Catalytic oxidative pyrolysis of spent organic ion exchange resins from nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathi Sasidharan, N.; Deshingkar, D.S.; Wattal, P.K.; Shirsat, A.N.; Bharadwaj, S.R.

2005-08-01

The spent IX resins from nuclear power reactors are highly active solid wastes generated during operations of nuclear reactors. Catalytic oxidative pyrolysis of these resins can lead to high volume reduction of these wastes. Low temperature pyrolysis of transition metal ion loaded IX resins in presence of nitrogen was carried out in order to optimize catalyst composition to achieve maximum weight reduction. Thermo gravimetric analysis of the pyrolysis residues was carried out in presence of air in order to compare the oxidative characteristics of transition metal oxide catalysts. Copper along with iron, chromium and nickel present in the spent IX resins gave the most efficient catalyst combination for catalytic and oxidative pyrolysis of the residues. During low temperature catalytic pyrolysis, 137 Cesium volatility was estimated to be around 0.01% from cationic resins and around 0.1% from anionic resins. During oxidative pyrolysis at 700 degC, nearly 10 to 40% of 137 Cesium was found to be released to off gases depending upon type of resin and catalyst loaded on to it. The oxidation of pyrolytic residues at 700 degC gave weight reduction of 15% for cationic resins and 93% for anionic resins. Catalytic oxidative pyrolysis is attractive for reducing weight and volume of spent cationic resins from PHWRs and VVERs. (author)

Evaluation of the Compressive Strength of Cement-Spent Resins Matrix Mixed with Bio char

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zalina Laili; Muhamad Samudi Yasir; Zalina Laili; Mohd Abdul Wahab; Nur Azna Mahmud; Nurfazlina Zainal Abidin

2015-01-01

The evaluation of compressive strength of cement-spent resins matrix mixed with bio char was investigated. In this study, bio char with different percentage (5 %, 8 %, 11 % 14 % and 18 %) was used as alternative admixture material for cement solidification of spent resins. Some properties of the physical and chemical of spent resins and bio char were also investigated. The performance of cemented spent resins with the addition of bio char was evaluated based on their compressive strength and the water resistance test. The compressive strength was evaluated at three different curing periods of 7, 14 and 28 days, while 4 weeks of immersion in distilled water was chosen for water resistance test. The result indicated that the compressive strength at 7, 14 and 28 days of curing periods were above the minimum criterion for example > 3.45 MPa of acceptable level for cemented waste form. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between the compressive strength of the specimen and the percentage of bio char content. Result from the water resistance test showed that only one specimen that contained of 5 % of bio char failed the water resistance test due to the high of spent resins/ bio char ratio. The compressive strength of cement solidified spent resins was found increased after the water resistance test indicating further hydration occurred after immersed in water. The results of this study also suggest that the specimen with 8 %, 11 %, 14 % and 18 % of bio char content were resistance in water and suitable for the leaching study of radionuclides from cement-bio char-spent resins matrix. (author)

Degradation of ion spent resin using the Fenton's reagent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, Leandro Goulart de

2013-01-01

The most common method for spent radioactive ion exchange resin treatment is its immobilization in cement, which reduces the radionuclides release into the environment. Although this method is efficient, it increases considerably the final volume of the waste due to the low incorporation capacity. The objective of this work was to develop a degradation method of spent resins arising from the nuclear research reactor located at the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN-CNEN/SP), using an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) with Fenton's reagents. This method would allow a higher incorporation in cement. Three different resins were evaluated: cationic, anionic and a mixture of both resins. The reactions were conducted varying the catalyst concentration (25, 50, 100 and 150 mM), the volume of hydrogen peroxide (320 to 460 mL), and three different temperatures, 50, 60 and 70 deg C. Degradation of about 98% was achieved using a 50 mM catalyst solution and 330 mL of hydrogen peroxide solution. The most efficient temperature was 60 deg C. (author)

Leaching of 60 Co and 137 Cs from spent ion exchange resins in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Cement; radioactive waste; composite; waste management. Abstract. The leaching rate of 60Co and 137Cs from the spent cation exchange resins in cement–bentonite matrix has been studied. The solidification matrix was a standard Portland cement mixed with 290–350 (kg/m3) spent cation exchange resins, with or ...

Treatment of spent ion-exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghattas, N.K.; Ikladious, N.E.; Eskander, S.B.

1981-01-01

PMMA was studied with the aim to evaluate its usefulness as an incorporation medium for the final containment of spent ion-exchange resins. The study of the effect of water content (ranging from 25 to 100%) of the incorporated resin into PMMA on the compression strength of the final solid products shows that with the increasing water content the compression strength of the final products decreases sharply. Hardness of the final products follows nearly the same trend of compression strength. Increasing gamma irradiation doses, up to 7.77x10 7 rad, PMMA shows increase in compression strength and hardness for small doses and then decreases with increasing irradiation dose due to the increase in polymerization process and the degradation of the incorporation medium

Study of mechanical and physicochemical properties of cementated spent ion-exchange-resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patek, P.

1981-09-01

As first part of a study on the possibilities, to immobilize spent ion exchange resins, for final disposal, the dependence of compressive strength from the composition of cement - resin mixtures was detected. Powdered resins, bead resins and ashes from the incinerator plant and several cement brands were examinated. As result an area was defined in the three-phase diagram of cement, resins and water, in which the following leach tests will be performed. (author)

The management of spent resins at rad waste installation (RWI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johan, Bahdir

2002-01-01

During years 2000 RWI has been managed 1.596 liters the spent resins from MPR, multipurpose reactor G.A. Siwabessy (RSG-GAS). The spent resins containing 6 0 C o, 1 37 C s and 8 9 S r. The immobilization of spent resins using Portland cement type I and sand in shell 950 liter has been carried out. The immobilization product quality was characterized by measurement of surface exposure, density, compression strength and leaching rate. The samples each being 3000 g are made by taking cement slurry from the 950 liter shell. The samples are molded in the form of cylinder of 50 mm diameter and height 50 mm. The density was determined by weighing and measuring sample's volume. The compression strength was determinate using P aul Weber a pparatus. The leaching rate by immerse of the samples in the demineralized water and the rate the contact surface dose measures using survey meter. The results show that the density ρ= (1,72 ± 0,01) s/d 1,73 ± 0,03) g.cm - 3 , the compression strength Γ= (20,10 ± 0,02 s/d 20,18 ± 0,02) N.mm - 2 , the leaching rate R n = (1,32x10 - 2 s /d 2,0x10 - 3 ) g.cm - 2 . h - 1 , the contact surface rate D 0 = (0,374 s/d 0,79) mrem.jam - 1 a nd 1m distance from the surface D 1 = (0,18 s/d 0,19) mrem.jam - 1 h ave been in compliance with the criteria recommended by IAEA the quality of spent resins concrete in shell 950 liters (number 22C to 27C) is qualified for ultimate disposal

Method of pyrolysis for spent ion-exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyama, Yoshiyuki; Matsuda, Masami; Kawamura, Fumio; Yusa, Hideo.

1985-01-01

Purpose: To prevent the generation of noxious sulfur oxide and ammonia on the pyrolysis for spent ion-exchange resins discharged from nuclear power plants. Method: In the case where the pyrolysis is made for the cationic exchange resins having sulfonic acids as the ion-exchange group, alkali metals or alkaline earth metals capable of reacting with sulfonic acid groups to form solid sulfates are previously deposited by way of ion-exchange reactions prior to the pyrolysis. In another case of the anionic exchange resins having quarternary ammonium groups as the ion-exchange groups, halogenic elements capable of reacting with the ammonium groups to form solid ammonium salts are deposited to the ion-exchange resins through ion-exchange reactions prior to the pyrolysis. As a result, the amount of the binders used can be reduced, and this method can be used in a relatively simple processing facility. (Horiuchi, T.)

Cement solidification of spent ion exchange resins produced by the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaouen, C.; Vigreux, B.

1988-01-01

Cement solidification technology has been applied to spent ion exchange resins for many years in countries throughout the world (at reactors, research centers and spent fuel reprocessing plants). Changing specifications for storage of radioactive waste have, however, confronted the operators of such facilities with a number of problems. Problems related both to the cement solidification process (water/cement/resin interactions and chemical interactions) and to its utilization (mixing, process control, variable feed composition, etc.) have often led waste producers to prefer other, polymer-based processes, which are very expensive and virtually incompatible with water. This paper discusses research on cement solidification of ion exchange resins since 1983 and the development of application technologies adapted to nuclear service conditions and stringent finished product quality requirements

Formulation study on immobilization of spent ion exchange resins in polymer cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Lili; Lin Meiqiong; Bao Liangjin; Fan Xianhua

2006-01-01

The aim of this study is to develop a formulation of cement-solidified spent radioactive ion exchange resin form. The solidified form consists of a sort of composite cement, epoxide resin emulsion, and spent ion exchange resins. The composite cement is made up of quick-setting sulphoaluminate cement, silica powder, zeolite, and fly ash in the proportion 1:0.05:0.10:0.05. Sixteen combinations of composite cement, epoxide resin emulsion and mixed anion-cation exchange resins are selected according to a three-factors-four-levels normal design table with the compression strength as the evaluation criterion. The resulted formulation is as follows: the mass ratio of polymer emulsion to composite cement is 0.55:1, the loading of mixed anion-cation exchange resins is 0.3, and the anionic-to-cationic exchange resins ratio is 2:1. The polymer cement solidified forms were tested after 28 d curing for Cs + and Sr 2+ leaching rates, pH and conductivity of the leaching water, and radiation-resistant property in addition to their compressive strength. The measurement results indicate that the performance of thus prepared solidified forms can meet the requirements of the National Standard GB14569.1-93 for near earth's surface disposal of low radioactive waste. (authors)

Porous structure analysis of radioactive spent resin cementation matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yaozhong; Yun Guichun

2004-01-01

According to a cement product microstructure, a radioactive spent resin cementation matrix has the properties of porous matters. The distributing of the pore size and the pore microstructure stability are closely related to many crucial macro properties, including strength and permeability of the matrixes. By using a new computer-controlled Hg pressure test, a experiment methods of the matrix micro-properties was studied. By using porous structure analyses, it was found that the experimental method is useful for the future cementation research. In this test, it was also found that ASC cement matrixes of spent resin have superior microstructure to the OPC's. They have better pore size distribution, more stable structure and higher ability to hold the Hg in the matrixes than OPC's, and these properties are the important factors that make ASC cement matrixes have more stable macro-structure and lower leaching of nuclides. (authors)

Decontamination of spent ion-exchangers contaminated with cesium radionuclides using resorcinol-formaldehyde resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Palamarchuk, Marina; Egorin, Andrey; Tokar, Eduard; Tutov, Mikhail; Marinin, Dmitry; Avramenko, Valentin

2017-01-05

The origin of the emergence of radioactive contamination not removable in the process of acid-base regeneration of ion-exchange resins used in treatment of technological media and liquid radioactive waste streams has been determined. It has been shown that a majority of cesium radionuclides not removable by regeneration are bound to inorganic deposits on the surface and inside the ion-exchange resin beads. The nature of the above inorganic inclusions has been investigated by means of the methods of electron microscopy, IR spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The method of decontamination of spent ion-exchange resins and zeolites contaminated with cesium radionuclides employing selective resorcinol-formaldehyde resins has been suggested. Good prospects of such an approach in deep decontamination of spent ion exchangers have been demonstrated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance Variation of Spent Resin in Mixed Bed From Water Purifying System of Xi'an Pulse Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Hua; Ma Yan; Xiao Yan; Liu Yueheng; Yang Yongqing

2010-01-01

Detailed physical and chemical characteristic analysis was performed on the spent cation and anion resins in the mixed bed from Xi'an Pulse Reactor water purifying system.The exchange performance variations of used resins and the contributions from different factors to the variation were discussed.Based on the obtained information of the impurities in the used resin, the contamination state of the water in the Xi'an Pulse Reactor water pool, the corrosion state of the structural material in the reactor was presented. The spent anion resin almost completely losses its exchange performance,while the remaining exchange capacity in the spent cation resin is still high.The radiation field from the reactor operation contributes little to the degradation of the performance of the resins. The exchange capacity loss of the spent anion resin is due to the exchange of its active groups into abundant carbonate and a certain amount of organics. The impurity amount in the anion and cation exchange resins is low,which suggests(that) the water in the Xi'an Pulse Reactor water pool is little contaminated. A certain extent of corrosion is occurred on the structural material in the swimming pool of the reactor. The results provide important referential data for the operational safety of the water purifying system of similar research reactor. (authors)

Incineration of spent ion exchange resins in a triphasic mixture at Belgoprocess

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deckers, J.; Luycx, P.

2003-01-01

Up to 1998, spent ion exchange resins have been fed to the incinerator in combination with various other solid combustible wastes at Belgoprocess. However, thanks to sustained efforts to reduce radioactive waste production in all nuclear facilities in Belgium, the annual production of solid combustible waste is now much too small to allow this practice to be continued. Since the incinerator at Belgoprocess is not capable of treating spent ion exchange resins as such, it was decided to adopt the use of foam as a carrier to feed the resins to the incinerator. The mixture is a pseudohomogeneous charged foam, ensuring easy handling and allowing incineration in the existing furance, while a number of additives may be included, such as oil to increase the calorific value of the mixture and accelerate combustion. The first incineration campaign of spent ion exchange resins in a triphasic foam mixture, in conjunction with other liquid and solid combustible wastes, will be started in January 2000. The foam, comprising 70% by weight of resins, 29% by weight of water and 1% by weight of surfactant will be pulverized in the incinerator through an injection lance, at a feed rate of 40 to 100 kg/h. The incinerator and associated off-gas treatment system can be operated at standard conditions. Belgoprocess is the subsidiary of the Belgian national agency for the management of radioactive waste, known by its Dutch and French acronyms, NIRAS and ONDRAF respectively. The company ensures the treatment, conditioning and interim storage of nearly all radioactive waste produced in Belgium. (orig.)

Management of spent ion-exchange resins from nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Information presented at the IAEA organized Technical Committee Meeting in December 1976 is given on the management of spent ion-exchange resins with respect to their treatment and conditioning. Currently available processes, methods and technologies such as volume reduction techniques, immobilization techniques, etc. for the treatment and conditioning are described on the basis of operating experiences. Economic aspects associated with the use, treatment, packaging and disposal of ion-exchange resins are dealt with the purpose to serve as an example of an appropriate economic evaluation. The current and prospective status of the resin disposal in USA, France, Federal Republic of Germany, United Kingdom and India is briefly discussed

Quantum-CEP processing spent ion exchange resins from nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaczmarsky, Myron

1997-01-01

Quantum-CEP (Q-CEP) is an innovative and proprietary technology developed by Molten Metal Technology, Inc, which can process radioactive and mixed waste streams to decontaminate and recover resources of commercial value while achieving significant volume reduction and radionuclide stabilization. A Q-CEP facility, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, processes low-level radioactive spent ion exchange resins (IER) from U.S commercial nuclear power plants. The first campaign processing low level radioactive spent IER was successfully completed in December 1996. Other milestones, since December, include operating parallel Trains A and B simultaneously and processing 25,000 lb. dry resin (50,000 lb. wet resin) or six equivalent High Integrity Containers (HICs) in one batch campaign, in March; and processing 50,000 lb. dry resin or 12 equivalent HICs in one batch campaign in May. This paper presents results from the March campaign (97-008) in which 25,000 lb. of dry spent IER from five nuclear power stations were processed. This campaign has been selected since it is representative of campaigns completed during the first five months of operation. Key highlights for this campaign include processing six HICs in batch campaign while achieving a volume reduction of 24: 1. Key performance targets for the facility are to process an average of six HICs per campaign batch and achieve a volume reduction of 30: 1. The average batch size and other performance parameters have steadily improved during the initial operating period with radioactive resin. The progress was dramatically demonstrated by the May campaign during which 12 HICs were processed - achieving a volume reduction estimated to exceed 50: 1. The campaigns in March and May demonstrate that the facility's design and technology are capable of achieving and even exceeding the facility's key target performance parameters

Necessity and opportunity of building a mobile facility for conditioning the spent ionic resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barariu, Gheorghe

2002-01-01

The ionic resins utilized in nuclear industry for purification of different working fluids become contaminated by important amounts of radionuclides incorporated in their structure. Thus, these resins become intermediate-level radioactive wastes, containing radioisotopes of rather long lifetimes, and so their conditioning is required to ensure binding and isolation of the radionuclides over a period long enough, until their decay. Binding the radionuclides in stable matrices and their isolation by means of engineered barriers ensures protection of environment against contamination. In the frame of Radioactive Waste Management Program related to Cernavoda NPP, optimal technologies for processing the radioactive waste generated during the NPP operation were developed and also a site for final disposal of the low and intermediate level waste was selected. The last one is a modern, ground repository with multiple engineered barriers based on the natural properties of the host geological formation. The final disposal concept implies building a conditioning facility to ensure: a super-compacting stage of the already compacted wastes; cementing the uncompactable wastes; cementing spent filters; cementing the pellets resulted from the super-compacting stage and drums with conditioned wastes in concrete modules; cementing the organic wastes; cementing the spent ionic resins by means of a mobile facility. The spent ionic resins removed from the technologic purification systems of the station are discharged by means of demineralized water and transferred, corresponding to source, to one of the 3 storage 200 m 3 basins from the basement of the CANDU 6 NPP servicing building. To avoid the danger of spent resins being cemented at basin's bottom the basins should be emptied at every 10-15 years. To comply with IAEA requirements concerning the radioactive waste final disposal, a procedure for establishing the quantitative concentration of solidification agents and additives

Sampling and characterization of spent exchange resins of Atucha I nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varani, Jose L.; Cernadas, D.; Iglesias, Alberto M.; Raffo Calderon, Maria del C.

2004-01-01

The present storage facilities for spent resins in Atucha I NPP would be full within the next 5 years, accordingly some tasks are being planned to conditioning these waste and so generate enough storage capacity for the remaining life of the plant. Among this tasks is the characterization of spent resins that has several objectives: to know their chemical and radiochemical composition; the homogeneity of these parameters in the total volume of spent resins; the existence or not of compact zones; the proportion of 'crud'; the breakage degree of the micro-spheres; etc. The first step was to analyse the criterion to follow for sampling resins in the storage deposit of 40 m 3 . In order to take some samples from different points, a special device was required. It had to be introduced closed in the resin bed, opened to take the sample and then closed again to return to the surface. A device used in cereal industry for sampling silos to different depths was modified in its internal capacity for reducing operator dose and increasing the length of rod in order to reaching the bottom of the pit. The device was tested in cold mock up before to taking actual samples. Active resins samples, five in total up to now, were taken from deposit to different depths and kept in lead containers. After analysing the samples, the following average results were extracted: 1.7 x 10 5 Bq/g of Co-60, 9.7 x 10 5 Bq/g of Cs-137 and 774 Bq/g of total alpha, which corresponds to intermediate activity waste. The differences between the values of activity of the different samples are of up to 310 % for Co-60 and of up to 788 % for the Cs-137 what indicates a great inhomogeneity. The direct observation of resin grains, placed in a transparent glass burette, did not demonstrate an important proportion of broken or divided resins. (author)

Transportation of spent nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meguro, Toshiichi

1976-01-01

The spent nuclear fuel taken out of reactors is cooled in the cooling pool in each power station for a definite time, then transported to a reprocessing plant. At present, there is no reprocessing plant in Japan, therefore the spent nuclear fuel is shipped abroad. In this paper, the experiences and the present situation in Japan are described on the transport of the spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors, centering around the works in Tsuruga Power Station, Japan Atomic Power Co. The spent nuclear fuel in Tsuruga Power Station was first transported in Apr. 1973, and since then, about 36 tons were shipped to Britain by 5 times of transport. The reprocessing plant in Japan is expected to start operation in Apr. 1977, accordingly the spent nuclear fuel used for the trial will be transported in Japan in the latter half of this year. Among the permission and approval required for the transport of spent nuclear fuel, the acquisition of the certificate for transport casks and the approval of land and sea transports are main tasks. The relevant laws are the law concerning the regulations of nuclear raw material, nuclear fuel and reactors and the law concerning the safety of ships. The casks used in Tsuruga Power Station and EXL III type, and the charging of spent nuclear fuel, the decontamination of the casks, the leak test, land transport with a self-running vehicle, loading on board an exclusive carrier and sea transport are briefly explained. The casks and the ship for domestic transport are being prepared. (Kato, I.)

Cation immobilization in pyrolyzed simulated spent ion exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luca, Vittorio; Bianchi, Hugo L.; Manzini, Alberto C.

