Vessel Decommissioning

Process and storage tanks that are no longer useful are usually the most difficult to decontaminate and remove. The steps in vessel decommissioning are as follows  

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This was the fourth ARW in this series of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-sponsored workshops in Moscow over the last 10 years. Like the three previous workshops, the fourth NATO-Russia ARW was focused on a very important global challenge of the present -complex decommissioning of taken-out-of-service naval and civil nuclear vessels and environmental rehabilitation of contaminated facilities, and terrestrial and aquatic systems concerned by everyday running of different type of nuclear vessels. 

The first NATO-Russia ARW (June 1995) addressed the general issues of decommissioning of nuclear submarines. The second ARW (November 1997) was focused on analysis of the risks associated with withdrawal from service, storage and dismantlement of nuclear submarines. The third workshop (April 2002) considered scientific problems and unresolved issues remaining in the decommissioning of nuclear-powered vessels and the environmental remediation of their supporting infrastructure. 

In addition, the participants of the fourth ARW heard the very first results from the team developing a Strategic Master-plan ( Master-plan ) for complex decommissioning of Russian nuclear submarines, nuclear-powered surface ships, service vessels and civil-fleet icebreakers. 

The proceedings of the 2004 NATO-Russia ARW taken together with the earlier published papers of the three previous workshops of 1995, 1997 and 2002 represents the most complete set of materials on the issues related to complex decommissioning of nuclear vessels and nuclear-powered ships. 

The actual situation related to complex decommissioning of nuclear vessels is characterized by the following ... 

IMPLEMENTATION OE THE CONCEPT AND THE PROGRAM OF COMPLEX DECOMMISSIONING OF NUCLEAR SUBMARINES, NUCLEAR-POWERED SURFACE SHIPS AND MAINTENANCE VESSELS AND REHABILITATION OF RADIATION-HAZARDOUS FACILITIES MAIN RESULTS AND UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS... 

Complex decommissioning of NS differs considerably from that of non-nuclear vessels and armaments due to presence of nuclear Reactor Installation (RI) containing considerable amormt of radioactive substances (up to 1 million Ci in activity) accumulated in Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and RI metal structures. 

Thus in addition to standard activities accompanying complex decommissioning of non-nuclear vessels - demilitarization (arms dismantling), dismantlement of equipment, cutting of main constructions into scrap metal, etc., - one has to do with some special operations, such as ... 

Decree 158 of RF Government of 28.05.1998 On Measures on Speeding up Complex Decommissioning of Nuclear Submarines and Nuclear-Powered Surface Vessels Withdrawn from Military Service and Environmental Rehabilitation of Naval Radiation-Hazardous Facilities ... 

After putting the above facilities into operation all LRW produced during nuclear vessel complex decommissioning was processed and conditioned. The integral amount of previously accumulated LRW began decreasing gradually. 

Establishment of such centers would allow not only accelerating environmental rehabilitation of the former CMBs but also receiving RW accumulated at the sites of SYs concerned with NS decommissioning and supporting ultimate decommissioning of nuclear Maintenance Vessels (MVs). 

By 2004 41 Maintenance Vessels (MVs) were taken out of service for subsequent complex decommissioning at the Russian Northern Fleet and the Pacific Fleet (FSV design 326, special tankers (TNT-type), Floating Control Dosimetry Vessels (PKDS-... 

CONCEPT OF COMPLEX DECOMMISSIONING OF CIVIL NUCLEAR POWERED SURFACE SHIPS AND MAINTENANCE VESSELS... 

To perform complex decommissioning of NPSS and MV, development and putting into action of a special Target Program is necessary. Such program should comprise -a list of civil nuclear vessels to be taken out of service with indication of their expected withdrawal dates and -a list of activities to be implemented under the program. 

Decommissioning of Nuclear Powered Vessels, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 349-355. 

NS defueling is imdoubtedly the most important phase of nuclear vessel complex decommissioning the operations are performed at opened reactor and strong hull and thus are a source of nuclear and radiation hazard [1]. 

A model of possible terrorist attack (single shot at metal-concrete container from grenade cup discharge at on-shore site of Atomflof , Mmmansk Shipping Company) was presented in the 2002 NATO-Russia Advanced Research Workshop Remaining Issues in the Decommissioning of Nuclear Powered Vessels [2]. According to the model, even such - not very powerfiil - hypothetical terrorist impact could lead to serious implications for personnel and environment. 

Rylov M., Kamynov Sh., Anisimov N., et al. (2003) Storing and shipping of spent nuclear fuel from ships new engineering solutions and probable radiation effects of an accident, in A.A. Sarkisov and L.G. La Sage (eds.). Remaining Issues in the Decommissioning of Nuclear Powered Vessels, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 267-283. 

ACTUAL STATUS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATED RADIOECOLOGICAL MONITORING SYSTEMS AT OBJECTS AND TERRITORIES CONCERNED WITH COMPLEX DECOMMISSIONING OF NUCLEAR VESSELS IN THE FAR EAST RUSSIA... 

Dismantling of decommissioned nuclear reactors requires special procedures. The outer parts can be handled like normal industrial waste, whereas the inner parts, mainly the reactor vessel and some core components, exhibit high radioactivity due to activation. Radioactive deposits on the inner surface of the reactor vessel may be removed by chemical decontamination. Altogether, the relatively large volumes of LLM and MLW which are obtained by dismantling are further processed and then preferably enclosed in concrete or bitumen. 

Most cruises were performed by the research vessels Professor Albrecht Penck, A. v. Humboldt, and Gauss . Unfortunately, when this book will be published in 2008, none of these vessels will be in service anymore. The vessel Professor Albrecht Penck will be decommissioned by the end of 2008 after 57 years of scientific cmises, a period that is identical with the span covered by this book (see the frontpage). The authors of this book who spent many days measuring on the small and familiar Penck would like to dedicate their contributions to this traditional vessel and its friendly and helpful crew. 

During its lifetime, a fusion reactor presents little radiation hazard. The internal structure, particularly the vacuum containment vessel and the heat exchanger, will be subject to intense neutron bombardment. The neutrons will convert some of the elements of the structure into long-lived radioactive isotopes. Selecting construction materials that do not easily become activated can minimize radioisotope production. No material is entirely resistant to neutron activation, thus the decommissioning of a fusion reactor will require the handling and disposal of potentially hazardous radioactive isotopes. Because of the lack of uranium, plutonium, and fission products, the total radiation exposure hazard from the decommissioned fusion reactor is 10,000 to 1,000,000 less than from a decommissioned fission reactor. 

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