Overall cost of project – £98 345
CNCP contribution – £64 204
Total number of jobs created – 24
Of which, jobs for former weapons staff – 17
This project was focussed on organising the production of sealed sources of ionising radiation for use by industry and the health sector
in Kazakhstan: initially, isotopes of iridium, antimony and cobalt. It was carried out by the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Almaty, in the
period from October 2007 to April 2009.
The project involved modernising the production technology and the laboratory directly involved in radioactive isotopes activity, and
expanding sales both in Kazakhstan and abroad. INP’s commercial activities in this direction turned out to be profitable and sustainable.
This success encouraged the development of other lines of production, which were also supported through the Programme as separate CNCP
projects. These involved the production of isotopes of cadmium, lutecium, and technetium generators.
The production of sealed radioactive sources in INP involves the following main steps: irradiation of source materials, packing of
prepared radioactive materials into ampules, welding of the ampules, and checking of the hermetic seal of the prepared sources. The 10
megawatt WWR-K nuclear reactor is used for irradiation of the source materials. Welding of the containers for the sources and of the
sources themselves is carried out using argon arc welding apparatus in the reactor’s «hot cells».
The cases for the sources are put through climatic and mechanical tests, including being subjected to high and low temperatures, heat
shock, increased pressure, sinusoidal vibration. Tests on resistance to blows and piercing are also carried out. If the container
successfully passes all these tests, then the sources are soldered, after which the hermetic seals are tested and a whole cycle of similar
tests are carried out. The finished product is then certified as conforming to world standards.
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