Safety of Research Reactors Research Reactors. Nuclear Safety in - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Inspectorate of Housing Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM-Inspectorate) Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation The Netherlands

Safety of Research Reactors Research Reactors.

Nuclear Safety in Europe

• Dr. P

.J.W.M. (Piet) Müskens Director - inspector, Department for Nuclear Safety Security

First Regulatory Conference Session 2: Challenges and perspectives

Department for Nuclear Safety, Security, Safeguards and Radiation Protection

perspectives

contents

• research reactors in Europe (and world wide)
• safety for people and safety for patients
• stress test on research reactors

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 2

research reactors in Europe & w orld w ide

sources of information WENRA - enquiry

• research reactors under supervision of the WENRA

regulatory bodies (nov. 2010) d b IAEA data base

• “Nuclear Research Reactors in the World”

(www.iaea.org/ worldatom/ rrdb)

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 3

research reactors in Europe & w orld w ide

reactor status in operation

60%

6 3 ( E) 2 4 1 ( w w ) shut down 3 6 % ( ) 3 % ( )

30% 40% 50%

actors

3 6 % ( E) 3 1 % ( w w ) decommissioned not incl 3 2 % ( w w )

10% 20% 30%

centage of rea

not incl. 3 2 % ( w w )

0%

in operation shut down planned or decommissioned in construction

perc Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011

(sources: W ENRA-enquiry & I AEA data base)

4

research reactors in Europe & w orld w ide

reactor age in operation

50% 60%

6 3 ( E) 6 6 0 ( w w ) > 30 years 8 0 % ( ) 0 % ( )

30% 40%

f reactors

8 0 % ( E) 7 0 % ( w w ) > 40 years 6 0 % ( E) 5 5 % ( w w )

10% 20%

percentage o

6 0 % ( E) 5 5 % ( w w )

0%

0 - 10 10 - 20 20 - 30 30 - 40 > 40 age [ years] 0 - 10 10 - 20 20 - 30 30 - 40 > 40 age [ years] Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011

(sources: W ENRA-enquiry & I AEA data base)

5

research reactors in Europe & w orld w ide

most important safety issues 1. ageing 2. shut down reactors to be decommissioned also 3. safety culture Beware of “small reactor operated by scientists”- Beware of small reactor operated by scientists complacency.

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 6

safety for people and safety for patients

the HFR-problem deformations and suspected leak in the reducer of the bottom plug liner

• f the

primary cooling system

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 7

safety for people and safety for patients

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 8

safety for people and safety for patients

Governmental decision making proces

assessment by assessment by y Nuclear Supervisor reactor operation not as safe as should be assessment by Ministry of Health production of radioisotopes is necessary but safe 'enough' is necessary Government consideration balance of safety interests Government decision: restart allow ed

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 9

Government decision: restart allow ed

safety for people and safety for patients

Governmental decision making process three golden rules:

• transparency
• peer scrutiny

p y

• responsibility

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 10

safety for people and safety for patients

follow-up

• careful planning including setbacks and misfortunes
• February 2010: start repair
• September 2010: start repaired reactor (according to planning)

p p ( g p g)

• reactor operates without significant problems for 15 months
• INSARR mission (March 2011) showed good results

INSARR mission (March 2011) showed good results

• careful monitoring of the cooling continues

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 11

stress test on research reactors

• all nuclear reactors will be subjected to a stress test
• voluntary decision by the licensees
• Petten: High Flux reactor (open pool, 50 MWth)

th

Low Flux reactor (Argonaut, 30 kWth)

• Delft:

University reactor (open pool, 3 MWth)

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 12

stress test on research reactors

Reasons to subject research reactors to stress test

• vicinity of other nuclear installations (Petten)
• vicinity of populated areas (Delft)
• flooding susceptible area

g p

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 13

concluding remarks

• Important safety issues world wide with research reactors are

the ageing or the reactors and the large number of shut down reactors, which are not decommissioned. reactors, which are not decommissioned.

• In Petten the effects of ageing of the cooling pipes have been

temporary overcome by successful repair; careful monitoring ti continues.

• The stress test on research reactors will lead to the identification
• f possible measures to improve nuclear safety of the reactors in
• peration
• Hopefully the stress test will also lead to real decommissioning of

the many reactors in shut down state

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011

the many reactors in shut down state

14

Piet Müskens; Safety of Research Reactors Nuclear Safety in Europe; Brussels; 28 & 29 June 2011 15