2012-01-01

Significant quantities of spent ion exchange resins that are contaminated by an assortment of radioactive elements are produced by the nuclear industry each year. The baseline technology for the conditioning of these spent resins is encapsulation in ordinary Portland cement which has various shortcomings none the least of which is the relatively low loading of resin in the cement and the poor immobilization of highly mobile elements such as cesium. The present study was conducted with cationic resin samples (Lewatit S100) loaded with Cs + , Sr 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ in roughly equimolar proportions at levels at or below 30% of the total cation exchange capacity. Low temperature thermal treatment of the resins was conducted in inert (Ar), or reducing (CH 4 ) gas atmospheres, or supercritical ethanol to convert the hydrated polymeric resin beads into carbonaceous materials that contained no water. This pyrolytic treatment resulted in at least a 50% volume reduction to give mechanically robust spherical materials. Scanning electron microscope investigations of cross-sections of the beads combined with energy dispersive analysis showed that initially all elements were uniformly distributed through the resin matrix but that at higher temperatures the distribution of Cs became inhomogeneous. Although Cs was found in the entire cross-section, a significant proportion of the Cs occurred within internal rings while a proportion migrated toward the outer surfaces to form a crustal deposit. Leaching experiments conducted in water at 25 °C showed that the divalent contaminant elements were very difficult to leach from the beads heated in inert atmospheres in the range 200–600 °C. Cumulative fractional loses of the order of 0.001 were observed for these divalent elements for temperatures below 500 °C. Regardless of the processing temperature, the cumulative fractional loss of Cs in water at 25 °C reached a plateau or steady-state within the first 24 h increasing only

Study of plasma off-gas treatment from spent ion exchange resin pyrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Hernán Ariel; Luca, Vittorio; Bianchi, Hugo Luis

2017-03-23

Polystyrene divinylbenzene-based ion exchange resins are employed extensively within nuclear power plants (NPPs) and research reactors for purification and chemical control of the cooling water system. To maintain the highest possible water quality, the resins are regularly replaced as they become contaminated with a range of isotopes derived from compromised fuel elements as well as corrosion and activation products including 14 C, 60 Co, 90 Sr, 129 I, and 137 Cs. Such spent resins constitute a major proportion (in volume terms) of the solid radioactive waste generated by the nuclear industry. Several treatment and conditioning techniques have been developed with a view toward reducing the spent resin volume and generating a stable waste product suitable for long-term storage and disposal. Between them, pyrolysis emerges as an attractive option. Previous work of our group suggests that the pyrolysis treatment of the resins at low temperatures between 300 and 350 °C resulted in a stable waste product with a significant volume reduction (>50%) and characteristics suitable for long-term storage and/or disposal. However, another important issue to take into account is the complexity of the off-gas generated during the process and the different technical alternatives for its conditioning. Ongoing work addresses the characterization of the ion exchange resin treatment's off-gas. Additionally, the application of plasma technology for the treatment of the off-gas current was studied as an alternative to more conventional processes utilizing oil- or gas-fired post-combustion chambers operating at temperatures in excess of 1000 °C. A laboratory-scale flow reactor, using inductively coupled plasma, operating under sub-atmospheric conditions was developed. Fundamental experiments using model compounds have been performed, demonstrating a high destruction and removal ratio (>99.99%) for different reaction media, at low reactor temperatures and moderate power consumption

Accurate determination of 41Ca concentrations in spent resins from the nuclear industry by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nottoli, Emmanuelle; Bourlès, Didier; Bienvenu, Philippe; Labet, Alexandre; Arnold, Maurice; Bertaux, Maité

2013-01-01

The radiological characterisation of nuclear waste is essential for managing storage sites. Determining the concentration of Long‐Lived RadioNuclides (LLRN) is fundamental for their long-term management. This paper focuses on the measurement of low 41 Ca concentrations in ions exchange resins used for primary fluid purification in Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR). 41 Ca concentrations were successfully measured by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) after the acid digestion of resin samples, followed by radioactive decontamination and isobaric suppression through successive hydroxide, carbonate, nitrate and final CaF 2 precipitations. Measured 41 Ca concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.03 ng/g, i.e. from 0.06 to 0.09 Bq/g. The 41 Ca/ 60 Co activity ratios obtained were remarkably reproducible and in good agreement with the current ratio used for resins management. - Highlights: • In the context of radioactive waste management, this study aimed at measuring 41 Ca in spent resins using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. • A chemical treatment procedure was developed to quantitatively recover calcium in solution and selectively extract it. • Developed firstly on synthetic matrices, the chemical treatment procedure was then successfully applied to real resin samples. • Accelerator mass spectrometry allowed measuring concentrations of 41 Ca in spent resins as low as 0.02 ng/g of dry resin. • Final results are in agreement with current data used for spent resins management

Probability of spent fuel transportation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClure, J.D.

1981-07-01

The transported volume of spent fuel, incident/accident experience and accident environment probabilities were reviewed in order to provide an estimate of spent fuel accident probabilities. In particular, the accident review assessed the accident experience for large casks of the type that could transport spent (irradiated) nuclear fuel. This review determined that since 1971, the beginning of official US Department of Transportation record keeping for accidents/incidents, there has been one spent fuel transportation accident. This information, coupled with estimated annual shipping volumes for spent fuel, indicated an estimated annual probability of a spent fuel transport accident of 5 x 10 -7 spent fuel accidents per mile. This is consistent with ordinary truck accident rates. A comparison of accident environments and regulatory test environments suggests that the probability of truck accidents exceeding regulatory test for impact is approximately 10 -9 /mile

Wet oxidative destruction of spent ion-exchange resins using hydrogen peroxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivas, C.; Ramaswamy, M.; Theyyunni, T.K.

1994-01-01

Spent organic ion exchange resins are generated in large quantities during the operation of nuclear facilities. Wet oxidation as a mode of treatment of these gel-type ion exchange resins was investigated using H 2 O 2 as oxidant in the presence of CuSO 4 as catalyst. Experiments using commercial samples were conducted at 95-100 deg C under reflux conditions at atmospheric pressure. It was found that the reaction of cation resin with H 2 O 2 was instantaneous whereas with anion resin, there was a lag time. For efficient utilization of the oxidant, low rate of addition of H 2 O 2 , 0.01M concentration of CuSO 4 and neutral pH in mixed resin reactions, were found to be useful. Foaming was noted during reactions involving anion resins. This could be controlled by silicone-based agents. The residual solution left after resin oxidation is aqueous in nature and is expected to contain all the radioactivity originally present in the resin. Preliminary experiments showed that it could be efficiently trapped using available inorganic sorbents. Wet oxidation system offers a simple method of converting organic waste into environmentally acceptable inorganic products. (author). 8 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

Spent fuels transportation coming from Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Maritime transportation of spent fuels from Australia to France fits into the contract between COGEMA and ANSTO, signed in 1999. This document proposes nine information cards in this domain: HIFAR a key tool of the nuclear, scientific and technological australian program; a presentation of the ANSTO Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization; the HIFAR spent fuel management problem; the COGEMA expertise in favor of the research reactor spent fuel; the spent fuel reprocessing at La Hague; the transports management; the transport safety (2 cards); the regulatory framework of the transports. (A.L.B.)

Engineering study for the treatment of spent ion exchange resin resulting from nuclear process applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Place, B.G.

1990-09-01

This document is an engineering study of spent ion exchange resin treatment processes with the purpose of identifying one or more suitable treatment technologies. Classifications of waste considered include all classes of low-level waste (LLW), mixed LLW, transuranic (TRU) waste, and mixed TRU waste. A total of 29 process alternatives have been evaluated. Evaluation parameters have included economic parameters (both total life-cycle costs and capital costs), demonstrated operability, environmental permitting, operational availability, waste volume reduction, programmatic consistency, and multiple utilization. The results of this study suggest that there are a number of alternative process configurations that are suitable for the treatment of spent ion exchange resin. The determinative evaluation parameters were economic variables (total life-cycle cost or capital cost) and waste volume reduction. Immobilization processes are generally poor in volume reduction. Thermal volume reduction processes tend to have high capital costs. There are immobilization processes and thermal volume reduction processes that can treat all classifications of spent ion exchange resin likely to be encountered. 40 refs., 19 figs., 17 tabs

SETH 200: new mobile unit for spent ion-exchange resins embedding in polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

de Buzonniere, A.; Raibaud, J.; Augustin, X.

1985-01-01

The CEA embedding process for low- and medium-activity waste in thermosetting resins (polyester or epoxy) has been used industrially. Recent developments (elimination of chemical pretreatment thanks to a new epoxy formulation and technological breakthroughs in the operating techniques) have greatly increased the potential of the process and have allowed with Technicatome's industrial experience, the elaboration of a new mobile unit easily operated and very competitive, particularly in spent resin processing

Intermodal transportation of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elder, H.K.

1983-09-01

Concepts for transportation of spent fuel in rail casks from nuclear power plant sites with no rail service are under consideration by the US Department of Energy in the Commercial Spent Fuel Management program at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. This report identifies and evaluates three alternative systems for intermodal transfer of spent fuel: heavy-haul truck to rail, barge to rail, and barge to heavy-haul truck. This report concludes that, with some modifications and provisions for new equipment, existing rail and marine systems can provide a transportation base for the intermodal transfer of spent fuel to federal interim storage facilities. Some needed land transportation support and loading and unloading equipment does not currently exist. There are insufficient shipping casks available at this time, but the industrial capability to meet projected needs appears adequate

Studies on the incorporation of spent ion exchange resins from nuclear power plants into bitumen and cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnevie-Svendsen, M.; Tallberg, K.; Aittola, P.; Tollbaeck, H.

1976-01-01

The joint Nordic incorporation experiments should provide technical data needed for the assessment of solidification techniques for wastes from nuclear reactors in the Nordic countries. Spent ion exchange resins are a main fraction of such wastes, and more knowledge about their incorporation is wanted. The effects of simulated and real ion exchange wastes on the quality of bitumen and cement incorporation products were studied. Blown and distilled bitumen and three Portland cement qualities were used. Product characterizations were based on properties relevant for safe waste management, storage, transport and disposal. The applicability and relevance of established and suggested tests is discussed. Up to 40-60% dry resin could be incorporated into bitumen without impairing product qualities. Products with higher resin contents were found to swell in contact with water. The products had a high leach resistance. Their form stability was improved by incorporated resins. Product qualities appeared to be less affected by physico-chemical variables than by mechanical process parameters. Pure resin-cement products tend to decompose in water. Product qualities were strongly affected by a variety of physico-chemical process parameters, and integer products were only obtained within narrow tolerance limits. Caesium was rapidly leached out. To attain integer products and improved leach resistance within technically acceptable tolerance limits it was necessary to utilize stabilizing and caesium-retaining additives such as Silix and vermiculite. Under the present conditions the water content of the resins limited the amounts that could be incorporated in 40-50wt% or about 70vol.% water-saturated (containing 20-40% dry) resin. (author)

Worldwide spent fuel transportation logistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Best, R.E.; Garrison, R.F.

1978-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the worldwide transportation requirements for spent fuel. Included are estimates of numbers and types of shipments by mode and cask type for 1985 and the year 2000. In addition, projected capital and transportation costs are presented. For the year 1977 and prior years inclusive, there is a cumulative worldwide requirement for approximately 300 MTU of spent fuel storage at away-from-reactor (AFR) facilities. The cumulative requirements for years through 1985 are projected to be nearly 10,000 MTU, and for the years through 2000 the requirements are conservatively expected to exceed 60,000 MTU. These AFR requirements may be related directly to spent fuel transportation requirements. In total nearly 77,000 total cask shipments of spent fuel will be required between 1977 and 2000. These shipments will include truck, rail, and intermodal moves with many ocean and coastal water shipments. A limited number of shipments by air may also occur. The US fraction of these is expected to include 39,000 truck shipments and 14,000 rail shipments. European shipments to regional facilities are expected to be primarily by rail or water mode and are projected to account for 16,000 moves. Pacific basin shipments will account for 4500 moves. The remaining are from other regions. Over 400 casks will be needed to meet the transportation demands. Capital investment is expected to reach $800,000,000 in 1977 dollars. Cumulative transport costs will be a staggering $4.4 billion dollars

Bituminization of simulated waste, spent resins, evaporator concentrates and animal ashes by extrusion process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosche Filho, C.E.; Chandra, U.

1986-01-01

The results of the study of simulated radwaste, spent ion-exchange resins, borates/evaporator-concentrates and animal ashes, in bituminized form, are presented and discussed. Distilled and oxidized bitumen were used for characterizing the crude material and simulated wastes-bitumen mixtures of varying weight composition 30, 40, 50, 60% by weight the dry waste material. The asphaltine and parafin contents in the bitumens were determined. Some additives and clays were used aiming best characteristics of solidified wastes. For leaching studies, granular ion-exchange resins were loaded with Cs 134 and mixtures of resins-bitumens were prepared. The leaching studies were executed using the IAEA recommendation and the ISO method. It was used a conventional screw-extruder, used in plastic industry, to determine operational conditions and process difficulties. Mixtures resins-bitumen and concentrate-bitumen in differents operational condition were prepared and analysed. (Author) [pt

Spent fuel transportation problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondrat'ev, A.N.; Kosarev, Yu.A.; Yulikov, E.A.

1977-01-01

In this paper, problems of transportation of nuclear spent fuel to reprocessing plants are discussed. The solutions proposed are directed toward the achievement of the transportation as economic and safe as possible. The increase of the nuclear power plants number in the USSR and the great distances between these plants and the reprocessing plants involve an intensification of the spent fuel transportation. Higher burnup and holdup time reduction cause the necessity of more bulky casks. In this connection, the economic problems become still more important. One of the ways of the problem solution is the development of rational and cheap cask designs. Also, the enforcement in the world of the environmental and personnel health protection requires to increase the transportation reliability and safety. The paper summarizes safe transportation rules with clarifying the following questions: the increase of the transport unit quantity of the spent fuel; rational shipment organization that minimizes vehicle turnover cycle duration; development of the reliable calculation methods to determine strength, thermal conditions and nuclear safety of transport packaging as applied to the vehicles of high capacity; maximum unification of vehicles, calculation methods and documents; and cask testing on models and in pilot scale on specific test rigs to assure that they meet the international safe fuel shipment rules. Besides, some considerations on the choice and use of structural materials for casks are given, and problems of manufacturing such casks from uranium and lead are considered, as well as problems of the development of fireproof shells, control instrumentation, vehicles decontamination, etc. All the problems are considered from the point of view of normal and accidental shipment conditions. Conclusions are presented [ru

Transportation of spent MTR fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raisonnier, D.

1997-08-01

This paper gives an overview of the various aspects of MTR spent fuel transportation and provides in particular information about the on-going shipment of 4 spent fuel casks to the United States. Transnucleaire is a transport and Engineering Company created in 1963 at the request of the French Atomic Energy Commission. The company followed the growth of the world nuclear industry and has now six subsidiaries and affiliated companies established in countries with major nuclear programs.

Transportation of spent MTR fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisonnier, D.

1997-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the various aspects of MTR spent fuel transportation and provides in particular information about the on-going shipment of 4 spent fuel casks to the United States. Transnucleaire is a transport and Engineering Company created in 1963 at the request of the French Atomic Energy Commission. The company followed the growth of the world nuclear industry and has now six subsidiaries and affiliated companies established in countries with major nuclear programs

Incineration of ion-exchange resins in fluidized bed. Part of a coordinated programme on treatment of spent ion exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valkianinen, M.

1980-10-01

Incineration of ion-exchange resins in a fluidized bed was studied on the pilot plant scale. The test programme performed consisted of the testing of various bed materials and finding the optimal conditions of incineration of spent resins. Granular resins were incinerated in an ethanol-water mixture. Incinernation converts the organic resin into inert oxide material, which can be solidified for instance with cement. The weight of the ash was 1...20% and the volume 2...30% of the original resins, which contained 15...25% moisture. When solidified with cement the volume of the ash-concrete is 4...22% of the concrete of equal compressive strength acquired by direct solidification. Water immersion and heat tests of solidified ash showed satisfactory results. The absorption of Cs and Co in various bed materials was studied by means of inactive tracer materials. Biotite and chamotte absorbed significantly, but this absorption does not drastically help on the off gas side. The sintering of the bed materials in the presence of sodium was studied. Corundum, chamotte and biotite have a safety limit of 5% sodium of the bed's weight at 850 0 C

Mixture Design and Its Application in Cement Solidification for Spent Resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gan, Xueying; Lin, Meiqing; Chen, Hui

1994-01-01

The study is aimed to assess the usefulness of the mixture design for spent resin immobilization in cement. Although a considerable amount of research has been carried out to determine the limits for the composition of an acceptable resin-cement mixture, no efficient experimental strategy exists that explores the full properties of waste form against composition relationship. In order to gain an overall view, this report introduces the method of mixture design and mixture analysis, and describes the design of experiment of the 5-component mixture with the constraint conditions. The mathematic models of 28-day compressive strength varying with the ingredients are fitted, and the main effect and interaction effect of two ingredients are identified quantitatively along with the graphical interpretation using the response trace plot and contour plots

Mechanism for transporting used resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugimoto, Yoshikazu; Yusa, Hideo; Kamiya, Kunio.

1975-01-01

Object: In the operation of a light water reactor type atomic power plant, to permit transport and reuse of used ion exchange resin used for the filtering or cleaning of cooling water or the desalting of radioactive exhaust liquid through an ejector. Structure: Used ion exchange resin within a desalter having high radioactivity is withdrawn through the action of an ejector and led to a solid-liquid separator for separation into used resin and water. The separated resin is directly collected in a storage tank while the separated water is forced through a circulating pump to a gas-liquid separator for separation into gas having radioactivity and water. The separated gas is led to a radioactive gas treatment station while the water deprived of the gas is recirculated by a drive water pump for repeated use. (Kamimura, M.)

Mechanism for transporting used resin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugimoto, Y; Yusa, H; Kamiya, K

1975-01-16

In the operation of a light water reactor type atomic power plant the objectives is to permit transport and reuse of used ion exchange resin used for the filtering or cleaning of cooling water or the desalting of radioactive exhaust liquid through an ejector. Used ion exchange resin within a desalter having high radioactivity is withdrawn through the action of an ejector and led to a solid-liquid separator for separation into used resin and water. The separated resin is directly collected in a storage tank while the separated water is forced through a circulating pump to a gas-liquid separator for separation into gas having radioactivity and water. The separated gas is led to a radioactive gas treatment station while the water deprived of the gas is recirculated by a drive water pump for repeated use.

Transportation 2000. Spent fuel transportation trends in the new millenium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blee, David; Viebrock, James; Patterson, John

1999-01-01

The paper will provide a comparison of foreign research reactor spent fuel transportation today verses the assumptions used by the Department of Energy in the Environmental Impact Statement. In addition, it will suggest changes that are likely to occur in transportation logistics through the remainder of the U.S. spent fuel returns program. Cask availability, certification status, shipment strategy, cost issues, and public acceptance are among the topical areas that will be examined. Transportation requirements will be assessed in light of current participation in the returns program and the tendency for shipment plans to shift toward spent fuel return toward the end of the 13 year period of eligibility. (author)

Cementation of secondary wastes generated from carbonisation of spent organic ion exchange resins from nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathi Sasidharan, N.; Deshingkar, D.S.; Wattal, P.K.

2004-07-01

The spent IX resins containing radioactive fission and activation products from power reactors are highly active solid wastes generated during operations of nuclear reactors. Process for carbonization of IX resins to achieve weight and volume reduction has been optimized on 50 dm 3 /batch pilot test rig. The process generates carbonaceous residue, organic liquid condensates (predominantly styrene) and aqueous alkaline scrubber solutions as secondary wastes. The report discusses laboratory tests on leaching of 137 Cs from cement matrix incorporating carbonaceous residues and extrapolation of results to 200 liter matrix block. The cumulative fraction of 137 Cs leached from 200 liter cement matrix was estimated to be 0.0021 in 200 days and 0.0418 over a period of 30 years. Incorporation of organic liquid condensates into cement matrix has been tried out successfully. Thus two types of secondary wastes generated during carbonization of spent IX resins can be immobilized in cement matrix. (author)

Transporting spent nuclear fuel: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-03-01

Although high-level radioactive waste from both commercial and defense activities will be shipped to the repository, this booklet focuses on various aspects of transporting commercial spent fuel, which accounts for the majority of the material to be shipped. The booklet is intended to give the reader a basic understanding of the following: the reasons for transportation of spent nuclear fuel, the methods by which it is shipped, the safety and security precautions taken for its transportation, emergency response procedures in the event of an accident, and the DOE program to develop a system uniquely appropriate to NWPA transportation requirements

Improved management of SG BD demineralizer for reduced generation of low-level radioactive spent resin in Korean nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhee, I.; Cho, D.; Yeon, J.

2003-01-01

Most nuclear power plants in Korea have adopted Ethanolamine(ETA) as a secondary pH control agent to increase the pH at the liquid phase, which may reduce the corrosion in steam generator tubes and moisture separator/reheat system. Along with its beneficial effect of SG protection from corrosion and degradation, the replacement of ammonia with ETA causes the increased generation of spent resin and the reduced run time of demineralizer in steam generator blowdown(SG BD) system. The composition ratio of cation- to anion- exchange resin in SG BD mixed bed should be increased in the ETA chemistry environment to meet the ratio of cation to anion in the aqueous solution, which results in the simultaneous exhaustion of cation and anion exchange resins. The utilization rate of mixed bed is greatest at the cation-to-anion ratio of 95:1 on the theoretical equivalent basis in the solution, but practically highest at that of 22:1 due to the possible inhomogeneous distribution of cation and anion exchange resins in SG BD bed. The run time of the bed could be extended by 30% such that, at that much, the purchase cost of new resin is saved and the production rate of spent resin is reduced. The guideline on the replacement of resin in SG BD bed is not necessary to secure the removal of radioactive particles without the leakage of the primary coolant into the secondary side since all the radioactive ions can be eliminated by SG BD bed with the sufficient time. They are retained during more than one month after their ingress into the SG BD bed without leakage. With the reduced replacement, thus, the SG BD spent resin that comprises 65% of low-level radioactive solid waste can be much cut down

Comparison of the Transportation Risks Resulting from Accidents during the Transportation of the Spent Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong Jong Tae; Cho, Dong Kuen; Choi, Heui Joo; Choi, Jong Won

2007-01-01

The safe, environmentally sound and publicly acceptable disposal of high level wastes and spent fuels is becoming a very important issue. The operational safety assessment of a repository including a transportation safety assessment is a fundamental part in order to achieve this goal. According to the long term management strategy for spent fuels in Korea, they will be transported from the spent fuel pools in each nuclear power plant to the central interim storage facility (CISF) which is to start operation in 2016. Therefore, we have to determine the safe and economical logistics for the transportation of these spent fuels by considering their transportation risks and costs. In this study, we developed four transportation scenarios by considering the type of transportation casks and transport means in order to suggest safe and economical transportation logistics for spent fuels. Also, we estimated and compared the transportation risks resulting from the accidents during the transportation of spent fuels for these four transportation scenarios

Contributions to LWR spent fuel storage and transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The papers included in this document describe the aspects of spent LWR fuel storage and transport-behaviour of spent fuel during storage; use of compact storage packs; safety of storage; design of storage facilities AR and AFR; description of transport casks and transport procedures

Nuclear fuel transport and particularly spent fuel transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.

1986-01-01

Nuclear material transport is an essential activity for COGEMA linking the different steps of the fuel cycle transport systems have to be safe and reliable. Spent fuel transport is more particularly examined in this paper because the development of reprocessing plant. Industrial, techmical and economical aspects are reviewed [fr

Thermal model of spent fuel transport cask

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, E.E.M.; Rahman, F.A.; Sultan, G.F.; Khalil, E.E.

1996-01-01

The investigation provides a theoretical model to represent the thermal behaviour of the spent fuel elements when transported in a dry shipping cask under normal transport conditions. The heat transfer process in the spent fuel elements and within the cask are modeled which include the radiant heat transfer within the cask and the heat transfer by thermal conduction within the spent fuel element. The model considers the net radiant method for radiant heat transfer process from the inner most heated element to the surrounding spent elements. The heat conduction through fuel interior, fuel-clad interface and on clad surface are also presented. (author) 6 figs., 9 refs

European experience with spent fuel transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, I.A.

