Long-Term (100–300 Years) Interim Dry Storage for Spent Fuel: Package and Facilities Development Including Safety Aspects and Durability Assessment Program

AbstractThe oxidation of UO2–type spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in gaseousmedia was studied at different temperatures and oxygen contents using gravimetric and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The aim of the study was to determine the mechanism(s) of thermal-oxidation alteration of SNF during long-term dry storage. The samples used in the experiments were chips of RBMK-1000 fuel rods.Oxidation of UO2with a mean burn-up of 10.7 and 19.73 MW d/kg in humid air was observed at a temperature as low as 150°C. At 200°C nearly all of the UO2was transformed into U3O8 between 3500-4000 hours. In a humid nitrogen environment containing of 0.05-1.3 vol. % oxygen at 300°C, the UO2 completely transformed to U3O8 between 2500-3000 hours. Oxidation of UO2in samples with small amounts of jacket damage (e.g., <0.04 MM2)ll progresses more slowly and after â3000 hours the oxygen-to-uranium ratio was 2.56.Stabilization of the oxidation process was not observed in the fuel samples upto an O/U ratio of 2.4, which may be attributed to the smallburn-up of the fuel under investigation.

Download Full-text

Monitoring Helium Integrity in Welded Canisters

Volume 7: Operations, Applications and Components ◽

10.1115/pvp2015-45947 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Y. Y. Liu ◽

H.-C. Tsai ◽

M. Nutt

Keyword(s):

Structural Integrity ◽

Field Testing ◽

Hydrogen Gas ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Used Nuclear Fuel ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Fuel Storage ◽

Sensor Signals

Monitoring the interior of a welded canister containing spent (or used) nuclear fuel for its functional and structural integrity is exceptionally challenging because of the intense levels of heat and radiation and the difficulties of transmitting the sensor signals out through the sealed stainless-steel canister wall. Yet, confirmation of canister integrity is crucial for the aging management of the dry cask storage systems (DCSSs) for extended long-term storage and subsequent transportation of used fuel. A canister breach can lead to serious consequences — release of radioactive contaminants; oxidation of fuel cladding, which could compromise fuel rod integrity and criticality safety; and generation of potentially explosive hydrogen gas. The development of the Remote Area Modular Monitoring (RAMM) technology and 3D simulation of thermal performance of a vertical dry storage cask are reported in this paper, as is a preliminary plan for field-testing and evaluation of multiple prototype RAMM units on selected dry storage casks at an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) site.

Download Full-text

A Comparison of Long-Term Safety Aspects—Concepts for Disposal of Spent Fuel and Wastes from Reprocessing

Nuclear Technology ◽

10.13182/nt98-a2833 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 121 (2) ◽

pp. 212-220 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Richard Storck ◽

Dieter Buhmann

Keyword(s):

Spent Fuel ◽

Safety Aspects

Download Full-text

Safety Aspects in Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Long Term Operation for Brazilian Nuclear Power Plants

IEEE Latin America Transactions ◽

10.1109/tla.2020.9387672 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 1807-1816

Author(s):

Claudir Jose Nodari ◽

Pedro Luiz da Cruz Saladanha ◽

Gladson Silva Fontes

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Nuclear Power Plants ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Term Operation ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Safety Aspects

Download Full-text

Safety Aspects of Long-term Dry Interim Storage Of Type-b Spent Fuel and Hlw Transport Casks

Packaging Transport Storage & Security of Radioactive Material ◽

10.1179/174650904775295676 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 15 (3-4) ◽

pp. 207-214 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D. Wolff ◽

U. Probst ◽

H. Völzke ◽

B. Droste ◽

R. Rödel

Keyword(s):

Type B ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Safety Aspects ◽

Interim Storage

Download Full-text

Problems of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Casks with Spent Fuel during Long-Term Dry Storage

NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security - Safety Related Issues of Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage ◽

10.1007/978-1-4020-5903-2_14 ◽

2007 ◽

pp. 209-210

Author(s):

A. Z. Aisabekov ◽

S. A. Mukeneva ◽

E. S. Tur ◽

V. M. Tsyngayev

Keyword(s):

Radiation Safety ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Nuclear And Radiation Safety

Download Full-text

Key Scientific Issues Related to the Evolution of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Long Term Dry Storage and Geological Disposal

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-807-29 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 807 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Christophe POINSSOT ◽

Cécile FERRY ◽

Jean-Marie GRAS

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Geological Disposal ◽

Various Boundary Conditions ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Mechanical Evolution ◽

Key Issues ◽

Physical And Chemical

ABSTRACTThe anticipated long term evolution of spent nuclear fuel as well as the remaining scientific key issues are presented for the various boundary conditions that can be encountered in long term dry storage and geological disposal. Spent fuel is expected to evolve significantly in closed system conditions which are representative of long term dry storage and the first stages of geological disposal. The mechanical evolution of the grain boundaries, the fate of helium and the evolution of the RN location within the pellet are the three major questions to be addressed which could significantly modify the physical and chemical state of the fuel. In addition, mechanisms and kinetics of fuel alteration by water in deep geological repository are still to be more deeply understood, in particular the inventory of the instant release and the radiolytic dissolution processes, to get a robust and reliable source term.

Download Full-text

Anticipated Improved Performance of Advanced Steel Cladding Under Long Term Dry Storage of Spent Fuel

Volume 7: Operations, Applications and Components ◽

10.1115/pvp2015-45643 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Raul B. Rebak ◽

Shenyan Huang

Keyword(s):

Zirconium Alloys ◽

Nuclear Waste Repository ◽

Ferritic Steels ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Water Reactors ◽

Improved Performance ◽

Term Storage

In current light water reactors the nuclear fuel rods are dependent on zirconium alloys cladding. Used fuel bundles are generally stored in water pools for approximately twenty years and then they may be transferred to a dry casket for an interim storage until reprocessing or the final disposition in a permanent nuclear waste repository. The delay in opening a permanent repository in the US says that the used fuel bundles would need to be stored in dry casks for unanticipated extended periods (maybe 100 years). Under dry storage several mechanisms were identified for the degradation of zirconium based cladding. The vulnerabilities of zirconium alloys would limit their subsequent fuel retrievability and transportation after the long term storage. As part of the DOE Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF), advanced ferritic steels such as Fe-Cr-Al alloys are being investigated to replace the zirconium alloy cladding. Previous performance in storage of austenitic stainless steel cladding suggests that the proposed ATF ferritic steels would perform well under long term storage in dry casks.

Download Full-text