Development and Assessment of Packaging Design for the Safe Dismantlement, Transportation, and Storage of High-Activity Radioactive Sources from an Irradiator Facility

For over six decades, the Republic of Armenia has utilized atomic energy and technology for peaceful purposes, encompassing power generation, agriculture, medicine, industry, and research. Among Armenia’s scientific legacies is the use of radioactive sources for research, notably the K-120000 type Research Irradiator installed at the Institute of Physical Research (IPR) in Ashtarak. Commissioned in 1967, the irradiator contains 20 channels, each housing two Co-60 GIK-7 (ГИК-7) sources, initially designed with an activity of approximately 2500 Ci per source. Over time, the activity of these sources has decayed to about 1.5 Ci each, rendering them insufficient for research requirements. Consequently, IPR management has decided to remove these sources and transfer them to secure storage. This article presents the assessment and development of a packaging design for the safe and secure dismantlement, transportation, and storage of 40 Co-60 sources from the K-120000 irradiator. A specialized removal/storage container was designed by the Institute of Isotopes Co., Ltd. (Hungary) in collaboration with UJP Praha (Czech Republic), incorporating the certified Model PO-09 Type B(U) transportation container. The proposed system follows regulatory standards and requirements, ensuring radiation safety, physical security, and emergency preparedness. Transport security measures include international container certification, tamper-proof sealing mechanisms, and compliance with global safety protocols. The methodology involves dismantling external structures of the irradiator, using an electromagnetic connector for source extraction, securely packaging the sources in a rotatable multi-channel container, and transporting them to the “RADON” type storage facility – “Rendering harmless of Radioactive waste” CJSC under secure conditions. This project highlights the role of international collaboration, engineering innovation, and advanced transport security in ensuring the safety and security of disused radioactive sources.