The IAEA CRP

In 1996 the IAEA initiated a CRP on the corrosion of aluminium clad spent research reactor fuels to help evaluate the state of the spent fuel assemblies and to inform pool/basin operators regarding maintenance and housekeeping procedures to extend the lives of the FAs. The main activities of this programme are related to exposing racks of aluminium alloy specimens (coupons) in different spent fuel basins around the world. Five racks were suspended in the 1EA-R1 reactor pool and were subsequently withdrawn after different time spans to evaluate the extent of corrosion of the coupons as a function of alloy composition, crevices, bimetallic effects and water chemistry. During this period the pool water was monitored for pH, conductivity, chloride ion content and radiometry (Table 6.3). The IAEA CRP racks are denoted as racks 1,2A, 2B, 3A and 3B. 

This rack was immersed in the lEA-Rl research reactor pool on 1996-09-23 and was positioned close to a storage rack. 

The reactor water parameters, such as conductivity, pH and chloride ion concentration, were monitored periodically, and radiometric analysis of the water was also carried out (Table 6.3). The conductivity was determined directly (but intermittently) by the probe in the deionizing circuit. Conductivity was maintained at 2.0 j.S/cm.The pH was always in the range 5.5-6.5 and the chloride ion concentration was 0.2 ppm. When the conductivity came close to 2.0 j.S/cm or the chloride content came close to 0.2 ppm, the deionization resins were regenerated. The water specimens for radiological analysis were collected once a week after the reactor was switched off. Gamma spectroscopy was carried out to determine the nuclides Co, Co, Cr, Cs, 

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In recognition of these needs, a list of recommended half-life values for a number of actinide nuclides useful as standards for nuclear-data measurements was prepared several years ago [VAN83]. This list included both total and partial half-life data for 11 such nuclides - the important isotopes of U, Np and Pu, as well as 252Cf. Subsequently, these data were revised [REI85a] to incorporate the results of new measurements, some of them from the work of the CRP. These data are given in a recent paper [REI85b], as well as in the final report of the IAEA CRP. 

The corrosion of aluminium alloy coupons in the light water fuel storage basin of the IR-8 reactor has been studied at the Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Institute [12.1]. This investigation was part of the IAEA CRP on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water. The main objective of this project was to determine the environmental conditions that accelerate the corrosion of aluminium alloys in spent fuel storage conditions, and to control the corrosion. 

The corrosion monitoring programme of the IAEA CRP relating to typical aluminium alloys used for fuel cladding was carried out in the IR-8 research reactor storage basin of Kurchatov Institute. 

Paper presented on the First Meeting of the IAEA CRP held in Vienna, November 20-24 1989... 

The work of this CRP has recently concluded and a report summarizing the results of this task has been prepared. New, highly precise decay data on total and/or partial half-lives for 7 nuclides, a-particle emission probabilities (Pa) for 7 nuclides, and y-ray emission probabilities (Py) for 21 nuclides have been produced. The final list of recommended decay data includes these results, as well as those from other recent measurements, together with carefully evaluated information on a number of other nuclides. In all, this list includes half-life values for 125 nuclides and, for the more prominent transitions only, Pa values for 30 nuclides and Py values for 47 nuclides. [Some of these data represent simply the results of previously published evaluations.] These data will be included in the final report of the CRP, to be published as one of the IAEA Technical Reports Series. 

From 1998 to 2001, the IAEA conducted a CRP on techniques for labelling biomolecules for targeted therapy, whose participants developed several protocols and standard operating procedures for labelhng peptides with metallic radionuclides and iodine isotopes. These results are published in Ref. [1.21]. For the current CRP, it was decided to adopt the relevant results reported in that pubhcation. 

The authors wish to thank J. Hoderova, E. Teichmanova and 1. Filipova for excellent technical assistance. The study originated within the IAEA s CRP on comparative evaluation of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Research Agreement No. 12125, and was financially supported by the grant agency of Charles University — grant Nos 146/2004,405/2004 and 109/2005. 

We thank the IAEA for our participation in this CRP as well as for the kind offer of Tide and DOTATATE. We are grateful to WA.P. Breeman of the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, for his generous gift of T.uCI,. We also thank S. Kakabakos of the Institute of Radioisotopes and Radiodiagnostic Products for providing the - l used in the competition binding experiments. 

This work was financially supported by the National Research Programme of Health VIASAN (Project No. 367/2004) and by the IAEA through the CRP on comparative evaluation of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals (Contract No. 12122/RO). Their help in the successful completion of these studies is gratefully acknowledged. 

The results obtained by various laboratories during the CRP are summarized in this publication. The IAEA thanks all the CRP participants for their valuable contributions, and S. Banerjee for her help in compiling and editing this report. The IAEA officer responsible for this pubhcation was M.R.A. Pillai of the Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences. 