1995-01-01

Nuclear Transport Ltd has transported 5000 tonnes of spent fuel from 35 reactors in 8 European countries since 1972. Transport management is governed by the Quality Plan for: transport administration, packaging and shipment procedures at the shipping plant, operations at the power plant, and packaging and shipment organization at the power plant. Selection of a suitable carrier device is made with regard to the shipping plant requirements, physical limitations of the reactor, fuel characteristics, and transport route constraints. The transport plan is set up taking into account exploitation of the casks, reactor shut-down requirements, fuel acceptance plans at the reprocessing plant, and cask maintenance periods. A transport cycle involving spent fuel shipment to La Hague or to Sellafield takes typically two or four weeks, respectively. Most transports through Europe are by rail. A special-design railway ferry boat serves transports to the United Kingdom. Both wet or dry casks are employed. Modern casks are designed for high burnups and for oxide fuels. (J.B.)

Summary of the transportation of spent fuel attitude survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roop, E.; Price, D.L.; Paquet, V.L.

1992-01-01

The proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada will increase highway and railway transportation of spent fuel and high level nuclear wastes. The purpose of the survey was to determine the attitudes and differences in attitudes of important actors in the transportation of spent fuel. The three major areas of investigation were 1) perceived risks associated with the transportation of spent fuel, 2) confidence in the government and others responsible for transporting spent fuel, and 3) certain transportation requirements. Response was 34.3% of the original mailing and included: 193 safety personnel, 141 employees of the nuclear industry, 260 government employees, 34 native Americans, and 9 employees of environmental organizations. This paper summarizes overall and group attitudes and opinions for the three areas mentioned above. (author)

Investigations of physicochemical properties of dusts generated in mechanical reclamation process of spent moulding sands with alkaline resins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Dańko

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Mechanical reclamation processes of spent moulding sands generate large amounts of post-reclamation dusts mainly containing rubbed spent binding agents and quartz dusts. The amount of post-reclamation dusts, depending in the reclamation system efficiency and the reclaim dedusting system, can reach 5%-10% in relation to the total reclaimed spent moulding sand. The proper utilization of such material is a big problem facing foundries these days. This study presents the results of investigations of physicochemical properties of post- reclamation dusts. All tested dusts originated from various Polish cast steel plants applying the mechanical reclamation process of moulding sands with alkaline resins, obtained from different producers. Different dusts, delivered from foundries, were tested to determine their chemical composition, granular characterization, physicochemical and energetic properties. Presented results confirmed assumptions that it is possible to utilize dusts generated during mechanical reclamation of used sands with organic resins as a source of energy.

Transport device of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Takashi.

1976-01-01

Object: To provide a transport device of spent fuel particularly used in a fast breeder, which can enhance accessibility to travelling mechanism portions and exchangeability thereof to facilitate maintenance in the event of failure. Structure: On a travelling floor, which has a function to shield radioactive rays, extending in a direction of transporting spent fuel and being formed with a break passing through in a direction wall thickness, a travelling body is moved along the break. The travelling body has a support rod member mounted thereon, and the support rod member is moved within the break, the support rod member having a fuel support pocket suspended therefrom. (Furukawa, Y.)

Spent Fuel Transportation Package Performance Study - Experimental Design Challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snyder, A. M.; Murphy, A. J.; Sprung, J. L.; Ammerman, D. J.; Lopez, C.

2003-01-01

Numerous studies of spent nuclear fuel transportation accident risks have been performed since the late seventies that considered shipping container design and performance. Based in part on these studies, NRC has concluded that the level of protection provided by spent nuclear fuel transportation package designs under accident conditions is adequate. [1] Furthermore, actual spent nuclear fuel transport experience showcase a safety record that is exceptional and unparalleled when compared to other hazardous materials transportation shipments. There has never been a known or suspected release of the radioactive contents from an NRC-certified spent nuclear fuel cask as a result of a transportation accident. In 1999 the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) initiated a study, the Package Performance Study, to demonstrate the performance of spent fuel and spent fuel packages during severe transportation accidents. NRC is not studying or testing its current regulations, a s the rigorous regulatory accident conditions specified in 10 CFR Part 71 are adequate to ensure safe packaging and use. As part of this study, NRC currently plans on using detailed modeling followed by experimental testing to increase public confidence in the safety of spent nuclear fuel shipments. One of the aspects of this confirmatory research study is the commitment to solicit and consider public comment during the scoping phase and experimental design planning phase of this research

Comparison of the transportation risks for the spent fuel in Korea for different transportation scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Jongtae; Cho, D.K.; Choi, H.J.; Choi, J.W.

2011-01-01

According to the long term management strategy for spent fuels in Korea, they will be transported from the spent fuel pools in each nuclear power plant to the central interim storage facility (CISF) which is to start operation in 2016. At the start of the operation of the final repository (FR), by the year 2065, transport will then take place between the CISF and the FR. Therefore, we have to determine the safe and economical logistics for the transportation of these spent fuels by considering their transportation risks and costs. In this study, we developed four transportation scenarios for a maritime transportation by considering the type of transportation casks and transport means in order to suggest safe and economical transportation logistics for the spent fuels in Korea. And, we estimated and compared the transportation risks for these four transportation scenarios. Also, we estimated and compared the transportation risks resulting from accidents during the transportation of PWR and PHWR spent fuels by road trailers from the CISF and the FR. From the results of this study, we found that risks resulting from accidents during the transportation of the spent fuels have a very low radiological risk activity with a manageable safety and health consequences. The results of this study can be used as basic data for the development of safe and economical logistics for a transportation of the spent fuels in Korea by considering the transportation costs for the four scenarios which will be needed in the near future.

Spent-fuel transportation - a success story

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gertz, C.P.; Schoonen, D.H.; Wakeman, B.H.

1986-01-01

Spent nuclear fuel research and development (R and D) demonstrations and associated transportation activities are being performed as a part of the storage cask performance testing programs at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). These spent-fuel programs support the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) and US Department of Energy (DOE) objectives for cooperative demonstrations with the utilities, testing at federal sites, and alternatives for viable transportation systems. A cooperative demonstration program with the private sector to develop dry storage technologies that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) can generically approve is in place as well as cost-shared dry storage R and D program at a federal facility to collect the necessary licensing data. In addition to the accomplishments in the cask performance and testing demonstrations, the long-distance transportation of a large number of spent-fuel assemblies is considered a success story. The evaluation and implementation of applicable requirements, industry perspective, and extensive planning all contributed to this achievement

Development of nuclear spent fuel Maritime transportation scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Min; Kang, Hyun Gook

2014-01-01

Spent fuel transportation of South Korea is to be conducted through near sea because it is able to ship a large amount of the spent fuel far from the public comparing to overland transportation. The maritime transportation is expected to be increased and its risk has to be assessed. For the risk assessment, this study utilizes the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) method and the notions of the combined event. Risk assessment of maritime transportation of spent fuel is not well developed in comparison with overland transportation. For the assessment, first, the transportation scenario should be developed and categorized. Categories are assorted into the locations, release aspects and exposure aspects. This study deals with accident that happens on voyage and concentrated on ship-ship collision. The collision accident scenario is generated with event tree analysis. The scenario will be exploited for the maritime transportation risk model which includes consequence and accident probability

Development of nuclear spent fuel Maritime transportation scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Min; Kang, Hyun Gook [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

Spent fuel transportation of South Korea is to be conducted through near sea because it is able to ship a large amount of the spent fuel far from the public comparing to overland transportation. The maritime transportation is expected to be increased and its risk has to be assessed. For the risk assessment, this study utilizes the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) method and the notions of the combined event. Risk assessment of maritime transportation of spent fuel is not well developed in comparison with overland transportation. For the assessment, first, the transportation scenario should be developed and categorized. Categories are assorted into the locations, release aspects and exposure aspects. This study deals with accident that happens on voyage and concentrated on ship-ship collision. The collision accident scenario is generated with event tree analysis. The scenario will be exploited for the maritime transportation risk model which includes consequence and accident probability.

Degradation of ion spent resin using the Fenton's reagent; Degradacao da resina de troca ionica utilizando o reagente de Fenton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araujo, Leandro Goulart de

2013-07-01

The most common method for spent radioactive ion exchange resin treatment is its immobilization in cement, which reduces the radionuclides release into the environment. Although this method is efficient, it increases considerably the final volume of the waste due to the low incorporation capacity. The objective of this work was to develop a degradation method of spent resins arising from the nuclear research reactor located at the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN-CNEN/SP), using an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) with Fenton's reagents. This method would allow a higher incorporation in cement. Three different resins were evaluated: cationic, anionic and a mixture of both resins. The reactions were conducted varying the catalyst concentration (25, 50, 100 and 150 mM), the volume of hydrogen peroxide (320 to 460 mL), and three different temperatures, 50, 60 and 70 deg C. Degradation of about 98% was achieved using a 50 mM catalyst solution and 330 mL of hydrogen peroxide solution. The most efficient temperature was 60 deg C. (author)

Oxidative degradation of low and intermediate level Radioactive organic wastes 2. Acid decomposition on spent Ion-Exchange resins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghattas, N K; Eskander, S B [Radioisotope dept., atomic energy authority, (Egypt)

1995-10-01

The present work provides a simplified, effective and economic method for the chemical decomposition of radioactively contaminated solid organic waste, especially spent ion - exchange resins. The goal is to achieve volume reduction and to avoid technical problems encountered in processes used for similar purposes (incineration, pyrolysis). Factors efficiency and kinetics of the oxidation of the ion exchange resins in acid medium using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant, namely, duration of treatment and the acid to resin ratio were studied systematically on a laboratory scale. Moreover the percent composition of the off-gas evolved during the decomposition process was analysed. 3 figs., 5 tabs.

Oxidative degradation of low and intermediate level Radioactive organic wastes 2. Acid decomposition on spent Ion-Exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghattas, N.K.; Eskander, S.B.

1995-01-01

The present work provides a simplified, effective and economic method for the chemical decomposition of radioactively contaminated solid organic waste, especially spent ion - exchange resins. The goal is to achieve volume reduction and to avoid technical problems encountered in processes used for similar purposes (incineration, pyrolysis). Factors efficiency and kinetics of the oxidation of the ion exchange resins in acid medium using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant, namely, duration of treatment and the acid to resin ratio were studied systematically on a laboratory scale. Moreover the percent composition of the off-gas evolved during the decomposition process was analysed. 3 figs., 5 tabs

Spent fuels transportation coming from Australia; Transport de combustible use en provenance d'Australie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-07-01

Maritime transportation of spent fuels from Australia to France fits into the contract between COGEMA and ANSTO, signed in 1999. This document proposes nine information cards in this domain: HIFAR a key tool of the nuclear, scientific and technological australian program; a presentation of the ANSTO Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization; the HIFAR spent fuel management problem; the COGEMA expertise in favor of the research reactor spent fuel; the spent fuel reprocessing at La Hague; the transports management; the transport safety (2 cards); the regulatory framework of the transports. (A.L.B.)

Spent fuel transportation in the United States: commercial spent fuel shipments through December 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-04-01

This report has been prepared to provide updated transportation information on light water reactor (LWR) spent fuel in the United States. Historical data are presented on the quantities of spent fuel shipped from individual reactors on an annual basis and their shipping destinations. Specifically, a tabulation is provided for each present-fuel shipment that lists utility and plant of origin, destination and number of spent-fuel assemblies shipped. For all annual shipping campaigns between 1980 and 1984, the actual numbers of spent-fuel shipments are defined. The shipments are tabulated by year, and the mode of shipment and the casks utilized in shipment are included. The data consist of the current spent-fuel inventories at each of the operating reactors as of December 31, 1984. This report presents historical data on all commercial spent-fuel transportation shipments have occurred in the United States through December 31, 1984

Treatment of spent ion-exchange resins in shaft-type reactor with fuel-plasma source of heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitriev, S. A.; Knyazev, I. A.; Lifanov, F. A.; Polkanov, M. A.; Shvetsov, S. Yu; Savkin, A. E.

1999-01-01

The method of high-temperature conditioning the spent radioactive ion-exchange resins in combination with other combustible and incombustible radioactive waste in the plasma shaft furnace with obtaining a crystalline glass-like matrix as a final product has been developed. The method was tested on the pilot plant consisted of ceramic plasma melter, steel water-cooled shaft furnace, lined by fire-resistant concrete, and system of gas purification. The capacity of the furnace was within the limits from 10 to 15 kg/h. The volume and mass reduction factors of treated waste were 36 and 7.6, accordingly. The content of gaseous products of thermal decomposition of a waste at an output of the shaft furnace and properties of obtained slag compound were determined. Based on test results the proposals on creation of compact plasma plant for treatment of mixed radioactive waste including spent ion exchange resins were developed. (author). 3 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs

Modeling the highway transportation of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, I.G.

1986-01-01

There will be a substantial increase in the number of spent fuel shipments on the nation's highway system in the next thirty years. Most of the spent fuel will be moving from reactors to a spent fuel repository. This study develops two models that evaluate the risk and cost of moving the spent fuel. The Minimum Total Transport Risk Model (MTTRM) seeks an efficient solution for this problem by finding the minimum risk path through the network and sending all the spent fuel shipments over this one path. The Equilibrium Transport Risk Model (ETRM) finds an equitable solution by distributing the shipments over a number of paths in the network. This model decreases the risk along individual paths, but increases society's risk because the spent fuel shipments are traveling over more links in the network. The study finds that there is a trade off between path risk and societal risk. As path risk declines, societal risk rises. The cost of shipping also increases as the number of paths expand. The cost and risk of shipping spent fuel from ten reactors to four potential repository sites are evaluated using the MTTRM. The temporary monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility in Tennessee is found to be the minimum cost and minimum risk solution. When direct shipment to the permanent sites is considered, Deaf Smith, Texas is the least cost and least incident free transport risk location. Yucca Mountain, Nevada is the least risk location when the focus is placed on the potential consequences of an accident

Determination of prerequisites for the estimation of transportation cost of spent fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Heui Joo; Lee, Jong Youl; Kim, Seong Ki; Cha, Jeong Hoon; Choi, Jong Won

2007-10-01

The cost for the spent fuel management includes the costs for the interim storage, the transportation, and the permanent disposal of the spent fuels. The scope of this report is limited to the cost for the spent fuel transportation. KAERI is developing a cost estimation method for the spent fuel transportation through a joint study with the French AREVA TN. Several prerequisites should be fixed in order to estimate the cost for the spent fuel transportation properly. In this report we produced them considering the Korean current status on the management of spent fuels. The representative characteristics of a spent fuel generated from the six nuclear reactors at the YG site were determined. Total 7,200 tons of spent fuels are projected with the lifespan of 60 years. As the transportation mode, sea transportation and road transportation is recommended considering the location of the YG site and the hypothetical Centralized Interim Storage Facility (CISF) and Final Repository (FR). The sea route and transportation time were analyzed by using a sea distance analysis program which the NORI (National Oceanographic Research Institute) supplies on a web. Based on the results of the analysis, the shipping rates were determined. The regulations related to the spent fuel transportation were reviewed. The characteristics of the transportation vessel and a trailer were suggested. The handling and transportation systems at the YG site, Centralized Interim Storage Facility, and the Final Repository were described in detail for the purpose of the cost estimation of the spent fuel transportation. From the detail description the major components of the transportation system were determined for the conceptual design. It is believed that the conceptual design of the transportation system developed in this report will be used for the analysis of transportation logistics and the cost estimation of spent fuels

Solidification of radioactive liquid wastes, Treatment options for spent resins and concentrates - 16405

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, Andreas

2009-01-01

Ion exchange is one of the most common and effective treatment methods for liquid radioactive waste. However, spent ion exchange resins are considered to be problematic waste that in many cases require special approaches and pre-conditioning during its immobilization to meet the acceptance criteria for disposal. Because of the function that they fulfill, spent ion exchange resins often contain high concentrations of radioactivity and pose special handling and treatment problems. Another very common method of liquid radioactive waste treatment and water cleaning is the evaporation or diaphragm filtration. Both treatment options offer a high volume reduction of the total volume of liquids treated but generate concentrates which contain high concentrations of radioactivity. Both mentioned waste streams, spent resins as well as concentrates, resulting from first step liquid radioactive waste treatment systems have to be conditioned in a suitable manner to achieve stable waste products for final disposal. Spent resin and concentrate treatment often appear as a specific task in decommissioning projects, because in the past those waste streams typically had been stored in tanks for the lifetime of the plant and needs to be retrieved, conditioned and packed prior to dismantling activities. Additionally a large amount of contaminated liquids will be generated by utilizing decontamination processes and needs to be processed further on. Such treatment options need to achieve waste products acceptable for final disposal, because due to the closure of the site no interim storage can be envisaged. The most common method of treatment of such waste streams is the solidification in a solid matrix with additional inactive material like cement, polymer etc. In the past good results have been achieved and the high concentration of radioactivity can be reduced by adding the inactive material. On the other hand, under the environment of limited space for interim storage and the absence

Considerations for the transportation of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jefferson, R.M.

1984-01-01

In our society today the transportation of radioactive materials, and most particularly spent reactor fuel, is surrounded by considerable emotion and a wealth of information, good and bad. The transportation of these materials is viewed as unique and distinct from the transportation of other hazardous materials and as a particularly vulnerable component of the nuclear power activities of this nation. Added to this is the concept, widely held, that almost everyone is an expert on the transportation of radioactive materials. One significant contribution to this level of emotion is the notion that all roads (rail and highway), on which these goods will be transported, somehow traverse everyone's backyard. The issue of the transportation of spent fuel has thus become a political battleground. Perhaps this should not be surprising since it has all of the right characteristics for such politicization in that it is pervasive, emotional, and visible. In order that those involved in the discussion of this activity might be able to reach some rational conclusions, this paper offers some background information which might be useful to a broad range of individuals in developing their own perspectives. The intent is to address the safety of transporting spent fuel from a technical standpoint without the emotional content which is frequently a part of this argument

Standardized, utility-DOE compatible, spent fuel storage-transport systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.L.

1991-01-01

Virginia Power has developed and licensed a facility for dry storage of spent nuclear fuel in metal spent fuel storage casks. The modifications to the design of these casks necessary for licensing for both storage and transport of spent fuel are discussed along with the operational advantages of dual purpose storage-transport casks. Dual purpose casks can be used for storage at utility and DOE sites (MRS or repository) and for shipment between these sites with minimal spent fuel handling. The cost for a standardized system of casks that are compatible for use at both DOE and utility sites is discussed along with possible arrangements for sharing both the cost and benefits of dual purpose storage-transport casks

Integrated risk assessment for spent fuel transportation using developed software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Mi Rae; Christian, Robby; Kim, Bo Gyung; Almomani, Belal; Ham, Jae Hyun; Kang, Gook Hyun; Lee, Sang hoon

2016-01-01

As on-site spent fuel storage meets limitation of their capacity, spent fuel need to be transported to other place. In this research, risk of two ways of transportation method, maritime transportation and on-site transportation, and interim storage facility were analyzed. Easier and integrated risk assessment for spent fuel transportation will be possible by applying this software. Risk assessment for spent fuel transportation has not been researched and this work showed a case for analysis. By using this analysis method and developed software, regulators can get some insights for spent fuel transportation. For example, they can restrict specific region for preventing ocean accident and also they can arrange spend fuel in interim storage facility avoiding most risky region which have high risk from aircraft engine shaft. Finally, they can apply soft material on the floor for specific stage for on-site transportation. In this software, because we targeted Korea, we need to use Korean reference data. However, there were few Korean reference data. Especially, there was no food chain data for Korean ocean. In MARINRAD, they used steady state food chain model, but it is far from reality. Therefore, to get Korean realistic reference data, dynamic food chain model for Korean ocean need to be developed

Integrated risk assessment for spent fuel transportation using developed software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Mi Rae; Christian, Robby; Kim, Bo Gyung; Almomani, Belal; Ham, Jae Hyun; Kang, Gook Hyun [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang hoon [Keimyung University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

As on-site spent fuel storage meets limitation of their capacity, spent fuel need to be transported to other place. In this research, risk of two ways of transportation method, maritime transportation and on-site transportation, and interim storage facility were analyzed. Easier and integrated risk assessment for spent fuel transportation will be possible by applying this software. Risk assessment for spent fuel transportation has not been researched and this work showed a case for analysis. By using this analysis method and developed software, regulators can get some insights for spent fuel transportation. For example, they can restrict specific region for preventing ocean accident and also they can arrange spend fuel in interim storage facility avoiding most risky region which have high risk from aircraft engine shaft. Finally, they can apply soft material on the floor for specific stage for on-site transportation. In this software, because we targeted Korea, we need to use Korean reference data. However, there were few Korean reference data. Especially, there was no food chain data for Korean ocean. In MARINRAD, they used steady state food chain model, but it is far from reality. Therefore, to get Korean realistic reference data, dynamic food chain model for Korean ocean need to be developed.

Preparation of High Surface Area Activated Carbon from Spent Phenolic Resin by Microwave Heating and KOH Activation

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Song; Zhang, Libo; Zhang, Shengzhou; Xia, Hongying; Peng, Jinhui

2018-01-01

The spent phenolic resin is as raw material for preparing high surface area activated carbon (HSAAC) by microwave-assisted KOH activation. The effects of microwave power, activation duration and impregnation ratio (IR) on the iodine adsorption capability and yield of HSAAC were investigated. The surface characteristics of HSAAC were characterized by nitrogen adsorption isotherms, FTIR, SEM and TEM. The operating variables were optimized utilizing the response surface methodology (RSM) and were identified to be microwave power of 700 W, activation duration of 15 min and IR of 4, corresponding to a yield of 51.25 % and an iodine number of 2,384 mg/g. The pore structure parameters of the HSAAC, i. e., Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, total pore volume, and average pore diameter were estimated to be 4,269 m2/g, 2.396 ml/g and 2.25 nm, respectively, under optimum conditions. The findings strongly support the feasibility of microwave-assisted KOH activation for preparation of HSAAC from spent phenolic resin.

Cement matrix for immobilisation of spent anionic resins in borate form arising from nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathi Sasidharan, N.; Deshingkar, D.S.; Wattal, P.K.

