'PANOZA' - gamma irradiator for simulation of harsh environment areas of nuclear power plants

Cobalt irradiator 'PANOZA' has been designed and constructed in the Nuclear Research Institute, Řež, Czech Republic, in order to simulate aggressive conditions under the containment of nuclear power plants (NPP). These conditions are characterized by elevated temperatures and ionizing radiation, the synergic effect of which causes degradation of non-metallic materials in various installations and devices. The irradiator 'PANOZA' makes possible to study aging of samples or even entire devices of NPP at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 °C and at the gamma dose rates from 1 to 10 Gy/h. Continuous measurement of the operational parameters of the device or verification of their operational reliability is also possible. The operational conditions of PANOZA grant the long-term radio-oxidation of non-metallic materials, i.e. the characteristic mechanism of degradation, in order to verify their usability in NPP.