangers more evident. In the light of increased terrorism preventing the spread of nuclear and nuclear related items as well as radioactive materials that can be used for production so-called 'dirty bomb'is an urgent global claim. Nuclear Security issues cover multiple aspects of the security and first of all the threat from nuclear terrorism, detection and protection of illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and other radioactive sources, legal shipment of such type materials as well as nuclear related dual use items. In the face of emerging threats the prevention of proliferation by the development of effective national system of nuclear export controls is hugely important for transit countries like Azerbaijan with underdeveloped export controls and strategic locations along trade and smuggling routes between nuclear suppliers States and countries attempting to develop nuclear weapons or any nuclear explosive devices. Thus, in the face of increasing international threat from nuclear terrorism the role and place of Azerbaijan Republic in the struggle against terrorism increases. In this context it is very important to establish effective national capabilities for detection and prevention of illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials as well as nuclear related dual use items across Azerbaijan's borders. One of the ways for enhancing and strengthening existing activities in this field is carrying out joint actions between scientists and enforcement officials in order to improve knowledge of the front-line customs and border guard inspectors concerning multiple aspects of Nuclear Security

Transport of irradiated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

In response to public interest in the transport by rail through London of containers of irradiated fuel elements on their way from nuclear power stations to Windscale, the Central Electricity Generating Board and British Rail held three information meetings in London in January 1980. One meeting was for representatives of London Borough Councils and Members of Parliament with a known interest in the subject, and the others were for press, radio and television journalists. This booklet contains the main points made by the principal speakers from the CEGB and BR. (The points covered include: brief description of the fuel cycle; effect of the fission process in producing plutonium and fission products in the fuel element; fuel transport; the fuel flasks; protection against accidents; experience of transporting fuel). (U.K.)

An interagency space nuclear propulsion safety policy for SEI - Issues and discussion

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, A. C.; Sawyer, J. C., Jr.

1991-01-01

An interagency Nuclear Safety Policy Working Group (NSPWG) was chartered to recommend nuclear safety policy, requirements, and guidelines for the Space Exploration Initiative nuclear propulsion program to facilitate the implementation of mission planning and conceptual design studies. The NSPWG developed a top level policy to provide the guiding principles for the development and implementation of the nuclear propulsion safety program and the development of Safety Functional Requirements. In addition, the NSPWG reviewed safety issues for nuclear propulsion and recommended top level safety requirements and guidelines to address these issues. Safety topics include reactor start-up, inadvertent criticality, radiological release and exposure, disposal, entry, safeguards, risk/reliability, operational safety, ground testing, and other considerations. In this paper the emphasis is placed on the safety policy and the issues and considerations that are addressed by the NSPWG recommendations.

Radiological environmental impacts from transportation of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuai Zhengqing

1994-01-01

The author describes radiological impacts from transportation of nuclear materials. RADTRAN 4.0 supplied by IAEA was adopted to evaluate radiological consequence of incident-free transportation as well as the radiological risks from vehicular accidents occurring during transportation. The results of calculation show that the collective effective dose equivalent of incident-free transportation to the public and transportation workers is 7.94 x 10 -4 man·Sv. The calculated data suggest that the environmental impacts under normal and assumed accidental conditions are acceptable

QUANTUM TRANSPORT-THEORY OF NUCLEAR-MATTER

NARCIS (Netherlands)

BOTERMANS, W; MALFLIET, R

1990-01-01

Quantum kinetic equations are derived using the Keldysh Green's function formalism to describe non-equilibrium processes in nuclear matter and nucleus-nucleus collisions. A general transport equation is proposed which includes energy spreading effects. We discuss a number of specific kinetic

Actual issues concerning nuclear power plants and interconnected grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medjimorec, D.; Brkic, S.

2004-01-01

Nuclear power plants and transmission grid have always been mutually of special relevance. In countries and/or regions where nuclear power plants are located they are almost as a rule counted among strongest nodes of the grid. Hence, they are treated as such from grid point of view in various aspects (operational, planning). In interconnected high-voltage transmission grid of European mainland, usually called UCTE interconnected system, this importance could be shown in a range of issues and several cases, particularly under present situation in which there are numerous demanding and challenging tasks put on transmission system operators, largely due to the opening of electricity markets in the most of European countries. Among these issues definitely worth of mentioning is relevant influence to both commercial paths and physical power flows, and also to exchange programmes between control areas and blocks. In this context there is also relation to cross-border transactions and mechanism applied to them. In respect to security of supply issues and future of nuclear power generation under present regulative framework of most European countries it is needed to comply with connecting conditions (and other stipulations) from national grid codes where different approaches could be observed. Furthermore, nuclear issues significantly influence approach to extension of UCTE system. In certain extent this also applies to pending re-connection of present two synchronous zones of UCTE, particularly to area of broader region directly affected with this complex process. Some of these also reflect to Croatian high-voltage transmission grid as a part of UCTE interconnected system with certain peculiarities.(author)

FERC perspectives on nuclear fuel accounting issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDanal, M.W.

1986-01-01

The purpose of the presentation is to discuss the treatment of nuclear fuel and problems that have evolved in industry practices in accounting for fuel. For some time, revisions to the Uniform System of Accounts have been considered with regard to the nuclear fuel accounts. A number of controversial issues have been encountered on audits, including treatment of nuclear fuel enrichment charges, costs associated with delays in enrichment services, the treatment and recognition of fuel inventories in excess of current or projected needs, and investments in and advances to mining and milling companies for future deliveries of nuclear fuel materials. In an effort to remedy the problems and to adapt the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's accounting to more easily provide for or point out classifications for each problem area, staff is reevaluating the need for contemplated amendments to the Uniform System of Accounts

Dynamics of miRNA biogenesis and nuclear transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kotipalli Aneesh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short noncoding RNA sequences ~22 nucleotides in length that play an important role in gene regulation-transcription and translation. The processing of these miRNAs takes place in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm while the final maturation occurs in the cytoplasm. Some mature miRNAs with nuclear localisation signals (NLS are transported back to the nucleus and some remain in the cytoplasm. The functional roles of these miRNAs are seen in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In the nucleus, miRNAs regulate gene expression by binding to the targeted promoter sequences and affect either the transcriptional gene silencing (TGS or transcriptional gene activation (TGA. In the cytoplasm, targeted mRNAs are translationally repressed or cleaved based on the complementarity between the two sequences at the seed region of miRNA and mRNA. The selective transport of mature miRNAs to the nucleus follows the classical nuclear import mechanism. The classical nuclear import mechanism is a highly regulated process, involving exportins and importins. The nuclear pore complex (NPC regulates all these transport events like a gate keeper. The half-life of miRNAs is rather low, so within a short time miRNAs perform their function. Temporal studies of miRNA biogenesis are, therefore, useful. We have carried out simulation studies for important miRNA biogenesis steps and also classical nuclear import mechanism using ordinary differential equation (ODE solver in the Octave software.

Comparative analysis of print media coverage of nuclear power and coal issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nealey, S.M.; Rankin, W.L.; Montano, D.E.

1978-10-01

Nuclear power has been a more important topic than has coal for the print media, and has received somewhat different treatment. Compared to the number of coal articles, almost twice as many nuclear power articles were printed from 1972 through 1976. Also, while the number of nuclear power articles increased somewhat steadily from 1972 through 1976, the number of coal articles peaked in 1974 and has decreased since. The newspapers sampled gave more prominence to nuclear articles in terms of article type and article location. Also, nuclear articles were more often issue-oriented compared to coal articles. Coal articles were most often about coal mining, labor force concerns, and regulations controls. Nuclear power articles, on the other hand, were mostly about reactor operation. The main issues discussed in the coal articles pertained most to political decisions affecting coal use, to strikes, and to health and safety. The main nuclear issues pertained to economics, to health and safety, and to political decisions. Newspapers handled nuclear power articles in a more polarized manner compared to coal articles which were handled in a more neutral manner. Magazine articles were significantly more antinuclear than anticoal. Some qualifications about these conclusions are included

The issue of safety in the transports of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pallier, Lucien

1961-01-01

This report addresses and discusses the various hazards associated with transports of radioactive materials, their prevention, intervention measures, and precautions to be taken by rescuers, notably how these issues are addressed in regulations. For each of these issues, this report proposes guidelines, good practices, or procedures to handle the situation. The author first addresses hazards related to a transport of radioactive products: multiplicity of hazards, different hazards due to radioactivity, hazards due to transport modes, scale of dangerous doses. The second part addresses precautionary measures: for road transports, for air transports, for maritime transports, control procedures. The third part addresses the intervention in case of accident: case of a road accident with an unhurt or not vehicle crew, role of the first official rescuers, other kinds of accidents. The fourth part briefly addresses the case of transport of fissile materials. The fifth part discusses the implications of safety measures. Appendices indicate standards, and give guidelines for the construction of a storage building for radioactive products, for the control and storage of parcels containing radioactive products, and for the establishment of instructions for the first aid personnel

Liability for international nuclear transport: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, O.F.; Horbach, N.

2000-01-01

Many elements can bear on liability for nuclear damage during transport. For example, liability may depend upon a number of facts that may be categorized as follows: shipment, origin or destination of the shipment, deviation from the planed route, temporary storage incidental to carriage; content of shipment, type of nuclear material involved, whether its origin is civilian or defence-related; sites of accident, number and type of territories damaged (i.e. potential conventions involved), applicable territorial limits, exclusive economic zone, high seas, etc.; nature of damages, personal injury, property damage, damage to the means of carriage, indirect damage, preventive measures, environmental cleanup or retrieval at seas, res communis, transboundary damages etc.; victims involved, nationality and domiciles of victims; jurisdiction, flag (for ships) or national registration (for aircraft) of the transporting vessel, courts of one or more states may have (or assert) jurisdiction to hear claims, and may have to determine what law to apply to a particular accident; applicable law, the applicability laws and/or international nuclear liability conventions; the extent to which any applicable convention has been implemented or modified by domestic legislation, conflicts with the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention or other applicable international agreements, and finally, also written agreements between installation operators and carriers can define applicable law as well as responsibilities. Harmonizing nuclear liability protection and applying it to additional international shipments would be facilitated by more countries being in treaty relations with each other as soon as possible. Adherence to an international convention by more countries (including China, Russia, the United States, etc.) would promote the open flow of services and advanced technology, and better facilitate international transport. The conventions protect the public, harmonize legislation in the

Update of Nuclear Waste Policy Act transportation activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callaghan, E.F.

1987-01-01

As directed by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), the Department of Energy (DOE) is developing a nationwide system for transporting spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from commercial power plants to deep geologic repositories for disposal. Plans for the transportation system will consider the following factors: the President's 1985 decision to co-locate some defense high-level waste with commercial waste in a repository, the NWPA requirement that the private sector be used to the fullest extent possible in developing and operating the system, and the possible approval by Congress of the DOE's proposal for a Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility, submitted in March 1987. (The MRS, if approved, would provide for the consolidation, packaging, and perhaps the temporary storage of spent fuel from reactors.) The ''Transportation Business Plan'', published in January 1986, reflects these considerations. The transportation system, when operational, will consist of two elements: (1) the cask system, which includes the transportation casks, the vehicular conveyances, tie-downs, and associated equipment for handling the casks; and (2) the transportation support system which is comprised of facilities, equipment, and services to support waste transportation. Development of the transportation system incorporates the following work elements: operational planning, support systems development, cash system development, systems analysis, and institutional activities. This paper focusses on the technical aspects of the system

Regulations concerning the transport of nuclear fuel materials outside the works or the enterprise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

This rule is established under the provisions of the law concerning the regulation of nuclear raw materials, nuclear fuel materials and nuclear reactors and the ordinance for its execution, and to enforce the law. Basic terms are defined, such as vehicle transport, simplified transport, nuclear fuel transport goods, exclusive loading, worker, cumulative dose and exposure radiation dose. Nuclear fuel transport goods are classified into types of L, A, BM and BU according to their radioactivities. Radiation dose rate shall not exceed 0.5 milli-rem an hour on the surface of the type L, and 200 milli-rem an hour on the surface of the type A. For the type BM, the rate shall not surpass 1,000 milli-rem an hour at the distance of 1 meter from the surface in the special test conditions. The transport goods of fissile materials must not reach criticality on the way, but also shall conform to the stipulated technical standards. The particular things contaminated by nuclear fuel materials can be transported without specifying as nuclear fuel transport goods, and their radiation dose rate shall not go beyond 0.5 milli-rem an hour on the surface. The transport by special measures, the technical standards of simplified transport and measures to be taken in danger in transit are defined, respectively.(Okada, K.)

Long-term issues associated with spent nuclear power fuel management options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jae-Sol, Lee; Kosaku, Fukuda; Burcl, R.; Bell, M.

2003-01-01

Spent fuel management is perceived as one of the crucial issues to be resolved for sustainable utilisation of nuclear power. In the last decades, spent fuel management policies have shown diverging tendencies among the nuclear power production countries - a group has adhered to reprocessing- recycle and another has turned to direct disposal, while the rest of the countries have not taken decision yet, often with ''wait and see'' position. Both the closed and open fuel cycle options for spent fuel management have been subject to a number of debates with pros and cons on various issues such as proliferation risk, environmental impact, etc. The anticipation for better technical solutions that would mitigate those issues has given rise to the renewal of interest in partitioning and transmutation of harmful nuclides to be disposed of, and in a broader context, the recent initiatives for development of innovative nuclear systems. The current trend toward globalization of market economy, which has already brought important impacts on nuclear industry, might have a stimulating effect on regional-international co-operations for cost-effective efforts to mitigate some of those long-term issues associated with spent fuel management. (author)

Nuclear waste issues: a perspectives document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, J.J.; Smith, C.F.; Ciminese, F.J.

1983-02-01

This report contains the results of systematic survey of perspectives on the question of radioactive waste management. Sources of information for this review include the scientific literature, regulatory and government documents, pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear publications, and news media articles. In examining the sources of information, it has become evident that a major distinction can be made between the optimistic or positive viewpoints, and the pessimistic or negative ones. Consequently, these form the principal categories for presentation of the perspectives on the radioactive waste management problem have been further classified as relating to the following issue areas: the physical aspects of radiation, longevity, radiotoxicity, the quantity of radioactive wastes, and perceptual factors

Nuclear waste issues: a perspectives document

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, J.J.; Smith, C.F.; Ciminese, F.J.

1983-02-01

This report contains the results of systematic survey of perspectives on the question of radioactive waste management. Sources of information for this review include the scientific literature, regulatory and government documents, pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear publications, and news media articles. In examining the sources of information, it has become evident that a major distinction can be made between the optimistic or positive viewpoints, and the pessimistic or negative ones. Consequently, these form the principal categories for presentation of the perspectives on the radioactive waste management problem have been further classified as relating to the following issue areas: the physical aspects of radiation, longevity, radiotoxicity, the quantity of radioactive wastes, and perceptual factors.

Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuels, High and Intermediate Level Wastes: A Continuous Challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otton, C.; Blachet, L.

2009-01-01

For more than 45 years TN International has been involved in the radioactive materials transportation field. Since the beginning the used nuclear fuel transportation has been its core business. During all these years TN International, now part of AREVA, has been able to anticipate and fulfil the needs for new transport or storage casks design to fit the nuclear industry evolutions. A whole fleet of casks able to transport all the materials of the nuclear fuel cycle has been developed. In this presentation we will focus on the casks for the spent fuel, high level waste and intermediate level waste transportation. Answering to the constant evolution of the nuclear industry transport needs is a challenge that TN International faces routinely. Concerning the spent nuclear fuel transportation, TN International has developed in the early 80's a fleet of TN12 type casks fitted with several types of baskets able to safely transport all the spent fuel from the nuclear power plant or the research laboratories to AREVA La Hague plant. The current challenge is the design of a new transport cask generation taking into account the needs of the industry for the next 30 years. The replacement of the TN12 cask generation is to be scheduled as the regulations have changed and the fuel characteristics have evolved. The new generation of casks will take into account all the technical evolutions made during the TN12 thirty years of use. MOX spent fuel has now its dedicated cask: the TN112 which certificate of approval has been obtained in July 2008. This cask is able to transport 12 MOX spent fuel elements with a short cooling time. The first loading of the cask has been performed in 2008 in the EDF nuclear power plant of Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux. Concerning the high level waste such as the La Hague vitrified residues a whole fleet of casks has been developed such as the TN 28 VT dedicated to transport, the TN81 and TN85 dedicated to transport and storage. These casks have permitted the

Development and issues of nuclear industry in Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuangchi Liu

1994-01-01

Industrial and economic developments in Taiwan have achieved a so-called 'miracle' in the last decades. Endeavors by the private enterprise, prudent planning by the government, and the devoted efforts by the diligent and creative labor forces have been credited jointly with the result. To develop a sustainable nuclear industry in support of an efficient and safe power generation and other applications of nuclear energy in Taiwan, continuing efforts from the private industry, government and each individual of the nuclear industry will be required. In this paper, milestones of the past and major issues for future developments will be discussed

Integrating security issues in nuclear engineering curriculum in Indonesia. Classical vs policy approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putero, Susetyo Hario; Rosita, Widya; Sihana, Fnu; Ferdiansjah; Santosa, Haryono Budi; Muharini, Anung

2015-01-01

Recently, risk management for nuclear facilities becomes more complex due to security issue addressed by IAEA. The harmonization between safety, safeguards and security is still questionable. It also challenges to nuclear engineering curriculum in the world how to appropriately lecture the new issue. This paper would like to describe how to integrate this issue in developing nuclear engineering curriculum in Indonesia. Indonesia has still no nuclear power plant, but there are 3 research reactors laid in Indonesia. As addition, there are several hospitals and industries utilizing radioisotopes in their activities. The knowledge about nuclear security of their staffs is also not enough for handling radioactive material furthermore the security officers. Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is the only university in Indonesia offering nuclear engineering program, as consequently the university should actively play the role in overcoming this issue not only in Indonesia, but also in Southeast Asia. In the other hand, students has to have proper knowledge in order to complete in the global nuclear industry. After visited several universities in USA and participated in INSEN meeting, we found that most of universities in the world anticipate this issue by giving the student courses related to policy (non-technical) study based on IAEA NSS 12. In the other hand, the rest just make nuclear security as a case study on their class. Furthermore, almost all of programs are graduate level. UGM decided to enhance several present related undergraduate courses with security topics as first step to develop the awareness of student to nuclear security. The next (curriculum 2016) is to integrate security topics into the entire of curriculum including designing a nuclear security elective course for undergraduate level. The first trial has successfully improved the student knowledge and awareness on nuclear security. (author)

Intercontinental nuclear transport from the private international law perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnus, U.