2005-11-01

In water cooled reactors boron is added as boric acid to control nuclear reactor power levels. The boric acid concentration in coolant/moderator water, is controlled by using strongly basic anionic resins in borate (H 2 BO 3 - ) form. The spent anionic resins in borate form contain 131 Iodine, 99 Technitium and 137 Cesium activities. Direct immobilisation of anionic resins in borate form in Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Slag Cement was investigated using vermiculite, bentonite, calcium oxide and silica as admixtures. The cumulative fraction of 137 Cesium leached and 137 Cesium leach rate for slag cement matrix were 0.029 and 0.00064 g.cm 2 .d -1 respectively for 95 days of leaching. The volume reduction factor achieved by direct immobilisation of anionic resins in borate form was 0.48. Immobilisation of pyrolysis residues from these resins in OPC matrix was also studied. Leaching of matrix blocks was carried out for 180 days in DM water to optimise the matrix formulation. The cumulative fraction of 137 Cesium leached and 137 Cesium leach rate were 0.076 and 0.00054 respectively for 180 days leaching. The volume reduction factor achieved by immobilisation of pyrolysis residues was 2.4. OPC is non compatible to cationic resins loaded with alkali in absence of specific admixtures. Hence cationic resins loaded with alkali and anionic resins in borate form can not be immobilised together. (author)

Risk assessment in spent fuel storage and transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandimani, S.

1989-01-01

Risk assessment in various stages of nuclear fuel cycle is still an active area of Nuclear safety studies. From the results of risk assessment available in literature, it can be determined that the risk resulting from shipments of plutonium and spent-fuel are much greater than that resulting from the transport of other materials within the nuclear fuel cycle. In India spent fuels are kept in Spent Fuel Storage Pool (SFSP) for about 240-400 days, which is relatively a longer period compared to the usual 120 days as recommended by regulatory authorities. After cooling spent fuels are transported to the reprocessing sites which are mostly situated close to the plants. India has two high level waste treatment facilities, one PREFRE (Plutonium Reprocessing and Fuel Recycling) at Tarapur and the other one, a unit of Nuclear Fuel Complex at Hyderabad. This paper presents the risk associated with spent fuel storage and transportation for the Indian conditions. All calculations are based on a typical CANDU reactor system. Simple fault tree models are evolved for SFSP and for Transportation Accident Mode (TAM) for both road and rail. Fault tree quantification and risk assessment are done to each of these models. All necessary data for SFSP are taken mostly from Reactor Safety Study, (1975). Similarly, the data for rail TAM are taken from Annual Statistical Statements, (1987-8) and that for road TAM from Special Issue on Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics in India, (1986). Simulation method is used wherever necessary. Risk is also estimated for normal/accident free transport

Degradation of ion spent resin using the Fenton's reagent; Degradacao da resina de troca ionica utilizando o reagente de Fenton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araujo, Leandro Goulart de

2013-07-01

The most common method for spent radioactive ion exchange resin treatment is its immobilization in cement, which reduces the radionuclides release into the environment. Although this method is efficient, it increases considerably the final volume of the waste due to the low incorporation capacity. The objective of this work was to develop a degradation method of spent resins arising from the nuclear research reactor located at the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN-CNEN/SP), using an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) with Fenton's reagents. This method would allow a higher incorporation in cement. Three different resins were evaluated: cationic, anionic and a mixture of both resins. The reactions were conducted varying the catalyst concentration (25, 50, 100 and 150 mM), the volume of hydrogen peroxide (320 to 460 mL), and three different temperatures, 50, 60 and 70 deg C. Degradation of about 98% was achieved using a 50 mM catalyst solution and 330 mL of hydrogen peroxide solution. The most efficient temperature was 60 deg C. (author)

Risk of transporting spent nuclear fuel by train

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elder, H.K.

1981-12-01

This paper presents results of a study which analyzes the risk of transporting spent fuel by train. The risk assessment methodology consists of 4 basic steps: (1) a description of the system being analyzed; (2) identification of sequences of events that could lead to a release of material during transportation; (3) evaluation of the probability and consequences of each release sequence; and (4) assessment of the risk and evaluation of the results. The conclusion reached was that considering the substantial benefits derived from the fuel, the current spent fuel transportation system poses reasonably low risks

Analysis of near-term spent fuel transportation hardware requirements and transportation costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daling, P.M.; Engel, R.L.

1983-01-01

A computer model was developed to quantify the transportation hardware requirements and transportation costs associated with shipping spent fuel in the commercial nucler fuel cycle in the near future. Results from this study indicate that alternative spent fuel shipping systems (consolidated or disassembled fuel elements and new casks designed for older fuel) will significantly reduce the transportation hardware requirements and costs for shipping spent fuel in the commercial nuclear fuel cycle, if there is no significant change in their operating/handling characteristics. It was also found that a more modest cost reduction results from increasing the fraction of spent fuel shipped by truck from 25% to 50%. Larger transportation cost reductions could be realized with further increases in the truck shipping fraction. Using the given set of assumptions, it was found that the existing spent fuel cask fleet size is generally adequate to perform the needed transportation services until a fuel reprocessing plant (FRP) begins to receive fuel (assumed in 1987). Once the FRP opens, up to 7 additional truck systems and 16 additional rail systems are required at the reference truck shipping fraction of 25%. For the 50% truck shipping fraction, 17 additional truck systems and 9 additional rail systems are required. If consolidated fuel only is shipped (25% by truck), 5 additional rail casks are required and the current truck cask fleet is more than adequate until at least 1995. Changes in assumptions could affect the results. Transportation costs for a federal interim storage program could total about $25M if the FRP begins receiving fuel in 1987 or about $95M if the FRP is delayed until 1989. This is due to an increased utilization of federal interim storage facility from 350 MTU for the reference scenario to about 750 MTU if reprocessing is delayed by two years

Exorcising spent fuel transportation using comparative hazard assessment methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennington, Charles W.

2003-01-01

Spent fuel transportation has achieved an exemplary safety record over more than three decades within both the United States (U.S.) and the global community at large. Today, many groups are attempting to precipitate fear of spent fuel transportation within the general public by 'demonizing' this proven technology and by creating a highly charged environment of radiation phobia. The actions of these groups within the U.S. result from the confluence of the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, and the acceptance by the President and Congress of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) recommendation of Yucca Mountain as the repository site for the disposal of the nation's spent fuel. This paper offers a comparative hazard assessment demonstrating the relative safety of spent fuel transportation in the context of currently accepted practices within society to show that there are no 'demons' associated with spent fuel transportation. The paper provides an assessment of potential population exposures based on more than 25 years of transport cask analysis and testing under beyond-design-basis (BDB) event conditions, including missile attacks, with those from current accepted activities within society that produce high dose exposures to the general public. Over the last quarter of a century, several spent fuel cask test programs have produced data that allow calculation of potential releases and population doses resulting from a terrorist attack. The DOE has used this information to develop projected worst-case population exposures as part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Yucca Mountain repository. The paper discusses these potential releases and population exposures. Additionally, the paper identifies current unregulated activities and practices within societies yielding population exposures that exceed significantly those that would result from such highly hypothetical and improbable events as a terrorist missile attack on a spent fuel

Exorcising spent fuel transportation using comparative hazard assessment methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pennington, Charles W. [NAC international, Norcross (United States)

2003-07-01

Spent fuel transportation has achieved an exemplary safety record over more than three decades within both the United States (U.S.) and the global community at large. Today, many groups are attempting to precipitate fear of spent fuel transportation within the general public by 'demonizing' this proven technology and by creating a highly charged environment of radiation phobia. The actions of these groups within the U.S. result from the confluence of the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, and the acceptance by the President and Congress of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) recommendation of Yucca Mountain as the repository site for the disposal of the nation's spent fuel. This paper offers a comparative hazard assessment demonstrating the relative safety of spent fuel transportation in the context of currently accepted practices within society to show that there are no 'demons' associated with spent fuel transportation. The paper provides an assessment of potential population exposures based on more than 25 years of transport cask analysis and testing under beyond-design-basis (BDB) event conditions, including missile attacks, with those from current accepted activities within society that produce high dose exposures to the general public. Over the last quarter of a century, several spent fuel cask test programs have produced data that allow calculation of potential releases and population doses resulting from a terrorist attack. The DOE has used this information to develop projected worst-case population exposures as part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Yucca Mountain repository. The paper discusses these potential releases and population exposures. Additionally, the paper identifies current unregulated activities and practices within societies yielding population exposures that exceed significantly those that would result from such highly hypothetical and improbable events as a terrorist missile

Solidification of radioactive liquid wastes. A comparison of treatment options for spent resins and concentrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, A.; Willmann, F.; Ebata, M.; Wendt, S.

2008-01-01

Ion exchange is one of the most common and effective treatment methods for liquid radioactive waste. However, spent ion exchange resins are considered to be problematic waste that in many cases require special approaches and pre-conditioning during its immobilization to meet the acceptance criteria for disposal. Because of the function that they fulfill, spent ion exchange resins often contain high concentrations of radioactivity and pose special handling and treatment problems. Another very common method of liquid radioactive waste treatment and water cleaning is the evaporation or diaphragm filtration. Both treatment options offer a high volume reduction of the total volume of liquids treated but generate concentrates which contain high concentrations of radioactivity. Both mentioned waste streams, spent resins as well as concentrates, resulting from first step liquid radioactive waste treatment systems have to be conditioned in a suitable manner to achieve stable waste products for final disposal. The most common method of treatment of such waste streams is the solidification in a solid matrix with additional inactive material like cement, polymer etc. In the past good results have been achieved and the high concentration of radioactivity can be reduced by adding the inactive material. On the other hand, under the environment of limited space for interim storage and the absence of a final repository site, the built-up of additional volume has to be considered as very critical. Moreover, corrosive effects on cemented drums during long-term interim storage at the surface have raised doubts about the long-term stability of such waste products. In order to avoid such disadvantages solidification methods have been improved in order to get a well-defined product with a better load factor of wastes in the matrix. In a complete different approach, other technologies solidify the liquid radioactive wastes without adding of any inactive material by means of drying

An Indian perspective for transportation and storage of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dey, P.K.

2005-01-01

The spent fuel discharged from the reactors are temporarily stored at the reactor pool. After a certain cooling time, the spent fuel is moved to the storage locations either on or off reactor site depending on the spent fuel management strategy. As India has opted for a closed fuel cycle for its nuclear energy development, reprocessing of the spent fuel, recycling of the reprocessed plutonium and uranium and disposal of the wastes from the reprocessing operations forms the spent fuel management strategy. Since the reprocessing operations are planned to match the nuclear energy programme, storage of the spent fuel in ponds are adopted prior to reprocessing. Transport of the spent fuel to the storage locations are carried out adhering to international and national guide lines. India is having 14 operating power reactors and three research reactors. The spent fuel from the two safeguarded BWRs are stored at-reactor (AR) storage pond. A separate wet storage facility away-from-reactor (AFR) has been designed, constructed and made operational since 1991 for additional fuel storage. Storage facilities are provided in ARs at other reactor locations to cater to 10 reactor-years of operation. A much lower capacity spent fuel storage is provided in reprocessing plants on the same lines of AR fuel storage design. Since the reprocessing operations are carried out on a need basis, to cater to the increased storage needs two new spent fuel storage facilities (SFSF) are being designed and constructed near the existing nuclear plant sites. India has mastered the technology for design, construction and operation of wet spent fuel storage facility meeting all the international standards Wet storage of the spent fuel is the most commonly adopted mode all over the world. Recently an alternate mode viz. dry storage has also been considered. India has designed, constructed and operated lead shielded dry storage casks and is operational at one site. A dry storage cask made of concrete

Demonstration of a transportable storage system for spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shetler, J.R.; Miller, K.R.; Jones, R.E.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the joint demonstration project between the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) regarding the use of a transportable storage system for the long-term storage and subsequent transport of spent nuclear fuel. SMUD's Rancho Seco nuclear generating station was shut down permanently in June 1989. After the shutdown, SMUD began planning the decommissioning process, including the disposition of the spent nuclear fuel. Concurrently, Congress had directed the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan for the use of dual-purpose casks. Licensing and demonstrating a dual-purpose cask, or transportable storage system, would be a step toward achieving Congress's goal of demonstrating a technology that can be used to minimize the handling of spent nuclear fuel from the time the fuel is permanently removed from the reactor through to its ultimate disposal at a DOE facility. For SMUD, using a transportable storage system at the Rancho Seco Independent Spent-Fuel Storage Installation supports the goal of abandoning Rancho Seco's spent-fuel pool as decommissioning proceeds

Standard casks for the transport of LWR spent fuel. Storage/transport casks for long cooled spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, P.; Sert, G.; Gagnon, R.

1983-01-01

During the past decade, TRANSNUCLEAIRE has developed, licensed and marketed a family of standard casks for the transport of spent fuel from LWR reactors to reprocessing plants and the ancillary equipments necessary for their operation and transport. A large number of these casks are presently used for European and intercontinental transports and manufactured under TRANSNUCLEAIRE supervision in different countries. The main advantages of these casks are: - large payload for considered modes of transport, - moderate cost, - reliability due to the large experience gained by TRANSNUCLEAIRE as concerns fabrication and operation problems, - standardization faciliting fabrication, operation and spare part supply. Recently, TRANSNUCLEAIRE also developed a new generation of casks for the dry storage and occasional transport of LWR spent fuel which has been cooled for 5 years or 7 years in case of consolidated fuel rods. These casks have an optimum payload which takes into account the shielding requirements and the weight limitations at most sites. This paper deals more particularly with the TN 24 model which exists in 4 versions among which one for 24 PWR 900 fuel assemblies and another one for the consolidated fuel rods from 48 of same fuel assemblies

Remarks on the transportation of spent fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krull, W.

1992-01-01

Information and data are provided on several aspects of the transportation of spent fuel elements. These aspects include contract, transportation, reprocessing batch size, and economical considerations. (author)

Safety criteria for spent-fuel transport. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldmann, K.; Gekler, W.C.

1986-10-01

The focus of this study is on the question, ''Do current regulations provide reasonable assurance of safety for a transport scenario of spent fuel, as presently anticipated by the Department of Energy, under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.'' This question has been addressed by developing a methodology for identifying the expected frequency of Accidents Which Exceed Regulatory Conditions in Severity (AWERCS) for spent fuel transport casks and then assessing the health effects resulting from that frequency. By applying the methodology to an illustrative case of road transports, it was found that the accidental release of radioactive material from impact AWERCS would make negligible contributions to health effects associated with spent fuel transports by road. It is also concluded that the current regulatory drop test requirements in 10 CFR 71.51 which form the basis for cask design and were used to establish AWERCS screening criteria for this study are adequate, and that no basis was found to conclude that cask performance under expected road accident conditions represents an undue risk to the public

Shielding Performance Measurements of Spent Fuel Transportation Container

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SUN Hong-chao

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The safety supervision of radioactive material transportation package has been further stressed and implemented. The shielding performance measurements of spent fuel transport container is the important content of supervision. However, some of the problems and difficulties reflected in practice need to be solved, such as the neutron dose rate on the surface of package is too difficult to measure exactly, the monitoring results are not always reliable, etc. The monitoring results using different spectrometers were compared and the simulation results of MCNP runs were considered. An improvement was provided to the shielding performance measurements technique and management of spent fuel transport.

Transportation of high-level waste and spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, J.H.; Lake, W.H.; Thompson, J.H.

1993-01-01

The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) transportation program is a multifaceted undertaking to transport spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors to temporary and permanent storage facilities commencing in 1998. One of the significant ingredients necessary to achieving this goal is the development and acquisition of shipping casks. Efforts to design and acquire high capacity casks is ongoing, as are efforts to purchase casks that can be made available using current technology. By designing casks that are optimized to the specifications of the older cooler spent fuel that will be shipped, and by designing to current NRC requirements, OCRWM's new generation of spent fuel casks will be more efficient and at least as safe as current cask designs. (J.P.N.)

Proposal of guidelines for selecting optimum options in packagings and transportation systems of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saegusa, T.; Abe, H.; Fukuda, S.

1983-01-01

Type and size of spent fuel shipping packagings and packaging transport ships in spent fuel transport system would have been determined separately in response to technical requirements etc. of reactor sites and reprocessing plants. However, since more and more spent fuel will be generated from world's nuclear power plants and will be transported much frequently to reprocessing plants or storage facilities, the current spent fuel transport system will have to be necessarily reexamined from the operational and economical aspects or an optimum transport system may have to be newly determined in the near future. In the literature, a variety of options are found, particularly of spent fuel packagings. This paper listed and classified options of spent fuel packagings and packaging transport ships in the transportation systems of spent fuel on the basis of literature surveys. These options were discussed from viewpoints of designers and users and compared in terms of transport efficiency. Finally, one way to determine an optimum transport system of spent fuel was indicated considering the total transport system in the light of safety, operational efficiency and economy

Potential problems associated with ion-exchange resins used in the decontamination of light-water reactor systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soo, P.; Adams, J.W.; Kempf, C.R.

1987-01-01

During a typical decontamination event, ion-exchange resin beds are used to remove corrosion products (radioactive and nonradioactive) and excess decontamination reagents from waste streams. The spent resins may be solidified in a binder, such as cement, or sealed in a high-integrity container (HIC) in order to meet waste stability requirements specified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Lack of stability of low-level waste in a shallow land burial trench may lead to trench subsidence, enhanced water infiltration and waste leaching, which would result in accelerated transport of radionuclides and the complexing agents used for decontamination. The current program is directed at investigating safety problems associated with the handling, solidification and containerization of decontamination resin wastes. The three tasks currently underway include freeze-thaw cycling of cementitious and vinyl ester-styrene forms to determine if mechanical integrity is compromised, a study of the corrosion of container materials by spent decontamination waste resins, and investigations of resin degradation mechanisms

Remarks on the transportation of spent fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krull, W.

1986-01-01

In this chapter topics discussed are the need for contracts, a transport company and risk insurance. Also, a section on transportation covers cranes, subpressure, contamination, cask limitations, physical protection and shipping. Reprocessing discusses minimum reprocessing batch and spent fuel. Finally, economical considerations concerning transportation and reprocessing are given

Electro regeneration of iodide loaded resin. Contributed Paper RD-18

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Ratnesh; Kumar, T.; Sree Kumar, B.; Seshadri, K.S.; Paul, Biplob

2014-01-01

Spent resins generated in the nuclear reactor contain essentially cationic activities due to Cesium, Strontium, Cobalt, and anionic activities due to Iodide, Iodate etc with activity loading to the extent of 0.1 Cim -3 and a surface dose of the order of 5 R. It is necessary to convert the spent resin into innocuous, reusable forms. An attempt has been made to regenerate Iodide containing spent resin into OH - electrolytically by using the OH - produced at the cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell. Results show that the regeneration of the spent resin containing Iodide could be completely accomplished electrolytically more efficiently than by addition of alkali. (author)

Spent nuclear fuel transport problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondrat'ev, A.N.; Kosarev, Yu.A.; Yulikov, E.I.

1977-01-01

The paper considers the problems of shipping spent fuel from nuclear power stations to reprocessing plants and also the principal ways of solving these problems with a view to achieving maximum economy and safety in transport. The increase in the number of nuclear power plants in the USSR will entail an intensification of spent-fuel shipments. Higher burnup and the need to reduce cooling time call for heavier and more complex shipping containers. The problem of shipping spent fuel should be tackled comprehensively, bearing in mind the requirements of safety and economy. One solution to these problems is to develop rational and cheap designs of such containers. In addition, the world-wide trend towards more thorough protection of the environment against pollution and of the health of the population requires the devotion of constant attention to improving the reliability and safety of shipments. The paper considers the prospects for nuclear power development in the USSR and in other member countries of the CMEA (1976-1980), the composition and design of some Soviet packaging assemblies, the appropriate cooling time for spent fuel from thermal reactor power stations, procedures for reducing fuel-shipping costs, some methodological problems of container calculation and design, and finally problems of testing and checking containers on test rigs. (author)

BNFL's new spent fuel transport flask - Excellox 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWilliam, D.S.

2002-01-01

Since British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) was formed in 1971 its transport service has safely moved spent light water reactor fuel from many locations abroad to its fuel handling plants at Sellafield in the UK. To support this business a number of types of flasks have been designed and used. One of the types used has been the Excellox family of water-filled flasks. To support future business opportunities a new flask, designed to meet the requirements of the new IAEA transport regulations TS-R-1 (ST-1, Revised), has been developed. The flask will be a type B(U)F. This new flask design will maximise fuel carrying capacity to minimise transport costs. The design capacity of the new Excellox 8 flask is to be 12 pressurised water reactor or 32 boiling water reactor fuel assemblies. The objective of this BNFL project is to provide another economic spent nuclear fuel transport system, in support of BNFL transport business. (author)

Spent fuel and HLW transportation the French experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraud, J.P.; Charles, J.L.

1995-01-01

With 53 nuclear power plants in operation at EDF and a fuel cycle with recycling policy of the valuable materials, COGEMA is faced with the transport of a wide range of radioactive materials. In this framework, the transport activity is a key link in closing the fuel cycle. COGEMA has developed a comprehensive Transport Organization System dealing with all the sectors of the fuel cycle. The paper will describe the status of transportation of spent fuel and HLW in France and the experience gathered. The Transport Organization System clearly defines the role of all actors where COGEMA, acting as the general coordinator, specifies the tasks to be performed and brings technical and commercial support to its various subcontractors: TRANSNUCLEAIRE, specialized in casks engineering and transport operations, supplies packaging and performs transport operations, LEMARECHAL and CELESTIN operate transport by truck in the Vicinity of the nuclear sites while French Railways are in charge of spent fuel transport by train. HLW issued from the French nuclear program is stored for 30 years in an intermediate storage installation located at the La Hague reprocessing plant. Ultimately, these canisters will be transported to the disposal site. COGEMA has set up a comprehensive transport organization covering all operational aspects including adapted procedures, maintenance programs and personnel qualification

Transportation capabilities study of DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, G.L.; Johnson, R.A.; Smith, R.W. [Packaging Technology, Inc., Tacoma, WA (United States); Abbott, D.G.; Tyacke, M.J. [Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1994-10-01

This study evaluates current capabilities for transporting spent nuclear fuel owned by the US Department of Energy. Currently licensed irradiated fuel shipping packages that have the potential for shipping the spent nuclear fuel are identified and then matched against the various spent nuclear fuel types. Also included are the results of a limited investigation into other certified packages and new packages currently under development. This study is intended to support top-level planning for the disposition of the Department of Energy`s spent nuclear fuel inventory.

