Thermal test methods and experience in the Federal Republic of Germany

The European regulatory work for the transport of radioactive materials is based on IAEA Regulations dating from 1964 and 1967. Since 1967 the thermal test for Type B packagings has been a standard requirement in the Federal Republic of Germany. In the past 9 years 53 Type B certificates have been issued for packages with capsuled isotopes such as cobalt 60 of about 20kg weight, for packages containing radioactive waste and for shipping casks containing either irradiated or spent fuel elements up to about 35t. No tests or calculations of thermal behaviour were necessary for certain packagings with capsuled isotopes and for packages validated by certificates. Most of the packagings, however, required tests or calculations; three ways of dealing with this problem are possible. In the Federal Republic of Germany the Bundesanstalt fuer Materialpruefung (BAM) is the competent authority for Type B packagings. On the basis of computer programs and accumulated experience, certain types of packaging are often analysed by BAM at the design stage. In the process of certification the following criteria must be taken into account: the kind of failure, and the cost-benefit analysis. After evaluation one of the following methods can be used: prototype tests with or without measurements; tests with either full-sized prototype specimens or smaller scaled-model specimens, with measurements; computer application only. Photographs and detailed descriptions of examples give an idea of the test equipment, e.g. furnaces used for Test Methods I and II (see IAEA Safety Series No.37, Advisory Material) and equipment used for open fires. (author)