2000-01-01

The aim of this paper is to give a survey on choice of law rules which apply outside the nuclear liability conventions in case of damage caused by international nuclear transports. We found a remarkable variety of solutions. Some of the solutions make it difficult or even impossible to predict in advance which substantive law in a hypothetical case would apply. These difficulties are increased by the fact that more often than not, a victim can choose where to sue and thereby also influence the final outcome of a case. As far as private international law rules apply - and as mentioned the non-ratification of the nuclear liability conventions by many nuclear states forces us to fall back on the choice of law rules in many cases - the applicable law and the hypothetical level of compensation therefore often remain uncertain when judged at the time of organisation of the nuclear transport. However, at this time the question of undertaking risks and of insurability must be decided. (author)

Transport of proximity nuclear radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

This brief publication gives an overview of the international and national regulatory framework for the transport of radioactive substances, outlines progress orientations identified by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), indicates the parcel classification and shipment radiological criteria, and how to declare events occurring during the transport of radioactive substances, which number to phone in case of a radiological incident. Finally, the role of the ASN and its field of activity in matters of control are briefly presented with a table of its office addresses in France

Transportation of nuclear waste. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session, August 1, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

Eighteen witnesses representing citizen groups, the nuclear power industry, and state and federal government testified about their concerns of the threat to public health and safety caused by the transport of nuclear waste materials. Among the concerns were past experiences in which federal agencies refused to accept responsibility for accidents and their possible consequences. At issue was radioactive shipments through public airports and along public highways in terms of the performance of containers and vehicles and of the quality of DOE procedures. Public issues over routing decisions and responses to emergencies are likely to increase as cities seek exemption from exposure to potential hazards. Additional material submitted for the record by witnesses and other interested parties follows the testimony

Regulations concerning the transport of nuclear fuel materials outside the works or the enterprise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The regulations are defined under the law for the regulations of nuclear source materials, nuclear fuel materials and reactors and the order for execution of the law. Basic concepts and terms are explained, such as: vehicle transport; easy transport; nuclear fuel material load, exclusive loading, employee, accumulative dose and exposure dose. Technical standards of vehicle transport are specified in detail on nucler fuel materials as nuclear fuel load, L,A, EM and BU type of load, nuclear fuel load of fission substances, the second and third type of fission load and materials contaminated by nuclear fuel substances to be carried not as nuclear fuel loads. Special exceptional measures to such transport and technical standards of easy transport are also designated. The application for confirmation of the transport shall be filed to the Director General of Science and Technology Agency according to the form attached with documents explaining nuclear fuel materials to be transferred, the vessel of such materials and construction, material and method of production of such a vessel, safety of nuclear materials contained, etc. Measures in dangerous situations shall be taken to fight a fire or prohibit the entrance of persons other than the staff concerned. Reports shall be presented in 10 days to the Director, when theft, loss or irregular leaking of nuclear fuel materials or personal troubles occur on the way. (Okada, K.)

Problems and prospects for nuclear waste disposal policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herzik, E.B.; Mushkatel, A.H.

1996-01-01

This book is a collection of articles examining legal, organizational, and public-interest issues involving the transportation, storage, treatment, and disposal of radioactive wastes. The introductions examines the unresolved issues of nuclear-waste policy-making in the USA and then presents essays covering the disposal of commercial power plant fuel, low level radioactive wastes, the by-products of nuclear weapons production, and the challenges of transporting radiological materials

Hypothetical Case and Scenario Description for International Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Adam David [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Osborn, Douglas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Jones, Katherine A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kalinina, Elena Arkadievna [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Cohn, Brian [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Thomas, Maikael A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Parks, Mancel Jordan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Parks, Ethan Rutledge [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Mohagheghi, Amir H. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-12-01

To support more rigorous analysis on global security issues at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), there is a need to develop realistic data sets without using "real" data or identifying "real" vulnerabilities, hazards or geopolitically embarrassing shortcomings. In response, an interdisciplinary team led by subject matter experts in SNL's Center for Global Security and Cooperation (CGSC) developed a hypothetical case description. This hypothetical case description assigns various attributes related to international SNF transportation that are representative, illustrative and indicative of "real" characteristics of "real" countries. There is no intent to identify any particular country and any similarity with specific real-world events is purely coincidental. To support the goal of this report to provide a case description (and set of scenarios of concern) for international SNF transportation inclusive of as much "real-world" complexity as possible -- without crossing over into politically sensitive or classified information -- this SAND report provides a subject matter expert-validated (and detailed) description of both technical and political influences on the international transportation of spent nuclear fuel. [PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

The nuclear issue in the cuban press. Challenges and realities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contreras Izquierdo, Marta; Rodriguez Guerra, Ingrids; Gonzalez Montoto, Iosbel; Fernandez Rondon, Manuel

2005-01-01

The work presents an analysis of the impact of nuclear issue on the Cuban press from 1990 to 2005 that was carried out by a group of communications specialists from nuclear area. An analysis of main challenges and actions of this group, aimed at informing the public the present situation of the Cuban nuclear programme and its perspectives, was also included

Nuclear power and related safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valdezco, Eulinia M.

2009-01-01

There are a cluster of trends that reinforce the importance of nuclear power on the world scene. Energy is the essential underpinning for economic and societal progress and, as the developing world advances, the demand for energy is growing significantly. At the same time, the carbon-intensive sources of energy on which the world has traditionally relied - in particular, coal, oil, and natural gas - pose grave threats because the growing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will bring about climate and ocean acidification. At the same time, rising and volatile fossil fuel prices, coupled with concerns about the security of supplies of oil and gas, enhance interest in sources of energy that do not pose the same costs and risks. As an important part of the world's response to these threats, many countries are embarking on either new or expanded nuclear power programs, more commonly referred to as a nuclear renaissance. The construction of nuclear power plants is under consideration in over thirty countries that do not currently use nuclear power. For new entrants that may have experience in constructing and operating large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects, they may not be fully familiar with the unique requirements of nuclear power and may not be fully recognize the major commitments and understandings that they must assume. Additionally, an understanding of the full range of obligations may have diminished in those countries with only one or a few reactors and where nuclear construction has not been undertaken for a long time. It is therefore in the interest of all to ensure that every country with a nuclear power program has the resources, expertise, authority and capacity to assure safety in a complete and effective manner and is committed to doing so. This presentation will outline some of the more important national infrastructure considerations including nuclear safety issues for launching a nuclear power program. An update on the

Modeling news dissemination on nuclear issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reis Junior, Jose S.B.; Barroso, Antonio C.O.; Menezes, Mario O.

2011-01-01

Using a modified epidemiological model, the dissemination of news by media agents after the occurrence of large scale disasters was studied. A modified compartmented model was developed in a previous paper presented at INAC 2007. There it used to study to the Chernobyl's nuclear accident (1986) and the Concorde airplane crash (2000). Now the model has been applied to a larger and more diverse group of events - nuclear, non-nuclear and naturally caused disasters. To be comprehensive, old and recent events from various regions of the world were selected. A more robust news repository was used, and improved search techniques were developed to ensure that the scripts would not count false positive news. The same model was used but with improved non-linear embedded simulation optimization algorithms to generate the parameters of interest for our model. Individual parameters and some specific combination of them allow some interesting perceptions on how the nature of the accident / disaster gives rise to different profiles of growth and decay of the news. In our studies events involving nuclear causes generate news repercussion with more explosive / robust surge profiles and longer decaying tails than those of other natures. As a consequence of these differences, public opinion and policy makers are also much more sensitive to some issues than to others. The model, through its epidemiological parameters, shows in quantitative manner how 'nervous' the media content generators are with respect to nuclear installations and how resilient this negative feelings about nuclear is. (author)

Application of a methodology to determine priorities for nuclear power plant safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daling, P.M.

1988-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) is sponsoring a research program to determine priorities of nuclear power plant safety issues. A methodology has been developed at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to provide technical assistance in the development of risk and cost estimates for implementing resolutions to the safety issues. The information development methods are intended to provide the NRC with a consistent level of information for use in ranking the issues. The NRC uses this information, along with judgmental factors, to rank the issues for further consideration by the NRC staff. The primary purpose of the priority rankings are to assist in the allocation of resources to issues that have high potential for reducing public risk as well as to remove issues from further consideration that have little safety significance

Transport of Cobalt 60 from the Argentine Nuclear Power Plant in Embalse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Vietri, J.R.

2011-01-01

Full text: The purpose of this presentation is to point out some relevant issues related to the transport of cobalt 60 for domestic uses and export from the Argentine Nuclear Power Plant located in Embalse (ENPP). It is remarked that in last 22 years, ENPP produced about 2600 PBq (70 MCi) of Co-60, and that Argentina is the third Co-60 producer, after Canada and Russia. It is mentioned that in Argentina there are facilities which manufacture Zircaloy seamless tubes and reactivity control bars containing cobalt 59 to be used in ENPP, the operation of Candu reactor at ENPP including cobalt-related activities, and the manufacture and commercialization of Co-60 sealed sources. The Argentine Nuclear Regulatory Authority verifies the compliance of nuclear activities with regulatory standards, including those related to the transport of radioactive material. Then, it is described the process for obtaining Co-60 at ENPP with an activity concentration to allow its use in medicine and industry. After that, is considered in detail the type of package used for the transport of Co-60 from ENPP: it is to say, Type B(U) package designs that must be approved by the Competent Authority origin of the design, and they are able to withstand routine, normal and accident conditions of transport, including severe impacts, fires and immersion in water. The overall dimensions of packages are about 1.0 m to 1.5 m diameter by 1.2 m to 1.8 m high, as well as the gross mass could vary from 6500 kg to 9500 kg. Radioactive contents consist of Co-60 sealed sources (called pencils), with an activity range from 8 PBq to 16 PBq. Then, it is considered activities prior to dispatch of Type B(U) packages at ENPP, including the preparation of radioactive contents, packaging and package (labelling and marking) as well as necessary tests and documentation for transport in order to fulfil pertinent requirements of package design operation manual of the package and related standards. Finally, it is pointed

Special issue : transport in a post-carbon society

Science.gov (United States)

2009-04-01

This special issue of World Transport Policy & Practice is an outcome of the conference Planning for the Carbon Neutral World: Challenges for Cities and Regions, held 15-18 May 2008 in Salzburg, Austria. The conference, organised by SCUPAD Salzbu...

Nuclear transportation: The global vision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowry, D.; Blowers, A.

1996-01-01

The movement of nuclear materials - spent fuel, plutonium and uranium and radioactive wastes - has become an issue of international political significance. It has generated considerable attention from a developing network of NGOs focussing on movements between France and Japan. The paper discusses the conflicts and their implications for six basic principles of radioactive waste management

Homogeneity of blended nuclear fuel powders after pneumatic transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smeltzer, E.E.; Skriba, M.C.; Lyon, W.L.

1982-01-01

A study of the pneumatic transport of fine (approx. 1μm) cohesive nuclear fuel powders was conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy to demonstrate the feasibility of this method of transport and to develop a design data base for use in a large scale nuclear fuel production facility. As part of this program, a considerable effort was directed at following the homogeneity of blended powders. Since different reactors require different enrichments, blending and subsequent transport are critical parts of the fabrication sequence. The various materials used represented analogs of a wide range of powders and blends that could be expected in a commercial mixed oxide fabrication facility. All UO 2 powders used were depleted and a co-precipitated master mix of (U, Th)O 2 was made specifically for this program, using thorium as an analog for plutonium. In order to determine the effect of pneumatic transport on a blended powder, samples were taken from a feeder vessel before each test, and from a receiver vessel and a few line sections after each transfer test. The average difference between the before and after degree of non-homogeneity was < 1%, for the 21 tests considered. This shows that overall, the pneumatic transport of blended, fine nuclear fuel powders is possible, with only minor unblending occurring

Goal system for comparative assessments of nuclear fuel transport under security aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behrendt, V.; Schwieren, G.

1983-01-01

Due to the great hazard potential of nuclear fuel transports the possibility always exists during transportation that either a single perpetrator or a group of perpetrators will try to get possession of the nuclear fuel. One can assume that at the end of such illegal actions there will be a politically (or otherwise) motivated extortion. Thinking about security one has to face things like sabotage, attacks from inside or outside the system, robbery and/or dispersion of the transported goods. In respect to the security of nuclear transports we carried out an investigation for the German Ministry of the Interior in order to review the different levels of security of different transport systems. This paper deals with the methodological approach, especially with the goal system and the way we executed the investigation

COOLING WATER ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES AT U.S. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gary Vine

2010-12-01

This report has been prepared for the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), for the purpose of providing a status report on the challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. commercial nuclear energy industry in the area of plant cooling water supply. The report was prompted in part by recent Second Circuit and Supreme Court decisions regarding cooling water system designs at existing thermo-electric power generating facilities in the U.S. (primarily fossil and nuclear plants). At issue in the courts have been Environmental Protection Agency regulations that define what constitutes “Best Technology Available” for intake structures that withdraw cooling water that is used to transfer and reject heat from the plant’s steam turbine via cooling water systems, while minimizing environmental impacts on aquatic life in nearby water bodies used to supply that cooling water. The report was also prompted by a growing recognition that cooling water availability and societal use conflicts are emerging as strategic energy and environmental issues, and that research and development (R&D) solutions to emerging water shortage issues are needed. In particular, cooling water availability is an important consideration in siting decisions for new nuclear power plants, and is an under-acknowledged issue in evaluating the pros and cons of retrofitting cooling towers at existing nuclear plants. Because of the significant ongoing research on water issues already being performed by industry, the national laboratories and other entities, this report relies heavily on ongoing work. In particular, this report has relied on collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), including its recent work in the area of EPA regulations governing intake structures in thermoelectric cooling water systems.

COOLING WATER ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES AT U.S. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vine, Gary

2010-01-01

This report has been prepared for the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), for the purpose of providing a status report on the challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. commercial nuclear energy industry in the area of plant cooling water supply. The report was prompted in part by recent Second Circuit and Supreme Court decisions regarding cooling water system designs at existing thermo-electric power generating facilities in the U.S. (primarily fossil and nuclear plants). At issue in the courts have been Environmental Protection Agency regulations that define what constitutes 'Best Technology Available' for intake structures that withdraw cooling water that is used to transfer and reject heat from the plant's steam turbine via cooling water systems, while minimizing environmental impacts on aquatic life in nearby water bodies used to supply that cooling water. The report was also prompted by a growing recognition that cooling water availability and societal use conflicts are emerging as strategic energy and environmental issues, and that research and development (R and D) solutions to emerging water shortage issues are needed. In particular, cooling water availability is an important consideration in siting decisions for new nuclear power plants, and is an under-acknowledged issue in evaluating the pros and cons of retrofitting cooling towers at existing nuclear plants. Because of the significant ongoing research on water issues already being performed by industry, the national laboratories and other entities, this report relies heavily on ongoing work. In particular, this report has relied on collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), including its recent work in the area of EPA regulations governing intake structures in thermoelectric cooling water systems.

Cross border environmental issues arising from the former Soviet Union nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, B.R.; Dooley, J.J.; Bradley, D.J.

1998-02-01

Radioactive contamination from sites in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) threaten bordering states via transport through marine environments. Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Finland share waterways or border common bodies of water with the FSU. Cross-border contamination resulting from past and in some cases current radioactive waste practices FSU nuclear wastes could under the right circumstances destabilize military, economic, or other relationships between the FSU and these border nations. The United States has an ongoing obligation to assist many of these border nations in times of need. This analysis was sponsored by the Office of Policy and International Affairs, Office of Materials-Asset Management and National Security Policy Analysis. The Center for Environmental Security was tasked to identify cross-border and other policy issues from an extensive body of technical materials dealing with nuclear materials management in the Former Soviet Union compiled over time by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The analysis focused on cross-border impacts but also provides insights into policy analysis based on this existing technical work. The efficiencies and results realized by this study indicate that this analytical methodology has merit for additional policy studies. There are three elements comprising the problem of understanding cross border transport. The amount of FSU nuclear waste that has been disposed of in ways that did not, or probably will not contain the waste is the first element. The past and probable future entry of these wastes into groundwater and surface waters, thence to seas is the second. Finally, adverse effects on human health and welfare from ingesting contaminated sea products, and from damaged fisheries and food production activities is the third

Notification determining technical details concerning measures for transportation of nuclear fuel materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

These provisions are established on the basis of and to enforce ''The regulation for installation and operation of reactor'', ''The regulation concerning the fabricating business of nuclear fuel'' and ''The regulations concerning the reprocessing business of spent fuel''. The terms used hereinafter are according to those used in such regulations. The limit of radioactivity concentration of things contaminated by the nuclear fuel materials which are not required to be enclosed in vessels is defined in the lists attached. In the applications for the approval of the measures concerning the transport of things remarkably difficult to be enclosed in vessels, the name and the address of the applicant, the kind, quantity, form and constitution of the thing contaminated by the nuclear fuel materials to be transported, the date and route of the transport and the measures for the prevention of injuries during the transport must be written. The limit of quantity of nuclear fuel materials classifying the performance of vessels is defined respectively in the lists attached. The radiation dose rates provided for by the Director General of the Science and Technology Agency concerning transported things and transporting apparatuses are 200 millirem per hour on the surfaces of such things and containers. The nuclear fission materials specified, for which the measures for the prevention of criticality are especially required, include uranium 233, uranium 235, plutonium 238, plutonium 239, plutonium 241, and the chemical compounds of such substances, and the nuclear fuel materials containing one or two and more of such substances, excluding the nuclear fuel materials with less than 15 grams of such uranium and plutonium. (Okada, K.)

The future of nuclear power after Sizewell B. 3 v.: v. 1 Economic issues; v. 2 Environmental and safety issues; v. 3 Public perception issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The three days of conference proceedings are published in three separate volumes. The first includes 7 papers relating to economic issues - those presented at the Sizewell-B public inquiry and the changes in the economic situation since the inquiry ended. The electricity demand, how this demand is to be met by nuclear and other fuel sources and how energy conservation might be an economic alternative to simply building more generating capacity are all issues discussed. The possible privatisation of the industry is also touched on. Volume two has 8 papers concerned with environmental and safety issues. These include the influence of the Sizewell-B decision on nuclear licensing and reactor safety, the technical and safety aspects of pressurized water reactors (PWR), the roles of British Nuclear Fuels and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and radiation protection and effluent discharge control. The six papers in volume 3 look at public perception issues - not only towards nuclear power but towards the public inquiry process. The local authority view, the Friends of the Earth case against the PWR, and technical expertise in the decision process are also topics covered. All the papers are indexed separately. (UK)

Progress in fission product nuclear data. Issue no. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lammer, G.; Lammer, M.

1980-06-01

This is the sixth issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND) which is published by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed

Studies and research concerning BNFP. Nuclear spent fuel transportation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, R.T.; Maier, J.B.

1979-11-01

Currently, there are a number of institutional problems associated with the shipment of spent fuel assemblies from commercial nuclear power plants: new and conflicting regulations, embargoing of certain routes, imposition of transport safeguards, physical security in-transit, and a lack of definition of when and where the fuel will be moved. This report presents a summary of these types and kinds of problems. It represents the results of evaluations performed relative to fuel receipt at the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant. Case studies were made which address existing reactor sites with near-term spent fuel transportation needs. Shipment by either highway, rail, water, or intermodal water-rail was considered. The report identifies the impact of new regulations and uncertainty caused by indeterminate regulatory policy and lack of action on spent fuel acceptance and storage. This stagnant situation has made it impossible for industry to determine realistic transportation scenarios for business planning and financial risk analysis. A current lack of private investment in nuclear transportation equipment is expected to further prolong the problems associated with nuclear spent fuel and waste disposition. These problems are expected to intensify in the 1980's and in certain cases will make continuing reactor plant operation difficult or impossible

Analysis of print media coverage of nuclear power issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rankin, W.L.; Nealey, S.M.; Montano, D.E.

1978-04-01

224 newspaper articles were sampled from four newspapers, extrapolating to about 2850 nuclear power articles from 1972 to 1976. 124 magazine articles were found in four magazines (Time, Business Week, Scientific American, Environment). The newspapers wee found to run close coverage of nuclear power issues. The articles were mainly (45%) focused on reactors and reactor operation. The articles were judged to be antinuclear more often than pronuclear (only Scientific American discussed benefits more than costs). The same general conclusion was reached for articles on nuclear waste management

School Transportation Issues, Laws and Concerns: Implications for Future Administrators

Science.gov (United States)

Durick, Jody M.

2010-01-01

Nearly all building administrators are confronted with a variety of transportation issues. Challenges, concerns and questions can arise from various aspects, including student misbehaviors, transportation laws and its implications at the school level, to importance and implementation of a school bus safety program. As new and upcoming future…

Nuclear power in the OECD countries results and current issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, C.F.

