§ 71.59 Standards for arrays of fissile material packages.

(a) A fissile material package must be controlled by either the shipper or the carrier during transport to assure that an array of such packages remains subcritical. To enable this control, the designer of a fissile material package shall derive a number "N" based on all the following conditions being satisfied, assuming packages are stacked together in any arrangement and with close full reflection on all sides of the stack by water:

(1) Five times "N" undamaged packages with nothing between the packages would be subcritical;

(2) Two times "N" damaged packages, if each package were subjected to the tests specified in § 71.73 ("Hypothetical accident conditions") would be subcritical with optimum interspersed hydrogenous moderation; and

(3) The value of "N" cannot be less than 0.5.

(b) The CSI must be determined by dividing the number 50 by the value of "N" derived using the procedures specified in paragraph (a) of this section. The value of the CSI may be zero provided that an unlimited number of packages are subcritical, such that the value of "N" is effectively equal to infinity under the procedures specified in paragraph (a) of this section. Any CSI greater than zero must be rounded up to the first decimal place.

(c) For a fissile material package which is assigned a CSI value--

(1) Less than or equal to 50, that package may be shipped by a carrier in a nonexclusive use conveyance, provided the sum of the CSIs is limited to less than or equal to 50.

(2) Less than or equal to 50, that package may be shipped by a carrier in an exclusive use conveyance, provided the sum of the CSIs is limited to less than or equal to 100.

(3) Greater than 50, that package must be shipped by a carrier in an exclusive use conveyance, provided the sum of the CSIs is limited to less than or equal to 100.

[69 FR 3795, Jan. 26, 2004]