PINTERCASK-1000

The PINTERCASK-1000 is a B(U)F type shipping cask, which has been designed to carry neutron sources and fissile material. The most important materials, for the transport of which the cask can be used are as follows:

• AmBe, PoBe, PuBe, RaBe and ²⁵²Cf neutron sources up to a maximum neutron yield of 3x10⁷n/s,

• maximum 1000 g of Pu or U isotopes (an arbitrary mixture of any isotopes of the two elements is allowed), in the form of metal or oxide, or in the case of uranium, in the form of uranyl-hydrate or uranyl-acetate,

• maximum 10 GBq ²⁴²Cm, or any compound or mixture containing this amount of ²⁴²Cm,

• an arbitrary amount of Th isotopes, any mixture or compound of these, where the alpha-activity of ²²⁸Th should not exceed 1 GBq.

The shipping cask has been designed so that it complies with the regulations of ADR and the IAEA Safety Standard Series No. TS-R-1 concerning B(U)F type shipping casks. The built-in shielding material ensures that the combined neutron and gamma dose rate remain well below the prescribed limit of 2 mSv/h. The applied O rings of the safety container of the cask prevents radioactive material from getting to the environment even following an accident, keeping the leakage rate below the prescribed limit of A₂/(1 week). In terms of criticality, the effective multiplication factor is kept far below the prescribed limit of 0.95 even in the case the largest permissible amount of fissile material is loaded into the container.

In order to create a cask which meets the radiation protection as well as all the other requirements, in the design phase internationally acknowledged computer codes were applied to perform the shielding calculations and simulate the behaviour of the container in the case of an accident/crash. After a test sample had been manufactured, practical tests and numerous different measurements were performed on the cask, which have proved that all the above criteria indicated by the relevant regulations are fulfilled or exceeded by the shipping cask.

Concerning the design, the shipping cask consists of two main elements: an internal part, which contains the shielding material and a cavity being sealed from the surroundings by two O rings in order to hinder any radioactive material from leaking to the surroundings. The other main element is an external cylindrical protective structure, which ensures that the internal container is adequately protected from collision-like and thermal impacts caused by potential accidents. The dimensions of the cylindrical safety container, in which the materials to be transported can be loaded, is 120 mm diameter and 150 mm height, while externally the cask is 750 mm heigh and 600 mm in diameter. The total weight of the container is approximately 330 kg.

Both the design and the manufacturing have been performed according to the requirements of the ISO 9001 quality system. The designer as well as the manufacturer have quality systems approved by TÜV.