1989-01-01

The first use of nuclear power for the generation of electricity on a commercial scale occurred in the United Kingdom in 1956. Today, 13 OECD countries have 318 nuclear units in operation and 66 more in construction or on order. This outstanding achievement is the result of the successful organization, start up, and operation of an industry to design, build, equip, fuel, and maintain these facilites. Nuclear power, however, is currently troubled by a number of issues that may impair its ability to reach its full potential. The industry has acknowledged problems that can be and are being managed. But the industry also has a number of political difficulties that could be beyond its ability to resolve with its own resources. These are issues common to the introduction of new technologies into a complex world. Nevertheless, nuclear power continues to be the means by which we can provide the electric power needed to raise the living standard of everyone on the globe

Transport and nuclear waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wild, E.

1999-01-01

The author assesses both past and future of nuclear waste disposal in Germany. The failure of the disposal concept is, he believes, mainly the fault of the Federal Government. On the basis of the Nuclear Energy Act, the government is obliged to ensure that ultimate-storage sites are established and operated. Up to the present, however, the government has failed - apart from the episode in Asse and Morsleben and espite existing feasible proposals in Konrad and Gorleben - to achieve this objective. This negative development is particularly evident from the projects which have had to be prematurely abandoned. The costs of such 'investment follies' meanwhile amount to several billion DM. At least 92% of the capacity in the intermediate-storage sites are at present unused. Following the closure of the ultimate-storage site in Morsleben, action must be taken to change over to long-term intermediate-storage of operational waste. The government has extensive intermediate-storage capacity at the intermediate-storage site Nord in Greifswald. There, the wate originally planned for storage in Morsleben could be intermediately stored at ERAM-rates. Nuclear waste transportation, too, could long ago have been resumed, in the author's view. For the purpose of improving the transport organisation, a new company was founded which represents exclusively the interests of the reprocessing firms at the nuclear power stations. The author's conclusion: The EVU have done their homework properly and implemented all necessary measures in order to be able to resume transport of fuel elements as soon as possible. The generating station operators favour a solution based upon agreement with the Federal Government. The EVU have already declared their willingness - in the event of unanimous agreement - to set up intermediate-storage sites near the power stations. The ponds in the generating stations, however, are unsuitable for use as intermediate-storage areas. If intermediate-storage areas for

Making Choices about Hydrogen : Transport Issues for Developing ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

30 sept. 2008 ... Couverture du livre Making Choices about Hydrogen : Transport Issues for Developing Countries ... International Water Resources Association, in close collaboration with IDRC, is holding a webinar titled “Climate change and adaptive water management: Innovative solutions from the Global South”.

Nuclear transport in Entamoeba histolytica: knowledge gap and therapeutic potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Gwairgi, Marina A; Ghildyal, Reena

2018-03-22

Entamoeba histolytica is the protozoan parasite that causes human amoebiasis. It is one of the leading parasitic disease burdens in tropical regions and developing countries, with spread to developed countries through migrants from and travellers to endemic regions. Understanding E. histolytica's invasion mechanisms requires an understanding of how it interacts with external cell components and how it engulfs and kills cells (phagocytosis). Recent research suggests that optimal phagocytosis requires signalling events from the cell surface to the nucleus via the cytoplasm, and the induction of several factors that are transported to the plasma membrane. Current research in other protozoans suggests the presence of proteins with nuclear localization signals, nuclear export signals and Ran proteins; however, there is limited literature on their functionality and their functional similarity to higher eukaryotes. Based on learnings from the development of antivirals, nuclear transport elements in E. histolytica may present viable, specific, therapeutic targets. In this review, we aim to summarize our limited knowledge of the eukaryotic nuclear transport mechanisms that are conserved and may function in E. histolytica.

Transport packages for nuclear material and waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The regulations and responsibilities concerning the transport packages of nuclear materials and waste are given in the guide. The approval procedure, control of manufacturing, commissioning of the packaging and the control of use are specified. (13 refs.)

Six Decades of Nuclear Accidents, Nuclear Compensation, and Issues of Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boonsuwan, P.; Songjakkeaw, A.

2011-11-01

Thailand has made a serious aim to employ nuclear power by adopting five 1,000 MWt in the 2010 national Power Development Plan (PDP 2010) with the first NPP coming online in 2020. However, after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, the National Energy Policy Committee had made the resolution to postpone the plan by 3 years. The post-Fukushima atmosphere does not bode well for the public sentiment towards the proposed programme, especially with regards to safety of an NPP. Nonetheless, during the six decades that NPPs have been in operation in 32 countries worldwide, there are only 19 serious accidents involving fatalities and/or damage to properties in excess of 100 million USD. Out of the three significant accidents - Fukushima nuclear accident (2011), Chernobyl nuclear accident (1986), and Three Miles Island nuclear accident (1979) - only the accident at Three Miles Island occurs during normal operation. Such can be implied that the operation of NPPs does maintain a high level of safety. The current technology on nuclear safety has been advancing greatly to the point that the new NPP design claims to render the possibility of a severe accident resulting in core melting insignificant. Along with the technical improvements, laws and regulations have also be progressing in parallel to adequately compensate and limit the liability of operators in case of a nuclear accident. The international agreements such as the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Convention of the Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy had also been established and also the national laws of countries such as the United States and Japan have been implemented to address such issues to the point that victims of a nuclear accidents are adequately and justly compensated. In addition to the issues of nuclear accident, the dilemma in nuclear waste management, especially with regards to the High Level Waste which is highly radioactive while having very

Modeling news dissemination on nuclear issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reis Junior, Jose S.B.; Barroso, Antonio C.O.; Menezes, Mario O., E-mail: jsbrj@ime.usp.b, E-mail: barroso@ipen.b, E-mail: mario@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Using a modified epidemiological model, the dissemination of news by media agents after the occurrence of large scale disasters was studied. A modified compartmented model was developed in a previous paper presented at INAC 2007. There it used to study to the Chernobyl's nuclear accident (1986) and the Concorde airplane crash (2000). Now the model has been applied to a larger and more diverse group of events - nuclear, non-nuclear and naturally caused disasters. To be comprehensive, old and recent events from various regions of the world were selected. A more robust news repository was used, and improved search techniques were developed to ensure that the scripts would not count false positive news. The same model was used but with improved non-linear embedded simulation optimization algorithms to generate the parameters of interest for our model. Individual parameters and some specific combination of them allow some interesting perceptions on how the nature of the accident / disaster gives rise to different profiles of growth and decay of the news. In our studies events involving nuclear causes generate news repercussion with more explosive / robust surge profiles and longer decaying tails than those of other natures. As a consequence of these differences, public opinion and policy makers are also much more sensitive to some issues than to others. The model, through its epidemiological parameters, shows in quantitative manner how 'nervous' the media content generators are with respect to nuclear installations and how resilient this negative feelings about nuclear is. (author)

Issues and insights of PRA methodology in nuclear and space applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, F.

2005-01-01

This paper presents some important issues and technical insights on the scope, conceptual framework, and essential elements of nuclear power plant Probabilistic Risk Assessments (PRAs) and that of the PRAs in general applications of the aerospace industry, such as the Space Shuttle PRA being conducted by NASA. Discussions are focused on various lessons learned in nuclear power plant PRA applications and their potential applicability to the PRAs in the aerospace and launch vehicle systems. Based on insights gained from PRA projects for nuclear power plants and from the current Space Shuttle PRA effort, the paper explores the commonalities and the differences between the conduct of the different PRAs and the key issues and risk insights derived from extensive modeling practices in both industries of nuclear and space. (author)

Nuclear materials transport worldwide. Greenpeace report 2. Der weltweite Atomtransport. Greenpeace Report 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stellpflug, J.

1987-01-01

This Greenpeace report shows: nuclear materials transport is an extremely hazardous business. There is no safe protection against accidents, kidnapping, or sabotage. Any moment of a day, at any place, a nuclear transport accident may bring the world to disaster, releasing plutonium or radioactive fission products to the environment. Such an event is not less probable than the MCA at Chernobyl. The author of the book in hand follows the secret track of radioactive materials around the world, from uranium mines to the nuclear power plants, from reprocessing facilities to the waste repositories. He explores the routes of transport and the risks involved, he gives the names of transport firms and discloses incidents and carelessness, tells about damaged waste drums and plutonium that 'disappeared'. He also tells about worldwide, organised resistance to such nuclear transports, explaining the Greenpeace missions on the open sea, or the 'day X' operation at the Gorleben site, informing the reader about protests and actions for a world freed from the threat of nuclear energy.

The FORATOM Transport Working Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehmann, P.

2000-01-01

Based in Brussels, the European atomic forum FORATOM is the trade association of the European nuclear industry which was established in the early 1960s to promote nuclear power and to facilitate relations with the European institutions. One of the main mechanisms which FORATOM uses, in its dealings with the European Commission and other international organisations, is the involvement of several working groups bringing together groups of experts drawn from the industrial companies in order to identify the issues and to develop the widest possible common views on which the industry must express its representative, substantial and deliverable opinion. The Transport Working Group (TWG) has the objective of dealing with transport of radioactive material, especially nuclear materials. The TWG usually meets three times a year in Brussels or another selected location. It has strong links with the European Commission which are evidenced by the fact that it officially represents the European nuclear industry, with the status of observer, at the meetings of the Standing Working Group on Safe Transport of Radioactive Material which was set up in 1982, upon a request of the European Parliament, to advise the European Commission in the field of safe transport of radioactive materials. The Standing Working Group (SWG) assists the European Union's Member States in the revision process of IAEA recommendations and helps a correct and harmonious application of these recommendations within the European Union. In previous years, the Standing Working Group has proposed over 40 different studies, financed by the European Commission, on important transport issues. The FORATOM TWG encourages its member organisations to participate in studies proposed by the Commission and has been cooperating for many years with the Commission in the field of many studies aimed to improve the application of transport regulations. The need to maintain the safe and reliable operation of plants that generate

Evaluating training and information to teachers on nuclear energy issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunnell, B.J.

1994-01-01

In England and Wales, school programs are defined by National Curricula; the method of teaching is left for the teacher to determine. This establishes the framework within which nuclear energy issues are taught. Teachers need a good understanding of what they teach and competence in the appropriate and effective learning strategies. A range of training opportunities is available to teachers (conferences from Local Education Authority, etc.), but the attention given to nuclear energy matters and controversial issues varies significantly between them. Many teaching resources are available but alone they cannot satisfy the training needs of all teachers (practical works, visits). 2 refs

Transport description of damped nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randrup, J.

1983-04-01

Part I is an elementary introduction to the general transport theory of nuclear dynamics. It can be read without any special knowledge of the field, although basic quantum mechanics is required for the formal derivation of the general expression for the transport coefficients. The results can also be used in a wider context than the present one. Part II gives the student an up-to-date orientation about recent progress in the understanding of the angular-momentum variables in damped reactions. The emphasis is here on the qualitative understanding of the physics rather than the, at times somewhat tedious, formal derivations

Radiation transport methods for nuclear log assessment - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badruzzaman, A.

1996-01-01

Methods of radiation transport have been applied to well-logging problems with nuclear sources since the early 1960s. Nuclear sondes are used in identifying rock compositions and fluid properties in reservoirs to predict the porosity and oil saturation. Early computational effort in nuclear logging used diffusion techniques. As computers became more powerful, deterministic transport methods and, finally, Monte Carlo methods were applied to solve these problems in three dimensions. Recently, the application has been extended to problems with a new generation of devices, including spectroscopic sondes that measure such quantities as the carbon/oxygen ratio to predict oil saturation and logging-while-drilling (LWD) sondes that take neutron and gamma measurements as they rotate in the borehole. These measurements present conditions that will be difficult to calibrate in the laboratory

Challenges for nuclear regulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, M.R.

1994-01-01

The paper discusses issues that will present particular challenges to the nuclear industry, during the next decade, that should be addressed in order to achieve increased public acceptance of the industry. The issues of safety culture, peer review of safety, severe accidents, transport accidents and public communication are suggest as meriting special consideration. The need for nuclear regulatory agencies to establish credibility and for operating organisations to demonstrate accountability is emphasised, and the Australian experiences are reviewed. Increased collaboration by nuclear regulatory agencies in the Asian-pacific region is suggested, in order to encourage consistency of regulatory safety standards for the nuclear safety issues identified. Methods whereby this could be achieved within the framework of existing agreements and arrangements are suggested. 2 refs

A review of tsp as one of the transportation security aspects of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiryono

2013-01-01

A review has done for the Transportation Safety Plan (TSP) as one of the aspects of safety in the transport of nuclear materials. The review is necessary to harmonize national regulations with international practice. International practice of using TSP as one of the security requirements in addition to the Radiation Protection Program as a requirement of safety in the transport of nuclear materials. TSP is intended to ensure sound implementation of the transport of nuclear materials. TSP evaluation process can be done with a prescriptive approach, performance, and combinations. TSP contains information about administrative requirements, delivery security and response planning. TSP can be used to ensure the security of the implementation of the transport of nuclear materials effectively and efficiently. BAPETEN should require the applicant to submit the TSP as one document security requirements prior approval transporting nuclear materials. BAPETEN need to define the approach to the formulation and evaluation of TSP. BAPETEN need to set up an evaluation and inspection procedures for the implementation of TSP. (author)

Topical issues in nuclear, radiation and radioactive waste safety. Contributed papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-08-01

The IAEA International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear, Radiation and Radioactive Waste Safety was held in Vienna, Austria, 30 August - 4 September 1998 with the objective to foster the exchange of information on topical issues in nuclear, radiation and radioactive waste safety, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on: the present status of these issues; priorities for future work; and needs for strengthening international co-operation, including recommendations for the IAEA`s future activities. The document includes 43 papers presented at the Conference dealing with the following topical issues: Safety Management; Backfitting, Upgrading and Modernization of NPPs; Regulatory Strategies; Occupational Radiation Protection: Trends and Developments; Situations of Chronic Exposure to Residual Radioactive Materials: Decommissioning and Rehabilitation and Reclamation of Land; Radiation Safety in the Far Future: The Issue of Long Term Waste Disposal. A separate abstract and indexing were provided for each paper. Refs, figs, tabs

Topical issues in nuclear, radiation and radioactive waste safety. Contributed papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-08-01

The IAEA International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear, Radiation and Radioactive Waste Safety was held in Vienna, Austria, 30 August - 4 September 1998 with the objective to foster the exchange of information on topical issues in nuclear, radiation and radioactive waste safety, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on: the present status of these issues; priorities for future work; and needs for strengthening international co-operation, including recommendations for the IAEA's future activities. The document includes 43 papers presented at the Conference dealing with the following topical issues: Safety Management; Backfitting, Upgrading and Modernization of NPPs; Regulatory Strategies; Occupational Radiation Protection: Trends and Developments; Situations of Chronic Exposure to Residual Radioactive Materials: Decommissioning and Rehabilitation and Reclamation of Land; Radiation Safety in the Far Future: The Issue of Long Term Waste Disposal. A separate abstract and indexing were provided for each paper

Aircraft transporting container for nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurakami, Jun-ichi; Kubo, Minoru.

1991-01-01

The present invention concerns an air craft transporting container for nuclear fuels. A sealing container that seals a nuclear fuel container and constitutes a sealed boundary for the transporting container is incorporated in an inner container. Shock absorbers are filled for absorbing impact shock energy in the gap between the inner container and the sealing container. The inner container is incorporated with wooden impact shock absorbers being filled so that it is situated in a substantially central portion of an external container. Partitioning cylinders are disposed coaxially in the cylindrical layer filled with wooden impact shock absorbers at an intermediate portion between the outer and the inner containers. Further, a plurality of longitudinally intersecting partitioning disks are disposed each at a predetermined distance in right and left cylindrical wooden impact shock absorbing layers which are in contact with the end face of the inner container. Accordingly, the impact shock energy can be absorbed by the wooden impact shock absorbers efficiently by a plurality of the partitioning disks and the partitioning cylinders. (I.N.)

Community conflict in the nuclear power issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burt, R.S.

1978-05-01

This is the first of a two part discussion the purpose of which is to demonstrate that a frankly structural, or network, approach to the analysis of community decision-making allows an observer to anticipate and manage community response to specific policies. Here I am concerned with anticipating community response. In part two (Burt, 1978), I am concerned with conflict resolution strategies. The specific policy used as illustration is siting nuclear power facilities. Published accounts of siting nuclear facilities are used to identify basic social parameters of the nuclear power issue as a community conflict. Changes in the form and content of relations in the network among opponents and proponents of a facility are described. Subsequently, the description is used to specify a causal model of the manner in which conflict escalation is promoted or inhibited by the characteristics and leadership structure of a community in which a nuclear facility is proposed. Hypotheses are derived predicting what types of communities can be expected to become embroiled in conflict and the process that conflict escalation will follow

Community conflict in the nuclear power issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burt, R.S.

1978-05-01

This is the first of a two part discussion the purpose of which is to demonstrate that a frankly structural, or network, approach to the analysis of community decision-making allows an observer to anticipate and manage community response to specific policies. Here I am concerned with anticipating community response. In part two (Burt, 1978), I am concerned with conflict resolution strategies. The specific policy used as illustration is siting nuclear power facilities. Published accounts of siting nuclear facilities are used to identify basic social parameters of the nuclear power issue as a community conflict. Changes in the form and content of relations in the network among opponents and proponents of a facility are described. Subsequently, the description is used to specify a causal model of the manner in which conflict escalation is promoted or inhibited by the characteristics and leadership structure of a community in which a nuclear facility is proposed. Hypotheses are derived predicting what types of communities can be expected to become embroiled in conflict and the process that conflict escalation will follow.

Constructibility issues associated with a nuclear waste repository in basalt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, D.A.

1981-01-01

This report contains the text and slide reproductions of a speech on nuclear waste disposal in basalt. The presentation addresses the layout of repository access shafts and subsurface facilities resulting from the conceptual design of a nuclear repository in basalt. The constructibility issues that must be resolved prior to construction are described

An optimized cask technology for conditioning, transportation and long term interim storage of 'End of Life' nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefort-Mary, Florence; Clement, Gilles; Lamouroux, Christine; Dumont, Bruno

2016-01-01

When preparing for the decommissioning of a nuclear facility, during its 'end of life' management and while performing the actual dismantling operations, one has to consider a large diversity of nuclear waste in term of types, volumes and activities. Customers are frequently faced with the obligation to undertake multiple and costly waste management operations including handling, reconditioning or re-transferring from one package to another, for example when moving from on-site storage to transportation. To address this issue, a new - highly flexible - cask system named TN R MW is being developed. This cask has a total weight of 10 T and is compliant with the 2012 IAEA regulations. It is developed on a flexible concept basis, adaptable to the various nuclear needs, including: from IP2 to B(U) / B(U)F; on-site/ international transportation; long term interim storage. Licensing and manufacturing of number of items of this TN R MW family is underway. (authors)

The new context for transport of radioactive nuclear material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anne, Catherine; Galtier, Jerome

2001-01-01

The transportation of radioactive and nuclear materials, involves all modes of transportation (road, air, sea, rail) with predominance for road and for air (air for radioisotopes). In this paper we examine the impact of new evolutions in the fields of safety, security, logistics means, public acceptance and quality assurance

Transportation capabilities study of DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, G.L.; Johnson, R.A.; Smith, R.W. [Packaging Technology, Inc., Tacoma, WA (United States); Abbott, D.G.; Tyacke, M.J. [Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1994-10-01

This study evaluates current capabilities for transporting spent nuclear fuel owned by the US Department of Energy. Currently licensed irradiated fuel shipping packages that have the potential for shipping the spent nuclear fuel are identified and then matched against the various spent nuclear fuel types. Also included are the results of a limited investigation into other certified packages and new packages currently under development. This study is intended to support top-level planning for the disposition of the Department of Energy`s spent nuclear fuel inventory.

Nuclear power infrastructure - issues, strategy and possibilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, Y.A.

