BU-MAN, the new Argentinean Type B(U) Package for the Safe Transport of Radioisotopes

With the objective of satisfying the needs of safe transport both domestic and foreign of radioisotopes produced by CNEA facilities that are needed in medicine and industry and taking into account regulatory requirements, it was developed a project to manufacture a multipurpose package which can contain radioactive substances both for solid and liquid form. This paper provides the design information of the transport package denominated BU-MAN and the used design criteria to assure the accomplishment of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. ST-1, Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, which was adopted for our Argentinean Regulatory Body in the AR-10.16.1 Standard. The radioactive substances that this package would contain, are Molybdenum 99 or Iodine 131 in liquid form, or sealed sources of Iridium 192 in solid form. As this is a B (U) type package, its licensing process implied the demonstration of the fulfilment of general requirements established in the standards, both for normal and accidental conditions of transport and all the additional that are necessary for the transport by air. The elaboration of a safety report, the manufacture of prototypes of essay, and the essays themselves to demonstrate the fulfilment of the established requisites, are necessary steps in the licensing process. They are briefly described in this job. At present, we are journeying the last stages of the licensing process, mainly the evaluation of the essays that have been done on the prototypes, according to the standards requirements to start with the first series manufacturing. So we are close to concluding BU-MAN has good perspectives both for domestic use, and for exportation purposes of our products also for other countries that need an available, safe and licensed package to provide to the society of radioisotopes used in medicine and industry.