What is ISO 22946 about?
ISO 22946 provides specific requirements and guidance on the nuclear criticality safety of waste containing fissile nuclides, generated during normal operations. This document is intended to be used alongside and in addition to ISO 1709.
ISO 22946 applies specifically to the nuclear criticality safety of solid nuclear wastes. It also applies to residual quantities of liquids and/or slurries that are either intimately associated with the solid nuclear waste materials or arise as a result of processing or handling the waste.
ISO 22946 does not apply to bulk or process liquids (including higher concentration process solutions) or irradiated or un-irradiated fuel elements.
NOTE The term fuel element is sometimes applied to fuel assembly, fuel bundle, fuel cluster, fuel rod, fuel plate, etc. All these terms are based on one or more fuel elements. A cylindrical fuel rod (sometimes referred to as a fuel pin) for a light-water reactor is an example of a fuel element.
All stages of the waste life cycle are within the scope of the document. ISO 22946 can also be applied to the transport of solid nuclear waste outside the boundaries of nuclear establishments.
Who is ISO 22946 for?
ISO 22946 on nuclear criticality safety is useful to:
- Nuclear scientists
- Researcher and scientists
- Chemical engineers
Why should you use ISO 22946?
Nuclear criticality safety aims to prevent nuclear and radiation accidents resulting from an inadvertent, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction
ISO 22946 supports nuclear criticality safety throughout the waste life cycle while taking into account the potential of negative impacts on other areas such as radiological safety environmental protection conventional safety.
ISO 22946 criticality safety requirements and guidance must be applied keeping in mind this wider context so a balance can be achieved between the specific criticality safety requirements and these other factors.
ISO 22946 specifies that a nuclear safety strategy for waste be developed to inform all relevant stakeholders of how solid waste is managed over its life cycle.
ISO 22946 provides methods and safety procedures that will benefit the user by enhancing safety and ensuring their safety against health hazards since nuclear hazards are health hazards.