The Design, Manufacture and Testing of a Container Module to Satisfy the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material – 1985 Edition (as Amended 1990), for the Transport of an Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (AGR) Gas Circulator

Abstract

Heysham 1 and Hartlepool Nuclear Power Stations share a common design of gas circulator and a requirement was identified to transport a spare circulator between the Stations. The circulators are 6 m long, 2 m diameter and weigh approximately 38 tonnes. The circulator becomes contaminated in use and is classified as suitable for transport as SCO-II. It can therefore be transported within a Type 2 Industrial Package (IP-2), in accordance with the IAEA Transport Regulations. An appropriate package, the Gas Circulator Transportation Module, based on ISO container standards, was designed, manufactured and tested, and a Safety Case prepared addressing the radiological hazards associated with the transport of a gas circulator and demonstrating regulatory compliance. Following the issue of a Certificate of Regulatory Compliance, the container module was used· to transport a gas circulator from Heysham 1 to Hartlepool, paving the way for similar purpose-designed modules for the transport of large components.