Report Visit SAPHYMO

REPORT VISIT SAPHYMO

Dorothea PfeifferGIF++ Project Meeting22.08.2012

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SAPHYMO Company Information

Core business: Detection and monitoring of ionizing radiation for radioprotection purpose, environment process control and monitoring

Visit of site in Thiron-Gardais (A. Errahhaoui, R. Guida , S. La Mendola, D. Pfeiffer, Y. Pira)

Small building with two floors (bunker with irradiator on ground floor)

Around 40 employees are working there21.08.2012Dorothea

Pfeiffer

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Procurement of irradiator Irradiator ordered from

Leipzig/Germany based company GSM (Gamma Service Medical GmbH)

Sources of Russian origin acquired by GSM via Eckert & Ziegler Nuclitec GmbH

GSM also took old irradiator and sources back

Sources were delivered in Type B container on July 25th 2012

Installation and commissioning took 2 days (3 GSM technicians)

Several preparatory meetings, verification of dimensions of doors

21.08.2012Dorothea Pfeiffer

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Specification of irradiator and sources

Multi-source irradiator that can contain up to 8 sources

5 positions filled with 137 Cs sources of different activities

In garage position one of the sources can be selected (source wheel rotates)

Then the selected source is lifted into the irradiation position with the help of pressured air

Irradiator has three lead attenuators (factor 2, 10, 50) which are not used


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Irradiator, lead attenuators and console


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Console and connections

Dorothea Pfeiffer 21.08.2012

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Bunker, irradiation zone and safety

Bunker with 40 cm concrete walls Movable table for irradiation tests (small irradiation zone ca. 10 cm x 10 cm, no

lenses for field uniformity) Safety and monitoring devices: video surveillance, movement sensor, dose monitor,

acoustical and optical irradiation warning, door locking system Only two operators work with the sources Irradiation tests take only between seconds and minutes (just calibration, no ageing)

Dorothea Pfeiffer 21.08.2012

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Irradiation zone with isotropic source

Second irradiation zone for dosimeter tests

Flat vertical irradiator with 137 Cs source (115 GBq)

Round table to place dosimeters

Irradiator similar to the 60 Co horizontal irradiator R2E would like to order


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Fire Safety remarks (S. La Mendola)


Fire Extinguishers in place EI 120 fire resistant door in both

bunkers Fire emergency procedure availableBUT Heating appliances in the

bunkers Electric cables not fire-rated Other combustible materials are

present in the bunker No smoke detection and general

alarm system, no ventilation, opening system of escape doors not compliant, etc.

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Resume from EN/PH perspective

Different type of irradiator: Only one collimation window, multiple sources, lead attenuators not used

Different irradiation scenario: Small radiation zone, only calibration, short duration of tests (cost effectiveness)

Safety and access system less restrictive Some important fire safety measures missing Old GIF facility better example for new GIF++ (R.

Guida will organize visit) For PH and EN less educational due to differences

than for RP sources service


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RP radioactive sources resume (A. Errahhaoui) Radioactive sealed sources according to ISO 2919 with

special form certificate Leak test performed on the radioactive source (200 Bq is the

maximum tolerated contamination per year ) The sources was shipped inside the irradiator, irradiator inside

a shipping Type B(u) Transport, stowage, handling of the irradiator was made by

GSM 40 cm of concrete shielding would be good enough for GIF++

source as well Sources of SAPHYMO: The incertitude of activity is 15 % but I

already contacted GSM to know if we can receive a source with incertitude less than 10 % (for M. Brugger) Recommended working life for these sources is 15 years.


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RP Operational resume (Y. Pira) No specific new ideas learned during the visit Similar safety measures used at CERN (monitoring, beam

imminent warning system, movement sensor) SAPHYMO facility is less restrictive than CERN GIF++ project

concerning these points:


Specifications Saphymo irradiator GIF++ facilityControlled entrance and exit of each single person.

No (only 2 operators work with the sources)

Yes (with PAD)

Entrance granted only allowed after badging with a DIS dosimeter.

No (active and passive dosimeter mandatory but no barrier, no PAD, simple interlocked access door)

Yes

Patrol before operation with irradiator.

No (small bunker with simple geometry)

Yes

Access door equipped with a radiation veto lock.

No (simple key lock) Yes

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Report Visit SAPHYMO