Polymers are the materials most often treated by radiation. Therefore in the recent past the IAEA has organized Cooordinated Research Projects (CRPs) in closely related areas, namely the stability and stabilization of polymers under irradiation, the radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex, the modification of polymers for biomedical applications such as the radiation synthesis of membranes, hydrogels and adsorbents. 

Some of these activities are already underway, e.g., in an IAEA Co-ordinated Research Program on Design and Evaluation of Heat Utilization Systems for the HTTR (CRP-4), which is scheduled from 1994 to 1999. International support of these activities is essential. 

The scientific investigations undertaken during the CRP involved ten institutes in nine countries. The IAEA furnished corrosion surveillance racks with aluminium alloys generally used in the manufacture of nuclear fuel cladding. The individual countries supplemented these racks with additional racks and coupons specific to materials in their storage basins. 

The initial corrosion racks provided by the IAEA were immersed in late 1996 in water storage pools with a wide range of water chemistry and environmental conditions, and were monitored for corrosion over a period of time. The results of these early observations were reported after 18 months at the second research co-ordination meeting (RCM) of the CRP, held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pitting and crevice corrosion were the primary corrosion mechanisms observed. Corrosion by deposition of iron and other cathodic particles on the... 

With aluminium clad fuel corrosion issues starting to appear in wet spent fuel storage basins around the world, the IAEA formulated a corrosion surveillance programme in late 1994. This scientific investigation was implemented in 1996 as part of an IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water. Scientists from countries worldwide were invited to participate [1.2]. The results of the CRP were presented at a final research co-ordination meeting (RCM) in Bangkok, Thailand, in October 2000 and are documented in Chapters 5-13. 

In December 1994, a meeting of corrosion experts was held at IAEA Headquarters in Vienna as part of an ongoing CRP entitled Irradiation Enhanced Degradation of Materials in Spent Fuel Storage Facilities. During this meeting, spent fuel corrosion issues at SRS and other sites in the USA were discussed by the SRS participant with the IAEA and the European participants. 

Nine countries — Argentina, Brazil, China, Hungary, India, Pakistan, the Russian Federation (two different sites), the USA and Thailand — were invited by the IAEA to participate in the CRP. Research agreements or contracts with institutes in these countries were put in place for work to be performed, and the IAEA provided a detailed work package and standard corrosion test coupons to each participant. 

In many countries, aluminium clad spent fuels are stored under water for extended periods. The release of fission products could take place through breaches in the cladding and could be a matter for serious concern. In view of this, the IAEA initiated a CRP within the framework of which coupons made from various aluminium alloys would be exposed in a number of spent fuel storage pools. 

The IAEA distributed racks 2 and 3, containing aluminium and stainless steel coupons, during the second RCM, in March 1998, to participants of the CRP, along with the test protocol. As the Pakistani representative could not attend the second RCM, the racks and the relevant literature were sent by mail by the IAEA and were received in July 1998. These racks were handled according to the test protocol and were immersed in the fuel storage bay in October 1998. Rack 1, received at the first RCM, had been immersed in the same bay since November 1996. 

This report documents the work performed in the IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water. The project consisted of the exposure of standard racks of corrosion coupons in the spent fuel pools of the participating research reactor laboratories and the evaluation of the coupons after predetermined exposure times, along with periodic monitoring of the storage water. The project was overseen by a supervisory group consisting of experts in the field, who also contributed a state of the art review that is included in this report. 

The IAEA has included in its budget and programme a Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) to address ageing problems. This CRP will be initiated in 1994 and will mainly cover issues related to non-destructive techniques and in-service inspection for research reactors. 

Development of the GT-MHR has already benefited substantially from international cooperation on research and development. The following coordinated research projects (CRPs) conducted by the IAEA in the 1990s have resulted in exchanges of technical data and analyses that have advanced the GT-MHR design and reduced development risks ... 

The decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities is of great interest to many Member States of the IAEA because of the large number of older nuclear facilities which have been or soon will be retired from service. In response to increased international interest in this area and to the needs of Member States, the IAEA initiated the Co-ordinated Research Progranune (CRP) on Decontamination and Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities to create a forum for scientists from different Member States, to bring them into closer contact. 

The first phase of the Co-ordinated Research Programme was carried out from 1984 to 1987. The scope of the programme was mainly oriented towards decontamination. However, selected decommissioning projects were included so that the participants could see how their work related to overall decommissioning activities. The salient features and achievements of the co-ordinated research work performed were summarized in IAEA-TECDOC-511 (1989). It was the recommendation of the participants that the IAEA should extend such initiative and undertake another phase of the CRP on decontamination and decommissioning. 

This IAEA CRP Research agreement breifing note has been provided with the permission of the Technology Division of Nuclear Electric. 

All these applications require the development of computer programmes and interface hardware. In recognizing this need, the IAEA initiated in 1990 a Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on Application of Personal Computers to Enhance Operation and Management of Research Reactors . The final meeting of the CRP was held firom 30 October to 3 November 1995 in Dalat Viet Nam. 

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