2009-01-01

Full text: Today humanity faces daunting challenges: the pressing need for development in many parts of the world and the desire for a more effective system of international security. At the outset of the 21st century, the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation have both set global objectives for sustainable development (SD) that give high priority to the eradication of poverty and hunger, environmental sustainability, universal access to plentiful fresh water and energy. In this context there are many expectations about Nuclear Renascence supported by many national and international studies, by discussions in the mass media and international forums, etc. The Agency has taken an integrated approach outlining all considerations that have to be taken into account for the introduction of a nuclear power programme, providing guiding documents, forums for sharing information, consultancies and technical meetings and sending multidisciplinary teams to countries requesting assistance with nuclear power infrastructure. The process also includes specific assistance and review services in the areas of infrastructure readiness, feasibility studies, draft nuclear law, regulatory frameworks and organization, siting issues, human resource development and planning, bid evaluation and technology assessment, owner/operator competence, and safety and security. It is important to support the decision making processes of States introducing nuclear power to ensure they can make informed choices on the role of nuclear power in their energy mixes. The IAEA helps countries prepare for the introduction or expansion of nuclear power by 1) helping them ensure that nuclear energy is used safely, securely and with minimal proliferation risk, and 2) meeting the need of developing countries to build capacity in terms of human resources, energy analysis, regulatory capabilities and other infrastructure necessary for nuclear power. The process also includes

Institutional support to the nuclear power based on transportable installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, V.P.; Cherepnin, Y.S.

2010-01-01

Existing nuclear power uses large-power nuclear plants (more than 1,000 MWe) and enriched uranium fuel ( 2 35 U ). Each plant is treated as an exclusive costly project. As a result, large NPPs are operated predominantly in highly developed big countries. In many countries, construction of large power units is not reasonable because of the economic conditions and national specifics. This calls for the use of small- and medium-power nuclear plants (SMPNP), especially transportable nuclear installations (TNI). TNI feature small power (up to 100 MWe); serial production, and transportability. Small- and medium-power nuclear plants could serve to produce electricity and heat; perform water desalination; provide temporary and emergency energy supply. The authors discuss some findings of the studies carried out on the various aspects of the TNI life, as well as the legal and institutional support to their development, construction and operation. The studies have been performed in the framework of the INPRO Action Plan

Nuclear waste management: A review of issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angino, E.E.

1985-01-01

The subject of radioactive waste management and burial is a subject that raises strong emotional and political issues and generates sharp technical differences of opinion. The overall problem can be subdivided into the three major categories of (1) credibility and emotionalism, (2) technology, and (3) nuclear waste isolation and containment. An area of concern desperately in need of attention is that of proper public education on all aspects of the high-level radioactive-waste (rad-waste) burial problem. A major problem related to the rad-waste issue is the apparent lack of an official, all-encompassing U.S. policy for nuclear waste management, burial, isolation, and regulation. It is clear from all past technical reports that disposal of rad wastes in an appropriate geologic horizon is the best ultimate solution to the waste problem. After 25 y of dealing with the high-level radioactive waste problem, the difficulty is that no proposed plan has to date been tested properly. It is this indecision and reaction that has contributed in no small way to the public perception of inability to solve the problem. One major change that has occurred in the last few years was the enactment of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. This act mandates deadlines, guidelines, and state involvement. It is time that strong differences of opinions be reconciled. One must get on with the difficult job of selecting the best means of isolating and burying these wastes before the task becomes impossible

Nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1976-07-01

The IAEA is organizing a major conference on nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle, which is to be held from 2 to 13 May 1977 in Salzburg, Austria. The programme for the conference was published in the preceding issue of the IAEA Bulletin (Vol.18, No. 3/4). Topics to be covered at the conference include: world energy supply and demand, supply of nuclear fuel and fuel cycle services, radioactivity management (including transport), nuclear safety, public acceptance of nuclear power, safeguarding of nuclear materials, and nuclear power prospects in developing countries. The articles in the section that follows are intended to serve as an introduction to the topics to be discussed at the Salzburg Conference. They deal with the demand for uranium and nuclear fuel cycle services, uranium supplies, a computer simulation of regional fuel cycle centres, nuclear safety codes, management of radioactive wastes, and a pioneering research project on factors that determine public attitudes toward nuclear power. It is planned to present additional background articles, including a review of the world nuclear fuel reprocessing situation and developments in the uranium enrichment industry, in future issues of the Bulletin. (author)

Public acceptance of nuclear power. Some ethical issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arungu-Olende, S.; Francis, J.M.; Nashed, W.; Nwosu, B.C.E.; Rose, D.J.; Shinn, R.L.; Gaspar, D. de; Abrecht, P.

1977-01-01

The World Council of Churches is aware of a decline of public confidence in existing social institutions responsible for maintaining and securing the nuclear fuel cycle. In addressing this concern, the World Council of Churches seeks a direct assurance from the IAEA and other responsible governmental bodies that new initiatives will be taken to resolve this anxiety and to place the acknowledged risks of an expanding nuclear power industry in a more realistic long-term perspective. The provision of energy resources for all peoples is an essential part of the struggle for a more just, participatory and sustainable society. The W.C.C. appreciates the necessity of retaining nuclear power as a viable option for the future in many countries. However, the credibility of the option can be achieved only through the resolution of the major questions that are inherent in the use of nuclear technology. These questions must be tackled before a large and irreversible world-wide commitment is made. At present, the public debate is confused. Advocates of nuclear energy plead the achievements of unproven technology, minimizing the unsolved problems, while critics ignore the societal costs of other major energy options, and demand an unrealistic absolute perfection in the design and construction of nuclear power systems. The churches seek to encourage an informed public examination of these issues. The W.C.C. stresses the necessity of resolving the problems of secure waste disposal and those posed by the drift into a dependency on the plutonium fuel economy. A just global society implies not merely equal opportunity to aspire and to achieve, but affirmative action to redress imbalances. This is incompatible with the pseudo-secrecy and patronage practiced by developed nuclear countries. The W.C.C. is concerned how the ''access'' versus ''security'' issue is to be resolved. The development of nuclear energy for civilian purposes is linked with the development of nuclear weapons. The

Costs for insurance of civil responsibility for nuclear damage during transportation of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amelina, M.E.; Arsent'ev, S.V.; Molchanov, A.S.

2009-01-01

The article considers the method of calculation of rates for insurance of civil responsibility for nuclear damage during transportation of nuclear materials, which can minimize the insurer's costs for this type of insurance in situation when there is no statistics available and it is not possible to calculate the insurance rate by the traditional means using the probability theory

NS [Nuclear Safety] update. Current safety and security activities and developments taking place in the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, Issue no. 15, February 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-02-01

The current issue presents information about the following topics: Supporting radiation protection in medicine. Wano's pre-startup support. One stop for incident and emergency communications. Emergency preparedness in IAEA Member States. Sophisticated On-Site Nuclide Identification (RanidSONNI). Over land, sea and air: safe and secure transport of radioactive material. INES at 20: Success from simplicity. IAEA and Ibero-American Forum - strengthening ties. Highlights of the 54th IAEA General Conference, 20-24 September 2010. Highlights of the International conference on Challenges faced by TSOs. Department of Nuclear Safety programme highlights

Two Differential Binding Mechanisms of FG-Nucleoporins and Nuclear Transport Receptors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piau Siong Tan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Summary: Phenylalanine-glycine-rich nucleoporins (FG-Nups are intrinsically disordered proteins, constituting the selective barrier of the nuclear pore complex (NPC. Previous studies showed that nuclear transport receptors (NTRs were found to interact with FG-Nups by forming an “archetypal-fuzzy” complex through the rapid formation and breakage of interactions with many individual FG motifs. Here, we use single-molecule studies combined with atomistic simulations to show that, in sharp contrast, FG-Nup214 undergoes a coupled reconfiguration-binding mechanism when interacting with the export receptor CRM1. Association and dissociation rate constants are more than an order of magnitude lower than in the archetypal-fuzzy complex between FG-Nup153 and NTRs. Unexpectedly, this behavior appears not to be encoded selectively into CRM1 but rather into the FG-Nup214 sequence. The same distinct binding mechanisms are unperturbed in O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine-modified FG-Nups. Our results have implications for differential roles of distinctly spatially distributed FG-Nup⋅NTR interactions in the cell. : Archetypal-fuzzy complexes found in most FG-Nucleoporin⋅nuclear transport receptor complexes allow fast yet specific nuclear transport. Tan et al. show that FG-Nup214, located at the periphery of the nuclear pore complex, binds to CRM1⋅RanGTP via a coupled reconfiguration-binding mechanism, which can enable different functionalities e.g., cargo release. Keywords: intrinsically disordered protein, glycosylation, FG-Nup, nuclear transport receptors, binding mechanism, single-molecule FRET, molecular dynamics simulations

Stakeholder Transportation Scorecard: Reviewing Nevada's Recommendations for Enhancing the Safety and Security of Nuclear Waste Shipments - 13518

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dilger, Fred C.; Ballard, James D.; Halstead, Robert J.

2013-01-01

As a primary stakeholder in the Yucca Mountain program, the state of Nevada has spent three decades examining and considering national policy regarding spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation. During this time, Nevada has identified 10 issues it believes are critical to ensuring the safety and security of any spent nuclear fuel transportation program, and achieving public acceptance. These recommendations are: 1) Ship the oldest fuel first; 2) Ship mostly by rail; 3) Use dual-purpose (transportable storage) casks; 4) Use dedicated trains for rail shipments; 5) Implement a full-scale cask testing program; 6) Utilize a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the selection of a new rail spur to the proposed repository site; 7) Implement the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) 'straw man' process for route selection; 8) Implement Section 180C assistance to affected States, Tribes and localities through rulemaking; 9) Adopt safety and security regulatory enhancements proposed states; and 10) Address stakeholder concerns about terrorism and sabotage. This paper describes Nevada's proposals in detail and examines their current status. The paper describes the various forums and methods by which Nevada has presented its arguments and sought to influence national policy. As of 2012, most of Nevada's recommendations have been adopted in one form or another, although not yet implemented. If implemented in a future nuclear waste program, the State of Nevada believes these recommendations would form the basis for a successful national transportation plan for shipments to a geologic repository and/or centralized interim storage facility. (authors)

China’s Foreign Policy Toward North Korea: The Nuclear Issue

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

black or white, what matters is it catches mice ,” represented China’s strategy. Among Western countries, China understood that rapprochement with...nonproliferation issue. Until 1970, China considered that superpowers used nuclear nonproliferation as a way to monopolize nuclear weapons. Thus, in

HA and MAVL technical dialogue - Seminar - Transports of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charron, Sylvie; Eckert, Benoit; Lizot, Marie-Therese; Moutarde, Marianne; Mermaz, Frederic; Brisson, Nicolas; Sene, Monique; Demet, Michel; Jacquet, Benoit; Tran-Thien, Vivien; Ferran, Ghislain; Michel, Maurice; Barbey, Pierre; Miquel, Thierry-Paul; Monot, Bernard; Syren, Julien; Quintin, Christophe; Gilbert, Alain; Lhuillier, Daniel; Domeneghetti, Bertrand; LOURTIE, Guy; Manessier, Joffray

2016-03-01

This document gathers the content of a debate and Power Point presentations as contributions to this seminar on transports of nuclear materials. After an introduction, the different sessions addressed the actors of the transport of nuclear materials (regulation, parcel design, organisation on the shipper side and on the transporter side), transport safety and radiation protection (returns on experience by different actors and on event follow-up), the follow-up and safety of transports of nuclear materials (protection against malevolent acts, operational follow-up, case of rail transport), and issues related to crisis management (organisation in case of crisis, means of intervention implemented by the IRSN, return on experience for two accidents)

The Norwegian Plan of Action for nuclear safety issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-07-01

The Plan of Action underlies Norwegian activities in the field of international co-operation to enhance nuclear safety and prevent radioactive contamination from activities in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Geographically the highest priority has been given to support for safety measures in north-west Russia. This information brochure outlines the main content of the Plan of Action for nuclear safety issues and lists a number of associated measures and projects

The Norwegian Plan of Action for nuclear safety issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-07-01

The Plan of Action underlies Norwegian activities in the field of international co-operation to enhance nuclear safety and prevent radioactive contamination from activities in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Geographically the highest priority has been given to support for safety measures in north-west Russia. This information brochure outlines the main content of the Plan of Action for nuclear safety issues and lists a number of associated measures and projects.

The transportation institutional plan: Cooperative planning for NWPA transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denny, S.H.; Livingston-Behan, E.A.

1987-01-01

The Transportation Institutional Plan, published in 1986 by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), defines a process for effective interaction among those who may be affected by transportation activities conducted under provisions of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA). The Plan describes formal mechanisms for identifying, addressing, and resolving specific transportation issues. An appendix to the Plan includes detailed discussion of the following transportation issues: (1) the transportation of defense waste; (2) prenotification; (3) physical and rail shipments; (4) highway routing; (5) rail routing; (6) inspection and enforcement for highway and rail shipments; (7) emergency response; (8) liability coverage for transportation to NWPA facilities; (9) cask design and testing; (10) overweight truck shipments; (11) rail service analysis; (12) mixture of transportation modes; (13) transportation infrastructure improvements; (14) OCRWM training standards; (15) transportation operational procedures; and (16) State, Tribal, and local regulation of transportation. The OCRWM's intent is to provide an open accounting of planning, to identify opportunities for public involvement in program activities, and to foster communication and negotiation in the cooperative development of a safe, efficient, and cost-effective NWPA transportation program

Planned reliability in the transport and installation of large nuclear components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bieler, L.

1988-01-01

The transport and installation of heavy and bulky large components require detailed planning of all jobs and activities, trained and experienced personnel and corresponding technical equipment for reliable and quality-assured implementation. The correct approach to the planning and implementation of such transports and installations has been confirmed by years of successful performance of these jobs e.g. in reactor pressure vessels and steam generators for nuclear power plants. Large components for nuclear power plants are truly extreme examples but will be all the better suited for demonstrating the problems inherent in transport and installation. (orig.) [de

Legislation for the countermeasures on special issues of nuclear safety regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Byung Sun; Lee, Mo Sung; Chung, Gum Chun; Kim, Heon Jin; Oh, Ho Chul

2004-02-01

Since the present nuclear safety regulation has some legal problems that refer to special issues and contents of regulatory provisions, this report has preformed research on the legal basic theory of nuclear safety regulation to solve the problems. In addition, this report analyzed the problems of each provisions and suggested the revision drafts on the basis of analyzing problems and the undergoing theory of nuclear safety regulation

Legislation for the countermeasures on special issues of nuclear safety regulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Byung Sun; Lee, Mo Sung; Chung, Gum Chun; Kim, Heon Jin; Oh, Ho Chul [Chongju Univ., Cheongju (Korea, Republic of)

2004-02-15

Since the present nuclear safety regulation has some legal problems that refer to special issues and contents of regulatory provisions, this report has preformed research on the legal basic theory of nuclear safety regulation to solve the problems. In addition, this report analyzed the problems of each provisions and suggested the revision drafts on the basis of analyzing problems and the undergoing theory of nuclear safety regulation.

Complex governance system issues for transportation renewal projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly Strong

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The use of public–private partnerships (PPPs is growing in the United States in response to reductions in funding combined with an aging highway transportation infrastructure. Many other countries have longer experience with PPP and a greater understanding of the issues surrounding their use. The main governance issues to be addressed in PPPs deal with risk-sharing, relationships, contracts, and legal framework, and standard processes within dedicated organizational units. These governance issues are examined in the context of a case study for the US 36 Phase II PPP in Colorado. Findings suggest that for the US Phase II project, governance issues are resolved through more relational forms than prescriptive contractual language. Colorado has established a dedicated organizational unit to facilitate the use of PPPs, but there exist no standards or best practices in the United States for procurement, concession terms, or risk-sharing.

Perceived risks of radioactive waste transport through Oregon: Results of a statewide survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacGregor, D.; Slovic, P.; Mason, R.G.; Detweiler, J.; Binney, S.E.; Dodd, B.

1994-01-01

Transportation of hazardous materials, and particularly radioactive wastes, on public highways has become an important risk management issue. The unfavorability of public attitudes regarding hazardous and nuclear waste signals the potential for strong public opposition to programs for transporting these materials. This paper presents the results of a survey conducted to assess public reactions to a long-term nuclear waste transport program planned to follow a route through a portion of rural Oregon. The survey assessed a number of key risk perception issues, including perceived health and safety risks of nuclear waste transport, relative risks of transport vs. storage at an existing site, trust in state officials, and satisfaction with life in communities along the transport route. The survey identified a number of attitudes and concerns that need to be understood and considered by those in charge of designing and implementing the waste-transportation program. 22 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs

Nuclear safety review for the year 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-08-01

The Nuclear Safety Review reports on worldwide efforts to strengthen nuclear, radiation and transport safety and the safety of radioactive waste management. The final version of the Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2002 was prepared in the light of the discussion by the Board of Governors in March 2002. This report presents an overview of the current issues and trends in nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety at the end of 2002. This overview is supported by a more detailed factual account of safety-related events and issues worldwide during 2002. National authorities and the international community continued to reflect and act upon the implications of the events of II September 2001 for nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety. In the light of this, the Agency has decided to transfer the organizational unit on nuclear security from the Department of Safeguards to the Department of Nuclear Safety (which thereby becomes the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security). By better exploiting the synergies between safety and security and promoting further cross-fertilization of approaches, the Agency is trying to help build up mutually reinforcing global regimes of safety and security. However, the Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2002 addresses only those areas already in the safety programme. This short analytical overview is supported by a second part (corresponding to Part I of the Nuclear Safety Reviews of previous years), which describes significant safety-related events and issues worldwide during 2002. A Draft Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2002 was submitted to the March 2003 session of the Board of Governors in document GOV/2003/6.

Nuclear safety review for the year 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-08-01

The Nuclear Safety Review reports on worldwide efforts to strengthen nuclear, radiation and transport safety and the safety of radioactive waste management. The final version of the Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2002 was prepared in the light of the discussion by the Board of Governors in March 2002. This report presents an overview of the current issues and trends in nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety at the end of 2002. This overview is supported by a more detailed factual account of safety-related events and issues worldwide during 2002. National authorities and the international community continued to reflect and act upon the implications of the events of II September 2001 for nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety. In the light of this, the Agency has decided to transfer the organizational unit on nuclear security from the Department of Safeguards to the Department of Nuclear Safety (which thereby becomes the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security). By better exploiting the synergies between safety and security and promoting further cross-fertilization of approaches, the Agency is trying to help build up mutually reinforcing global regimes of safety and security. However, the Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2002 addresses only those areas already in the safety programme. This short analytical overview is supported by a second part (corresponding to Part I of the Nuclear Safety Reviews of previous years), which describes significant safety-related events and issues worldwide during 2002. A Draft Nuclear Safety Review for the Year 2002 was submitted to the March 2003 session of the Board of Governors in document GOV/2003/6

Virtual reality at nuclear issues : a review study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Marcio Henrique da; Legey, Ana Paula; Mol, Antonio Carlos de A.

