Guide for Evaluation of Materials Used in Extended Service of Interim Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Storage Systems

Management of spent nuclear fuel is a very important part in the whole cycle of nuclear energy generation. Usually “dry” storage technology in casks is selected for the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel for up to 50 years after pre-storage time in water pools. In this paper, two case studies were carried out to highlight the differences and similarities between Ukraine and Lithuania in spent nuclear fuel storage.

Safety Aspects of Dry Spent Fuel Storage and Spent Fuel Management

Volume 1: Low/Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste Management; Spent Fuel, Fissile Material, Transuranic and High-Level Radioactive Waste Management ◽

10.1115/icem2013-96039 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Wolfgang Botsch ◽

Silva Smalian ◽

Peter Hinterding ◽

Holger Völzke ◽

Dietmar Wolff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Storage Systems ◽

Storage Period ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Fuel Management ◽

Radioactive Materials ◽

Safety Requirements ◽

Decay Heat ◽

Dry Storage

As with the storage of all radioactive materials, the storage of spent nuclear fuel (SF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) must conform to safety requirements. Safety aspects like safe enclosure of radioactive materials, safe removal of decay heat, nuclear criticality safety and avoidance of unnecessary radiation exposure must be achieved throughout the storage period. The implementation of these safety requirements can be achieved by dry storage of SF and HLW in casks as well as in other systems such as dry vault storage systems or spent fuel pools, where the latter is neither a dry nor a passive system. After the events of Fukushima, the advantages of passively and inherently safe dry storage systems have become more obvious. TÜV and BAM, who work as independent experts for the competent authorities, present the licensing process for sites and casks and inform about spent nuclear fuel management and issues concerning dry storage of spent nuclear fuel, based on their long experience in these fields. All safety relevant issues like safe enclosure, shielding, removal of the decay heat or behavior of cask and building under accident conditions are checked and validated with state-of-the-art methods and computer codes before the license approval. It is shown how dry storage systems can ensure the compliance with the mentioned safety criteria over a long storage period. Exemplarily, the process of licensing, erection and operation of selected German dry storage facilities is presented.

Neutron Activation of Structural Materials of a Dry Storage System for Spent Nuclear Fuel and Implications for Radioactive Waste Management

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13205325 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (20) ◽

pp. 5325

Author(s):

Se Geun Lee ◽

Jae Hak Cheong

Keyword(s):

Radioactive Waste ◽

Waste Management ◽

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Storage Systems ◽

Storage System ◽

Residual Activity ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Residual Radioactivity

In order to estimate the radiological characteristics of disused dry storage systems for spent nuclear fuel, a stepwise framework to calculate neutron sources (ORIGEN-ARP), incident neutron flux and reaction rate (MCNPX), effective cross-section (hand calculation), and residual activity (ORIGEN-2) was established. Applicability of the framework was demonstrated by comparing the residual activity of a commercialized storage system, HI-STORM 100, listed in the safety analysis report and calculated in this study. For a reference case assuming an impurity-free storage system, the modified effective cross-sections were theoretically interpreted and the need for managing disused components as a radioactive waste for at least four years was demonstrated. Sensitivity analyses showed that the higher burnup induces the higher residual radioactivity, and the impurity 59Co may extend the minimum decay-in-storage period up to 51 years within the reported range of 59Co content in stainless steel. The extended long-term storage over 100 years, however, caused no significant increase in residual radioactivity. Impurity control together with appropriate decay-in-storage was proposed as an effective approach to minimize the secondary radioactive waste arising from disused dry storage systems. The results of this study could be used to optimize the decommissioning and waste management plan regarding interim storage of spent fuel.

A numerical study of spent nuclear fuel dry storage systems under extreme impact loading

Engineering Structures ◽

10.1016/j.engstruct.2018.01.068 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 68-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mohammad Hanifehzadeh ◽

Bora Gencturk ◽

Reza Mousavi

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Impact Loading ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Storage Systems ◽

Numerical Study ◽

Dry Storage

Safety of Extended Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel SEDS2020: International online-workshop

Kerntechnik ◽

10.3139/124.020061 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 85 (6) ◽

pp. 412-412

Author(s):

M. Stuke

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Dry Storage

The Need for Integrating the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the United States of America

MRS Advances ◽

10.1557/adv.2018.231 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (19) ◽

pp. 991-1003 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Evaristo J. Bonano ◽

Elena A. Kalinina ◽

Peter N. Swift

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Nuclear Fuel ◽

United States Of America ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

Fuel Cycle ◽

Nuclear Fuel Cycle ◽

The United States ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Dry Storage ◽

The Us

ABSTRACTCurrent practice for commercial spent nuclear fuel management in the United States of America (US) includes storage of spent fuel in both pools and dry storage cask systems at nuclear power plants. Most storage pools are filled to their operational capacity, and management of the approximately 2,200 metric tons of spent fuel newly discharged each year requires transferring older and cooler fuel from pools into dry storage. In the absence of a repository that can accept spent fuel for permanent disposal, projections indicate that the US will have approximately 134,000 metric tons of spent fuel in dry storage by mid-century when the last plants in the current reactor fleet are decommissioned. Current designs for storage systems rely on large dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters that are not optimized for disposal. Various options exist in the US for improving integration of management practices across the entire back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.