
Preparations for removal of the spent fuel from research reactors IRV-M1, VVRL-02, VVRL-03, TIBR-1M, IIN-3M of the Research Institute of Scientific Instrumentation, Lytkarino, were performed under ROSATOM Program on Safe Handling of Spent Fuel from Research Nuclear Installations at RIAR, IPPE, KIPC, and RISI During the Period of 2020-2022 to Implement Nuclear Radiation Safety Federal Targeted Program.
In 2020, the Sosny engineers developed an SNF handling and transport plan, designed equipment for loading and shipping the spent fuel in the TUK-128 and TUK-19 casks, and elaborated safety case documents.
In 2021, the RISI infrastructure was prepared for the removal:
- the following handling and shipping equipment was manufactured: the upgraded basket for the TUK-128 cask, the canister for shipping the liquid SNF from the IIN-3M research reactor, the shipping canister for the TIBR-M1 SNF, a transfer cask, equipment for the discharge of the liquid SNF, grapples for the IRT-2M and IRT-1000 spent fuel assemblies, and other equipment;
- operation procedures for loading the spent fuel in the cask were developed;
- certificates of approval were obtained for the TUK-128 and TUK-19 design and shipment.
In 2022, the spent fuel was removed from the RISI and included the following operations:
- reloading the ISO containers with empty TUK-19 and TUK-128 casks from rail cars on trucks at the transfer terminal (IPPE, Obninsk) and their delivery to the RISI site;
- reloading the IRV-M1, VVRL-02, VVRL-03, TIBR-1M IIN-3M spent fuel and the liquid IIN-3M spent fuel into the TUK-19 casks on the RISI site;
- delivery of the ISO containers with TUK-19 and TUK-128 packages from the RISI to the transfer terminal by trucks and their reloading on rail cars.
During the campaign, no emergencies occurred; neither did the ionizing radiation dose rate exceed the design values both for the operations and the loaded TUK-19 packages.
In August 2022, the spent fuel from all RISI research reactors was delivered to Mayak PA for reprocessing.
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