Development of a new neutron shielding material, TN trademark Resin Vyal for transport/storage casks for radioactive materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abadie, P. [COGEMA Logistics (AREVA Group), Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France)

2004-07-01

TN trademark Resin Vyal, a patent pending composite, is a new neutron shielding material developed by COGEMA LOGISTICS for transport/storage casks of radioactive materials (spent fuel, reprocessed fuel,..). This material is composed of a thermosetting resin (vinylester resin in solution of styrene) and two mineral fillers (alumine hydrate and zinc borate). Its shielding ability for neutron radiation is related to a high hydrogen content (for slowing down neutrons) and a high boron content (for absorbing neutrons). Source of hydrogen is organic matrix (resin) and alumine hydrate; source of boron is zinc borate. Atomic concentrations are equal to 5.10{sup 22} at/cm{sup 3} for hydrogen and 9.10{sup 20} at/cm{sup 3} for boron. Due to the flame retardant character of components, the final material has a good fire resistance (it is auto-extinguishable). Its density is equal to 1,8. The manufacturing process of these material is easy: it consists in mixing the fillers and pouring in-situ (in cask); so, the curing of this composite, which leads to a three-dimensional structure, takes place at ambient temperature. Temperature resistance of this material was evaluated by performing exposition tests of samples at different temperatures (150 C to 170 C). According to tests results, its maximal temperature of use was confirmed equal to 160 C.

Development of a new neutron shielding material, TN trademark Resin Vyal for transport/storage casks for radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abadie, P.

2004-01-01

TN trademark Resin Vyal, a patent pending composite, is a new neutron shielding material developed by COGEMA LOGISTICS for transport/storage casks of radioactive materials (spent fuel, reprocessed fuel,..). This material is composed of a thermosetting resin (vinylester resin in solution of styrene) and two mineral fillers (alumine hydrate and zinc borate). Its shielding ability for neutron radiation is related to a high hydrogen content (for slowing down neutrons) and a high boron content (for absorbing neutrons). Source of hydrogen is organic matrix (resin) and alumine hydrate; source of boron is zinc borate. Atomic concentrations are equal to 5.10 22 at/cm 3 for hydrogen and 9.10 20 at/cm 3 for boron. Due to the flame retardant character of components, the final material has a good fire resistance (it is auto-extinguishable). Its density is equal to 1,8. The manufacturing process of these material is easy: it consists in mixing the fillers and pouring in-situ (in cask); so, the curing of this composite, which leads to a three-dimensional structure, takes place at ambient temperature. Temperature resistance of this material was evaluated by performing exposition tests of samples at different temperatures (150 C to 170 C). According to tests results, its maximal temperature of use was confirmed equal to 160 C

Two-dimensional radiation shielding optimization analysis of spent fuel transport container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Yingnan; Chen Yixue; Yang Shouhai

2013-01-01

The intelligent radiation shielding optimization design software platform is a one-dimensional multi-target radiation shielding optimization program which is developed on the basis of the genetic algorithm program and one-dimensional discrete ordinate program-ANISN. This program was applied in the optimization design analysis of the spent fuel transport container radiation shielding. The multi-objective optimization calculation model of the spent fuel transport container radiation shielding was established, and the optimization calculation of the spent fuel transport container weight and radiation dose rate was carried by this program. The calculation results were checked by Monte-Carlo program-MCNP/4C. The results show that the weight of the optimized spent fuel transport container decreases to 81.1% of the origin and the radiation dose rate decreases to below 65.4% of the origin. The maximum deviation between the calculated values from the program and the MCNP is below 5%. The results show that the optimization design scheme is feasible and the calculation result is correct. (authors)

Estimated routine radiation doses to transportation workers in alternative spent-fuel transportation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, K.J.; Smith, R.I.; Daling, P.M.; Ross, W.A.; McNair, G.W.

1988-01-01

The federal system for the management of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste includes the acceptance by the US Department of Energy (DOE) of the spent fuel or waste loaded in casks at the reactor or other waste generators, its transportation to a repository, and its handling and final emplacement in the repository. The DOE plans to implement a transportation system that is safe, secure, efficient, and cost-effective and will meet applicable regulatory safety and security requirements. The DOE commissioned the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to develop estimates of the routine radiation doses that would result from the operation of a system postulated using current designs and practices. From that evaluation, PNL identified activities/operations that result in the higher fraction of doses, proposed conceptual alternatives that would effectively reduce such exposures, and evaluated the cost-effectiveness of such alternatives. The study is one of a series used in making overall system design and operational decisions in the development of the DOE's spent-fuel/high-level waste transportation system. This paper contains the highlights from the PNL study of the estimated radiation doses to the transportation workers in a postulated reference transportation system and potential alternatives to that system

Arrival condition of spent fuel after storage, handling, and transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, W.J.; Pankaskie, P.J.; Langstaff, D.C.; Gilbert, E.R.; Rising, K.H.; Schreiber, R.E.

1982-11-01

This report presents the results of a study conducted to determine the probable arrival condition of spent light-water reactor (LWR) fuel after handling and interim storage in spent fuel storage pools and subsequent handling and accident-free transport operations under normal or slightly abnormal conditions. The objective of this study was to provide information on the expected condition of spent LWR fuel upon arrival at interim storage or fuel reprocessing facilities or at disposal facilities if the fuel is declared a waste. Results of a literature survey and data evaluation effort are discussed. Preliminary threshold limits for storing, handling, and transporting unconsolidated spent LWR fuel are presented. The difficulty in trying to anticipate the amount of corrosion products (crud) that may be on spent fuel in future shipments is also discussed, and potential areas for future work are listed. 95 references, 3 figures, 17 tables

Accurate determination of 129I concentrations and 129I/137Cs ratios in spent nuclear resins by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nottoli, Emmanuelle; Bienvenu, Philippe; Labet, Alexandre; Bourlès, Didier; Arnold, Maurice; Bertaux, Maité

2014-01-01

Determining long-lived radionuclide concentrations in radioactive waste has fundamental implications for the long-term management of storage sites. This paper focuses on the measurement of low 129 I contents in ion exchange resins used for primary fluid purification in Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR). Iodine-129 concentrations were successfully determined using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) following a chemical procedure which included (1) acid digestion of resin samples in HNO 3 /HClO 4 , (2) radioactive decontamination by selective iodine extraction using a new chromatographic resin (CL Resin), and (3) AgI precipitation. Measured 129 I concentrations ranged from 4 to 12 ng/g, i.e. from 0.03 to 0.08 Bq/g. The calculation of 129 I/ 137 Cs activity ratios used for routine waste management produced values in agreement with the few available data for PWR resin samples. - Highlights: • In the context of radioactive waste management, this study aimed at measuring 129 I in spent resins using accelerator mass spectrometry. • The treatment procedure included microwave acid digestion of samples, iodine extraction by CL resins and AgI precipitation. • Developed first on synthetic matrices, the chemical treatment procedure was then successfully applied to real resin samples. • 129 I concentrations ranged from 4 to 12 ng/g of dry resin. • Results are in agreement with previous measurements and support reference values currently used for nuclear resin management

Integrated spent fuel storage and transportation system using NUHOMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehnert, R.; McConaghy, W.; Rosa, J.

1990-01-01

As utilities with nuclear power plants face increasing near term spent fuel store needs, various systems for dry storage such as the NUTECH Horizontal Modular Storage (NUHOMS) system are being implemented to augment existing spent fuel pool storage capacities. These decisions are based on a number of generic and utility specific considerations including both short term and long term economics. Since the US Department of Energy (DOE) is tasked by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act with the future responsibility of transporting spent fuel from commercial nuclear power plants to a Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility anchor a permanent geologic repository, the interfaces between the utilities at-reactor dry storage system and the DOE's away-from-reactor transportation system become important. This paper presents a study of the interfaces between the current at-reactor NUHOMS system and the future away-from-reactor DOE transportation system being developed under the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) program. 7 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab

Considerations in the selection of transport modes for spent nuclear fuel shipments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daling, P.M.; McNair, G.W.; Andrews, W.B.

1985-07-01

This paper discusses the factors associated with selecting a particular transport mode for spent fuel shipments. These factors include transportation costs, economics of potential transportation accidents, risk/safety of spent fuel transportation, routing alternatives, shipping cask handling capabilities, and shipping cask availability. Data needed to estimate transportation costs and risks are presented and discussed. The remaining factors are discussed qualitatively and can be used as guidance for selecting a particular transport mode. 15 refs., 3 tabs

Preliminary assessment of costs and risks of transporting spent fuel by barge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobin, R.L.; Meshkov, N.K.; Jones, R.H.

1985-12-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze the costs and risks associated with transporting spent fuel by barge. The barge movements would be made in combination with rail movements to transport spent fuel from plants to a repository. For the purpose of this analysis, three candidate repository sites are analyzed: Yucca Mountain, Nevada, Deaf Smith, Texas, and Hanford, Washington. This report complements a report prepared by Sandia National Laboratories in 1984 that analyzes the costs and risks of transporting spent fuel by rail and by truck to nine candidate repository sites

Radioactive waste management decommissioning spent fuel storage. V. 3. Waste transport, handling and disposal spent fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

As part of the book entitled Radioactive waste management decommissioning spent fuel storage, vol. 3 dealts with waste transport, handling and disposal, spent fuel storage. Twelve articles are presented concerning the industrial aspects of nuclear waste management in France [fr

Transporting spent fuel and reactor waste in Sweden experience from 5 years of operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dybeck, P.; Gustafsson, B.

1990-01-01

This paper reports that since the Final Repository for Reactor Waste, SFR, was taken into operation in 1988, the SKB sea transportation system is operating at full capacity by transporting spent fuel and now also reactor waste from the 12 Swedish reactors to CLAB and SFR. Transports from the National Research Center, Studsvik to the repository has recently also been integrated in the system. CLAB, the central intermediate storage for spent fuel, has been in operation since 1985. The SKB Sea Transportation System consists today of the purpose built ship M/s Sigyn, 10 transport casks for spent fuel, 2 casks for spent core components, 27 IP-2 shielded steel containers for reactor waste and 5 terminal vehicles. During an average year about 250 tonnes of spent fuel and 3 -- 4000 m 3 of reactor waste are transported to CLAB and SFR respectively, corresponding to around 30 sea voyages

Potential exposures and health effects from spent fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandquist, G.M.; Rogers, V.C.

1986-01-01

The radiation exposures and consequent health effects associated with normal operations and accidents during transportation of spent fuel have been analyzed and evaluated. This study was performed for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as contributory data for response to specific public inquires regarding the Draft Environmental Assessments issued by DOE in 1984. Large quantities of spent fuel from power reactors will be shipped by truck and/or rail from the site of generation or temporary storage to nuclear waste repositories. This transportation activity has the potential for increasing radiation exposures and risks above normal background levels in the vicinity of the transportation route. For normal, accident-free transport of spent fuel, radiation exposures arise from both gamma and neutron sources within the spent fuel cask. U.S. regulations limit the radiation dose equivalent rate to 10 millirem per hour at any point 2 meters from the outer lateral surfaces of the transport vehicle. Computer program PATHRAE-T was developed and employed to determine the total, combined dose field. PATHRAE-T was used to estimate the maximum individual doses from rail cask accidents. The maximum individual exposure, primarily due to inhalation, is about 10 rem and occurs about 70 meters downwind. Ground deposited nuclides account for 99 percent of the population dose. The maximum population dose accident could result in about 22 latent health effects for the urban population. The same case rail cask accidents were also evaluated for a maximum water pathway contamination scenario. The nuclide contaminated plume was assumed to be transported over a large reservoir used for domestic and agricultural water. This accident could result in a 63,000 person-rem dose causing about 13 latent health effects in the absence of any natural and industrial processes for nuclide removal from the water

Studies and research concerning BNFP. Nuclear spent fuel transportation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, R.T.; Maier, J.B.

1979-11-01

Currently, there are a number of institutional problems associated with the shipment of spent fuel assemblies from commercial nuclear power plants: new and conflicting regulations, embargoing of certain routes, imposition of transport safeguards, physical security in-transit, and a lack of definition of when and where the fuel will be moved. This report presents a summary of these types and kinds of problems. It represents the results of evaluations performed relative to fuel receipt at the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant. Case studies were made which address existing reactor sites with near-term spent fuel transportation needs. Shipment by either highway, rail, water, or intermodal water-rail was considered. The report identifies the impact of new regulations and uncertainty caused by indeterminate regulatory policy and lack of action on spent fuel acceptance and storage. This stagnant situation has made it impossible for industry to determine realistic transportation scenarios for business planning and financial risk analysis. A current lack of private investment in nuclear transportation equipment is expected to further prolong the problems associated with nuclear spent fuel and waste disposition. These problems are expected to intensify in the 1980's and in certain cases will make continuing reactor plant operation difficult or impossible

Spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste transportation. White paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

The High-Level Radioactive Waste Committee of the Western Interstate Energy Board has been involved in a year-long cooperative project with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an information base on the transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) so that western states can be constructive and informed participants in the repository program under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA). The historical safety record of transportation of HLW and spent fuel is excellent; no release of these radioactive materials has ever occurred during transportation. Projected shipments under the NWPA will, however, greatly exceed current shipments in the US. For example, over the past five years, 119 metric tons of civilian spent fuel have been shipped in this country, while shipments to the first and second repository are each expected to peak at 3000 metric tons per year. The Committee believes that the successful development and operation of a national HLW/spent fuel transportation system can best be accomplished through an open process based on the common sense approach of taking all reasonable measures to minimize public risk and performing whatever actions are reasonably required to promote public acceptance. Therefore, the Committee recommends that the Department of Energy further the goals of the NWPA by developing a Comprehensive Transportation Plan which adopts a systematic, comprehensive, and integrated approach to resolving all spent fuel and HLW transportation issues in a timely manner. The suggested scope of such a plan is discussed in this White paper. Many of the suggested elements of such a plan are similar to those being developed by the Department of energy for inclusion in the Department's Transportation Institutional Plan

Usage Inspection of KN-12 Spent Fuel Transport Cask

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J. C.; Seo, K. S.; Bang, K. S.; Cho, I. J.; Kim, D. H.; Min, D. K.

2007-03-01

The usage inspection of the KN-12 spent nuclear fuel transport package was performed to receive the license for reuse. According to the Korea Atomic Energy Act, all type B transport package should receive and pass the usage inspection every five years. The KN-12 transport cask was designed to transport twelve spent PWR fuel assemblies under wet and dry conditions. The cask was developed and licensed in 2002 in accordance with the Korea and the IAEA's safe transport regulations. The areas of usage inspection include: visual inspection, nondestructive weld inspection, load test, maximum operating pressure test, leakage test, shielding test, thermal test, external surface contamination test. In the results of the usage inspection, the damage or defect could not found out and the performance of the cask was maintained according to the requirements of the regulation. Therefore, the usage inspection was successfully performed to acquire the license for the reuse

Postulated accident scenarios for the on-site transport of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morandin, G.; Sauve, R.

2004-01-01

Once a spent fuel container is loaded with spent fuel it typically travels on-site to a processing building for permanent lid attachment. During on-site transport a lid clamp is utilized to ensure the container lid remains in place. The safe on-site transport of spent nuclear fuel must rely on the structural integrity of the transport container and system of transport. Regard for on-site traffic and safe, efficient travel routes are important and manageable with well thought-out planning. Non-manageable incidences, such as flying debris from tornado force winds or postulated blasts in proximity to the transport container, that may result in high velocity impact and shock loading on the transport system must be considered. This paper consists of simulations that consider these types of postulated accident scenarios using detailed nonlinear finite element techniques

JASPAS programme task JC-4: Isotopic and isotope dilution analysis of spent fuel solutions by resin bead mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, N.; Terakado, S.; Kuno, Y.

1988-05-01

The use of resin beads for mass spectrometry of U and Pu has been extensively developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA and tested in a number of intercomparison experiments between the Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL) of the IAEA and the Power Reactor and Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) - Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) in Japan. Resin beads represent a convenient way to concentrate the U and Pu in spent fuel dissolver solution samples from reprocessing facilities, with the added advantage that fission product elements and other actinides such as Am are removed. Measurements on the resin bead samples at SAL were performed on the ORNL-designed 2-Stage Mass Spectrometer. For the dried tracer samples, the U measurements were obtained on the VG54E instrument and the Pu results were obtained with the Finnigan MAT 261 of SAL. PNC/TRP used a VG54 mass spectrometer and obtained their mass fractionation correction factor for the resin bead measurements from the mixed tracer plus chemical standard resin bead samples. The Safeguards Laboratory (NMCC) used their MAT 260 instrument and obtained the fractionation correction factor from resin bead standards provided with the TIGR-82 programme. Both PNC/TRP and NMCC reported problems with obtaining a sufficient ion beam intensity with the resin bead samples. This problem was overcome by both labs and further improvements in the loading and measurement techniques can be expected to yield even better results. It has been demonstrated that the resin bed sampling method can provide results of sufficient quality for safeguards purposes. 2 refs, 3 figs, 16 tabs

Analyses of the transportation of spent research reactor fuel in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cashwell, J.W.; Neuhauser, K.S.

1989-01-01

The Transportation Technology Center at Sandia National Laboratories has analyzed the impacts of transportation of research reactor spent fuel from US and foreign reactors for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Defense Programs. This effort represents the first comprehensive analytical evaluation of the risks of transporting high-, medium-, and low-enriched uranium spent research reactor fuel by both sea and land. Two separate shipment programs have been analyzed: the shipment of research reactor spent fuel from Taiwan to the US (Fuel Movement Program), and the return of research reactor spent fuels of US origin from foreign and domestic reactors (Research Reactor Fuel Return Program). In order to perform these analyses, a comprehensive methodology for analyzing the probabilities and consequences of transportation in coastal waters and port facilities, handling at the port, and shipment by truck to reprocessing facilities was developed. The Taiwanese fuel consists of low-burnup aluminum-clad metallic uranium research reactor spent fuel; the other fuels are primarily aluminum-clad oxide fuels. The Fuel Movement Program is ongoing, while the Fuel Return Program addresses future shipments over a ten-year period. The operational aspects of the Taiwanese shipments have been uniform, but several possible shipping configurations are possible for the Fuel Return Program shipments. Comprehensive assessments, which bound the impacts of spent fuel transport, demonstrate that when shipments are made in compliance with applicable regulations, the risks for all such transport are low. For comparison with previously licensed transport activities and to provide continuity with earlier analyses, the results for shipment of 150-day-old commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel are presented as part of this study

Literature study of volatile radioiodine release from ion-exchange resins during transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wren, J.C.

1991-02-01

A transport package is currently being developed by Ontario Hydro to carry used filters and ion-exchange columns from the Pickering and Darlington Nuclear Generating Stations to the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station for disposal. The main reason that the transport package must be licensed is the possibility that volatile radionuclides being transported in the package might be released during transport accidents. Of particular concern is the iodine that might become volatile due to the degradation of the ion exchange resin. This report reviews the literature on the thermal and radiolytic degradation of ion exchange resins and provides calculations to estimate the fraction of volatile iodine as a function of time under postulated accident conditions

Spent fuel transportation regulatory and institutional issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lippek, H.E.

1978-01-01

The problems that could result from state and local governments and other groups with relation to regulations concerning the transportation of spent nuclear fuels are discussed. The powers of the individual states as spelled out in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 are set forth in some detail. The possibility of transportation employees gaining a position to demand and receive more stringent protections from hazards of radiation is pointed out

Transportation of spent fuel from light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, H.

1993-01-01

The French 'Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires' - COGEMA - is involved in the whole nuclear fuel cycle about 20 years. Among the different parts of the cycle, the Transport of Radioactive Materials, acting as a link between the differents plants has a great importance. As nuclear material transportation is the only fuel cycle step to be performed on public grounds, the industrial task has to be performed with the utmost stringent safety criteria. COGEMA and associates is now operating a fully mature commercial activity, with some 300 spent fuel shipments per year from its reprocessing customer's reactors to the LA HAGUE plant, either by rail, road or sea. The paper will review the organization of COGEMA transportation business, the level of technology with an update of the casks used for spent fuel, and the operational experience, with a particular view of the maintenance policy. (author)

Condensate-polisher resin-leakage quantification and resin-transport studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stauffer, C.C.; Doss, P.L.

1983-04-01

The objectives of this program were to: (1) determine the extent of resin leakage from current generation condensate polisher systems, both deep bed and powdered resin design, during cut-in, steady-state and flow transient operation, (2) analyze moisture separator drains and other secondary system samples for resin fragments and (3) document the level of organics in the secondary system. Resin leakage samples were obtained from nine-power stations that have either recirculating steam generators or once through steam generators. Secondary system samples were obtained from steam generator feedwater, recirculating steam generator blowdown and moisture separator drains. Analysis included ultraviolet light examination, SEM/EDX, resin quantification and infrared analysis. Data obtained from the various plants were compared and factors affecting resin leakage were summarized

Analyses of the transportation of spent research reactor fuel in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cashwell, J.W.; Neuhauser, K.S.

1989-01-01

We analyzed the impacts of transportation of research reactor spent fuel from US and foreign reactors for the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Defense Programs. Two separate shipment programs were analyzed. The shipment of research reactor spent fuel from Taiwan to the US (Fuel Movement Program), and the return of research reactor spent fuels of US origin from foreign and domestic reactors (Research Reactor Fuel Return Program). To perform these analyses, a comprehensive methodology for analyzing the probabilities and consequences of transportation in coastal waters and port facilities, handling at the port, and shipment by truck to reprocessing facilities was developed. The Taiwanese fuel consists of low-burnup aluminum-clad metallic uranium research reactor spent fuel; the other fuels are primarily aluminum-clad oxide fuels. The Fuel Movement Program is ongoing, while the Fuel Return Program addresses future shipments over a ten-year period. The operational aspects of the Taiwanese shipments have been uniform, but several possible shipping configurations are possible for the Fuel Return Program shipments. The risks of transporting spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive materials by all modes have been analyzed extensively. Comprehensive assessments, which bound the impacts of spent fuel transport, demonstrate that when shipments are made in compliance with applicable regulations, the risks for all such transport are low. For comparison with previously licensed transport activities and to provide continuity with earlier analyses, the results for shipment of 150-day-old commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel are presented as part of this study

Usage Inspection of KN-12 Spent Fuel Transport Cask

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, J. C.; Seo, K. S.; Bang, K. S.; Cho, I. J.; Kim, D. H.; Min, D. K

2007-03-15

The usage inspection of the KN-12 spent nuclear fuel transport package was performed to receive the license for reuse. According to the Korea Atomic Energy Act, all type B transport package should receive and pass the usage inspection every five years. The KN-12 transport cask was designed to transport twelve spent PWR fuel assemblies under wet and dry conditions. The cask was developed and licensed in 2002 in accordance with the Korea and the IAEA's safe transport regulations. The areas of usage inspection include: visual inspection, nondestructive weld inspection, load test, maximum operating pressure test, leakage test, shielding test, thermal test, external surface contamination test. In the results of the usage inspection, the damage or defect could not found out and the performance of the cask was maintained according to the requirements of the regulation. Therefore, the usage inspection was successfully performed to acquire the license for the reuse.

