Transfer and Storage of Molten Salt for the Pyroprocessing of Used Nuclear Fuel

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Morrison ◽  
Kenneth J. Bateman
Keyword(s):  
Molten Salt ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Salt Bath ◽  
Vacuum Pump ◽  
Material Surface ◽  
Temperature Threshold ◽  
Used Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Cooling Mechanism ◽  
Cooling Coil ◽  
And Storage

The transfer and storage of molten salts are being examined to support electrorefining operations at the Idaho National Laboratory. Two important factors that will need to be considered when removing molten salt from either of the two electrorefiners are (1) how to remove salt in a safe and timely manner and (2) how to store significant amounts of electrorefiner salt. A Vacuum Induced Salt Transfer and Storage (VISTAS) system is being evaluated to address these two important factors. This process draws a vacuum in a container through the use of a venturi vacuum pump. The end of a heated drawtube is inserted into the molten salt bath and the molten salt is pulled into the container. A redundant level switch triggered both by the thermal conductivity of the salt and a preset temperature threshold then activates a solenoid, which turns off the argon supply to the venturi vacuum pump, stopping the flow of molten salt. A cooling coil is incorporated into the salt transfer equipment design as a failsafe if the level switch was to fail. A full-scale version of the conceptual design (43 kg capacity) was fabricated to test the vacuum draw salt withdrawal method in an inert argon atmosphere glovebox. In addition, a custom molten salt furnace was designed and fabricated within the glovebox to represent the actual size of an electrorefiner port. Initial testing of the VISTAS system was very successful. The salt was transferred at a consistent rate and the level switch reliably stopped flow. Because the system has a failsafe cooling mechanism, it is considered to have low risk of a salt spill. The container was found to improve storage density, reduce the diffusion of moisture, and reduce material surface area when compared to current options. This system appears to be well suited for this application and further development is recommended.

Transfer and Storage of Molten Salt for the Pyroprocessing of Used Nuclear Fuel

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Morrison ◽  
Kenneth J. Bateman
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Temperature Threshold ◽  
Storage Container ◽  
Idaho National Laboratory ◽  
Used Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fail Safe ◽  
Cooling Coil ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Salt Flow ◽  
Preset Temperature

A vacuum-induced salt transfer and storage (VISTAS) system is being evaluated to improve transfer and storage of molten electrorefiner (ER) salts at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Salt is transferred by vacuum through a heated drawtube into a storage container. To control salt flow, a redundant level switch triggered by salt thermal conductivity and a preset temperature threshold activate a solenoid, stopping argon supply to the vacuum pump. A fail-safe cooling coil freezes the salt, halting its flow if the level switch malfunctions. The VISTAS system allows safe, timely salt transfer and reduces the storage footprint of current salt-removal methods.

scholarly journals Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Material Management and Storage Program Storage Health Metrics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristy Lynn Abeyta ◽  
Denice Crenshaw-Smith ◽  
Simon Balkey ◽  
Michael Charles Baker ◽  
Tresa Faye Yarbro
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Nuclear Material ◽  
Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Material Management ◽  
Los Alamos ◽  
Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
And Storage

Experience With Damaged Spent Nuclear Fuel at U.S. DOE Facilities

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Carlsen ◽  
Denzel Fillmore ◽  
Roger L. McCormack ◽  
Robert Sindelar ◽  
Timothy Spieker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Equipment Design ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Nuclear Fuels ◽  
Idaho National Laboratory ◽  
Safe Storage ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Storage Facilities

This report summarizes some of the challenges encountered and solutions implemented to ensure safe storage and handling of damaged spent nuclear fuels (SNF). It includes a brief summary of some SNF storage environments and resulting SNF degradation, experience with handling and repackaging significantly degraded SNFs, and the associated lessons learned. This work provides useful insight and resolutions to many engineering challenges facing SNF handling and storage facilities. The context of this report is taken from a report produced at Idaho National Laboratory and further detailed information, such as equipment design and usage, can be found in the appendices to that report.

Modeling Shock and Vibration on Used Nuclear Fuel During Normal Conditions of Transportation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Klymyshyn ◽  
Pavlo Ivanusa ◽  
Kevin Kadooka ◽  
Casey Spitz
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Fuel Cladding ◽  
Used Nuclear Fuel

Abstract In 2017, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) collaborated with Spanish and Korean organizations to perform a multimodal transportation test to measure shock and vibration loads imparted to used nuclear fuel (UNF) assemblies. This test used real fuel assembly components containing surrogate fuel mass to approximate the response characteristics of real, irradiated used nuclear fuel. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was part of the test team and used the data collected during this test to validate numerical models needed to predict the response of real used nuclear fuel in other transportation configurations. This paper summarizes the modeling work and identifies lessons learned related to the modeling and analysis methodology. The modeling includes railcar dynamics using the NUCARS software code and explicit dynamic finite element modeling of used nuclear fuel cladding in LS-DYNA. The NUCARS models were validated against railcar dynamics data collected during captive track testing at the Federal Railroad Administration’s Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, CO. The LS-DYNA models of the fuel cladding were validated against strain gage data collected throughout the test campaign. One of the key results of this work was an assessment of fuel cladding fatigue, and the methods used to calculate fatigue are detailed in this paper. The validated models and analysis methodologies described in this paper will be applied to evaluate future UNF transportation systems.

scholarly journals Hastelloy® N for Molten Salt Reactors Used for Power Generation

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Swindeman ◽  
Weiju Ren ◽  
Michael Katcher ◽  
David E. Holcomb
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Molten Salt ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Creep Properties ◽  
Materials Properties ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Case Development ◽  
Data Requirements ◽  
Nuclear Applications

Hastelloy® N alloy was developed in the 1950’s as ‘INOR 8’ by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to resist molten salts used as a fuel and coolant in the early development of molten salt nuclear reactors for propulsion and power generation. China has recently expressed interest in Hastelloy N for use in prototype and demonstration components for a high-temperature, uranium-fueled, molten-salt cooled reactor for the production of electricity. An ASME Section III NH Code Case will be necessary to move Alloy N forward commercially. This paper discusses the guidelines for design data requirements necessary to satisfy the Boiler Code for elevated temperature nuclear applications where creep effects are significant. The historic tensile and creep properties data for Alloy N (N10003) were collected and re-analyzed in accordance with current ASME procedures. The collected data will be uploaded into the ASME Materials Properties Database to support the NH Code Case development. Paper published with permission.

Repairing Surface Fatigue Damage of the Metal Material by Heat Treatment

2010 ◽  
Vol 154-155 ◽  
pp. 425-428
Author(s):  
Ting Liang Guo ◽  
Zhao Xing Han
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Fatigue Damage ◽  
Material Surface ◽  
Temperature Threshold ◽  
Threshold Behavior ◽  
Tempering Temperature ◽  
Metal Material ◽  
Surface Fatigue ◽  
Material Fatigue ◽  
Metal Materials

In this paper, using experimental method studied to repair surface fatigue damage of the metal material by heat treatment. Analyzed the mechanism to repair surface fatigue damage of the metal material by heat treatment. From the test, it have been found that the Metal materials has temping threshold behavior in repairing it’s fatigue damage by heat treatment. For the same kind of material, there is a threshold characteristics in choosing tempering temperatures when repaired the fatigue damage of metal material surface through changed tempering temperatures. Experimental results shows that the temping temperature threshold to repair metal material fatigue damage is the first tempering temperature after materials was hardened before it was in fatigue damage.

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