Page 426 - Fundamentals of Magnetic Thermonuclear Reactor Design

404 Fundamentals of Magnetic Thermonuclear Reactor Design

A major safety issue inherent to both the fission and fusion systems is the
radiation danger due to radionuclides and penetrating radiation. The fusion re-
actor is a radiation-hazardous facility with an intrinsic, natural, self-protection
capacity. This chapter is concerned with the radiation safety issues. Other risks,
such as toxic substances, pressure vessels, electric shock and fire hazards, are
managed using general technical regulations and standards.
Radiation safety is defined as a guaranteed protection of the people in current
and future generations against harmful exposure to ionising radiation. Radiation
safety is ensured by the implementation of safe operation concepts and principles
embedded in the design of facilities and equipment, and a package of technical
and organisational measures. Key radiation safety principles include adequate
managerial skills, transparency and independent government supervision.
Radiation safety supervision is provided under national regulations and laws,
developed with due account of national and international experience in operating
nuclear power plants. The supervision and control principles are reflected in the
recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection
(ICRP) [2], the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic
Radiation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [3–6]. Accord-
ing to Russian laws, an organisation planning to construct and operate a nuclear
facility or radiation source must apply for a relevant license (permit) from a reg-
ulator approved by the President of the Russian Federation [7–8]. A separate li-
cense is required for each type of activity, including the site choice, construction,
commissioning, operation, reconstruction and decommissioning of the facility.
The licensing procedure and the documents to be submitted by the applicant are
governed by federal laws and regulatory norms of different levels [7,9].
To obtain a license, the applicant must submit a ‘Safety Analysis Report’
(SAR) substantiating the safety of the facility, its systems and components be-
fore the decision is made on issuing a license. The requirements to the SAR
structure and content are part of the basic regulatory document on the MFR
safety (entitled ‘General Provisions. Safety Requirements’), initially developed
by a team of experts from the Kurchatov Institute, VNIPIET Institute (All-
Russian Scientific Research and Design Institute for Power Engineering in St.
Petersburg), Efremov Institute, and Rostekhnadzor (Federal Service for Envi-
ronmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision). The SAR should describe
the features of the proposed nuclear site and explain how safety problems are
going to be handled, that is, provide an overview of the main concepts and prin-
ciples to be applied to ensure that the population, personnel and environment
are protected against the harmful effects of radiation and other hazards, includ-
ing natural and technological risks. The review should include the results of the
proposed project analysis for compliance with safety criteria under different
circumstances, including accidents and decommissioning [8].
The review is a ‘live’ document that keeps being updated throughout the fa-
cility’s life cycle including stages such as installation, operation, maintenance,
modification, scheduling of new experiments and decommissioning.