Probabilistic Risk Assessment on Maritime Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christian, Robby; Kang, Hyun Gook [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management has been an indispensable issue in South Korea. Before a long term SNF solution is implemented, there exists the need to distribute the spent fuel pool storage loads. Transportation of SNF assemblies from populated pools to vacant ones may preferably be done through the maritime mode since all nuclear power plants in South Korea are located at coastal sites. To determine its feasibility, it is necessary to assess risks of the maritime SNF transportation. This work proposes a methodology to assess the risk arising from ship collisions during the transportation of SNF by sea. Its scope is limited to the damage probability of SNF packages given a collision event. The effect of transport parameters' variation to the package damage probability was investigated to obtain insights into possible ways to minimize risks. A reference vessel and transport cask are given in a case study to illustrate the methodology's application.

Transportation of failed or damaged foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messick, C.E.; Mustin, T.P.; Massey, C.D.

1998-01-01

Since resuming the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF) Acceptance Program in 1996, the Program has had to deal with difficult issues associated with the transportation of failed or damaged spent fuel. In several instances, problems with failed or damaged fuel have prevented the acceptance of the fuel at considerable cost to both the Department of Energy (DOE) and research reactor operators. In response to the problems faced by the Acceptance Program, DOE has undertaken significant steps to better define the spent fuel acceptance criteria. DOE has worked closely with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to address failed or damaged research reactor spent fuel and to identify cask certificate issues which must be resolved by cask owners and foreign regulatory authorities. The specific issues associated with the transport of Materials Testing Reactor (MTR)-type FRR SNF will be discussed. The information presented will include U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulatory issues, cask certificate issues, technical constraints, and lessons learned. Specific information will also be provided on the latest efforts to revise DOE's Appendix B, Transport Package (Cask) Acceptance Criteria. The information presented in this paper will be important to foreign research reactor operators, shippers, and cask vendors, so that appropriate amendments to the Certificate of Compliance for spent fuel casks can be submitted in a timely manner to facilitate the safe and scheduled transport of FRR SNF

Transport and storage of spent fuel in Germany - possibilities for more safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennecke, P.; Fasten, Ch.; Nitsche, F.

2004-01-01

The safe transport of spent fuel from nuclear power plants in Germany is ensured by compliance with the dangerous goods transport regulations of class 7 which are fully consistent with the IAEA Transport Regulations and in parallel with the regulations of the German Atomic Energy Act. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of this legal basis and the appropriate regulations applicable to spent fuel transport in Germany. Some aspects of the status and the future development of spent fuel shipments are described including experiences since resumption of those shipments in 2001. Furthermore, the status of licensing of on-site interim storage, assessments of an terrorist attack as well as consequences resulting from changes in energy policy are given

Assessment of health risks brought about by transportation of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suolanen, V.; Lautkaski, R.; Rossi, J.

1999-03-01

In the study health risks caused by transportation of spent fuel from Olkiluoto and from Loviisa NPP's to the planned disposal site have been evaluated. The Olkiluoto NPP is owned by Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO) and the Loviisa NPP, situated at Haestholmen, by Fortum Power and Heat Oy. According to the base scenario of 40 years use of the current NPP's the total amount of spent fuel will be 1840 tU (TVO) and 860 tU (Fortum). Annually, 110 tU on the average and at most 250 tU will be transported to the disposal site. The considered transportation routes are from Olkiluoto to Haestholmen, from Olkiluoto to Kivetty, from Olkiluoto to Romuvaara, from Haestholmen to Olkiluoto, from Haestholmen to Kivetty and from Haestholmen to Romuvaara. The considered transportation modes are truck, rail or ship, or combinations of these modes. Each transportation route has been divided into homogenised sequences with respect to population density and/or route type. Total amount of analysed route options were 40, some route sequences are overlapping. Radiation exposures to the population along the routes have been calculated in normal, incident and accident situations during transportation. Occupational radiation doses to the personnel have been estimated for normal transportation only. The consequences of normal transportation have been evaluated based on RADTRAN-model, developed by the Sandia National Laboratories. As incidents, stopping of spent fuel transportation for an exceptionally long period of time, and in another case contamination of outer surface of spent fuel cask have been considered. Expected collective doses and health risks of transportation accidents connected to the routes have been calculated with RADTRAN-model. Single hypothetical transport accidents with pessimistic release assumptions have been further analysed in more detail with the ARANO-model, developed by VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland). (orig.)

Transport and storage of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lung, M.; Lenail, B.

1987-01-01

From a safety standpoint, spent fuel is clearly not ideal for permanent disposal and reprocessing is the best method of preparing wastes for long-term storage in a repository. Furthermore, the future may demonstrate that some fission products recovered in reprocessing have economic applications. Many countries have in fact reached the point at which the recycling of plutonium and uranium from spent fuel is economical in LWR's. Even in countries where this is not yet evident, (i.e., the United States), the French example shows that the day will come when spent fuel will be retrieved for reprocessing and recycle. It is highly questionable whether spent fuel will ever be considered and treated as waste in the same sense as fission products and processed as such, i.e., packaged in a waste form for permanent disposal. Even when recycled fuel material can no longer be reused in LWR's because of poor reactivity, it will be usable in FBR's. Based on the considerable experience gained by SGN and Cogema, this paper has provided practical discussion and illustrations of spent fuel transport and storage of a very important step in the nuclear fuel management process. The best of spent fuel storage depends on technical, economic and policy considerations. Each design has a role to play and we hope that the above discussion will help clarify certain issues

Virginia Power and Department of Energy spent fuel transportation experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruska, M.D.; Schoonen, D.H.

1986-12-01

Spent fuel assemblies for the Spent Fuel Storage Cask Testing Program conducted by EG and G Idaho, Inc., at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) were transported to the INEL. A total of 69 spent fuel assemblies (23 shipments) were shipped from Virginia Power's nuclear power plant at Surry, Virginia, to the INEL between July 1985 and June 1986 to fill and test three spent fuel storage casks. The shipments were made over the highway system in Transnuclear, Inc., TN-8L shipping casks on specially constructed trailers. The shipments were moved by diesel tractors owned and operated by Tri-State Motor Transit Company of Joplin, Missouri. The gross vehicle weight for each shipment was 112,000 lb, which was a major consideration when selecting routes for the shipments. Cooperative negotiations with officials for the 17 states involved obtained authorization to transport through their states. The shipping campaign was successfully completed through close communication and cooperation and careful planning and operation by all organizations involved

Analysis of the risk of transporting spent nuclear fuel by train

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elder, H.K.

1981-09-01

This report uses risk analyses to analyze the safety of transporting spent nuclear fuel for commercial rail shipping systems. The rail systems analyzed are those expected to be used in the United States when the total electricity-generating capacity by nuclear reactors is 100 GW in the late 1980s. Risk as used in this report is the product of the probability of a release of material to the environment and the consequences resulting from the release. The analysis includes risks in terms of expected fatalities from release of radioactive materials due to transportation accidents involving PWR spent fuel shipped in rail casks. The expected total risk from such shipments is 1.3 x 10/sup -4/ fatalities per year. Risk spectrums are developed for shipments of spent fuel that are 180 days and 4 years out-of-reactor. The risk from transporting spent fuel by train is much less (by 2 to 4 orders of magnitude) than the risk to society from other man-caused events such as dam failure.

Transport of oxide spent fuel. Industrial experience of COGEMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.

1983-01-01

COGEMA is ruling all transports of spent fuel to La Hague reprocessing plant. The paper summarizes some aspects of the experience gained in this field (road, rail and sea transports) and describes the standards defined by COGEMA as regards transport casks. These standards are as follows: - casks of dry type, - casks of the maximum size compatible with rail transports, - capability to be unloaded with standardized equipment and following standard procedures

Intermediate review on the transportation of spent fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-10-01

The transportation of spent fuel from the Swiss nuclear power plants to the reprocessing facilities in France and England was interrupted in May 1998 because of contamination that occurred. These measures were presented in the March 1999 statement made by the Office for the Safety of Nuclear Plants (HSK). The transport of spent fuel has been once more permitted and carried out under new conditions since August 1999. In its interim report of October 2000, HSK analyses and evaluates the experience gained since the resumption of transports. For each measure required, it compares the advantages and drawbacks and makes decisions on the maintenance or reduction of the measures to be taken. Between August 1999 and July 2000, 12 spent fuel transports were carried out between the Swiss nuclear power plants and the COGEMA reprocessing facility in France (7 from Goesgen, 4 from Beznau and 1 from Leibstadt). Neither noticeable disagreement with nor exceeding of contamination limits were noted during those 12 transports. This satisfactory result demonstrates that the measures required to be taken are effective. HSK expected from the measures a reduction of the frequency of exceeding contamination limits to less than 5% and also a marked reduction in their frequency. The present results correspond to this expectation; however, the statistical basis is not yet sufficient to be able to draw definitive conclusions. Nevertheless it is noticed that the situation in France, where similar measures have been taken, was very clearly improved. The frequency of exceeding contamination limits was reduced to 2% during the first semester of the year 2000, while it amounted to more than 30% before April 1998. It is the comprehensiveness of the measures required by HSK which allows the avoidance of contamination. The analysis shows that just a small number of measures only contribute insignificantly to the goal sought after. Therefore, two measures will be suppressed (packing of the empty

Probabilistic safety analysis of transportation of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subramaniam, Chitra

1999-11-01

The report presents the results of the study carried out to estimate the accident risk involved in the transport of spent fuel from Rajasthan Atomic Power Station near Kota to the fuel reprocessing plant at Tarapur. The technique of probabilistic safety analysis is used. The fuel considered is the Indian pressurised heavy water reactor fuel with a minimum cooling period of 485 days. The spent fuel is transported in a cuboidal, naturally-cooled shipping cask over a distance of 822 km by rail. The Indian rail accident statistics are used to estimate the basic rail accident frequency. The possible ways in which a release of radioactive material can occur from the spent fuel cask are identified by the fault tree analysis technique. The release sequences identified are classified into eight accident severity categories, and release fractions are assigned to each. The consequences resulting from the release are estimated by the computer code RADTRAN 4. Results of the risk analysis indicate that the accident risk values are very low and hence acceptable. Parametric studies show that the risk would continue to be small even if the controlling parameters were to simultaneously take extreme adverse values. (author)

Effects of AFR storage location on spent fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joy, D.S.; Shappert, L.B.

1979-01-01

In order to assess the impact of Away-From-Reactor (AFR) siting on the spent fuel transportation system, five different sites were studied: Argonne, Oak Ridge, Savannah River, Idaho Falls, and Richland. Transportation costs, cask fleet sizes, and radiation exposures received by transportation workers and the general public were calculated for each site. Results show that the eastern three sites are best. 5 figures, 5 tables

A complete NUHOMS {sup registered} solution for storage and transport of high burnup spent fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bondre, J. [Transnuclear, Inc. (AREVA Group), Fremont, CA (United States)

2004-07-01

The discharge burnups of spent fuel from nuclear power plants keep increasing with plants discharging or planning to discharge fuel with burnups in excess of 60,000 MWD/MTU. Due to limited capacity of spent fuel pools, transfer of older cooler spent fuel from fuel pool to dry storage, and very limited options for transport of spent fuel, there is a critical need for dry storage of high burnup, higher heat load spent fuel so that plants could maintain their full core offload reserve capability. A typical NUHOMS {sup registered} solution for dry spent fuel storage is shown in the Figure 1. Transnuclear, Inc. offers two advanced NUHOMS {sup registered} solutions for the storage and transportation of high burnup fuel. One includes the NUHOMS {sup registered} 24PTH system for plants with 90.7 Metric Ton (MT) crane capacity; the other offers the higher capacity NUHOMS {sup registered} 32PTH system for higher crane capacity. These systems include NUHOMS {sup registered} - 24PTH and -32PTH Transportable Canisters stored in a concrete storage overpack (HSM-H). These canisters are designed to meet all the requirements of both storage and transport regulations. They are designed to be transported off-site either directly from the spent fuel pool or from the storage overpack in a suitable transport cask.

Human error prediction and countermeasures based on CREAM in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jae San

2007-02-01

Since the 1980s, in order to secure the storage capacity of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at NPPs, SNF assemblies have been transported on-site from one unit to another unit nearby. However in the future the amount of the spent fuel will approach capacity in the areas used, and some of these SNFs will have to be transported to an off-site spent fuel repository. Most SNF materials used at NPPs will be transported by general cargo ships from abroad, and these SNFs will be stored in an interim storage facility. In the process of transporting SNF, human interactions will involve inspecting and preparing the cask and spent fuel, loading the cask onto the vehicle or ship, transferring the cask as well as storage or monitoring the cask. The transportation of SNF involves a number of activities that depend on reliable human performance. In the case of the transport of a cask, human errors may include spent fuel bundle misidentification or cask transport accidents among others. Reviews of accident events when transporting the Radioactive Material (RAM) throughout the world indicate that human error is the major causes for more than 65% of significant events. For the safety of SNF transportation, it is very important to predict human error and to deduce a method that minimizes the human error. This study examines the human factor effects on the safety of transporting spent nuclear fuel (SNF). It predicts and identifies the possible human errors in the SNF transport process (loading, transfer and storage of the SNF). After evaluating the human error mode in each transport process, countermeasures to minimize the human error are deduced. The human errors in SNF transportation were analyzed using Hollnagel's Cognitive Reliability and Error Analysis Method (CREAM). After determining the important factors for each process, countermeasures to minimize human error are provided in three parts: System design, Operational environment, and Human ability

Preparation of titanates and zeolites and their uses in radioactive waste management, particularly in the treatment of spent resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hultgren, Aa.; Airola, C.; Forsberg, S.; Faelt, L.

1983-05-01

Work on the preparation of titanates and zeolites was started and their possible uses in the management of radioactive wastes proposed in the first years of the 1970's by the Department of Nuclear Chemistry at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Chemical Center of the University of Lund, respectively. The major part of these efforts was sponsored by the National Council for Radioactive Waste (Prav), while the concluding phase including an over-all system design study adapted to the Swedish nuclear power programme for an economic evaluation was sponsored by the KBS Division of the Swedish Nuclear Fuel Supply Co. The preparation work resulted in processes ready for industrial scale production of sorbents of qualities adequate for applications in radioactive waste treatment. The essential effort was devoted to the treatment of spent resins from nuclear power plants by transfer to their radioactive contents to titanates and zeolites, which can then be sintered to stabel ceramic bodies (the PILO process). The economic evaluation indicated a significant economic incentive for the introduction of the PILO process if an incineration step is included for all types of spent resins. The essential efforts and results from this programme are summarized in this report. (Authors)

Japanese perspectives and research on packaging, transport and storage of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saegusa, T.; Ito, C.; Yamakawa, H.; Shirai, K.

2004-01-01

The Japanese policy on spent fuel is reprocessing. Until, reprocessed, spent fuel shall be stored properly. This paper overviews current status of transport and storage of spent fuel with related research in Japan. The research was partly carried out under a contract of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of the Japanese government

Reclaimability of the spent sand mixture – sand with bentonite – sand with furfuryl resin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Dańko

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction of new binding materials and new technologies of their hardening in casting moulds and cores production requires theapplication of reclamation methods adequate to their properties as well as special devices realizing tasks. The spent sands circulationsystem containing the same kind of moulding and core sands is optimal from the point of view of the expected reclamation results.However, in the face of a significant variability of applied technologies and related to them various reclamation methods, the need - of theobtained reclamation products assessment on the grounds of systematic criteria and uniform bases – arises, with a tendency of indicatingwhich criteria are the most important for the given sand system. The reclaimability results of the mixture of the spent moulding sand withGeko S bentonite and the spent core sand with the Kaltharz 404U resin hardened by acidic hardener 100 T3, are presented in the paper.Investigations were performed with regard to the estimation of an influence of core sands additions (10 –25% on the reclaimed materialquality. Dusts and clay content in the reclaim, its chemical reaction (pH and ignition loss were estimated. The verification of the reclaiminstrumental assessment was performed on the basis of the technological properties estimation of moulding sand with bentonite, where the reclaimed material was used as a matrix.

Regulations for safe transport of spent fuels from nuclear power plants in CMEA member countries. Part III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zizka, B.

1978-11-01

The regulations for safe transport of spent fuel from nuclear power plants in the CMEA member countries consist of general provisions, technical requirements for spent fuel transport, transport conditions, procedures for submitting reports on transport, regulations for transport and protection of radioactive material to be transported, procedures for customs clearance, technical and organizational measures for the prevention of hypothetical accidents and the elimination of their consequences. The bodies responsible for spent fuel transport in the CMEA member countries are listed. (J.B.)

Properties of the Carboxylate ion exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allard, Bert; Dario, Maarten; Boren, Hans; Torstenfelt, Boerje; Puigdomenech, Ignasi; Johansson, Claes

2002-09-01

Weakly acidic, carboxylic resin has been selected, together with strong base anion resins, for water purification at the Forsmark 1 and 2 reactors. For the strong (but not the weak) ion exchange resin the Nuclear Power Inspectorate has given permission to dispose the spent resins in the SFR 1 (the Final Repository for Radioactive Operational Waste). This report gives a review of the carboxylic resins and comes to the conclusion that the resins are very stable and that there should not exist any risks for increased leaching of radionuclides from SFR 1 if these resins are disposed (compared to the strong resins)

A Review on Sabotage against Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Sungyeol; Lim, Jihwan [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

This report assesses the risk of routine transportation including cask response to an impact or fire accidents. In addition, we have still found the non-negligible difference among the studies for scenarios, approaches, and data. In order to evaluate attack cases on the same basis and reflect more realistic situations, at this moment, it is worthwhile to thoroughly review and analyze the existing studies and to suggest further development directions. In Section 2, we compare scenarios of terror attacks against spent fuel storage and transportation. Section 3 compares target scenarios, capabilities, and limitations of assessment methods. In addition, we collect and compare modeling data used for previous studies to analyze gaps and uncertainties in the existing studies. According to the long term management strategy for spent fuels in Korea, they will be transported from the spent fuel pools in each nuclear power plant to the central interim storage facility. The government should not be the only ones contributing to this dialogue. This dialogue that needs to happen should work both ways, with the government presenting their information and statistics and the public relaying their concerns for the government to review.

A Review on Sabotage against Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sungyeol; Lim, Jihwan

2016-01-01

This report assesses the risk of routine transportation including cask response to an impact or fire accidents. In addition, we have still found the non-negligible difference among the studies for scenarios, approaches, and data. In order to evaluate attack cases on the same basis and reflect more realistic situations, at this moment, it is worthwhile to thoroughly review and analyze the existing studies and to suggest further development directions. In Section 2, we compare scenarios of terror attacks against spent fuel storage and transportation. Section 3 compares target scenarios, capabilities, and limitations of assessment methods. In addition, we collect and compare modeling data used for previous studies to analyze gaps and uncertainties in the existing studies. According to the long term management strategy for spent fuels in Korea, they will be transported from the spent fuel pools in each nuclear power plant to the central interim storage facility. The government should not be the only ones contributing to this dialogue. This dialogue that needs to happen should work both ways, with the government presenting their information and statistics and the public relaying their concerns for the government to review

Peak cladding temperature in a spent fuel storage or transportation cask

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, J.; Murakami, H.; Liu, Y.; Gomez, P.E.A.; Gudipati, M.; Greiner, M.

2007-01-01

From reactor discharge to eventual disposition, spent nuclear fuel assemblies from a commercial light water reactor are typically exposed to a variety of environments under which the peak cladding temperature (PCT) is an important parameter that can affect the characteristics and behavior of the cladding and, thus, the functions of the spent fuel during storage, transportation, and disposal. Three models have been identified to calculate the peak cladding temperature of spent fuel assemblies in a storage or transportation cask: a coupled effective thermal conductivity and edge conductance model developed by Manteufel and Todreas, an effective thermal conductivity model developed by Bahney and Lotz, and a computational fluid dynamics model. These models were used to estimate the PCT for spent fuel assemblies for light water reactors under helium, nitrogen, and vacuum environments with varying decay heat loads and temperature boundary conditions. The results show that the vacuum environment is more challening than the other gas environments in that the PCT limit is exceeded at a lower boundary temperature for a given decay heat load of the spent fuel assembly. This paper will highlight the PCT calculations, including a comparison of the PCTs obtained by different models.

Transportation of failed or damaged foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messick, Charles E.; Mustin, Tracy P.; Massey, Charles D.

1999-01-01

Since initiating the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF) Acceptance Program in 1996, the Program has had to deal with difficult issues associated with the transportation of failed or damaged spent fuel. In several instances, problems with failed or damaged fuel have prevented the acceptance of the fuel at considerable cost to both the Department of Energy and research reactor operators. In response to the problems faced by the Acceptance Program, DOE has undertaken significant steps to better define the spent fuel acceptance criteria. DOE has worked closely with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to address failed or damaged research reactor spent fuel causing a degradation of the fuel assembly exposing fuel meat and to identify cask certificate issues which must be resolved by cask owners and foreign regulatory authorities. The specific issues and implementation challenges associated with the transport of MTR type FRR SNF will be discussed. The information presented will include U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulatory issues, cask certificate issues, technical constraints, implementation status, and lessons learned. Specific information will also be provided on the latest efforts to revise DOE's Appendix B, Transport Package (Cask) Acceptance Criteria. The information presented in this paper will be of interest to foreign research reactor operators, shippers, and cask vendors in evaluating the condition of their fuel to ensure it can be transported in accordance with appropriate cask certificate requirements. (author)

Safe transport of spent fuels after long-term storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aritomi, M.; Takeda, T.; Ozaki, S.

