...no subject...

["Dr. Feinhals" <feinhals@tuev-nord.de>]

Dear Radsafers

Does anybody know a device for direct measuring of fixed and non-fixed 
alpha/beta surface-contamination in presence of gamma dose rates up to 2 
mSv/h?

Background:In May 98 contamination at casks for shipping of spent nuclear 
fuel were published. Therefore, the transport of spent nuclear fuel has been 
stopped in Germany. There are different causes for these contaminations:
- insufficient decontamination of the casks and/or tools after lifting out of 
the pool,
- crud particle in micro pores,
- the change of fixed contamination to non-fixed contamination during 
transport.
You can imagine that the reprocessor will find contaminations above 5 Bq/cm² 
when he receives the cask even the operator checked his loaded cask very 
carefully by smear tests. A check of fixed and non-fixed contamination at the 
surface of the cask would be helpful. Smear tests are insufficient for this 
task, normal contamination monitor is disturbed by the gamma radiation of the 
content of the cask.
Any idea?

J. Feinhals
Decommissioning and RadWaste Management
TUEV Nord Hamburg, Germany
feinhals@tuev-nord.de

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