Transport and handling
Safe transportation and handling processes
From the safety perspective, protecting people and the environment against the effects of radiation during the transport and handling of components in nuclear plants as well as the handling, storage and of fuel elements and other radioactive substances have a high priority. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent safety components and systems with radio-nuclide inventories from being compromised in their safety function and integrity during transportation and handling.
Specific requirements apply to the design, installation and function of transport and handling equipment depending on the effects of a potential failure during their use.
TÜV NORD Nuclear assesses handling processes and the associated technical equipment from the planning stage onwards and verifies the due consideration of the safety requirements on design, construction, commissioning and operation.
Requirements on transport and handling devices
Transport and handling equipment must be designed such that a failure with a resulting malfunction of the safety systems or an unacceptable release of radioactive substances is avoided.
Equally, with regard to transport and storage containers, the staff or the environment must not be exposed to unacceptable internal or external radiation.
Comprehensive services
- Assessment of transport concepts and transport processes and the required technical equipment
- Design reviews of the transportation and handling equipment
- Inspections during construction, commissioning and operation
- Assessment of operating procedures
- Assessment of technical modifications and maintenance measures
- Participation in recurrent in-service inspections (ISI) of the transport and handling equipment, like
- Lifting equipment (crane, hoists and other load-carrying equipment)
- Industrial trucks, like fork lifts
- Storage facilities for fuel elements and other radioactive substances (e.g. for transport and storage containers for spent fuel and high-level waste)
- as well as in the ISI of other mechanical components and systems such as
- Handling and dismantling equipment for decommissioning of nuclear facilities
- Remote handling equipment and manipulators
- Conditioning and packaging equipment
- Assessment of incidents and events that must be reported
- Assessment of monitoring equipment for fuel element storage containers
- Assessment of the suitability of containers for radioactive substances and waste with regard to transport and storage of radioactive substances, particularly with regard to the longer-term interim storage of radioactive waste (type tests).