2015-01-01

Recently, several applications using concepts related to virtual reality has been proposed to help on solving issues of great interest in Nuclear Engineering. Among them are power plant's control rooms simulators; measurement of the estimated radiation dose in a nuclear power plant; use of game engines to create virtual environments to support evacuation planning of buildings and circulation in areas subjected to radiation; development of a man - machine interface based on speech recognition; virtual control tables for simulation of nuclear power plants; evacuation plans support; security teams training and evaluation of physical protection barriers; ergonomic evaluation of control rooms, and other ones. Many of these applications are developed at Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN), having their results published in form of articles in periodicals and conferences. This article presents a review of some of these studies showing the evolution in the use of these concepts, describing some of its results and showing prospects for future applications that can make use of virtual reality technology. (author)

Virtual reality at nuclear issues : a review study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Marcio Henrique da; Legey, Ana Paula; Mol, Antonio Carlos de A., E-mail: marciohenrique@lmp.ufrj.br, E-mail: ana.legey@pq.cnpq.br, E-mail: mol@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Recently, several applications using concepts related to virtual reality has been proposed to help on solving issues of great interest in Nuclear Engineering. Among them are power plant's control rooms simulators; measurement of the estimated radiation dose in a nuclear power plant; use of game engines to create virtual environments to support evacuation planning of buildings and circulation in areas subjected to radiation; development of a man - machine interface based on speech recognition; virtual control tables for simulation of nuclear power plants; evacuation plans support; security teams training and evaluation of physical protection barriers; ergonomic evaluation of control rooms, and other ones. Many of these applications are developed at Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN), having their results published in form of articles in periodicals and conferences. This article presents a review of some of these studies showing the evolution in the use of these concepts, describing some of its results and showing prospects for future applications that can make use of virtual reality technology. (author)

Nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen as a transportation fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeLuchi, M.A.

1989-01-01

Hydrogen is a very attractive transportation fuel in three important ways: it is the least polluting fuel that can be used in an internal combustion engine, it produces no greenhouse gases, and it is potentially available anywhere there is water and a clean source of power. The prospect of a clean, widely available transportation fuel has motivated much of the research on hydrogen fuels. This paper is a state-of-the art review of the production, storage, performance, environmental impacts, safety, and cost of nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen for highway vehicles

MC ampersand A policy issues for international inspections at DOE nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawford, D.W.; Zack, N.R.

1994-01-01

Recent initiatives and executive decisions within the US have included an offer to place certain special nuclear materials from the former weapons stockpile under international safeguards inspections. The nuclear materials at issue are excess materials; other materials characterized as strategic reserve will not be subject to these international activities. Current Department of Energy requirements and procedures to account for and control these nuclear materials may need to be modified to accommodate these inspections. Safeguards issues, such as physical inventory frequency and verification requirements, may rise from the collateral safeguards activities in support of both domestic and international safeguards. This paper will discuss Office of Safeguards and Security policy and views on these international inspection activities at former nuclear weapons facilities, including implications for current domestic safeguards approaches currently implemented at these facilities

Nuclear power plant alarm systems: Problems and issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Hara, J.M.; Brown, W.S.

1991-01-01

Despite the incorporation of advanced technology into nuclear power plant alarm systems, human factors problems remain. This paper identifies to be addressed in order to allow advanced technology to be used effectively in the design of nuclear power plant alarm systems. The operator's use and processing of alarm system information will be considered. Based upon a review of alarm system research, issues related to general system design, alarm processing, display and control are discussed. It is concluded that the design of effective alarm systems depends on an understanding of the information processing capabilities and limitations of the operator. 39 refs

Nuclear power plant alarm systems: Problems and issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Hara, J.M.; Brown, W.S.

1991-01-01

Despite the incorporation of advanced technology into nuclear power plant alarm systems, human factors problems remain. This paper identifies to be addressed in order to allow advanced technology to be used effectively in the design of nuclear power plant alarm systems. The operator's use and processing of alarm system information will be considered. Based upon a review of alarm system research, issues related to general system design, alarm processing, display and control are discussed. It is concluded that the design of effective alarm systems depends on an understanding of the information processing capabilities and limitations of the operator. 39 refs.

Three distinct domains contribute to nuclear transport of murine Foxp3.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wayne W Hancock

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Foxp3, a 47-kDa transcription factor, is necessary for the function of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs, with an essential role in the control of self-reactive T cells and in preventing autoimmunity. Activation of Tregs by TCR engagement results in upregulation of Foxp3 expression, followed by its rapid nuclear transport and binding to chromatin. Here, we identify three distinct Foxp3 domains that contribute to nuclear transport. The first domain (Domain 1 comprises the C-terminal 12 amino acids. The second domain (Domain 2 is located immediately N-terminal to the forkhead domain (FHD, recently reported to be a binding site for the runt-related transcription factor 1/acute myeloid leukemia 1 (Runx1/AML1. The third domain (Domain 3 is located within the N-terminal first 51 amino acids. Unlike the known nuclear localization signals (NLSs, none of these three regions are rich in basic residues and do not bear any similarity to known monopartite or bipartite NLSs that have one or more clusters of basic amino acids. The basic arginine-lysine-lysine-arginine (RKKR sequence, located 12-aa from the C-terminal end of Foxp3 was previously reported to be a nuclear localization signal (NLS for several proteins, including for a GFP-Foxp3 hybrid. Evidence is provided here that in the full-length native Foxp3 RKKR does not function as an NLS. The data reported in this study indicates that Foxp3 achieves nuclear transport by binding to other nuclear factors and co-transporting with them to the nucleus.

Release and transport of artificial radionuclides from nuclear weapons related activities in the Ob River, Siberia over the course of the nuclear age

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayles, F.L.; Kenna, T.C.; Livingston, H.D.

1999-01-01

Studies of sediment cores from lakes on the flood plain of the Ob River, Siberia have been used to develop a history of the release, transport, and deposition of artificial radionuclides related to the development and testing of nuclear weapons over the duration of the nuclear age (∼1950 to the present) in this major Arctic river system. The Ob is of particular importance in this regard as two of the former Soviet Union's major weapons production plants, Mayak and Tomsk-7, and the Semipalatinsk test site are located within the Ob drainage basin. Accidents and intentional releases of radionuclides at both plants have been substantial, raising the issue of transport throughout this extensive river system as well as delivery to the Arctic Ocean. Our studies have included determining sediment profiles of 239,240 Pu, 137 Cs, and the natural nuclide 210 Pb and its parent 226 Ra in a number of cores from the Ob delta, as well as analysis of 239 Pu, 240 Pu, and 237 Np. The latter provide sensitive measures of the presence of non-fallout materials derived from weapons production activities

Spent Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by SSEB in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ''comprehensive overview of the issues.'' This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste Issues. In addition. this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-11-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages sew be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-11-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ''comprehensive overview of the issues.'' This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages sew be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-11-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ''comprehensive overview of the issues.'' This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list

Workshop on ''Climate change and environmental issues in transportation''

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rothengatter, Werner; Ott, Anselm; Scholz, Aaron (and others)

2008-07-15

The workshop covers the following issues: 1. Recommendations - action list: raking responsibility; analyzing the areas of impact; designing the instruments. 2. Climate change and necessary responses: challenges for the economy and the transportation sector; external cost of transportation and climate change. 3. Taking responsibility in the transportation sector: global responsibility; strategy in air transportation, strategies in road transportation; strategies in rail transportation, strategies in shipping.

Supporting system in emergency response plan for nuclear material transport accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagome, Y.; Aoki, S.

1993-01-01

As aiming to provide the detailed information concerning nuclear material transport accidents and to supply it to the concerned organizations by an online computer, the Emergency Response Supporting System has been constructed in the Nuclear Safety Technology Center, Japan. The system consists of four subsystems and four data bases. By inputting initial information such as name of package and date of accident, one can obtain the appropriate initial response procedures and related information for the accident immediately. The system must be useful for protecting the public safety from nuclear material transport accidents. But, it is not expected that the system shall be used in future. (J.P.N.)

WMPO project issues and public concerns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieth, D.L.

1984-01-01

The Governor of Nevada was notified in 1983 that the Yucca Mountain site is a potentially acceptable site for a nuclear waste storage site. A series of public hearings held produced nearly 400 comments on issues concerning the site nomination. Areas of primary public concern are the impact of the proposed nuclear site on tourism, transportation, and socioeconomic impact on adjacent communities. Results of recent studies showed no impact of high-level waste transport on tourism in the Las Vegas area and on analysis of data accumulated over the 25 to 30 years that high-level radioactive wastes have been transported on Nevada highways showed that no one has been evacuated from their home as the result of an accident involving radioactive waste. A comparison of the possible effects of construction of a nuclear waste storage facility at the Yucca mountain site with the effects of Nevada Test Site indicate that the impact on communities will be minimal

Management functions, issues, and configuration alternatives: TO support a transportation management configuration study: [Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) of the Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for the safe transporation and disposal of spent nuclear fuel from utility-owned nuclear power generation reactors and high-level radioactive waste from both defense and civilian generators to long-term storage repositories. Given the volume, duration, and sensitivity of the operation, DOE is seeking not only the safest and best transportation system but also the most effective and resource-efficient management concept. Within the general guidelines of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982 calling for the fullest possible use of private industry contracts, this study examines the technical and administrative functions as well as the key issues to be addressed in the formation of a management structure. In order to stand alone as a comprehensive treatment of the total requirement, the material contained in many seperate and sometimes divergent DOE/OCRWM documents was evaluated and is compiled here. An attempt was made to succinctly define the nature of the problem, the objectives and scope of both the operating and management systems, and then to dissect the functions required in order to meet the objectives and operating functions are listed and described

Safety issues of nuclear production of hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piera, Mireia; Martinez-Val, Jose M.; Jose Montes, Ma

2006-01-01

Hydrogen is not an uncommon issue in Nuclear Safety analysis, particularly in relation to severe accidents. On the other hand, hydrogen is a household name in the chemical industry, particularly in oil refineries, and is also a well known chemical element currently produced by steam reforming of natural gas, and other methods (such as coal gasification). In the not-too-distant future, hydrogen will have to be produced (by chemical reduction of water) using renewable and nuclear energy sources. In particular, nuclear fission seems to offer the cheapest way to provide the primary energy in the medium-term. Safety principles are fundamental guidelines in the design, construction and operation both of hydrogen facilities and nuclear power plants. When these two technologies are integrated, a complete safety analysis must consider not only the safety practices of each industry, but any interaction that could be established between them. In particular, any accident involving a sudden energy release from one of the facilities can affect the other. Release of dangerous substances (chemicals, radiotoxic effluents) can also pose safety problems. Although nuclear-produced hydrogen facilities will need specific approaches and detailed analysis on their safety features, a preliminary approach is presented in this paper. No significant roadblocks are identified that could hamper the deployment of this new industry, but some of the hydrogen production methods will involve very demanding safety standards

Integrated Radiation Transport and Nuclear Fuel Performance for Assembly-Level Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clarno, Kevin T [ORNL; Hamilton, Steven P [ORNL; Philip, Bobby [ORNL; Berrill, Mark A [ORNL; Sampath, Rahul S [ORNL; Allu, Srikanth [ORNL; Pugmire, Dave [ORNL; Dilts, Gary [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Banfield, James E [ORNL

2012-02-01

The Advanced Multi-Physics (AMP) Nuclear Fuel Performance code (AMPFuel) is focused on predicting the temperature and strain within a nuclear fuel assembly to evaluate the performance and safety of existing and advanced nuclear fuel bundles within existing and advanced nuclear reactors. AMPFuel was extended to include an integrated nuclear fuel assembly capability for (one-way) coupled radiation transport and nuclear fuel assembly thermo-mechanics. This capability is the initial step toward incorporating an improved predictive nuclear fuel assembly modeling capability to accurately account for source-terms and boundary conditions of traditional (single-pin) nuclear fuel performance simulation, such as the neutron flux distribution, coolant conditions, and assembly mechanical stresses. A novel scheme is introduced for transferring the power distribution from the Scale/Denovo (Denovo) radiation transport code (structured, Cartesian mesh with smeared materials within each cell) to AMPFuel (unstructured, hexagonal mesh with a single material within each cell), allowing the use of a relatively coarse spatial mesh (10 million elements) for the radiation transport and a fine spatial mesh (3.3 billion elements) for thermo-mechanics with very little loss of accuracy. In addition, a new nuclear fuel-specific preconditioner was developed to account for the high aspect ratio of each fuel pin (12 feet axially, but 1 4 inches in diameter) with many individual fuel regions (pellets). With this novel capability, AMPFuel was used to model an entire 17 17 pressurized water reactor fuel assembly with many of the features resolved in three dimensions (for thermo-mechanics and/or neutronics), including the fuel, gap, and cladding of each of the 264 fuel pins; the 25 guide tubes; the top and bottom structural regions; and the upper and lower (neutron) reflector regions. The final, full assembly calculation was executed on Jaguar using 40,000 cores in under 10 hours to model over 162

Current Status and Issues of Nuclear Engineering Research and Educational Facilities in Universities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

It is important to discuss about nuclear engineering research and educational facilities in universities after new educational foundation. 12 universities investigated issues and a countermeasure of them. The results of a questionnaire survey, issues and countermeasure are shown in this paper. The questionnaire on the future nuclear researches, development of education, project, maintenance of nuclear and radioactive facilities and accelerator, control of uranium in subcritical test facilities, use of new corporation facilities, the fixed number of student, number of graduate, student experiments, themes of experiments and researches, the state of educational facilities are carried out. The results of questionnaire were summarized as followings: the fixed number of student (B/M/D) on nuclear engineering, exercise of reactor, education, themes, educational and research facilities, significance of nuclear engineering education in university and proposal. (S.Y.)

Internal transport barriers: critical physics issues?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Litaudon, X [Association Euratom-CEA, DSM, Departement de Recherches sur La Fusion Controlee, Centre d' Etudes de Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France)

2006-05-15

Plasmas regimes with improved core energy confinement properties, i.e. with internal transport barriers (ITB), provide a possible route towards simultaneous high fusion performance and continuous tokamak reactor operation in a non-inductive current drive state. High core confinement regimes should be made compatible with a dominant fraction of the plasma current self-generated (pressure-driven) by the bootstrap effect while operating at high normalized pressure and moderate current. Furthermore, ITB regimes with 'non-stiff' plasma core pressure break the link observed in standard inductive operation between fusion performances and plasma pressure at the edge, thus offering a new degree of freedom in the tokamak operational space. Prospects and critical issues for using plasmas with enhanced thermal core insulation as a basis for steady tokamak reactor operation are reviewed in the light of the encouraging experimental and modelling results obtained recently (typically in the last two years). An extensive set of data from experiments carried out worldwide has been gathered on ITB regimes covering a wide range of parameters (q-profile, T{sub i}/T{sub e}, gradient length, shaping, normalized toroidal Larmor radius, collisionality, Mach number, etc). In the light of the progress made recently, the following critical physics issues relevant to the extrapolation of ITB regimes to next-step experiments, such as ITER, are addressed: 1. conditions for ITB formation and existence of a power threshold,; 2. ITB sustainment at T{sub i} {approx} T{sub e}, with low toroidal torque injection, low central particle fuelling but at high density and low impurity concentration,; 3. control of confinement for sustaining wide ITBs that encompass a large volume at high {beta}{sub N},; 4. real time profile control (q and pressure) with high bootstrap current and large fraction of alpha-heating and; 5. compatibility of core with edge transport barriers or with external core

U.S. nuclear fuel cycle regulatory issues on exclusion, exemption, and clearance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meck, R.A.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the use of exclusion and clearance in connection with the nuclear fuel cycle regulations. Clearance of licensed lands, buildings, structures, materials, and equipment could expose members of the public to radiation in addition to background. Establishing and implementing dose criteria for allowed concentrations of radioactivity in the various media raise challenging issues for the regulator. Clearance also raises significant regulatory issues, and these issues reflect trade-offs between concerns for protecting public health and safety, as well as other socioeconomic values and concerns. At the heart of the issues are the adequacy of risk analyses, acceptability of risks, underlying rationales, feasibility and cost of implementation, and exposures of the public to man-made radiation in relation to natural sources of radiation. (author)

Transport of large particles released in a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poellaenen, R.; Toivonen, H.; Lahtinen, J.; Ilander, T.

1995-10-01

Highly radioactive particulate material may be released in a nuclear accident or sometimes during normal operation of a nuclear power plant. However, consequence analyses related to radioactive releases are often performed neglecting the particle nature of the release. The properties of the particles have an important role in the radiological hazard. A particle deposited on the skin may cause a large and highly non-uniform skin beta dose. Skin dose limits may be exceeded although the overall activity concentration in air is below the level of countermeasures. For sheltering purposes it is crucial to find out the transport range, i.e. the travel distance of the particles. A method for estimating the transport range of large particles (aerodynamic diameter d a > 20 μm) in simplified meteorological conditions is presented. A user-friendly computer code, known as TROP, is developed for fast range calculations in a nuclear emergency. (orig.) (23 refs., 13 figs.)

Transport of large particles released in a nuclear accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poellaenen, R; Toivonen, H; Lahtinen, J; Ilander, T

1995-10-01

Highly radioactive particulate material may be released in a nuclear accident or sometimes during normal operation of a nuclear power plant. However, consequence analyses related to radioactive releases are often performed neglecting the particle nature of the release. The properties of the particles have an important role in the radiological hazard. A particle deposited on the skin may cause a large and highly non-uniform skin beta dose. Skin dose limits may be exceeded although the overall activity concentration in air is below the level of countermeasures. For sheltering purposes it is crucial to find out the transport range, i.e. the travel distance of the particles. A method for estimating the transport range of large particles (aerodynamic diameter d{sub a} > 20 {mu}m) in simplified meteorological conditions is presented. A user-friendly computer code, known as TROP, is developed for fast range calculations in a nuclear emergency. (orig.) (23 refs., 13 figs.).

Decommissioning, radioactive waste management and nuclear public information issues in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enrico Mainardi [AIN - ENEA (Italy)

2006-07-01

Full text of publication follows: AIN (Associazione Italiana Nucleare or Italian Nuclear Association) is a non-profit organization that includes a wide range of competence and expertise in the field of nuclear science and technology in Italy. A leading role among AIN members is now covered by SOGIN a company mainly involved in waste treatment and conditioning together with dismantling of the Italian nuclear power plants and installations. The same company detains most of the national competences on Nuclear Power Plants operation and safety that have allowed to provide services to a number of domestic and international clients. Radioactive waste management is a major issue for the acceptability of nuclear power energy and nuclear technologies in general. A solution to the disposal of nuclear waste from the past operation of four NPP and of the Fuel Cycle Facilities together with all the other nuclear waste from hospitals, medical facilities, industries and research centres is today essential. A nuclear-waste storage facilities located in one secured place is a national priority, given the increased risks of possible terrorist attacks, accidents or natural disasters. The Italian decision needs to follow the guidelines and paths decided at the international and European level without delegating to future generations the problems and waste connected to previous use of nuclear technologies. This issue needs to be addressed and solved before starting any discussion on nuclear power in Italy as the recent case of the strong opposition against the site proposed by the Italian Government demonstrates. The site that was selected by the Italian Government is Scanzano Jonico (Matera province in the Basilicata region). The decision is based on a study by SOGIN in cooperation with other institutions such as ENEA and Italian universities, and considering a previous work of the National Geological Service. The study follows the guidelines of ONU-IAEA and the solutions adopted at

Decommissioning, radioactive waste management and nuclear public information issues in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enrico Mainardi

2006-01-01

Full text of publication follows: AIN (Associazione Italiana Nucleare or Italian Nuclear Association) is a non-profit organization that includes a wide range of competence and expertise in the field of nuclear science and technology in Italy. A leading role among AIN members is now covered by SOGIN a company mainly involved in waste treatment and conditioning together with dismantling of the Italian nuclear power plants and installations. The same company detains most of the national competences on Nuclear Power Plants operation and safety that have allowed to provide services to a number of domestic and international clients. Radioactive waste management is a major issue for the acceptability of nuclear power energy and nuclear technologies in general. A solution to the disposal of nuclear waste from the past operation of four NPP and of the Fuel Cycle Facilities together with all the other nuclear waste from hospitals, medical facilities, industries and research centres is today essential. A nuclear-waste storage facilities located in one secured place is a national priority, given the increased risks of possible terrorist attacks, accidents or natural disasters. The Italian decision needs to follow the guidelines and paths decided at the international and European level without delegating to future generations the problems and waste connected to previous use of nuclear technologies. This issue needs to be addressed and solved before starting any discussion on nuclear power in Italy as the recent case of the strong opposition against the site proposed by the Italian Government demonstrates. The site that was selected by the Italian Government is Scanzano Jonico (Matera province in the Basilicata region). The decision is based on a study by SOGIN in cooperation with other institutions such as ENEA and Italian universities, and considering a previous work of the National Geological Service. The study follows the guidelines of ONU-IAEA and the solutions adopted at

Modeling issues in nuclear plant fire risk analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siu, N.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses various issues associated with current models for analyzing the risk due to fires in nuclear power plants. Particular emphasis is placed on the fire growth and suppression models, these being unique to the fire portion of the overall risk analysis. Potentially significant modeling improvements are identified; also discussed are a variety of modeling issues where improvements will help the credibility of the analysis, without necessarily changing the computed risk significantly. The mechanistic modeling of fire initiation is identified as a particularly promising improvement for reducing the uncertainties in the predicted risk. 17 refs., 5 figs. 2 tabs

EDF, a utility and its own needs in the field of transport of nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouin, P.; Mignot, E.; Hoang, L.P.

