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Regulatory Experience and Developments Related to Accelerator

Isotope Production

Regulatory Experience and Developments Related to Accelerator

Isotope Production

Abdul AlwaniSenior Project OfficerCanadian Nuclear Safety Commission

WAO 2012August 6, 2012

Menlo Park, California, USA

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Canadian Nuclear Safety CommissionCanadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Celebrating 66 years of nuclear safety!

Established May 2000, under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA)Replaced the AECB of the 1946 Atomic Energy Control Act

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Our Mission Is ClearOur Mission Is Clear

Canada’s nuclear watchdog

protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment; and to implement Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy

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CNSC Regulates All Nuclear-Related Facilities and ActivitiesCNSC Regulates All Nuclear-Related Facilities and Activities

Nuclear fuel cycle• Uranium mines and mills• Uranium fuel fabricators & processing• Nuclear power plants• Waste management facilities

Other facilities and activities• Nuclear substance processing• Industrial and medical applications of

nuclear substances • Research and educational facilities • Export/import of controlled nuclear

substances, equipment and technology

…From Cradle To Grave

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…Including Particle Accelerators…Including Particle Accelerators

High Energy above 50 MeV (Class I)

Lower Energy (Class II)

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Class II Nuclear Facilities in CanadaClass II Nuclear Facilities in Canada

300

Licences

6547

SitesLicensees

Research8%

Medical86%

Industrial6%

Medical

Industrial ResearchLinear accelerator

Pool irradiator Pelletron

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Medical Isotope Shortage and Government ResponseMedical Isotope Shortage and Government Response

• Medical Isotope Shortage after extended shutdown of NRU reactor 2008 -2009

• Government initiatives to secure supply and develop alternatives• Expert Review Panel• NISP and ITAP

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Expert Review Panel on Medical Isotope ProductionExpert Review Panel on Medical Isotope Production

• 4 experts blue ribbon panel• Main recommendations

• Diversity and redundancy• Multi-use infrastructure• Discourage reliance on

reactor and HEU solutions• Support Research and

development for cyclotrons and high power linacs

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Non-reactor-based Isotope Supply Contribution Program (NISP)

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TwoMethodsTwoMethods

Indirect

Electron Linac

Direct

Proton Cyclotron

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Area of ResearchArea of Research

• Target and converter design and optimization

• Cooling capacity• Target processing and

achievable yield• Generator design and

optimization• Mo-100 costs, availability

and recycling• Overall process

optimization, including yield optimizations

• Work to address product regulatory requirements

Courtesy of TRIUMF

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0

5

10

15

20

25

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Year

Num

ber

ofFa

cilit

ies

In operation: 18

Under construction: 2

More Cyclotrons for Isotope Production

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Regulatory InstrumentsRegulatory Instruments

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New Facility - ExampleNew Facility - Example

35 MeV linac

35 MeV electron linac at Canadian Light Source Inc.Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Courtesy of Canadian Light Source Incorporated

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New Facility - ExampleNew Facility - Example

24 MeV Proton Cyclotron at Centre hospitalier universitaire de SherbrookeSherbrooke, Québec

Courtesy of CHUS

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SHIELDING

TargetAccelerationIonSource

“Conventional” Safety Features“Conventional” Safety Features

“Prompt” Radiation

Door Interlock

Beam On Light

Emergency Stop LPO or

“Search Switch”

Pre-irradiation

alarm

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“New” Hazards“New” Hazards

With isotope production•Higher beam intensities •Creation of dispersible radioactivity•Radioactive material processing

Need more attention to •Shielding•Residual Activation•Contamination Control•Nuclear Ventilation

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Lessons Learned - ExamplesLessons Learned - Examples

Stack not high enough

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Lessons Learned - ExamplesLessons Learned - Examples

Target not cooled enough

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Lessons Learned - ExamplesLessons Learned - Examples

Monte Carlo shielding calculations not detailed enough: Trenches not modelled

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What Is Safety Culture?What Is Safety Culture?

Safety Culture is that part of an organization’s culture that determines its general readiness to act safely

It cuts across all level and all aspects of an organization's performance.

Attitudestowards risk

and safe behaviour

Workers observations in the workplace

ContextPhysical/

Social

Perceptionsof motivesin others

Behavior at work

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More Formal DefinitionMore Formal Definition

“Safety culture refers to the characteristics of the work environment, such as the values, rules, and common understandings that influence employees’ perceptions and attitudes about the importance that the organization places on safety.” (CNSC definition from RD-337 / RD-367)

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Artifacts

Espoused Values

Basic assumptions

Not visible

Management System

Safety Culture

Visi

bilit

ySafety Culture and Management System

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Thank YouThank YouAny Questions?

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