CONTAMINATION AND CLEANUP OF NRU. HOW CONTAMINATION OCCURRED

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1960 · Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication

OSTI ID:4206362

Hughes, E O; Greenwood, J W

The cause for the contamination of the NRU heavy-water research reactor is presented in chronological order. The methods for the removal of the contaminani and contamination are explained. Radiation fields around and over the maintenance pit, in which the burning fuel rod was lying were in excess of 1,000 r/hr. During the extinguishung of the uranium fire with wet sand, the higiiest individual exposure was 5.3 r. The maximum individual exposure was 6.4 r during the removal of the burned rod to the disposal area. Forty men were detailed to clean up the uranium debris and the contaminated sand in the pit, of these only fourteen exceeded the 5-r limit. Of the latter, 11 received 5 to 6 r, two received 10 r (by slightly overstaying their allotted 11/2 min) and one received 19 r (by making an extra trip to ihe pit edge to bring a can to the elevator). Lessons learned from the incident were that the use of mobile change rooms for personnel and the use of graphite powder instead of wet sand in quenching fires would be advantageous. (B.O.G.)

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd., Chalk River, Ont.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-006066
• OSTI ID: 4206362
• Journal Information: Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication, Journal Name: Nucleonics (U.S.) Ceased publication Vol. Vol: 18, No. 1; ISSN NUCLA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACCIDENTS
CLEANING
COMBUSTION
CONTAMINATION
DECONTAMINATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAVY WATER
NRU
PERSONNEL
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH REACTORS
SAND
URANIUM
WASTE DISPOSAL