1989-01-01

As one of the most important producers of nuclear electricity in the world, EDF is concerned by all the aspects of the transport of nuclear materials and more particularly by those related to the nuclear fuel cycle. EDF is not itself a specialist in this field and most of the transports along the nuclear fuel cycle is done for their own account by their usual partners such as COGEMA or TRANSNUCLEAIRE. Since the beginning of the French nuclear program, they have generally used for these transports casks that already exist on the market and which were well suited to their needs. Nevertheless, new and specific needs appeared during the progress of their nuclear program and have lead them to: study and build new casks or packages, use existing casks for new purposes, develop a device for the measurement of fuel assemblies burn up, develop a software to optimize the evacuation of irradiated fuel for reprocessing. The purpose of this paper is to describe these realization but as a preliminary, they will present briefly the importance of the transport of nuclear materials for EDF

25 CFR 170.900 - What is the purpose of the provisions relating to transportation of hazardous and nuclear waste?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... transportation of hazardous and nuclear waste? 170.900 Section 170.900 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS... and Nuclear Waste Transportation § 170.900 What is the purpose of the provisions relating to transportation of hazardous and nuclear waste? Sections 170.900 through 170.907 on transportation of nuclear and...

Recent developments in the regulation of nuclear transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grella, A.W.

1978-01-01

In the past four years, almost all nations and international or intergovernmental transport organizations have effected transitions from the 1967 to 1973 IAEA standards as their basis for regulatory requirements for the safe transport of radioactive materials. One major exception to this transition is the USA itself, where this transition has not yet taken place. Major amendments to revise 49 CFR Parts 100-199 of the Department of Transportation regulations and 10 CFR Part 71 of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations are required to effect this transition. The notices of proposed rulemaking to effect this transition in the USA are expected to be published by DOT and NRC concurrently sometime in 1978. Final amendments can be expected later, after the public comment period on the notices and considerations of those comments. This paper summarizes the status of current thinking on US adoption of the 1973 IAEA standards, as well as the status of adoption of those standards by international intergovernmental organizations, such as the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, etc. A number of the differences between the expected US regulations and other regulations based on the 1973 IAEA standards are explained. This paper also discusses a number of other events or matters which have been taking place in the US in the past four years which have or may have an effect on transport of nuclear materials and its regulation, including air transport of plutonium, rail transport of spent fuel and other regulations by state or political subdivisions. The paper also discusses changes to US regulations accomplished in the past four years, which are not related to 1973 IAEA standards, as well as some other possible areas where regulatory proposals might be anticipated, such as control of radiation exposures to certain transport workers and other matters

Current issues in nuclear power projects decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanev, Y.; Rogner, H.

2011-01-01

Concluding Comments: Firm government commitment and support - imminent; New financing approaches/models are emerging, repackaging existing methods and combination of project finance/co-operative mode; Global financial crisis will make financing for investors very challenging, especially for large scale infrastructure projects like NNP –financial regulators to impose tougher rules (Basel III, UK bank levy, US Financial Regulatory Bill, etc; Pure project finance is still challenging for nuclear projects - the availability of finance for new NPPs will depend on the initial government support. This presentation presents a “free market” view on investment in nuclear power projects; If the public sector (governments) wishes to invest in nuclear power as part of its socioeconomic development priorities, finance is not a real obstacle; It becomes an issue in the presence of other equally important development needs and private sector participation is sought

Analysis of nuclear issue and development of policy alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Byungchool; Lee, Youngjoon; Yun, Sungwon; Yun, Keehwan; Ko, Wonil

2012-08-01

? Promoted amicably passing a resolution on a general meeting of Atomic Energy Promotion Commission through the preliminary review and opinion gathering ? Mutual understanding and forming a social consensus on nuclear related issues through R and D reporting about the SMART, Decommission and Dis, Future Nuclear System etc Ο Promoted strengthening the work related to the nuclear policy through discovering the 8 policy initiatives prioritized Ο Analyzed the policy process as well as previous research results related to spent fuel for establishment of spent-fuel policy and presented the methods for legislation Ο Suggested the establishment and multi-step implementation strategies of 'Nuclear educational hurb center' Ο Germany, Switzerland, Belgium returned to their former phase-out strategies, except for these three countries, did not change nuclear promotion policies Ο Democratic United Party is currently taking the opposite stance on NPP but it is necessary to make an effort to analyze current domestic energy circumstances on objective and rational grounds

The 19th KAIF/KNS annual conference growth of nuclear industry and its current issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juhn, Poong Eil

2004-01-01

After the president Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' speech at the UN general Conference in December 1953, nuclear industry for peaceful uses of nuclear energy has been developed steadily worldwide through international co-operation and collaboration during last half a century. However, from late 1980s, in particular, after Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 and growing public opposition on nuclear waste management and disposal, the growth of nuclear power plants worldwide, except some Asian countries, has been slowed down. Nuclear power currently supplies about 16 % of the world's electricity. In the next 50 years, it is expected that the world energy demand will increase about two times comparing current level while electricity demand will be tripled. Therefore, the nuclear industry should be expanded significantly in the next 50 years to meet the role for 'Prosperity beyond Peace'. The main issues for nuclear industry to take this important role are to increase in economics of nuclear power, and to resolve nuclear waste management and disposal. Some of these issues have been resolved mainly through international co-operation. For example, there are significant efforts to improve economics of nuclear power. This paper reviews worldwide efforts to resolve these issues and mentions what are the remaining ones

India and Iran's nuclear issue: the three policy determinants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajiv, S. Samuel C.

2011-01-01

Three broad policy determinants can be discerned in Indian reactions to the Iranian nuclear issue. These include: 'strategic autonomy' as it relates to Indian foreign policy decision making; concerns regarding 'regional strategic stability' as it relates to events in its 'proximate neighbourhood'; and 'national security' implications on account of operative clandestine proliferation networks. Issues relating to the role of the US in influencing Indian policy positions at international forums and vis-a-vis domestic policy were prominent as regards the first determinant. Threats and 'advice' by American policy makers and law makers on specific issues like the Indo-US nuclear deal and the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline gave further grist to critics. However, an analysis of India's concerns regarding the other two policy considerations, i.e., strategic stability and national security were 'real and present' and also dominated public discourse as well. With India having become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from January 2011, it should be the task of Indian diplomacy, at the UNSC as well as at other bilateral and multilateral settings, to help expand the space for the application of 'satisfactory strategies' and reduce the range of 'unsatisfactory strategies'. (author)

Radiant research prospects? A review of nuclear waste issues in social science research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergquist, Ann-Kristin

2007-05-01

The present report has been put together on behalf of KASAM and constitutes a review of social science research and literature that been produced on the nuclear waste issue in Sweden, with focus on recent research. The aim with the investigation has been to map the scope of and the direction of the independent research about nuclear waste in Sweden, in relation to the research that has been initiated and financed by the stakeholders that are participating in the decision-making process in the nuclear waste issue. Another aim has been to point out areas that have not been taken into consideration

Housing and Transport: Access Issues for Disabled International Students in British Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Soorenian, Armineh

2013-01-01

This article explores two disabled people's "Seven Needs" to independent living, those of "housing" and "transport" issues, in relation to disabled international students in British universities. Firstly, students' living arrangements, including issues related to the suitability of university accommodation to their…

Executive summary of safeguards systems concepts for nuclear material transportation. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldonado, O.C.; Kevany, M.; Rodney, D.; Pitts, D.; Mazur, M.

1977-09-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission contracted with System Development Corporation to develop integrated system concepts for the safeguard of special strategic nuclear materials (SSNM), which include plutonium, uranium 233 and uranium 235 of at least 20 percent enrichment, against malevolent action during interfacility transport. This executive summary outlines the conduct and findings of the project. The study was divided into three major subtasks: (1) The development of adversary action sequences; (2) The assessment of the vulnerability of the transport of nuclear materials to adversary action; (3) The development of conceptual safeguards system design requirements to reduce vulnerabilities

Generic safety issues for nuclear power plants with light water reactors and measures taken for their resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-09-01

The IAEA Conference on 'The Safety of Nuclear Power: Strategy for the Future' in 1991 was a milestone in nuclear safety. Two of the important items addressed by this conference were ensuring and enhancing safety of operating plants and treatment of nuclear power plants built to earlier safety standards. A number of publications related to these two items issued subsequent to this conference were: A Common Basis for Judging the Safety of Nuclear Power Plants Built to Earlier Standards, INSAG-9 (1995), the IAEA Safety Guide 50-SG-O12, periodic Safety Review of Operational Nuclear Power Plants (1994) and an IAEA publication on the Safety Evaluation of Operating Nuclear Power Plants Built to Earlier Standards - A Common Basis for Judgement (1997). Some of the findings of the 1991 Conference have not yet been fully addressed. An IAEA Symposium on reviewing the Safety of Existing Nuclear Power Plants in 1996 showed that there is an urgent need for operating organizations and national authorities to review operating nuclear power plants which do not meet the high safety levels of the vast majority of plants and to undertake improvements with assistance from the international community if required. Safety reviews of operating nuclear power plants take on added importance in the context of the Convention on Nuclear safety and its implementation. The purpose of this TECDOC compilation based on broad international experience, is to assist the Member States in the reassessment of operating plants by providing a list of generic safety issues identified in nuclear power plants together with measures taken to resolve these issues. These safety issues are generic in nature with regard to light water reactors and the measures for their resolution are for use as a reference for the safety reassessment of operating plants. The TECDOC covers issues thought to be significant to Member States based on consensus process. It provides an introduction to the use of generic safety issues for

Resolution of Generic Safety Issue 29: Bolting degradation or failure in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, R.E.

1990-06-01

This report describes the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Generic Safety Issue 29, ''Bolting Degradation or Failure in Nuclear Power Plants,'' including the bases for establishing the issue and its historical highlights. The report also describes the activities of the Atomic Industrial Forum (AIF) relevant to this issue, including its cooperation with the Materials Properties Council (MPC) to organize a task group to help resolve the issue. The Electric Power Research Institute, supported by the AIF/MPC task group, prepared and issued a two-volume document that provides, in part, the technical basis for resolving Generic Safety Issue 29. This report presents the NRC's review and evaluation of the two-volume document and NRC's conclusion that this document, in conjunction with other information from both industry and NRC, provides the bases for resolving this issue

Materials issues in cask development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, R.L.; Sorenson, K.B.

1987-01-01

The Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (DOE-OCRWM) is chartered by Congress under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) to build a permanent repository for commercial spent nuclear fuel and to provide a supporting transportation system. The OCRWM-sponsored From-Reactor Cask Systems Acquisition Program is developing a family of casks suitable for transporting commercial spent fuel. Phase I of the program is in the process of procuring cask designs for further development and eventual licensing. New materials will probably be proposed for various components of the cask system. This paper identifies potential new materials as a function of their use in the cask (containment, shielding, etc). To the extent that the identified materials are new (not yet qualified for their intended application), this paper identifies probable technical issues and development efforts which may be required to qualify the materials for uses in transportation casks

The Capacity to Integrate and Deal with Environmental Issues in Local Transport Policy and Planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Carsten Jahn

2002-01-01

The article identifies and discuss the capacity to integrate and deal with environmental issues in local transport policy-making and planning processes.......The article identifies and discuss the capacity to integrate and deal with environmental issues in local transport policy-making and planning processes....

International conference on topical issues in nuclear safety. Contributed papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

The objective of the Conference was to foster the exchange of information on topical issues in nuclear safety, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on the present status of these issues, priorities for future work, and needs for strengthening international cooperation, including the IAEA recommendations for future activities. This book contains concise contributed papers submitted on issues falling within the thematic scope of the Conference: risk informed decision making, influence of external factors on safety, safety of fuel cycle facilities, safety of research reactors, and safety performance indicators

International conference on topical issues in nuclear safety. Contributed papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

The objective of the Conference was to foster the exchange of information on topical issues in nuclear safety, with the aim of consolidating an international consensus on the present status of these issues, priorities for future work, and needs for strengthening international cooperation, including the IAEA recommendations for future activities. This book contains concise contributed papers submitted on issues falling within the thematic scope of the Conference: risk informed decision making, influence of external factors on safety, safety of fuel cycle facilities, safety of research reactors, and safety performance indicators.

Nuclear waste management in Canada: critical issues, critical perspectives

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Johnson, Genevieve Fuji; Durant, Darrin

2009-01-01

... on FSC-certified ancient-forest-free paper (100 percent post-consumer recycled) that is processed chlorineand acid-free. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Nuclear waste management in Canada : critical issues, critical perspectives / edited by Darrin Durant and Genevieve Fuji Johnson. Includes bibliographical references an...

The approach of nuclear related issues by the press

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manetti, Cristiane Teixeira; Tanimoto, Katia Suemi; Hiromoto, Goro

2009-01-01

Nuclear energy has always been a polemic issue, and it is usually more intensely associated, by the general public, to the risks than to the benefits from its use; in this sense, the mass media have clearly had its share of responsibility for public opinion formation. This paper presents a report on the coverage of the nuclear issue in the press, identifying the amount of negative and positive views on the subject, as well as the people involved in the process. The analysis comprises the period from February 2007 to February 2008, right after the edition of the 4th IPCC Report. From that sample, 172 texts published in widely known newspapers and magazines, most of them from Sao Paulo State, were identified. The analyzed speeches were classified according to five information sources: specialists, users, authorities, protagonists and entrepreneurs. It was noted the predominance of positive articles, mainly due to the weight of the favorable speeches by authorities, cited as the most frequent in this paper. (author)

The approach of nuclear related issues by the press

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manetti, Cristiane Teixeira; Tanimoto, Katia Suemi; Hiromoto, Goro [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: cristianemanetti@hotmail.com, e-mail: katia_tanimoto@hotmail.com, e-mail: hiromoto@ipen.br

2009-07-01

Nuclear energy has always been a polemic issue, and it is usually more intensely associated, by the general public, to the risks than to the benefits from its use; in this sense, the mass media have clearly had its share of responsibility for public opinion formation. This paper presents a report on the coverage of the nuclear issue in the press, identifying the amount of negative and positive views on the subject, as well as the people involved in the process. The analysis comprises the period from February 2007 to February 2008, right after the edition of the 4th IPCC Report. From that sample, 172 texts published in widely known newspapers and magazines, most of them from Sao Paulo State, were identified. The analyzed speeches were classified according to five information sources: specialists, users, authorities, protagonists and entrepreneurs. It was noted the predominance of positive articles, mainly due to the weight of the favorable speeches by authorities, cited as the most frequent in this paper. (author)

Spent nuclear fuel transport problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondrat'ev, A.N.; Kosarev, Yu.A.; Yulikov, E.I.

1977-01-01

The paper considers the problems of shipping spent fuel from nuclear power stations to reprocessing plants and also the principal ways of solving these problems with a view to achieving maximum economy and safety in transport. The increase in the number of nuclear power plants in the USSR will entail an intensification of spent-fuel shipments. Higher burnup and the need to reduce cooling time call for heavier and more complex shipping containers. The problem of shipping spent fuel should be tackled comprehensively, bearing in mind the requirements of safety and economy. One solution to these problems is to develop rational and cheap designs of such containers. In addition, the world-wide trend towards more thorough protection of the environment against pollution and of the health of the population requires the devotion of constant attention to improving the reliability and safety of shipments. The paper considers the prospects for nuclear power development in the USSR and in other member countries of the CMEA (1976-1980), the composition and design of some Soviet packaging assemblies, the appropriate cooling time for spent fuel from thermal reactor power stations, procedures for reducing fuel-shipping costs, some methodological problems of container calculation and design, and finally problems of testing and checking containers on test rigs. (author)

Stakeholder Transportation Scorecard: Reviewing Nevada's Recommendations for Enhancing the Safety and Security of Nuclear Waste Shipments - 13518

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dilger, Fred C. [Black Mountain Research, Henderson, NV 81012 (United States); Ballard, James D. [Department of Sociology, California State University, Northridge, CA 91330 (United States); Halstead, Robert J. [State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, Carson City, NV 80906 (United States)

2013-07-01

As a primary stakeholder in the Yucca Mountain program, the state of Nevada has spent three decades examining and considering national policy regarding spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation. During this time, Nevada has identified 10 issues it believes are critical to ensuring the safety and security of any spent nuclear fuel transportation program, and achieving public acceptance. These recommendations are: 1) Ship the oldest fuel first; 2) Ship mostly by rail; 3) Use dual-purpose (transportable storage) casks; 4) Use dedicated trains for rail shipments; 5) Implement a full-scale cask testing program; 6) Utilize a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the selection of a new rail spur to the proposed repository site; 7) Implement the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) 'straw man' process for route selection; 8) Implement Section 180C assistance to affected States, Tribes and localities through rulemaking; 9) Adopt safety and security regulatory enhancements proposed states; and 10) Address stakeholder concerns about terrorism and sabotage. This paper describes Nevada's proposals in detail and examines their current status. The paper describes the various forums and methods by which Nevada has presented its arguments and sought to influence national policy. As of 2012, most of Nevada's recommendations have been adopted in one form or another, although not yet implemented. If implemented in a future nuclear waste program, the State of Nevada believes these recommendations would form the basis for a successful national transportation plan for shipments to a geologic repository and/or centralized interim storage facility. (authors)

Analysis of the Current Technical Issues on ASME Code and Standard for Nuclear Mechanical Design(2009)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Gyeong Hoi; Lee, B. S.; Yoo, S. H.

2009-11-01

This report describes the analysis on the current revision movement related to the mechanical design issues of the U.S ASME nuclear code and standard. ASME nuclear mechanical design in this report is composed of the nuclear material, primary system, secondary system and high temperature reactor. This report includes the countermeasures based on the ASME Code meeting for current issues of each major field. KAMC(ASME Mirror Committee) of this project is willing to reflect a standpoint of the domestic nuclear industry on ASME nuclear mechanical design and play a technical bridge role for the domestic nuclear industry in ASME Codes application

Analysis of the Current Technical Issues on ASME Code and Standard for Nuclear Mechanical Design(2009)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Gyeong Hoi; Lee, B. S.; Yoo, S. H.

2009-11-15

This report describes the analysis on the current revision movement related to the mechanical design issues of the U.S ASME nuclear code and standard. ASME nuclear mechanical design in this report is composed of the nuclear material, primary system, secondary system and high temperature reactor. This report includes the countermeasures based on the ASME Code meeting for current issues of each major field. KAMC(ASME Mirror Committee) of this project is willing to reflect a standpoint of the domestic nuclear industry on ASME nuclear mechanical design and play a technical bridge role for the domestic nuclear industry in ASME Codes application

The Superpowers: Nuclear Weapons and National Security. Teacher's Guide. National Issues Forums in the Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Tedd

This teacher's guide is designed to accompany the National Issues Forums'"The Superpowers: Nuclear Weapons and National Security." Activities and ideas are provided to challenge students to debate and discuss the United States-Soviet related issues of nuclear weapons and national security. The guide is divided into sections that…

Training on Transport Security of Nuclear/Radioactive Materials for Key Audiences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pope, Ronald; Liu, Yung; Shuler, J.M.

