ISO 17873-2004 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 17873:2004 — Nuclear facilities — Criteria for the design and operation of ventilation systems for nuclear installations other than nuclear reactors. This standard gives requirements and recommendations for ventilation and containment systems used to protect workers, the public and the environment from airborne radioactive contamination in a wide range of nuclear installations (hot cells, fuel fabrication and examination laboratories, plutonium-handling facilities, reprocessing plants, enrichment facilities, radioactive-waste treatment and storage facilities, etc.).

Abstract

ISO 17873:2004 specifies applicable requirements concerning the design, construction, commissioning, testing and operation of ventilation systems used in nuclear installations other than nuclear power plant reactor containment envelopes. The standard focuses on ensuring safety functions of ventilation and confinement systems to limit the spread of radioactive contamination and to protect personnel, the public and the environment. It excludes containment envelopes of power reactors and some research reactors where high overpressures may occur in accident scenarios.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard, confirmed in systematic review processes; listed for future revision activity in ISO lifecycle records).
• Publication date: 2004-10 (October 2004; various national catalogues list publication dates in October 2004, e.g. 21 October 2004).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 27.120.20 (Nuclear power plants — Safety).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2004).
• Number of pages: 57 pages (standard text as published in ISO catalogues and national catalogue entries).

Scope

ISO 17873:2004 applies to ventilation systems and associated containment required to prevent and limit airborne radioactive contamination in nuclear installations other than the primary containment of nuclear power reactors and certain research reactors. The scope covers system functions, design principles, filtration and confinement measures, operational controls, commissioning and maintenance activities for facilities such as hot cells, fabrication and examination laboratories, reprocessing and enrichment plants, plutonium-handling facilities, waste treatment and storage installations, and other similar nuclear facilities. It explicitly does not replace requirements that apply to high-pressure reactor containment envelopes in accident conditions.

Key topics and requirements

• Principles and objectives of ventilation and confinement for radioactive-material control (safety functions and protection of personnel, public and environment).
• Design criteria for ventilation systems: airflow design, zoning and containment strategy, system redundancy and reliability.
• Filtration and effluent control (requirements for HEPA/appropriate filtration, testing, and leak-tightness of containment boundaries).
• Instrumentation, monitoring and alarm systems for detecting and controlling airborne contamination and system performance.
• Commissioning, periodic testing, maintenance, inspection and performance verification of ventilation systems.
• Operational procedures, emergency ventilation arrangements and provisions for routine and accidental releases.
• Documentation, quality assurance, and interface with facility design and radiation protection arrangements.

Typical use and users

Engineers and designers of nuclear facilities (excluding primary reactor containment), safety and mechanical/HVAC engineers, facility operators and maintenance teams, regulators and licensing bodies, radiation-protection specialists, and contractors responsible for ventilation, filtration and containment systems in nuclear fuel-cycle and radioactive-material handling facilities. The standard is used as a design and operational reference during project design, safety assessment, commissioning and regulatory review.

Related standards

ISO 17873 is typically used alongside national nuclear safety regulations and international guidance on nuclear facility design (for example IAEA safety standards), and standards covering HEPA/particle filtration performance and testing, cleanroom/classification practices and HVAC design. Designers commonly reference ISO 17873 together with applicable national codes and standards and with supplier/manufacturer standards for filtration and air‑handling equipment.

Keywords

nuclear ventilation, ventilation systems, confinement, radioactive contamination control, hot cells, fuel fabrication, reprocessing, plutonium handling, filtration, HEPA, HVAC, commissioning, maintenance, radiation protection.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 17873:2004 is an ISO International Standard that provides criteria for the design and operation of ventilation systems used in nuclear installations other than nuclear power reactor containment. It sets safety-oriented requirements for ventilation and related confinement systems to manage airborne radioactive contamination.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers objectives and safety functions of ventilation and containment systems, design principles, filtration and effluent control, monitoring and instrumentation, commissioning and testing, operation and maintenance, and documentation for facilities such as hot cells, laboratories, reprocessing and enrichment facilities, waste treatment and storage sites. It excludes primary reactor containment envelopes where high accident overpressures are a design consideration.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Nuclear facility designers and engineers, facility operators, maintenance staff, regulatory authorities, radiation-protection specialists and contractors working on ventilation, filtration and containment systems in the nuclear fuel cycle and radioactive-material handling facilities.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 17873 was published in October 2004 (Edition 1) and has been maintained through ISO's systematic review process. ISO records indicate the standard was confirmed in the periodic review cycle (confirmation noted in 2019) and has lifecycle entries indicating scheduled review/revision activity; users should check ISO or their national standards body for the very latest revision status before assuming it is the definitive requirement for a specific project.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: ISO 17873 is a standalone International Standard dealing specifically with ventilation in nuclear facilities other than reactor primary containment, but it sits within the broader family of nuclear safety and engineering standards and is used alongside other ISO, national and IAEA documents relevant to nuclear facility design and safety.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Key keywords are: nuclear ventilation, containment, airborne radioactive contamination, HEPA filtration, hot cells, fuel fabrication, reprocessing, ventilation design, commissioning, maintenance, radiation protection.