NAC International has announced that its Optimus-H system for packaging radioactive waste has been certified for use in Canada. Optimus-H is more heavily shielded than the Optimus-L version which was certified last year, and is suitable for a broader range of higher activity wastes.

Optimus H transport system (Image: NAC International)

The certification by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which was officially granted on 18 August, "opens the door" for NAC to seek approvals from other national regulators, the company said. It is already pursuing this in the USA.

NAC explained that the Optimus name stands for "OPTImal Modular Universal Shipping". The Optimus-L version is designed to be relatively lightweight and suitable for wastes with lower levels of radioactivity: contact handled-transuranic waste, intermediate-level waste, low-enriched uranium fuel wastes, and other low activity contents that require shipment as Type A(F) or Type B.

Optimus-H can handle a wider range of broader range of Type B contents than Optimus L, including Type B&C as well as Greater than Class C, used fuel, remotely handled transuranic waste and other intermediate-level and high-level wastes.

Both versions use the same containment vessel design, which NAC said supports more standardisation in packaging from decommissioning projects.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News