[en] Within the scope of work package 5 of this project 3614R03343, basic approaches of calculations for activity limits related to transport regulations have been developed fur- ther. Firstly, the calculation tool BerQATrans has been upgraded. This tool has been developed in order to calculate Q- and A-values according to the current Q-system. Secondly, an international working group has been supported that is currently reviewing the current Q-system on the basis of new nuclear data from ICRP 107 and conversion coefficients from ICRP 116. Furthermore, the calculation method is under review regarding state of the art Monte-Carlo simulation tools. Hence, GRS started the development of a code for calculating Q- and A₁-values based on this new basis. First preliminary results as well as discussions are presented in this report.

[en] Within the scope of work package 2 of this project 4720E03300, basic approaches of calculations for activity limits related to transport regulations have been developed fur-ther. An international working group has been supported that finished a review of the Q-system. A revised Q-System has been developed which is documented within this report. Newly calculated A-values are presented which have been submitted to TRANSSC for the next review-cycle of the transport regulations. Naturally occurring radionuclides are part of a second subject of this project. The IAEA regulations for exemption values have been reviewed and a draft of transport specific scenarios have been developed within an international working group.

[en] Within the scope of this study, analyses were carried out on the transport safety in the return of the expected waste streams from reprocessing. For this purpose, the transport from Sellafield (UK) to Germany in 2020 as well as changes in the contractual agreements regarding the transports from La Hague (France) from 2021 were assessed. The transport and handling modalities were considered in order to evaluate the expected radiation exposure for the population and personnel. Simulated values could be compared to data stemming from real measurements during the transport campaign. It was shown that the dose limits of the Radiation Protection Ordinance for the population were met in all relevant situations. Regarding the return of waste from La Hague, particularly possible types of end-used-casks were assessed. Hence, properties, characteristics and decommissioning were analyzed.

[en] Within the scope of work package 2 of the project 4717E03370, basic approaches of calculations for activity limits related to transport regulations have been developed further. An international working group has been supported that is currently reviewing the current Q-system on the basis of new nuclear data from ICRP 107 and conversion coefficients from ICRP 116. Furthermore, the calculation method is under review regarding state of the art Monte-Carlo simulation tools. Hence, GRS continued the development of the code MCBAS for calculating Q- and A${}_1$-values based on this new basis. The status and preliminary results as well as discussions are presented in this report.

[en] Within the scope of this study, analyses were carried out on the transport safety in the return of the expected waste streams from reprocessing. For this purpose, the type and extent of the transport risks associated with the return of HAW glass coquilles from Sellafield were quantified. The transport and handling modalities were considered in order to evaluate the expected radiation exposure for the population and personnel. Information on the transport container used and its possible inventory was evaluated with regard to the potential radiological effects and, on this basis, simulations of the local dose rate for normal transport were performed. The simulation results are higher due to conservative assumptions but are in the same order of magnitude as measurement results. For the consideration of accidents, exposure classes and release fractions were derived for the considered handling situation using a crane. With the help of the guaranteed values for the container used, the maximum expected releases were determined. It was shown that the dose limits of the Radiation Protection Ordinance for the population are likely to be met. in all relevant situations

[en] Since many years, the importance of interventional measures is increasing. During these medical applications X-ray tubes are used while medical staff is present and partly near by the primary beam. Therefore, additional radiation protection equipment is applied in order to reduce the radiation exposure of the medical staff. Nevertheless, the increasing number of interventions raises the question if the limits for occupational exposure can be exhausted and which radiation protection measures are necessary to prevent exceeding the legal limits. To investigate the radiation exposure of the medical staff this research project has been initiated. Experiments using phantoms and static as well as well-defined parameters have been performed at the University Hospital Augsburg and University Hospital Cologne. The experimental results were intended to use for validation of a Monte-Carlo simulation which can reproduce the measured values. In addition, the simulations should allow for predictions of values that are beyond experimental accessibilities. By means of such a simulation environment, complex problems can be investigated, and radiation protection can be optimized.