2004-01-01

Considering the scarcity of energy resources in Japan, a nuclear energy policy pertaining to the spent fuel storage has been adopted. The nuclear energy policy sets the rules that spent fuels generated from LWRs shall be reprocessed and that plutonium and unburnt uranium shall be recovered and reused. For this purpose, a reprocessing plant, which has a reprocessing capability of 800 ton/yr, is under construction at Rokkasho Village. However, it is anticipated that the start of its operation will be delayed. In addition, the amount of spent fuels generated from nuclear power plants exceeds its reprocessing capability. Therefore, the establishment of storage technology for spent fuels becomes an urgent problem in Japan in order to continue smoothly the LWR operations. In this paper, the background of nuclear power generation in Japan is introduced at first. Next, the policy of spent fuel storage in Japan and circumstances surrounding the spent fuels in Japan are mentioned. Furthermore, the major subjects for discussions to settle and improve 'Standard for Safety Design and Inspection of Metal Casks for Spent Fuel Interim Storage Facility' in Atomic Energy Society of Japan are discussed, such as the integrity of fuel cladding, basket, shielding material and metal gasket for the long term storage for achieving safe transport of spent fuels after the storage. Finally, solutions to the unsolved subject in establishing the spent fuel interim storage technologies ase introduced accordingly

Spent nuclear fuel transportation casks evaluation for water in-leakage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, M.J.; Huang, D.T.; Guttmann, J.; Klymyshyn, N.A.; Koeppel, B.J.; Adkins, H.E.

2004-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) is responsible for licensing commercial spent fuel storage and transportation systems. To ensure that the regulations are risk-informed, and do not place unnecessary regulatory burden on the industry, the USNRC has been examining its regulations that apply to spent fuel transportation casks for maintaining sub-criticality under hypothetical accident conditions. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 71[1] (10 CFR 71), section 71.55(b) requires that, for evaluation of sub-criticality for fissile material packages, water moderation should be assumed to occur to the most reactive credible extent consistent with the chemical and physical form of the contents. This requirement is based on a defense-in-depth policy, and accounts for any possibility of water intrusion into the package. This program is designed to quantify the margins of safety of certified transportation casks to water intrusion following hypothetical accident conditions. This paper describes the current status of analytical work being performed to evaluate two USNRC-certified spent fuel transportation casks, HI-STAR 100[2] and TN-68[3]. The analytical work is performed using the ANSYS registered [4] and LS-DYNA trademark [5] finite element analysis (FEA) codes. The models are sufficiently detailed in the areas of bolt closure interfaces and containment boundaries to evaluate the likelihood water in-leakage under free drop hypothetical accident conditions of 10 CFR 71.73

Standard casks for the transport of LWR spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, P.

1986-01-01

During the past decade, TRANSNUCLEAIRE has developed, licensed and marketed a family of standard casks for the transport of spent fuel from LWR reactors to reprocessing plants and the ancillary equipments necessary for their operation and transport. A large number of these casks have been manufactured in different countries and are presently used for european and intercontinental transports. The main advantages of these casks are: large payload, moderate cost, reliability, standardisation facilitating fabrication, operation and spare part supply [fr

Method of separating radioactive nuclides from ion exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Kazunori; Saikoku, Masami; Taneta, Daisuke; Yagi, Takuro.

1987-01-01

Purpose: To enable to safely process radioactive nuclides from spent ion exchange resins by using existent processing facilities. Method: Ion exchange resins in aqueous medium are at first placed to the ultrasonic wave irradiation site and put into such a state where clads and resins are easily separatable from each other by weakening the bonding force between them. Since the clads are magnetic material such as Fe 3 O 4 or NiFe 2 O 4 , the clads can be collected in the direction of the magnetic force by exerting the magnetic field simultaneously. The collected clads are transported by means of the aqueous medium to a collecting tank by removing the effect of magnetic field, for example, by interrupting the current supply to the electromagnet. Finally, they were subjected to stabilization and fixation into inorganic hardening agent such as cement hardener. Thus, processions can be made safely by using existent facilities. (Takahashi, M.)

The potential importance of water pathways for spent fuel transportation accident risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostmeyer, R.M.

1986-01-01

This paper analyzes the potential importance of water pathway contamination for spent fuel transportation accident risk using a ''worst-case'' water contamination scenario. The scenario used for the analysis involves an accident release that occurs near a reservoir. Water pathway doses are compared to doses for accident releases in urban or agricultural areas. The results of the analysis indicate that water pathways are not important for assessing the risk of transporting spent reactor fuel by truck or by rail

Development of a transport cask for spent fuel elements of research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quintana, F.; Saliba, R.O.; Furnari, J.C.; Mourao, R.P; Leite da Silva, L.; Novara, O.; Alexandre Miranda, C.; Mattar Neto, M.

2012-01-01

This article presents an overview of the development of a research reactor spent fuel transport cask. Through a project funded by the IAEA, Argentina, Brazil and Chile have collaborated to enhance regional capacity in the management of spent fuel elements from research reactors operated in the region. A packaging for the transport of research reactors spent fuel was developed. It was designed by a team of researchers from the countries mentioned and a 1:2 scale model for MTR type fuel was constructed in Argentina and subsequently tested in CDTN facilities in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. There were three test sequences to test the cask for normal transport and hypothetical accident conditions. It has successfully passed the tests and the overall performance was considered satisfactory. As part of the licensing process, a test sequence with the presence of regulatory authorities is scheduled for December, 2012 (author)

Assessment of the risk of transporting spent nuclear fuel by truck

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elder, H.K.

1978-11-01

The assessment includes the risks from release of spent fuel materials and radioactive cask cavity cooling water due to transportation accidents. The contribution to the risk of package misclosure and degradation during normal transport was also considered. The results of the risk assessment have been related to a time in the mid-1980's, when it is projected that nuclear plants with an electrical generating capacity of 100 GW will be operating in the U.S. For shipments from reactors to interim storage facilities, it is estimated that a truck carrying spent fuel will be involved in an accident that would not be severe enough to result in a release of spent fuel material about once in 1.1 years. It was estimated that an accident that could result in a small release of radioactive material (primarily contaminated cooling water) would occur once in about 40 years. The frequency of an accident resulting in one or more latent cancer fatalities from release of radioactive materials during a truck shipment of spent fuel to interim storage was estimated to be once in 41,000 years. No accidents were found that would result in acute fatalities from releases of radioactive material. The risk for spent fuel shipments from reactors to reprocessing plants was found to be about 20% less than the risk for shipments to interim storage. Although the average shipment distance for the reprocessing case is larger, the risk is somewhat lower because the shipping routes, on average, are through less populated sections of the country. The total risk from transporting 180-day cooled spent fuel by truck in the reference year is 4.5 x 10 -5 fatalities. An individual in the population at risk would have one chance in 6 x 10 11 of suffering a latent cancer fatality from a release of radioactive material from a truck carrying spent fuel in the reference year

Risk comparisons for the transportation of spent fuel from nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, A.P.; Lessard, E.T.

1985-04-01

In summary, on the basis of calculated estimates, tests and accident statistics, the transport of spent nuclear fuel by whatever means has been shown to represent an infinitesimally small risk to the public, wherever they may be located enroute. This conclusion is based on three points (1) the probability of an accident involving spent fuel is small, (2) the probability that this hypothetical accident releases radioactive materials is even smaller and (3) the public-health consequences of such a release are trivial. It hardly seems to warrant the extensive assessment that it has received. If the risk to the public is of concern, this attention and analysis might have been more profitably spent on the improvement of the safety of the transport of a wide variety of other hazardous substances, which at present are given little if any prior scrutiny

Spent fuel transport in fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labrousse, M.

1977-01-01

The transport of radioactive substances is a minor part of the fuel cycle because the quantities of matter involved are very small. However the length and complexity of the cycle, the weight of the packing, the respective distances between stations, enrichment plants and reprocessing plants are such that the problem is not negligible. In addition these transports have considerable psychological importance. The most interesting is spent fuel transport which requires exceptionally efficient packaging, especially where thermal and mechanical resistance are concerned. To meet the safety criteria necessary for the protection of both public and users it was decided to use the maximum capacity consistent with rail transport and to avoid coolant fluids under pressure. Since no single type of packing is suitable for all existing stations an effort has been made to standardise handling accessories, and future trands are towards maximum automation. A discussion on the various technical solutions available for the construction of these packing systems is followed by a description of those used for the two types of packaging ordered by COGEMA [fr

Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuels, High and Intermediate Level Wastes: A Continuous Challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otton, C.; Blachet, L.

2009-01-01

For more than 45 years TN International has been involved in the radioactive materials transportation field. Since the beginning the used nuclear fuel transportation has been its core business. During all these years TN International, now part of AREVA, has been able to anticipate and fulfil the needs for new transport or storage casks design to fit the nuclear industry evolutions. A whole fleet of casks able to transport all the materials of the nuclear fuel cycle has been developed. In this presentation we will focus on the casks for the spent fuel, high level waste and intermediate level waste transportation. Answering to the constant evolution of the nuclear industry transport needs is a challenge that TN International faces routinely. Concerning the spent nuclear fuel transportation, TN International has developed in the early 80's a fleet of TN12 type casks fitted with several types of baskets able to safely transport all the spent fuel from the nuclear power plant or the research laboratories to AREVA La Hague plant. The current challenge is the design of a new transport cask generation taking into account the needs of the industry for the next 30 years. The replacement of the TN12 cask generation is to be scheduled as the regulations have changed and the fuel characteristics have evolved. The new generation of casks will take into account all the technical evolutions made during the TN12 thirty years of use. MOX spent fuel has now its dedicated cask: the TN112 which certificate of approval has been obtained in July 2008. This cask is able to transport 12 MOX spent fuel elements with a short cooling time. The first loading of the cask has been performed in 2008 in the EDF nuclear power plant of Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux. Concerning the high level waste such as the La Hague vitrified residues a whole fleet of casks has been developed such as the TN 28 VT dedicated to transport, the TN81 and TN85 dedicated to transport and storage. These casks have permitted the

Current issues in the transport of radioactive waste and spent fuel: work by the World Nuclear Transport Institute

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neau, H-J.; Bonnardel-Azzarelli, B. [World Nuclear Transport Inst., London (United Kingdom)

2014-07-01

Various kinds of radioactive waste are generated from nuclear power and fuel cycle facilities. These materials have to be treated, stored and eventually sent to a repository site. Transport of wastes between these various stages is crucial for the sustainable utilization of nuclear energy. The IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (SSR-6) have, for many decades, provided a safe and efficient framework for radioactive materials transport and continue to do so. However, some shippers have experienced that in the transport of certain specific radioactive wastes, difficulties can be encountered. For example, some materials produced in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities are unique in terms of composition or size and can be difficult to characterize as surface contaminated objects (SCO) or homogeneous. One way WNTI (World Nuclear Transport Institute) helps develop transport methodologies is through the use of Industry Working Groups, bringing together WNTI members with common interests, issues and experiences. The Back-End Transport Industry Working Group focuses on the following issues currently. - Characterization of Waste: techniques and methods to classify wastes - Large Objects: slightly contaminated large objects (ex. spent steam generators) transport - Dual Use Casks: transportable storage casks for spent nuclear fuels, including the very long term storage of spent fuel - Fissile Exceptions: new fissile exceptions provisions of revised TS-R-1 (SSR-6) The paper gives a broad overview of current issues for the packaging and transport of radioactive wastes and the associated work of the WNTI. (author)

Free Moisture in GT-73 Resin Waste Generated from the Effluent Treatment Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, D.I.

2002-01-01

Solid Waste Division is presently evaluating whether to transfer spent resin generated from the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) to the Nevada Test Site (NTS). One of the criteria for the waste to be accepted at the NTS is that the waste must not contain more than 1 vol-percent free liquid. This criterion reduces the amount of liquid, a primary vector for subsurface contaminant migration (along with colloids), introduced into the repository. This criterion also serves to reduce the chance of an accidental spill during transport of the waste to the NTS. On December 15, 1997, a shipment from Fernald to the NTS leaked some liquid waste onto a highway in Kingman, Arizona, resulting in a Type B Accident Investigation. The direct cause of the leak was attributed to broken welds related to the use of substandard containers. The overall objective of this study was to provide guidance as to whether the spent GT-73 resin would meet the free moisture WAC set by the NTS

Standard casks for the transport of LWR spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, P.

1985-01-01

During the past decade, TRANSNUCLEAIRE has developed, licensed and marketed a family of standard casks for the transport of spent fuel from LWR reactors to reprocessing plants and the ancillary equipments necessary for their operation and transport. A large number of these casks have been manufacturer under TRANSNUCLEAIRE supervision in different countries and are presently used for European and intercontinental transports. The main advantages of these casks are: - large payload for considered modes of transport, - moderate cost, - reliability due to the large experience gained by TRANSNUCLEAIRE as concerns fabrication and operation problems, - standardisation facilitating fabrication, operation and spare part supply [fr

BWR - Spent Fuel Transport and Storage with the TNTM9/4 and TNTM24BH Casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wattez, L.; Marguerat, Y.; Hoesli, C.

2006-01-01

The Swiss Nuclear Utilities have started in 2001 to store spent fuel in dry metallic dual-purpose casks at ZWILAG, the Swiss interim storage facility. BKW FMB Energy Ltd., the Muehleberg Nuclear Power Plant owner, is involved in this process and has elected to store its BWR spent fuel in a new high capacity dual-purpose cask, the TNeTeM24BH from the COGEMA Logistics/TRANSNUCLEAR TN TM 24 family. The Muehleberg BWR spent fuels are transported by road in a medium size shuttle transport cask and then transferred to a heavy transport/storage cask (dry transfer) in the hot cell of ZWILAG site. For that purpose, COGEMA Logistics designed and supplied: - Two shuttle casks, TN TM 9/4, mainly devoted to transport of spent fuel from Muehleberg NPP to ZWILAG. Licensed according to IAEA 1996, the TN TM 9/4 is a 40 ton transport cask, for 7 BWR high bum-up spent fuel assemblies. - A series of new high capacity dual-purpose casks, TN TM 24BH, holding 69 BWR spent fuels. Two transport campaigns took place in 2003 and 2004. For each campaign, ten TN TM 9/4 round trips are performed, and one TN TM 24BH is loaded. 5 additional TN TM 24BH are being manufactured for BKW, and the next transport campaigns are scheduled from 2006. The TN TM 24BH high capacity dual purpose cask and the TN TM 9/4 transport cask characteristics and capabilities will then be detailed. (authors)

Thermal analysis on NAC-STC spent fuel transport cask under different transport conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yumei [Institute of Process Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Yang, Jian, E-mail: zdhjkz@zju.edu.cn [Institute of Process Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Xu, Chao; Wang, Weiping [Institute of Process Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Ma, Zhijun [Department of Material Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China)

2013-12-15

Highlights: • Spent fuel cask was investigated as a whole instead of fuel assembly alone. • The cask was successfully modeled and meshed after several simplifications. • Equivalence method was used to calculate the properties of parts. • Both the integral thermal field and peak values are captured to verify safety. • The temperature variations of key parts were also plotted. - Abstract: Transport casks used for conveying spent nuclear fuel are inseparably related to the safety of the whole reprocessing system for spent nuclear fuel. Thus they must be designed according to rigorous safety standards including thermal analysis. In this paper, for NAC-STC cask, a finite element model is established based on some proper simplifications on configurations and the heat transfer mechanisms. Considering the complex components and gaps, the equivalence method is presented to define their material properties. Then an equivalent convection coefficient is introduced to define boundary conditions. Finally, the temperature field is captured and analyzed under both normal and accident transport conditions by using ANSYS software. The validity of numerical calculation is given by comparing its results with theoretical calculation. Obtaining the integral distribution laws of temperature and peak temperature values of all vital components, the security of the cask can be evaluated and verified.

Characterization of dextran-grafted hydrophobic charge-induction resins: Structural properties, protein adsorption and transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tao; Angelo, James M; Lin, Dong-Qiang; Lenhoff, Abraham M; Yao, Shan-Jing

2017-09-29

The structural and functional properties of a series of dextran-grafted and non-grafted hydrophobic charge-induction chromatographic (HCIC) agarose resins were characterized by macroscopic and microscopic techniques. The effects of dextran grafting and mobile phase conditions on the pore dimensions of the resins were investigated with inverse size exclusion chromatography (ISEC). A significantly lower pore radius (17.6nm) was found for dextran-grafted than non-grafted resins (29.5nm), but increased salt concentration would narrow the gap between the respective pore radii. Two proteins, human immunoglobulin G (hIgG) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), were used to examine the effect of protein characteristics. The results of adsorption isotherms showed that the dextran-grafted resin with high ligand density had substantially higher adsorption capacity and enhanced the salt-tolerance property for hIgG, but displayed a significantly smaller benefit for BSA adsorption. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that hIgG presented more diffuse and slower moving adsorption front compared to BSA during uptake into the resins because of the selective binding of multiple species from polyclonal IgG; polymer-grafting with high ligand density could enhance the rate of hIgG transport in the dextran-grafted resins without salt addition, but not for the case with high salt and BSA. The results indicate that microscopic analysis using ISEC and CLSM is useful to improve the mechanistic understanding of resin structure and of critical functional parameters involving protein adsorption and transport, which would guide the rational design of new resins and processes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A summary of methods for conditioning and immobilizing ion-exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Speranzini, R.A.; Buckley, L.P.

1983-02-01

Ion-exchange resins are used in CANDU-PHW nuclear power stations to purify heavy water in the primary heat transport (PHT) and moderator systems. Two promising techniques for conditioning spent ion-exchange resins for disposal have been evaluated: direct immobilization and incineration combined with immobilization of the ash and scrubbed off-gases. When ion-exchange resins were immobilized directly, volumes of bitumen products were about 0.75 times the volumes of untreated resin, while the volumes of cement and polyester products were 2 to 3 times larger. While incinerating the resin is an extra processing step, much smaller volumes result from the latter option. Bitumen and glass product volumes were six and ten times smaller, respectively, than the volumes of untreated resin, while cement and polyester product volumes were about one-half the volume of untreated resin. Since the releases of Cs-136 by leaching were lowest for products made by immobilization in glass, PHT resins which have high concentrations of Cs-137 should be vitrified. Moderator resins which have high concentrations of C-14 should be incinerated and the ash and C-14-contaminated scrubbing solutions should be immobilized. By pretreating such resins with calcium chloride or carbon dioxide, the C-14 present on resin could be released at temperatures below the ignition temperature of the resin. The pretreatment technique reduces the amount of inactive carbon dioxide that must be scrubbed to trap the C-14. The releases of C-14 from immobilized barium hydroxide scrubbing solution were the same as releases from immobilized resin

Treatment of radioactive ionic exchange resins by super- and sub-critical water oxidation (SCWO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyeongsook; Son, Soon Hwan; Kim, Kwang Sin; Han, Joo Hee; Han, Kee Do; Do, Seung Hoe

2010-01-01

As the usage of ion exchange resins increases the inventory of spent ion exchange resins increases in nuclear power plants. This study is to find an environmental-friendly process to treat theses spent resins. The test samples were prepared by diluting the slurry made by wet ball milling the spent cationic exchange resins for 24 h. The spent cationic exchange resins were separated from mixed ion exchange resins by a fluidized bed gravimetric separator. The decomposition of the samples was investigated with super-critical water oxidation (SCWO) equipment. A statistical test method - the central composite design as a statistical design of experiments - was adopted to find the optimum condition to decompose the spent exchange resins. The optimum condition was 60% of excess oxygen, 22.5 min of residence time, 0.615 wt% of NaOH, 358 of reaction temperature, and 3600 psi of reaction pressure, which is a sub-critical condition. The liquid product of the decomposition has the characteristics of 80-185 ppm of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), 4.0-6.0 of pH, and <1.0 ppm of corrosive components (Ni, Fe, Cr, and Mo). The exhaust gas from the SCWO equipment contained NOx of 0 ppm, SOx of 3 ppm (environment exhaust standard in Korea: NOx 200 ppm, SOx 300 ppm). Co-substituted mock samples were prepared to simulate spent cationic exchange resins from nuclear power plants which can contain radioactive Co isotopes. The conditions to obtain organic compound destruction ratio which conforms the effluent stand for the mock samples were found. The treated water filtered with 0.2-filter contained less than 1 ppm of Co. Thus Co recovery rate of more 99% was achieved.

Safety of handling, storing and transportation of spent nuclear fuel and vitrified high-level wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ericsson, A.M.

1977-11-01

The safety of handling and transportation of spent fuel and vitrified high-level waste has been studied. Only the operations which are performed in Sweden are included. That is: - Transportation of spent fuel from the reactors to an independant spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). - Temporary storage of spent fuel in the ISFSI. - Transportation of the spent fuel from the ISFSI to a foreign reprocessing plant. - Transportation of vitrified high-level waste to an interim storage facility. - Interim storage of vitrified high-level waste. - Handling of the vitrified high-level waste in a repository for ultimate disposal. For each stage in the handling sequence above the following items are given: - A brief technical description. - A description of precautionary measures considered in the design. - An analysis of the discharges of radioactive materials to the environment in normal operation. - An analysis of the discharges of radioactive materials due to postulated accidents. The dose to the public has been roughly and conservatively estimated for both normal and accident conditions. The expected rate of occurence are given for the accidents. The results show that above described handling sequence gives only a minor risk contribution to the public

Development of a Computer Program (CASK) for the Analysis of Logistics and Transportation Cost of the Spent Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, Jeong-Hun; Choi, Heui-Joo; Cho, Dong-Keun; Kim, Seong-Ki; Lee, Jong-Youl; Choi, Jong-Won

2008-07-01

The cost for the spent fuel management includes the costs for the interim storage, the transportation, and the permanent disposal of the spent fuels. The CASK(Cost and logistics Analysis program for Spent fuel transportation in Korea) program is developed to analyze logistics and transportation cost of the spent fuels. And the total amount of PWR spent fuels stored in four nuclear plant sites, a centralized interim storage facility near coast and a permanent disposal facility near the interim storage facility are considered in this program. The CASK program is developed by using Visual Basic language and coupled with an excel sheet. The excel sheet shows a change of logistics and transportation cost. Also transportation unit cost is easily changed in the excel sheet. The scopes of the report are explanation of parameters in the CASK program and a preliminary calculation. We have developed the CASK version 1.0 so far, and will update its parameters in transportation cost and transportation scenario. Also, we will incorporate it into the program which is used for the projection of spent fuels from the nuclear power plants. Finally, it is expected that the CASK program could be a part of the cost estimation tools which are under development at KAERI. And this program will be a very useful tool for the establishment of transportation scenario and transportation cost in Korean situations

Thermochemical treatment of spent ion exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ojovan, M.I.; Petrov, G.A.; Dmitriev, S.A.; Trusov, B.G.; Semenov, K.N.; Klimov, V.L.