2016-01-01

Beginning in 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Packaging Certification Program (PCP), Office of Packaging and Transportation, Office of Environmental Management has sponsored a series of three training courses on Security of Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials during Transport. These courses were developed and hosted by Argonne National Laboratory staff with guest lecturers from both the U.S. and international organizations and agencies including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE national laboratories, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI), and the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS). Each of the three courses held to date were one-week in length. The courses delved in detail into the regulatory requirements for transport security, focusing on international and U.S.-domestic requirements and guidance documents. Lectures, in-class discussions and small group exercises, including tabletop (TTX) and field exercises were designed to enhance the learning objectives for the participants. For example, the field exercise used the ARG-US radio frequency identification (RFID) remote surveillance system developed by Argonne for DOE/PCP to track and monitor packages in a mock shipment, following in-class exercises of developing a transport security plan (TSP) for the mock shipment, performing a readiness review and identifying needed corrective actions. Participants were able to follow the mock shipment on the webpage in real time in the ARG-US Command Center at Argonne including “staged” incidents that were designed to illustrate the importance of control, command, communication and coordination in ensuring transport security. Great lessons were learned based on feedback from the participant’s course evaluations with the series of the courses. Since the

A report on high-level nuclear transportation: Prepared pursuant to assembly concurrent Resolution No. 8 of the 1987 Nevada Legislature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-12-01

The report is divided into three major sections, each of which addresses one of three directives cited above. Section 1.0 provides a review of DOE's statutory requirements, its repository transportation program and plans, the major policy, programmatic, technical and institutional issues and specific areas of concern for the State of Nevada. Section 2.0 contains a description of the current federal, state and tribal transportation regulatory environment within which nuclear waste is shipped and a discussion of regulatory issues which must be resolved in order for the State to minimize risks and adverse impacts to its citizens. Among other issues, this section addresses emergency management, liability for accidents, state permitting and fees, and consistency of State and local regulation with federal law. Section 3.0 contains the NWPO plan for the study and management of repository-related transporation. The plan addresses four areas, including policy and program management, regulatory studies, technical reviews and studies and institutional relationships. A fourth section provides recommendations for consideration by State and local officials which would assist the State in meeting the objectives of the plan

Man--machine interface issues for space nuclear power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W.R.; Haugset, K.

1991-01-01

The deployment of nuclear reactors in space necessitates an entirely new set of guidelines for the design of the man--machine interface (MMI) when compared to earth-based applications such as commerical nuclear power plants. Although the design objectives of earth- and space-based nuclear power systems are the same, that is, to produce electrical power, the differences in the application environments mean that the operator's role will be significantly different for space-based systems. This paper explores the issues associated with establishing the necessary MMI guidelines for space nuclear power systems. The generic human performance requirements for space-based systems are described, and the operator roles that are utilized for the operation of current and advanced earth-based reactors are briefly summarized. The development of a prototype advanced control room, the Integrated Surveillance and Control System (ISACS) at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Halden Reactor Project is introduced. Finally, preliminary ideas for the use of the ISACS system as a test bed for establishing MMI guidelines for space nuclear systems are presented

Transport code and nuclear data in intermediate energy region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, Akira; Odama, Naomitsu [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Maekawa, F.; Ueki, K.; Kosaka, K.; Oyama, Y.

1998-11-01

We briefly reviewed the problems of intermediate energy nuclear data file and transport codes in connection with processing of the data. This is a summary of our group in the task force on JENDL High Energy File Integral Evaluation (JHEFIE). In this article we stress the necessity of the production of intermediate evaluated nuclear data file up to 3 GeV for the application of accelerator driven transmutation (ADT) system. And also we state the necessity of having our own transport code system to calculate the radiation fields using these evaluated files from the strategic points of view to keep our development of the ADT technology completely free from other conditions outside of our own such as imported codes and data with poor maintenance or unknown accuracy. (author)

Transport code and nuclear data in intermediate energy region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Akira; Odama, Naomitsu; Maekawa, F.; Ueki, K.; Kosaka, K.; Oyama, Y.

1998-01-01

We briefly reviewed the problems of intermediate energy nuclear data file and transport codes in connection with processing of the data. This is a summary of our group in the task force on JENDL High Energy File Integral Evaluation (JHEFIE). In this article we stress the necessity of the production of intermediate evaluated nuclear data file up to 3 GeV for the application of accelerator driven transmutation (ADT) system. And also we state the necessity of having our own transport code system to calculate the radiation fields using these evaluated files from the strategic points of view to keep our development of the ADT technology completely free from other conditions outside of our own such as imported codes and data with poor maintenance or unknown accuracy. (author)

Considerations concerning the secure transport of radioactive materials in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieru, Gheorghe

2002-01-01

As UNO member and founding member of the IAEA, Romania has implemented national regulations concerning the transport of radioactive materials in complete safety, complying with recommendations by IAEA and other international organizations. Accordingly, the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control, CNCAN, issued the Directive no. 374/October 2001 which provides the rules for secure radioactive material transport in Romania on roads, rail ways, sea/fluvial and air ways. The paper presents the main sources of producing radioactive materials focussing the following: mining of natural uranium ore, nuclear fuel fabrication plants, nuclear power plants operation, nuclear research reactors, industrial use of radioactive sources (as gamma radiography), use of radioisotope in scientific, educational or medical units. The paper pays attention to the special routes and containers adopted for most secure transport of radioactive waste. Finally, one presents specific issues relating to identification and evaluation of the risk factors occurring at the transport of radioactive waste, as well as the potential radiological consequences upon population and environment. Estimated are the collective risk doses for different categories of populations from areas adjacent to the routes of radioactive materials transportation. It is stressed that the annual collective dose which the population is exposed to in case of accident is comparable with the dose from the natural (cosmic radiation background)

Fuel-Cycle and Nuclear Material Disposition Issues Associated with High-Temperature Gas Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shropshire, D.E.; Herring, J.S.

2004-01-01

The objective of this paper is to facilitate a better understanding of the fuel-cycle and nuclear material disposition issues associated with high-temperature gas reactors (HTGRs). This paper reviews the nuclear fuel cycles supporting early and present day gas reactors, and identifies challenges for the advanced fuel cycles and waste management systems supporting the next generation of HTGRs, including the Very High Temperature Reactor, which is under development in the Generation IV Program. The earliest gas-cooled reactors were the carbon dioxide (CO2)-cooled reactors. Historical experience is available from over 1,000 reactor-years of operation from 52 electricity-generating, CO2-cooled reactor plants that were placed in operation worldwide. Following the CO2 reactor development, seven HTGR plants were built and operated. The HTGR came about from the combination of helium coolant and graphite moderator. Helium was used instead of air or CO2 as the coolant. The helium gas has a significant technical base due to the experience gained in the United States from the 40-MWe Peach Bottom and 330-MWe Fort St. Vrain reactors designed by General Atomics. Germany also built and operated the 15-MWe Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor (AVR) and the 300-MWe Thorium High-Temperature Reactor (THTR) power plants. The AVR, THTR, Peach Bottom and Fort St. Vrain all used fuel containing thorium in various forms (i.e., carbides, oxides, thorium particles) and mixtures with highly enriched uranium. The operational experience gained from these early gas reactors can be applied to the next generation of nuclear power systems. HTGR systems are being developed in South Africa, China, Japan, the United States, and Russia. Elements of the HTGR system evaluated included fuel demands on uranium ore mining and milling, conversion, enrichment services, and fuel fabrication; fuel management in-core; spent fuel characteristics affecting fuel recycling and refabrication, fuel handling, interim

Activity transport in nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narasimhan, S.V.

2000-01-01

The chemistry of the primary coolant is such that the general material loss is immeasurably low. However, the generation of radioactive corrosion products in the coolant, their transportation and distribution to different out of core surfaces occur irrevocably through the life cycle of the reactor. This phenomena leading to the build up of radiation field, which is unique to the nuclear reactor systems, is the only major problem of any significance. Minimization of this phenomenon can be done by many ways. The processes involved in the mechanism of activity transport are quite complex and are not at all thoroughly understood. The codes that have been developed so far use many empirical coefficients for some of the rate processes, which are either partially justified by simulated experimental studies or supported theoretically. In a multi-metal system like that of the reactor, the corrosion rates or release rates need not be similar especially in reactors like PHWRs. The mechanisms involved in the formation of protective oxide coating are quite complex to model in a simplified manner. The paper brings out some these features involved in the activity transport modeling and analyses the need for extensive field related experimental work to substantiate the model. (author)

Existing experimental criticality data applicable to nuclear-fuel-transportation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bierman, S.R.

1983-02-01

Analytical techniques are generally relied upon in making criticality evaluations involving nuclear material outside reactors. For these evaluations to be accepted the calculations must be validated by comparison with experimental data for a known set of conditions having physical and neutronic characteristics similar to those conditions being evaluated analytically. The purpose of this report is to identify those existing experimental data that are suitable for use in verifying criticality calculations on nuclear fuel transportation systems. In addition, near term needs for additional data in this area are identified. Of the considerable amount of criticality data currently existing, that are applicable to non-reactor systems, those particularly suitable for use in support of nuclear material transportation systems have been identified and catalogued into the following groups: (1) critical assemblies of fuel rods in water; (2) critical assemblies of fuel rods in water containing soluble neutron absorbers; (3) critical assemblies containing solid neutron absorber; (4) critical assemblies of fuel rods in water with heavy metal reflectors; and (5) critical assemblies of fuel rods in water with irregular features. A listing of the current near term needs for additional data in each of the groups has been developed for future use in planning criticality research in support of nuclear fuel transportation systems. The criticality experiments needed to provide these data are briefly described and identified according to priority and relative cost of performing the experiments

Spatiotemporal Regulation of Nuclear Transport Machinery and Microtubule Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Naoyuki; Sato, Masamitsu

2015-01-01

Spindle microtubules capture and segregate chromosomes and, therefore, their assembly is an essential event in mitosis. To carry out their mission, many key players for microtubule formation need to be strictly orchestrated. Particularly, proteins that assemble the spindle need to be translocated at appropriate sites during mitosis. A small GTPase (hydrolase enzyme of guanosine triphosphate), Ran, controls this translocation. Ran plays many roles in many cellular events: nucleocytoplasmic shuttling through the nuclear envelope, assembly of the mitotic spindle, and reorganization of the nuclear envelope at the mitotic exit. Although these events are seemingly distinct, recent studies demonstrate that the mechanisms underlying these phenomena are substantially the same as explained by molecular interplay of the master regulator Ran, the transport factor importin, and its cargo proteins. Our review focuses on how the transport machinery regulates mitotic progression of cells. We summarize translocation mechanisms governed by Ran and its regulatory proteins, and particularly focus on Ran-GTP targets in fission yeast that promote spindle formation. We also discuss the coordination of the spatial and temporal regulation of proteins from the viewpoint of transport machinery. We propose that the transport machinery is an essential key that couples the spatial and temporal events in cells. PMID:26308057

Status and future aspects of nuclear fuel cycle transports in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blechschmidt, M.; Keese, H.

1977-01-01

The transport practices in the Federal Republic of Germany for materials of the nuclear fuel cycle are discussed. Particularly containers and modes of transport for UF 6 , fresh and spent fuel elements, plutonium and radwaste are described, with main emphasis on transport to reprocessing and waste storage facilities. In most cases nuclear materials have to be shipped across the borders because at present neither an enrichment nor an industrial reprocessing plant exists in the Federal Republic of Germany. Transports are therefore carried out according to international standards, such as the IAEA recommendations laid down in legal traffic regulations. Control and physical protection are being exercised on the basis of national regulations. The paper summarizes the experience gained in performing quite a number of various shipments and deals with the application of the relevant transport regulations. It also gives a brief outlook on future aspects, such as the increasing transport volume, and transport problems related to decommissioning and the operation of a nuclear fuel cycle center

COPI-mediated retrograde trafficking from the Golgi to the ER regulates EGFR nuclear transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ying-Nai; Wang, Hongmei; Yamaguchi, Hirohito; Lee, Hong-Jen; Lee, Heng-Huan; Hung, Mien-Chie

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → ARF1 activation is involved in the EGFR transport to the ER and the nucleus. → Assembly of γ-COP coatomer mediates EGFR transport to the ER and the nucleus. → Golgi-to-ER retrograde trafficking regulates nuclear transport of EGFR. -- Abstract: Emerging evidence indicates that cell surface receptors, such as the entire epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family, have been shown to localize in the nucleus. A retrograde route from the Golgi to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is postulated to be involved in the EGFR trafficking to the nucleus; however, the molecular mechanism in this proposed model remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that membrane-embedded vesicular trafficking is involved in the nuclear transport of EGFR. Confocal immunofluorescence reveals that in response to EGF, a portion of EGFR redistributes to the Golgi and the ER, where its NH 2 -terminus resides within the lumen of Golgi/ER and COOH-terminus is exposed to the cytoplasm. Blockage of the Golgi-to-ER retrograde trafficking by brefeldin A or dominant mutants of the small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor, which both resulted in the disassembly of the coat protein complex I (COPI) coat to the Golgi, inhibit EGFR transport to the ER and the nucleus. We further find that EGF-dependent nuclear transport of EGFR is regulated by retrograde trafficking from the Golgi to the ER involving an association of EGFR with γ-COP, one of the subunits of the COPI coatomer. Our findings experimentally provide a comprehensive pathway that nuclear transport of EGFR is regulated by COPI-mediated vesicular trafficking from the Golgi to the ER, and may serve as a general mechanism in regulating the nuclear transport of other cell surface receptors.

Analysis of NEPA/CEQ requirements with respect to nuclear materials transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, K.E.L.; Welles, B.W.; Pellettieri, M.W.

1983-01-01

This paper examines the responsibility of federal agencies concerned with nuclear materials transportation decisions that come within the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the requirements established by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Two of the case histories presented in this paper focus on actions taken by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). A third case history, in which the limits of environmental impact are judicially redefined, presents an analysis of NEPA application in an NRC licensing action. The decision by the US Supreme Court (April 19, 1983) disallowed psychological stress as a factor to be required in environmental analysis of federal actions. The review by the Supreme Court of environmental impact considerations required under NEPA is clearly transferable to federal actions involving transportation of nuclear materials. Of interest in these examples is the application of NEPA requirements for worst-case analysis and the employment of the rule of reason by a federal agency to determine the limits of its NEPA obligations

The rationale/benefits of nuclear thermal rocket propulsion for NASA's lunar space transportation system

Science.gov (United States)

Borowski, Stanley K.

1994-09-01

The solid core nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) represents the next major evolutionary step in propulsion technology. With its attractive operating characteristics, which include high specific impulse (approximately 850-1000 s) and engine thrust-to-weight (approximately 4-20), the NTR can form the basis for an efficient lunar space transportation system (LTS) capable of supporting both piloted and cargo missions. Studies conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center indicate that an NTR-based LTS could transport a fully-fueled, cargo-laden, lunar excursion vehicle to the Moon, and return it to low Earth orbit (LEO) after mission completion, for less initial mass in LEO than an aerobraked chemical system of the type studied by NASA during its '90-Day Study.' The all-propulsive NTR-powered LTS would also be 'fully reusable' and would have a 'return payload' mass fraction of approximately 23 percent--twice that of the 'partially reusable' aerobraked chemical system. Two NTR technology options are examined--one derived from the graphite-moderated reactor concept developed by NASA and the AEC under the Rover/NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) programs, and a second concept, the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR). The paper also summarizes NASA's lunar outpost scenario, compares relative performance provided by different LTS concepts, and discusses important operational issues (e.g., reusability, engine 'end-of life' disposal, etc.) associated with using this important propulsion technology.

Overview of nuclear power plant equipment qualification issues and practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torr, K.G.

1989-01-01

This report presents a view of and commentary on the current status of equipment qualification (EQ) in nuclear industries of the major western nations. The introductory chapters discuss the concepts of EQ, the elements of EQ process and highlight some of the key issues in EQ. A brief review of industry practices and some of the prevalent industrial standards is presented, followed by an overview of current regulatory positions in the USA, France, Germany and Sweden. A summary and commentary on the latest research findings on issues relating to accident simulation, to aging simulation and some special topics related to EQ, has been contributed by Franklin Research Centre of Philadelphia. The last part of the report deals with equipment qualification in Canada and gives recommendations on EQ for new plants as well as currently operational CANDU nuclear power plants

Transport of nuclear material under the 1971 Brussels Convention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagorce, M.

1975-01-01

The legal regime in force before entry into force of the 1971 Brussels Convention relating to civil liability for the maritime carriage of nuclear material created serious difficulties for maritime carriers, regarding both the financial risks entailed and restrictions on enjoyment of the rights granted by civil liability conventions. The 1971 Convention exonerates from liability any person likely to be held liable for nuclear damage under maritime law, provided another person is liable under the nuclear conventions or an equivalent national law. A problem remaining is that of compensation of nuclear damage to the means of transport for countries not having opted for re-inclusion of such damage in the nuclear law regime; this does not apply however to countries having ratified the Convention to date. A feature of the latter is that it establishes as extensively as possible the priority of nuclear law over maritime law. Furthermore the new regime continues to preserve efficiently the interests of victims of nuclear incidents. It is therefore to be hoped that insurers will no longer hesitate to cover international maritime carriage of nuclear material [fr

Proceedings of conference on public policy issues in nuclear waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-01-01

This conference was designed to provide a public forum in which to identify and discuss the legal, institutional, social, environmental, and other public policy issues relating to nuclear waste management. This volume is a comprehensive synthesis of the speeches, papers, and discussions during the plenary and luncheon sessions. Preliminary goals are proposed for nuclear waste management. Separate abstracts were prepared for the ten papers. (DLC)

76 FR 52731 - On-Line Complaint Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-23

... for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of... consumer protection and civil rights laws and regulations related to air transportation. The Enforcement... travelers, and to ensure safe and adequate service in air transportation. Filing a complaint using a web...

