Radiation exposure of personnel in a reprocessing plant

Experiences in the pilot reprocessing plant Karlsruhe (WAK) are reported in regard to forecasting the contribution to collective doses of the fuel cycle and the possibility of its reduction. A comparison with collective doses from other reprocessing facilities with reference to the energy equivalent of reprocessed fuel showed a rather large variation, and quantitative extrapolations appeared not to be possible. It was concluded that collective doses due to interventions in a pilot plant such as WAK can be considered in a first approximation as equal to the doses during reprocessing for some ten years of operation. Since in a larger facility the possibility of intervention could be improved, the provisional conclusion could be drawn that personnel exposure due to interventions will be at a maximum of the same size as during reprocessing. (U.K.)