ŠKODA VPVR/M TRANSPORT PACKAGING SYSTEM AND ITS USE FOR TRANSPORT OF SPENT FUEL FROM RESEARCH REACTORS

The ŠKODA VPVR/M transport packaging system (TPS), owned and operated by ÚJV ?ež, a. s., Czech Republic, is widely used in the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) program. The TPS consists of the ŠKODA VPVR/M cask, transport ISO containers and auxiliary equipment. The ŠKODA VPVR/M cask is a type B(U) and S cask designed and licensed for the transport and storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from research reactors. The cask is compatible with the technology of research reactors of Russian design as well as the technology of the reprocessing plant in the Russian Federation (RF). The unique design of the cask allows for easy use at almost any research reactor facility. Since 2007, ŠKODA VPVR/M TPS has been used for shipment of SNF within the framework of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) from research reactors from the following countries: Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia and Vietnam; and more than 3,400 fuel assemblies were shipped to the RF for reprocessing using a total of 100 casks. The ŠKODA VPVR/M TPS can be used not only for road, railway, river and marine transport but, with the energy absorption container which forms the TUK-145/C Type C package, also for air transport. The TUK-145/C Type C package was designed and developed by the SOSNY company (RF) and was used for the first time for shipment of SNF from Vietnam to the RF in 2013. The experience proved that ŠKODA VPVR/M TPS is an excellent and very sophisticated system for SNF transport. It is expected that the experience and results gained will be applied to the preparation and completion of SNF repatriation from Chinese Miniature Neutron Source Reactors (MNSR) in the near future.