[en] During interventional measures X-ray tubes are used while medical staff is present and partly near by the primary beam. Therefore, additional radiation protection equipment is applied to reduce the radiation exposure of the medical staff. The question is raised if the limits for occupational exposure can be exhausted, and which radiation protection measures are necessary to prevent exceeding the legal limits. To investigate the radiation exposure of the medical staff this research project has been initiated. Experiments using phantoms have been performed at the University Hospital Augsburg and University Hospital Cologne. A Monte-Carlo simulation has been validated by using the experimental results. By means of these simulations 3D dose distributions have been visualized and animated. Furthermore, a Job-Exposure-Matrix combined with a user-friendly tool has been created. This tool allows for the determination of dose values at certain positions in the room for selected parameters. Both the developed tool and the visualized 3D dose distributions can be used to train medical staff and to raise their awareness for parameters critical to radiation protection during interventional measures.

[en] The data base for the determination of accident probabilities and the assignment into a classification system cannot be established using only publically available data. The data acquisition is described for rail and road traffic. Sea transport is recently increasing so that the accident probability that has been decreasing compared to 1998/2001 might increase again.

[en] In case of a severe accident, various scenarios can lead to release of radioactive fission products inside the containment atmosphere. International safety standards (e.g. IAEA) require the installation of accident instrumentation for monitoring the conditions in the containment necessary. The AREVA GmbH has developed solutions for measuring the airborne activity in the containment atmosphere as well as activity release into the environment during filtered containment venting. The following paper presents systems for the determination of radioactive releases. The In-Situ Post Accident System PRONAS enables representative nuclide specific sampling of containment atmosphere (aerosols, iodine, noble gases) and sump. The analyses of the samples provide details on the accident course, containment situation and the core damage state. An in-situ sampler collects the aerosol and elemental iodine in a scrubbing liquid. The iodine and aerosol sample is flushed to an outside containment located dilution module and sample box where it can be taken suitable for laboratory analysis. The in-situ sampling technology enables to transport the samples over long distances without serious sample measurement errors. Noble gases and organic iodine are also flushed to the outside sample module. In order to ensure the integrity of the containment, a pressure release in terms of a filtered containment venting (FCV) can be the method of choice if the pressure inside the containment reaches critical values. Then, the newly developed Passive Gaseous Effluent Monitoring System (PEGASUS) is able to determine the released activity to the environment. Two basic designs have been developed to determine the activity release during FCV. PEGASUS-1 consists of a gamma-sensitive detector located close to the venting line downstream the venting vessel measuring the dominating noble gas activity online. This is of great importance for a first indication of the totally released activity and for the early notification of, e.g. neighbouring states but also for the direct plant environment. PEGASUS-2 is based on a sample taking system including a gamma-sensitive noble gas detector and filter units for aerosols/iodine and, if required, for C-14/tritium. Besides the online information of the totally released activity, the filter units can be analysed after the venting procedure in great detail in order to determine the nuclide specific released activity. Beneficial features like passivity, autarky up to 72 h in case of station blackout, calculations of the gas composition depending on the core inventory, are included in the design. (author)

[en] The even-even nucleus ¹⁴⁶Sm has spherical shape because of its proximity to the neutron shell closure at N=82. The lowest energy levels in those nuclei are usually interpreted to be collective vibrational excitations. However, it is still unresolved to what extent energy levels with higher spin can be described as a coupling of vibrational phonons in consideration of multipole-multipole interactions. The fusion evaporation reaction ¹⁴⁴Nd(α,2nγ)¹⁴⁶Sm was performed at the tandem accelerator of the IFIN HH in Bucharest-Magurele, Rumania. The γ rays were detected using a detector array consisting of 8 high-purity germanium detectors. By means of the coincidence technique and complemented by the data of an early experiment at the tandem accelerator at the IKP in Cologne the level scheme could be extended. Experimental results and their physical interpretation are presented.