Development of “C”-type cask for transportation of spent nuclear fuel from research reactors made of Russia

Nowadays the problem of international transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) by aircrafts becomes greatly urgent. Topicality and demand for these transportations are growing due to implementation of the Agreement between the Russian Federation Government and the USA Government on collaboration in import of irradiated nuclear fuel from research reactors of some countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa, where these Russia-made reactors are located. Advantages of air transportation are evident. Namely, there are no transit countries, minimum time of presence at transportation route, minimum vulnerability from the point of view of physical security. Technical and normative-legal aspects allow performing these shipments. It was confirmed by air transportations of SNF from research reactors of Rumania and Libya in 2009. For these transportations, transport casks TC-19 were used. They were placed in specialized freight ISO-containers. The casks were certified as casks of the type B(U) (total activity did not exceed the allowable value of 3000A2). For air shipments of radioactive contents with higher activity, there is need for a cask of the type “C”. The IAEA rules impose much stricter requirements upon design of this cask in strength and tightness. In the world, there is presently no any certified cask of the type “C” for air transportations of SNF. In the course of time, it becomes evident that there is a vital demand for this cask.