Occupational Radiological Monitoring Experience in Uranium Fuel Fabrication Facility of India

Nuclear fuel complex (NFC), Hyderabad, India manufactures and supplies 19/37 element Natural Uranium Fuel bundles for all the Pressurised Heavy water reactors (PHWR) in India. The process of fuel fabrication involves different chemical, metallurgical and mechanical operations. Radiological surveillance is an integral part of the process. India has vast experience in providing radiological surveillance in each step of the fuel fabrication operation for the protection of workers and the work environment. Radiation protection procedures are formulated taking into account the absorption class of the airborne activity and the mode of radiation hazards associated with the processes. Work place monitoring and Personnel monitoring procedures and methodologies adopted at various stages of fuel fabrication process are elaborated in this paper. Engineering and administrative measures adopted at various stages have controlled the average air activity level in the work area and occupational exposure to plant personnel. The average uranium air activity in the work area, and occupational exposures to all plant personnel are well below the regulatory limits. The external exposures are well under control and the average external dose to the individual has progressively come down to 0.41 mSv from 1.22 mSv in last ten years. The total average annual individual dose has reduced from 1.74 mSv to 0.87 mSv in the last ten years against the regulatory limit of 20 mSv/y. (author)