An introduction to neutron transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiesenfeld, Bernard

2015-01-01

Neutron transport science is the study of neutron transport in a nuclear reactor and of associated nuclear reactions, notably fission reactions. Heat released by these reactions can be used for several purposes: electricity production, hydrogen production, sea water desalination, urban heating, naval propulsion, space propulsion, and so on. This publication contains the course proposed at Mines ParisTech and at the Arts et Metiers ParisTech. It is an introduction to neutron transport science and aims at presenting fundamental physical principles of this original branch of nuclear physics, a so called 'low energies' branch whereas 'high energy' nuclear physics focuses on elementary particles. It addresses complex computation methods which have been developed during the last decades with computation codes of always higher performance. The first part presents elements of atom physics: origin of matter, properties of nuclei and atoms, notion of quantum mechanics, interaction between radiation and matter (ray absorption, Compton Effect and scattering, photoelectric effect). The second part introduces neutron transport by addressing the following issues: nuclear structure, the various aspects of the interaction between neutrons and matter, the evolution of the reactivity of a reactor in normal operation, the chain fission reaction kinetics, and neutron slowing down. The third part addresses various aspects of neutron transport calculation: expression of neutron assessment, scattering approximation, critical condition of a nuclear reactor, introduction to transport theory, peculiarities of fast breeder reactors. The last chapter 'from theory to practice' addresses the approach of the neutron scientist, proposes an overview of the main calculation codes, and presents fields of application (within or without nuclear fission)

Nuclear critical safety analysis for UX-30 transport of freight package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quan Yanhui; Zhou Qi; Yin Shenggui

2014-01-01

The nuclear critical safety analysis and evaluation for UX-30 transport freight package in the natural condition and accident condition were carried out with MONK-9A code and MCNP code. Firstly, the critical benchmark experiment data of public in international were selected, and the deflection and subcritical limiting value with MONK-9A code and MCNP code in calculating same material form were validated and confirmed. Secondly, the neutron efficiency multiplication factors in the natural condition and accident condition were calculated and analyzed, and the safety in transport process was evaluated by taking conservative suppose of nuclear critical safety. The calculation results show that the max value of k eff for UX-30 transport freight package is less than the subcritical limiting value, and the UX-30 transport freight package is in the state of subcritical safety. Moreover, the critical safety index (CSI) for UX-30 package can define zero based on the definition of critical safety index. (authors)

Analysis of the transportation logistics for spent nuclear fuel in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyo Jik; Ko, Won Il; Seo, Ki Seok

2010-01-01

As a part of the back-end fuel cycle, transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear power plants (NPP s ) to a fuel storage facility is very important in establishing a nuclear fuel cycle. In Korea, the accumulated amount of SNF in the NPP pools is troublesome since the temporary storage facilities at these NPP pools are expected to be full of SNF within ten years. Therefore, Korea cannot help but plan for the construction of an interim storage facility to solve this problem in the near future. Especially, a decision on several factors, such as where the interim storage facility should be located, how many casks a transport ship can carry at a time and how many casks are initially required, affect the configuration of the transportation system. In order to analyze the various possible candidate scenarios, we assumed four cases for the interim storage facility location, three cases for the load capacity that a transport ship can carry and two cases for the total amount of casks used for transportation. First, this study considered the currently accumulated amount of SNF in Korea, and the amount of SNF generated from NPP s until all NPP s are shut down. Then, how much SNF per year must be transported from theNPP s to an interim storage facility was calculated during an assumed transportation period. Second, 24 candidate transportation scenarios were constructed by a combination of the decision factors. To construct viable yearly transportation schedules for the selected 24 scenarios, we created a spreadsheet program named TranScenario, which was developed by using MS EXCEL. TranScenario can help schedulers input shipping routes and allocate transportation casks. Also,TranScenario provides information on the cask distribution in the NPP s and in the interim storage facility automatically, by displaying it in real time according to the shipping routes, cask types and cask numbers that the user generates. Once a yearly transportation schedule is established

Furthering better communication and understanding of nuclear issues through public education: a public school teacher's perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danfelser, M.

1984-01-01

Recent reports of national commissions and study groups have pointed out that the American educational system is not meeting the needs of its students. Uniformly, the reports call for a new instructional focus designed to achieve the goal of ''universal scientific and technological literacy for citizenship.'' The population's inability to deal with numerous controversial science-related social issues forms the basis for this call for educational reform. Foremost on the list of science-related social issues are nuclear issues in general and the storage of nuclear waste in particular. The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) 1983 publication ''Guidelines for Teaching Science Related Social Issues'' was designed to encourage stronger instructional emphasis on science-related social issues, and to provide social studies teachers with a rational and structure for the presentation of the issues. This paper discusses the dilemmas faced by educators who attempt to deal with science-related social issues. Also, it addresses the need for instructional materials in order to effectively address nuclear issues in the classroom

Workshop on technology issues of superconducting Maglev transportation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wegrzyn, J.E.; Shaw, D.T.

1991-01-01

There exists a critical need in the United States to improve its ground transportation system. One suggested system that offers many advantages over the current transportation infrastructure is Maglev. Maglev represents the latest evolution in very high and speed ground transportation, where vehicles are magnetically levitated, guided, and propelled over elevated guideways at speeds of 300 miles per hour. Maglev is not a new concept but is, however, receiving renewed interest. The objective of this workshop was to further promote these interest by bringing together a small group of specialists in Maglev technology to discuss Maglev research needs and to identify key research issues to the development of a successful Maglev system. The workshop was organized into four sessions based on the following technical areas: Materials, Testing, and Shielding; Magnet Design and Cryogenic Systems; Propulsion and Levitation Systems; and, System Control and Integration

Issues related to choosing a guard force structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auerback, C.; Cusack, J.; Green, L.; Higinbotham, W.; Indusi, J.; Marcuse, W.; Weinstock, E.

1975-01-01

The establishment of a federal security force has been suggested as an additional step to protect nuclear material. The force would be given the responsibility for guarding nuclear facilities and shipments of nuclear materials. This paper summarizes a study to identify the issues that are relevant to choosing between the private guard forces that are presently employed by industry or a guard force under federal authority. To examine the issues which would be relevant, three possible types of security force structures were selected for comparison: a federal force under central authority, a private guard force employed by or under contract to a facility, and a private arrangement to employ local police officers similar to the arrangement for armed guards at airports. The issues were divided into seven categories: (1) Legal Considerations, (2) Liability, (3) Staffing and Operations, (4) Costs, (5) Relationship to Off-site Forces, (6) Management and Control, (7) Transportation

IAEA to hold special session on nuclear terrorism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

Experts from around the world are meeting at the IAEA this week for an international symposium on nuclear safeguards, verification, and security. A special session on 2 November focuses on the issue of combating nuclear terrorism. The Special Session, which will bring together experts on nuclear terrorism from around the world, will deal with the following issues: The Psychology of terrorism; Intelligence, police and border protection; Guarding nuclear reactors and material from terrorists and thieves; The threat of nuclear terrorism: Nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; The threat of nuclear terrorism: Intentional dispersal of radioactive material - Sabotage of fixed installations or transport systems; The Legal Framework: Treaties and Conventions, Laws; Regulations and Codes of Practice; IAEA Nuclear Security and Safety Programmes

UFD Storage and Transportation - Transportation Working Group Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maheras, Steven J.; Ross, Steven B.

2011-01-01

The Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Transportation Task commenced in October 2010. As its first task, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) compiled a list of structures, systems, and components (SSCs) of transportation systems and their possible degradation mechanisms during extended storage. The list of SSCs and the associated degradation mechanisms (known as features, events, and processes (FEPs)) were based on the list of used nuclear fuel (UNF) storage system SSCs and degradation mechanisms developed by the UFD Storage Task (Hanson et al. 2011). Other sources of information surveyed to develop the list of SSCs and their degradation mechanisms included references such as Evaluation of the Technical Basis for Extended Dry Storage and Transportation of Used Nuclear Fuel (NWTRB 2010), Transportation, Aging and Disposal Canister System Performance Specification, Revision 1 (OCRWM 2008), Data Needs for Long-Term Storage of LWR Fuel (EPRI 1998), Technical Bases for Extended Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (EPRI 2002), Used Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Extended Storage Collaboration Program (EPRI 2010a), Industry Spent Fuel Storage Handbook (EPRI 2010b), and Transportation of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel, Issues Resolution (EPRI 2010c). SSCs include items such as the fuel, cladding, fuel baskets, neutron poisons, metal canisters, etc. Potential degradation mechanisms (FEPs) included mechanical, thermal, radiation and chemical stressors, such as fuel fragmentation, embrittlement of cladding by hydrogen, oxidation of cladding, metal fatigue, corrosion, etc. These degradation mechanisms are discussed in Section 2 of this report. The degradation mechanisms have been evaluated to determine if they would be influenced by extended storage or high burnup, the need for additional data, and their importance to transportation. These categories were used to identify the most significant transportation degradation mechanisms. As expected, for the most part, the

Strategic and policy issues raised by the transition from thermal to fast nuclear systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The renewed interest in nuclear energy triggered by concerns about global climate change and security of supply, which could lead to substantial growth in nuclear electricity generation, enhances the attractiveness of fast neutron reactors with closed fuel cycles. Moving from the current fleet of thermal neutron reactors to fast neutron systems will require many decades and extensive RD-D efforts. This book identifies and analyses key strategic and policy issues raised by such a transition, aiming at providing guidance to decision makers on the best approaches for implementing transition scenarios. The topics covered in this book will be of interest to government and nuclear industry policy makers as well as to specialists working on nuclear energy system analyses and advanced fuel cycle issues. (author)

Initiatives in transport cask licensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, John

1998-01-01

The variations in research reactor fuel form, configuration, irradiation characteristics, and transport cask have required a substantial number of transport cask licensing actions associated with foreign research reactor spent fuel transportation. When compounded by limited time for shipment preparations, due to contract timing or delayed receipt of technical data, the number and timing of certifications has adversely impacted the ability of regulatory agencies to support intended shipping schedules. This issue was brought into focus at a april, 1998 meeting among DOE, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and DOE's spent fuel transportation contractors. (author)

Equipment transporter for nuclear steam generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, L.R.

1987-01-01

A transporter is described for use in a steam generator of a nuclear power installation. The generator is essentially a heat exchanger having a vertically extended shell. Across the lower portion extends a horizontal tube sheet having an upper surface which supports a bundle of vertically extending tubes forming a limited annular space with the inside of the shell wall and the upper surface. An opening of limited dimensions through the shell wall gains manual access to the limited annular space. The transporter has means for locating and removing solid debris from the upper surface of the tube sheet in the annular space and has a means for assembly and disassembly of the transporter so that it may be manually passed through the shell opening to and from a position on the upper surface of the tube sheet in the annular space. The transporter includes: a body; at least three wheels mounted on the body for engaging the upper surface of the tube sheet; a first motor mounted on the body drivingly connected to the wheels for moving the transporter along the upper surface of the tube sheet in the annular space; a remotely operated means on the body for locating solid debris on the upper surface of the tube sheet; and means for securing and removing solid debris on the upper surface of the tube sheet located by the means for locating

Key Regulatory Issues for Digital Instrumentation and Control Systems at Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korsah, Kofi; Wood, Richard Thomas

2008-01-01

To help reduce the uncertainty associated with application of digital instrumentation and controls (I and C) technology in nuclear power plants, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued six Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) documents that address the current regulatory positions on what are considered the significant digital I and C issues. These six documents address the following topics: Cyber Security, Diversity and Defense-in-Depth, Risk Informed Digital I and C Regulation, Communication issues, Human Factors and the Digital I and C Licensing Process (currently issued as Draft). After allowing for further refinement based on additional technical insight gathered by NRC staff through near-term research and detailed review of relevant experience, it is expected that updated positions ultimately will be incorporated into regulatory guides and staff review procedures. This paper presents an overview of the guidance provided by the NRC-issued ISGs on key technology considerations (i.e., the first five documents above) for safety-related digital I and C systems.

Public acceptance of nuclear power. Some ethical issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrecht, P.; Arungu-Olende, S.; Francis, J.M.; Nashed, W.; Nwosu, B.C.E.; Rose, D.J.; Shinn, R.L.; de Gaspar, D.

1977-01-01

Through a careful process of investigation and inquiry, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has become aware of a decline of public confidence in existing social institutions responsible for maintaining and securing the nuclear fuel cycle. In addressing this concern, the World Council of Churches seeks a direct assurance from the IAEA and other responsible government bodies that new initiatives will be taken to resolve this anxiety and to place the acknowledged risks of an expanding nuclear power industry in a more realistic long-term perspective. The provision of energy resources for all peoples is an essential part of the struggle for a more just, participatory and sustainable society. In the light of current uncertainties over the maintenance of energy supplies, particularly to large urban communities, the WCC appreciates the necessity of retaining nuclear power as a viable option for the future in many countries. However, the credibility of the option can be achieved only through the resolution of the major questions that are inherent in the use of nuclear technology. The paper discusses the following questions, which must be tackled without further delay and certainly before a large and irreversible world-wide commitment is made: (1) The need for an open public debate. Without full public consultation on the social and ethical implications of long-term energy choices, decisions will be taken largely in terms of commercial and consequently short-term economic interest. (2) Facing the long-term risks of adopting nuclear technology. (3) Access versus security. Concern for the security of sensitive nuclear technologies has produced the secretive nuclear club. A just global society implies not merely equal opportunity to aspire and to achieve, but affirmative action to redress imbalances. (4) Military implications. (5) Social implications of nuclear energy. (6) Ethical and religious issues. (author)

Issues and scenarios for nuclear waste management systems analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendel, J.E.

1980-11-01

The Planning and Analysis Branch of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Waste Management Programs is developing a new systems integration program. The Pacific Northwest Laboratory was requested to perform a brief scoping analysis of what scenarios, questions, and issues should be addressed by the systems integration program. This document reports on that scoping analysis

Spent nuclear fuel transport: Problem state and analysis of modern approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nosovs'kij, A.V.; Yatsenko, M.V.

2018-01-01

The paper presents the review of international and national experience related to transport of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and trends in the development of transport containers. The analysis covers the vectors for the future improvement of packaging and the regulatory framework on SNF transport in Ukraine and other countries. The tasks for future research were identified. The results of this research will be used during the operation of the CSNSF.

Pair production from nuclear collisions and cosmic ray transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norbury, John W

2006-01-01

Modern cosmic ray transport codes, that are capable of use for a variety of applications, need to include all significant atomic, nuclear and particle reactions at a variety of energies. Lepton pair production from nucleus-nucleus collisions has not been included in transport codes to date. Using the methods of Baur, Bertulani and Baron, the present report provides estimates of electron-positron pair production cross sections for nuclei and energies relevant to cosmic ray transport. It is shown that the cross sections are large compared to other typical processes such as single neutron removal due to strong or electromagnetic interactions. Therefore, lepton pair production may need to be included in some transport code applications involving MeV electrons. (brief report)

Legal issues associated with opting out of the use of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butzke, K.; Storr, S.

2000-01-01

The article is a summary of a conference held at Jena University at which the political issues of opting out of using nuclear power were scrutinized under aspects of (constitutional) law. The results of the conference were summed up in the Jena Theses about Opting out of the use of Nuclear Power. (orig.) [de

Online estimation of radionuclide transportation in water environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi-Jing Zhang; Li-Sheng Hu

2017-01-01

Transportation evaluation of the radionuclide waste discharged from nuclear power plants is an essential licensing issue, especially for inland sites. Basically, the dynamics of radionuclide transportation are nonlinear and time-varying. Motivated by its time-consuming computation, the work proposed an online estimation method for the radionuclide waste in water surface. After extracting the nonlinearity of factors influencing radionuclide transportation, the method utilizes transfer function and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity models to perform deterministic and probabilistic estimations. It turns out that, the resulting predictions show high accuracy and can optimize the online discharge management of radioactive waste for nuclear power plants. (author)

Draft report on compilation of generic safety issues for light water reactor nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-07-01

A generally accepted approach to characterizing the safety concerns in nuclear power plants is to express them as safety issues which need to be resolved. When such safety issues are applicable to a generation of plants of a particular design or to a family of plants of similar design, they are termed generic safety issues. Examples of generic safety issues are those related to reactor vessel embrittlement, control rod insertion reliability or strainer clogging. The safety issues compiled in this document are based on broad international experience. This compilation is one element in the framework of IAEA activities to assist Member States in reassessing the safety of operating nuclear power plants. Refs.

Draft report on compilation of generic safety issues for light water reactor nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-07-01

A generally accepted approach to characterizing the safety concerns in nuclear power plants is to express them as safety issues which need to be resolved. When such safety issues are applicable to a generation of plants of a particular design or to a family of plants of similar design, they are termed generic safety issues. Examples of generic safety issues are those related to reactor vessel embrittlement, control rod insertion reliability or strainer clogging. The safety issues compiled in this document are based on broad international experience. This compilation is one element in the framework of IAEA activities to assist Member States in reassessing the safety of operating nuclear power plants. Refs

Dual Liability for Nuclear Damage in Conventions and Finnish Legislation in the Field of Transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manninen, J.

1986-01-01

The exception made in the 1960 Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy to the otherwise absolute channelling of liability in order to avoid conflicts with the then existing international agreements in the field of transport is briefly described. The dual liability created by this provision is studied, as well as the question whether and when the victim might prefer to base his claim on a transport agreement instead of the Paris Convention. The so-called nuclear clauses in the new agreements in the transport field are analysed. The problems caused by the absence of a nuclear clause in the Guatemala City and Montreal Protocols, amending the Warsaw Convention relating to international air carriage are noted. Finally the relationship between nuclear liability legislation and transport legislation in Finland, as well as the cases where a dual liability existed at the time of the ratification of the Paris Convention and the changes which have taken place since then are described. (NEA) [fr

Present situation and problems of nuclear-security-related legislation in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, Kazutomo

2013-01-01

This paper shows surveys of current Japanese regulations relevant to nuclear security, including regulations for nuclear damage compensation. It also shows the regulatory issues still left unresolved, particularly the question of whether existing laws are broad enough, or whether new legislation will be needed. The largest unresolved issue is how to establish a system of physical protection of nuclear materials for broader nuclear security purposes within a system that was originally introduced only to control nuclear proliferation. Such a system will necessitate a radical revision of the relevant law. Moreover, the current regulations have left unresolved the physical protection of radioactive materials used in research, medical, and non-nuclear-power-related industrial operations. Japanese legislation has already authorized an integrated Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Its mandate should include introduction of a physical protection system for currently unregulated radioactive materials. This will also necessitate a radical revision of the relevant law. Comprehensive consideration should also be given to transportation of nuclear materials away from the site of nuclear material processing businesses. Current regulation also leaves this issue unresolved. There is a possibility that consistent protective measures may not be possible across transportation modes even under the recent legislation that authorized reorganization of nuclear regulatory authorities. (author)

Some recent human performance issues at U.S. nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauffman, John V.

1998-01-01

Some recent events at U.S. operating nuclear power plants revealed interesting human performance issues. Events discussed in this paper are: (1) a September 1996 event at Clinton, (2) a February 1997 event at Zion 1, and (3) March 1997 operator failures of 'in-house' examinations at LaSalle. The specific human performance weaknesses exhibited in these events, some underlying organizational or institutional issues and factors which influenced operators and their management, and implications regarding regulatory oversight are discussed. (author)

Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Risk Assessment Methodology for Homeland Security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teagarden, Grant A.; Canavan, Kenneth T.; Nickell, Robert E.

2006-01-01

In response to increased interest in risk-informed decision making regarding terrorism, EPRI was selected by U.S. DHS and ASME to develop and demonstrate a nuclear sector specific methodology for owner / operators to utilize in performing a Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection (RAMCAP) assessment for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The objective is to characterize SNF transportation risk for risk management opportunities and to provide consistent information for DHS decision making. The method uses a characterization of risk as a function of Consequence, Vulnerability, and Threat. Worst reasonable case scenarios characterize risk for a benchmark set of threats and consequence types. A trial application was successfully performed and implementation is underway by one utility. (authors)

Biomechanics of the transport barrier in the nuclear pore complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, George J; Fassati, Ariberto; Hoogenboom, Bart W

2017-08-01

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the selective gateway through which all molecules must pass when entering or exiting the nucleus. It is a cog in the gene expression pathway, an entrance to the nucleus exploited by viruses, and a highly-tuned nanoscale filter. The NPC is a large proteinaceous assembly with a central lumen occluded by natively disordered proteins, known as FG-nucleoporins (or FG-nups). These FG-nups, along with a family of soluble proteins known as nuclear transport receptors (NTRs), form the selective transport barrier. Although much is known about the transport cycle and the necessity of NTRs for chaperoning cargo molecules through the NPC, the mechanism by which NTRs and NTR•cargo complexes translocate the selective transport barrier is not well understood. How can disordered FG-nups and soluble NTRs form a transport barrier that is selective, ATP-free, and fast? In this work, we review various mechanical approaches - both experimental and theoretical/computational - employed to better understand the morphology of the FG-nups, and their role in nucleocytoplasmic transport. Recent experiments on FG-nups tethered to planar surfaces, coupled with quantitative modelling work suggests that FG-nup morphologies are the result of a finely balanced system with significant contributions from FG-nup cohesiveness and entropic repulsion, and from NTR•FG-nup binding avidity; whilst AFM experiments on intact NPCs suggest that the FG-nups are sufficiently cohesive to form condensates in the centre of the NPC lumen, which may transiently dissolve to facilitate the transport of larger cargoes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.