2001-01-01

Spent ion exchange resins (IER) is a principal type of radioactive waste constantly generated by nuclear plants of various functions. The reduction of volume of this waste and its treatment to the forms suitable for long-term disposal is an urgent problem facing the present-day atomic energetics. Nowadays the technological process THOR (Studsvik, Sweden) based on the thermodestruction of IER is the best developed and realized on the industrial scale. Unfortunately, this process requires expensive equipment and great energy consumption for the moisture to be evaporated and thereafter IER to be destroyed by heat. Meanwhile the capability of some elements (Mg, Al, Si, Ti etc.) has long been known and practical use found for active interaction with water in combustion regime. This property of the metals has been used in the development of new technology of treatment of IERs in SIA ''Radon''. Wet IER is mixed with powder metal fuel (PMF) which represents a mixture of metal powder, a quantity of burning activator and some technological additives. On initiation, the mixture of IER with PMF burns without extra energy supply to generate enough heat for the moisture to be evaporated and products of IER decomposition to be destroyed and evaporated. To burn out the products of IER evaporation the air is used. The thermodynamic simulation data and the results of experiments using a pilot plant show that radionuclides contained in IER are chemically bound in ash residue consisting of metal oxides, spinel, silicates, etc. According to the experimental data, radionuclides in amounts of 90% or more of Cs-137 and up to 95% of Sr-90 and Co-60 are fixed in the ash residue. The residue volume is several times less than the initial volume of IER. Concentrations of hazard gases in off-gases do not exceed maximum permissible ones accepted in different countries. The technological process is easy to perform, it does not require sophisticated equipment and great energy consumption which

Operation and maintenance of spent fuel storage and transportation casks/containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Member States have a growing need for casks for spent fuel storage and transportation. A variety of casks has been developed and is in use at an increasing number of sites. This has resulted in an accumulation of experience that will provide valuable information for other projects in spent fuel management. This publication provides a comprehensive review of information on the cask operation and maintenance associated with spent fuel storage. It draws upon generic knowledge from industrial experience and applications and is intended to serve as a basis for better planning and implementation in future projects

Properties of the Carboxylate ion exchange resins; Karboxylatjonbytarmassans egenskaper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allard, Bert; Dario, Maarten [Oerebro Univ. (Sweden); Boren, Hans [Linkoepings Univ. (Sweden); Torstenfelt, Boerje [Swedpower, Stockholm (Sweden); Puigdomenech, Ignasi; Johansson, Claes [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (Sweden)

2002-09-01

Weakly acidic, carboxylic resin has been selected, together with strong base anion resins, for water purification at the Forsmark 1 and 2 reactors. For the strong (but not the weak) ion exchange resin the Nuclear Power Inspectorate has given permission to dispose the spent resins in the SFR 1 (the Final Repository for Radioactive Operational Waste). This report gives a review of the carboxylic resins and comes to the conclusion that the resins are very stable and that there should not exist any risks for increased leaching of radionuclides from SFR 1 if these resins are disposed (compared to the strong resins)

Method of solidifying radioactive ion exchange resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minami, Yuji; Tomita, Toshihide

1989-01-01

Spent anion exchange resin formed in nuclear power plants, etc. generally catch only a portion of anions in view of the ion exchange resins capacity and most of the anions are sent while possessing activities to radioactive waste processing systems. Then, the anion exchange resins increase the specific gravity by the capture of the anions. Accordingly, anions are caused to be captured on the anion exchange resin wastes such that the specific gravity of the anion exchange resin wastes is greater than that of the thermosetting resins to be mixed. This enables satisfactory mixing with the thermosetting resins and, in addition, enables to form integral solidification products in which anion exchange resins and cation exchange resins are not locallized separately and which are homogenous and free from cracks. (T.M.)

Transport experience of NH-25 spent fuel shipping cask for post irradiation examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Ryuji

1982-01-01

Since the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute and Nippon Nuclear Fuel Development Co. hot laboratories are located far off from the port which can handle spent fuel shipping casks, it is necessary to use a trailer-mounted cask which can be transported by public roads, bridges and intersections for the transportation of spent fuel specimens to these hot laboratories. Model NH-25 shipping cask was designed, manufactured and oualification tested to meet Japanese regulations and was officially registered as a BM type cask. The NH-25 cask accomodates two BWR fuel assemblies, one PWR assembly or one ATR fuel assembly using interchangeable inner containers. The cask weight is 29.2 t. The cask has three concentric stainless steel shells. Gamma shielding is lead cast between the inner shell and the intermediate shell. Neutro n shielding consists of ethylene-glycol-aqueous solution layer formed between the intermediate shell and the outer shell. The NH-25 cask now has been in operation for 2.5 yr. It was used for the transportation of spent fuel assemblies from six LWR power plants to the port on shipping cask carrier ''Hinouramaru'' on the sea, as well as from the port to the hot laboratory on a trailer. The capability of safe handling and transporting of spent fuel assemblies has been well demonstrated. (author)

Optimum MRS site location to minimize spent fuel transportation impacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoskins, R.E.

1987-01-01

A range of spent fuel transportation system parameters are examined in terms of attributes important to minimizing transportation impacts as a basis for identifying geographic regions best suited for siting a monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility. Transportation system parameters within existing transport cask design and transportation mode capabilities were systematically analyzed. The optimum MRS location was found to be very sensitive to transportation system assumptions particularly with regard to the relative efficiencies of the reactor-to-MRS and MRS-to-repository components of the system. Moreover, dramatic improvements in the reactor-to-MRS component can be made through use of multiple cask shipment of the largest practical casks by dedicated train compared to the traditional single cask rail (70%) and truck (30%) shipments assumed the Department of Energy in their studies that defined the optimum MRS location in the vicinity of Tennessee. It is important to develop and utilize an efficient transportation system irrespective of whether or not an MRS is in the system. Assuming reasonably achievable efficiency in reactor-to-MRS spent fuel transportation and assigning equal probabilities to the three western sites selected for characterization of being the repository site, the optimum MRS location would be in the far-mid-western states. Based on various geographic criteria including barge access and location in a nuclear service area, the State of Tennessee ranks any place from 12th to the 25th at a penalty of about 30% over the minimum achievable impacts. While minimizing transportation impacts is an important factor, other criteria should also be considered in selecting an MRS site

Experience and prospects of WWER-1000 reactor spent fuel transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondratyev, A.N.; Yershov, V.N.; Kozlov, Yu.V.; Kosarev, Yu.A.; Ilyin, Yu.V.; Pavlov, M.S.

1989-01-01

The paper deals with the USSR experience in shipping the commercial WWER-1000 reactor spent fuel in TK-10 and TK-13 casks. The cask designs, their basic characteristics and the WWER-1000 spent fuel features are described. An example of calculational/experimental approach in the design of a basket (one of the most important components) for spent fuel assembly (SFA) accommodation in a cask is given. The main problems of future development works are presented in brief. A concept of development of nuclear power industry with the closed fuel cycle is assumed in the Soviet Union, hence the spent nuclear fuel is to be transported from NPPs to reprocessing plants. To transport WWER-1000 spent fuel, the casks of two types were developed. These are: a pilot TK-10 cask of 3t capacity in fuel; a commercial TK-13 cask of ∼6t capacity in fuel. The pilot TK-10 cask is thick-walled (360mm) cylindrical vessel manufactured of steel shells and a bottom welded to each other. The material of the body is carbon steel. There is a steel jacket on the outer side of the cask body and at 120 mm distance off the bottom. On its cylindrical part between the jacket and the body there are T-shaped circular ribs acting as shock-absorbers. The space between the jacket and the body is filled with ethylene glycol solution of 65 degree C crystallization temperature, which functions as a neutron shielding. The TK-10 cask coolant is water or air (nitrogen) at minor excess pressure resulted from FA heatup after the cask sealing

Spent fuels program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shappert, L.B.

1983-01-01

The goal of this task is to support the Domestic Spent Fuel Storage Program through studies involving the transport of spent fuel. A catalog was developed to provide authoritative, timely, and accessible transportation information for persons involved in the transport of irradiated reactor fuel. The catalog, drafted and submitted to the Transportation Technology Center, Sandia National Laboratories, for their review and approval, covers such topics as federal, state, and local regulations, spent fuel characteristics, cask characteristics, transportation costs, and emergency response information

Alternatives for implementing burnup credit in the design and operation of spent fuel transport casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, T.L.; Lake, W.H.

1989-01-01

It is possible to develop an optimal strategy for implementing burnup credit in spent fuel transport casks. For transport, the relative risk is rapidly reduced if additional pre-transport controls such as a cavity dryness verifications are conducted prior to transport. Some other operational and design features that could be incorporated into a burnup credit cask strategy are listed. These examples represent many of the system features and alternatives already available for use in developing a broadly based criticality safety strategy for implementing burnup credit in the design and operation of spent fuel transport casks. 4 refs., 1 tab

Commercial Ion Exchange Resin Vitrification Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicero-Herman, C.A

2002-01-01

In the nuclear industry, ion exchange resins are used for purification of aqueous streams. The major contaminants of the resins are usually the radioactive materials that are removed from the aqueous streams. The use of the ion exchange resins creates a waste stream that can be very high in both organic and radioactive constituents. Therefore, disposal of the spent resin often becomes an economic problem because of the large volumes of resin produced and the relatively few technologies that are capable of economically stabilizing this waste. Vitrification of this waste stream presents a reasonable disposal alternative because of its inherent destruction capabilities, the volume reductions obtainable, and the durable product that it produces

Accurate determination of 129I, 41Ca and 10Be long-lived radionuclides concentrations in spent resins from the nuclear industry by accelerator mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nottoli-Lepage, E.

2013-01-01

Radiological characterization of nuclear waste is essential for the management of storage sites. More particularly, determining the concentration of Long-Lived Radionuclides (LLRN) is fundamental for their long term management. This study focuses on the determination of three LLRN concentrations, i.e. 129 I (T 1/2 = 15.7*10 6 a), 41 Ca (T 1/2 = 9.94*10 4 a) and 10 Be (T 1/2 = 1.387*10 6 a), in ion exchange resins used for primary fluid purification in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). To benefit from the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) technique allowing to measure extremely low levels of nuclide concentrations, analytical procedures including: 1) sample dissolution; 2) selective and quantitative extraction of the analyte; and, 3) analyte conditioning for AMS measurements, were developed. Applied on spent resin samples collected at a 900 MW PWR, the procedures developed for each studied LLRN allowed their quantitative recovery and their selective extraction from β-γ emitters and isobars. The concentration measurements of the LLRN of interest were then performed on the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry national facility ASTER housed by the Centre Europeen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Geosciences de l'Environnement (CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence). 129 I, 41 Ca and 10 Be concentrations in spent resins were measured to be about 10 ng/g, 20 pg/g and 4 ng/g of dry resin, respectively. Considering 129 I and 41 Ca, the measured concentrations agree with those assessed from scaling factors established relatively to easily measured gamma emitters ( 137 Cs and 60 Co). For 10 Be, the presented results are significantly different from expected values but are in agreement with previous ICP-MS results. (author) [fr

Spent nuclear fuel transport: Problem state and analysis of modern approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nosovs'kij, A.V.; Yatsenko, M.V.

2018-01-01

The paper presents the review of international and national experience related to transport of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and trends in the development of transport containers. The analysis covers the vectors for the future improvement of packaging and the regulatory framework on SNF transport in Ukraine and other countries. The tasks for future research were identified. The results of this research will be used during the operation of the CSNSF.

Spent fuel transportation - lessons drawn and ways forward: European utilities perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debes, M.; Schimmele, J.G.; Sannen, H.; Patak, H.

2001-01-01

Surface contamination that was found on surfaces of spent fuel shipping containers (flasks) in 1998 was treated differently by authorities in different European countries. In two countries, Germany and Switzerland, spent fuel shipments were stopped for an indefinite period by Government authorities. This paper, co-authored by representatives of utilities from four European countries, explains the rationale for surface contamination limits in transport regulations and attempts to place the observed contamination in proper perspective. (author)

Routine methods for post-transportation accident recovery of spent fuel casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shappert, L.B.; Pope, R.B.; Best, R.E.; Jones, R.H.

1991-01-01

Spent fuel casks and other large radioactive material packages have been examined to determine whether the designs are adequate to allow the casks to be recovered using conventional recovery methods following a transportation accident. Casks and similar packages are typically designed with, and handled by, trunnions that support the package during transport. These trunnions are considered the best cask feature with which to grapple the cask once it is no longer in its usual shipping mode. Following a transport accident, the trunnions may be buried or entangled so that they are not readily accessible to initiate the recovery process. To evaluate the effectiveness of applying traditional recovery methods to spent fuel casks, a workshop was held in which a series of accidents involving casks were postulated; the modes of transportation considered included truck, rail, and barge. These participants knowledgeable in transport, handling, and, in some cases, recovery of large, heavy containers attended. Participants concluded that the physical recovery of a cask involved in an accident, irrespective of where the accident occurs, would be a straightforward rigging operation and that the addition of specific recovery features (e.g., additional trunnions) to the cask appears unnecessary

Transport of oxide spent fuel. Industrial experience of COGEMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.

1985-01-01

COGEMA, the world leading Company in the reprocessing industry who is also involved in the transport activity, is ruling all transports of spent fuel to La Hague reprocessing plant. The paper summarizes some aspects of the experience gained in this field (road, rail and sea transports) and describes the standards defined by COGEMA as regards transport casks. These standards are as follows: - casks of dry type, - casks of the maximum size compatible with rail transports, - capability to be unloaded with standardized equipment and following standard procedures. Considering: 1) the extremely large experience of COGEMA for all transport modes and, 2) the fact that all these transports are performed in full compliance with the IAEA recommendations, COGEMA is convinced that its experience could serve to help countries or utilities willing to undertake to establish a transport system within their own country COGEMA is prepared to contribute to this task on terms to be agreed [fr

Pyrolysis of Spent Ion Exchange Resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braehler, Georg; Slametschka, Rainer

2012-09-01

Ion exchangers (IEX in international language) are used to remove radionuclides from the primary coolant in all nuclear power stations with a water cooling circuit. This is done by continuously removing a volume of coolant from the primary circuit and passing it through coolers, filters and the ion exchange beds. Cation and anion exchangers, in the form of coarse-grained resin beads in pressurized-water reactors and as finely ground powdered resins in boiling water reactors, are used. The trend for new power stations is to exploit all the possibilities for avoiding the generation of contaminated liquids and then to clean, as far as possible, the solutions that are nevertheless generated using ion exchange for it to be possible to dispose of them as non-radioactive waste. This relieves the burden on evaporator facilities, or means that these can even be dispensed with entirely. Regeneration is possible in principle, but little use is made of it. As the regeneration usual in conventional technologies is not employed in nuclear power stations, it is necessary to dispose of this material as radioactive waste. On the international level, a great number of processes are offered that are intended to meet the relevant national regulations, and these will be discussed in brief with their advantages and disadvantages. The aim is then to find a process which reduces the volume, yields an inert or mineralized product, works at temperatures of no more than approximately 600 deg. C and can be run in a simple facility. Originally, the pyrolysis process was developed to treat liquid organic waste from reprocessing. A typical application is the decomposition of spent solvent (TBP, tributyl phosphate, mixed with kerosene). In this process TBP is pyrolyzed together with calcium hydroxide in a fluidized bed facility at temperatures of around 500 deg. C, the calcium hydroxide reacts with the phosphate groups directly to form calcium pyrophosphate which contains all the radioactivity

Incineration of ion exchange resins using concentric burners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukasawa, T.; Chino, K.; Kawamura, F.; Kuriyama, O.; Yusa, H.

1985-01-01

A new incineration method, using concentric burners, is studied to reduce the volume of spent ion exchange resins generated from nuclear power plants. Resins are ejected into the center of a propane-oxygen flame and burned within it. The flame length is theoretically evaluated by the diffusion-dominant model. By reforming the burner shape, flame length can be reduced by one-half. The decomposition ratio decreases with larger resin diameters due to the loss of unburned resin from the flame. A flame guide tube is adapted to increase resin holding time in the flame, which improves the decomposition ratio to over 98 wt%

Surface contamination of spent fuel convoys - resumption of transport in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertuis, V.

2000-01-01

In France, 1998 was marked by the transport of spent fuel from EDF plants being suspended and then resumed. From the time the first inspections were carried out by the Nuclear Installations Safety Directorate (NISD), in charge of monitoring radioactive and fissile material for civil use since June 1997, surface contamination was found in a high percentage of packages and/or wagons containing spent fuel. The different expert appraisals showed that this had no consequences for the health of the public or of workers. Aiming at the resumption of transport, EDF and Cogema presented to the safety authority a plan of action including an increase in monitoring (number of points and cross-checking by SGS Qualitest), more widespread observance of good practices resulting from analyses by EDF and conclusions of its nuclear inspectorate, and an improvement in radiological cleanliness in the area where casks were loaded. During the inspections carried out at EDF plants, the NISD verified the application of this plan. Several observations were, nevertheless, made regarding maintenance of equipment, failure to apply procedures on a corporate level and the traceability of certain operations. The measures taken to sufficiently inform the public were applied. The NISD is continuing its monitoring actions to ensure that all EDF plants adopt best practices. However, the overall clean-up of EDF plants is a long-term operation. Finally, the NISD is continuing its monitoring of the different stages of spent fuel transport as well as other types of transport of radioactive materials associated with nuclear activities. (author)

Development of volume-reduction system for ion exchange resin using inductively coupled plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, Morio; Katagiri, Genichi

2002-01-01

The spent ion exchange resin generated as radioactive waste in water purifying system at nuclear power stations or related facilities of nuclear power has been stored in the site, and its volume has been increasing year by year. We had developed a full-scale system of IC plasma volume-reduction system for the spent resin, and have performed basic performance test using some samples imitating the spent resin. As the results, the imitation of the resin can be reduced in volume by more than 90% so that the processing performance in actual scale was proved to be effective. In addition, it was clarified that the residuum after volume-reduction process is easy to mix with cement, and solidity containing 30wt% residuum provides high strength of 68 MPa. Therefore, we evaluate the application of this process to stabilization of the disposal to be very effective. (author)

Classification of transportation packaging and dry spent fuel storage system components according to importance to safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyacke, M.J.; McConnell, J.W. Jr.; Ayers, A.L. Jr.; O'Connor, S.C.; Jankovich, J.P.

1996-01-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory prepared a technical report for the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, entitled Classification of Transportation Packaging and Dry Spent Fuel Storage System Components According to Importance to Safety, NUREG/CR-6407. This paper provides the results of that report. It also presents the graded approach for classification of components used in transportation packagings and dry spent fuel storage systems. This approach provides a method for identifying the classification of components according to importance to safety within transportation packagings and dry spent fuel storage systems. Record retention requirements are discussed to identify the documentation necessary to validate that the individual components were fabricated in accordance with their assigned classification. A review of the existing regulations pertaining to transportation packagings and dry storage systems was performed to identify current requirements. The general types of transportation packagings and dry storage systems are identified. The methodology used in this paper is based on Regulatory Guide 7.10, Establishing Quality Assurance Programs for Packaging Used in the Transport of Radioactive Material. This paper also includes a list of generic components for each of the general types of transportation packagings and spent fuel storage systems, with a classification category assigned to each component. Several examples concerning the safety importance of components are presented

Relationship between ion transport and the failure behavior of epoxy resin coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Yuhua; Zhou, Qiong

2014-01-01

Highlights: •An epoxy resin-Q345 system with a sandwich structure was prepared. •Cl − ions permeated into epoxy resin coating prior to K + ions. •Free volume size and PAL increased when the coating was immersed into the solution. -- Abstract: An epoxy resin coating with a sandwich structure was prepared to investigate ion transport behavior in the coating. The macro- and micro- appearance of the coating immersed in 5 wt.% KCl solutions was observed by stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer. The electrochemical property of the coating was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and change of free volume after immersion was characterized by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The results indicated that Cl − ions permeated into the coating prior to K + ions, the free volume size and positron annihilation lifetime of the coating increased during immersion

Spent fuel transport cask thermal evaluation under normal and accident conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pugliese, G. [Department of Mechanical, Nuclear and Production Engineering, University of Pisa, Via Diotisalvi, no 2-56126 Pisa (Italy); Lo Frano, R., E-mail: rosa.lofrano@ing.unipi.i [Department of Mechanical, Nuclear and Production Engineering, University of Pisa, Via Diotisalvi, no 2-56126 Pisa (Italy); Forasassi, G. [Department of Mechanical, Nuclear and Production Engineering, University of Pisa, Via Diotisalvi, no 2-56126 Pisa (Italy)

2010-06-15

The casks used for transport of nuclear materials, especially the spent fuel element (SPE), must be designed according to rigorous acceptance criteria and standards requirements, e.g. the International Atomic Energy Agency ones, in order to provide protection to people and environment against radiation exposure particularly in a severe accident scenario. The aim of this work was the evaluation of the integrity of a spent fuel cask under both normal and accident scenarios transport conditions, such as impact and rigorous fire events, in according to the IAEA accident test requirements. The thermal behaviour and the temperatures distribution of a Light Water Reactor (LWR) spent fuel transport cask are presented in this paper, especially with reference to the Italian cask designed by AGN, which was characterized by a cylindrical body, with water or air inside the internal cavity, and two lateral shock absorbers. Using the finite element code ANSYS a series of thermal analyses (steady-state and transient thermal analyses) were carried out in order to obtain the maximum fuel temperature and the temperatures field in the body of the cask, both in normal and in accidents scenario, considering all the heat transfer modes between the cask and the external environment (fire in the test or air in the normal conditions) as well as inside the cask itself. In order to follow the standards requirements, the thermal analyses in accidents scenarios were also performed adopting a deformed shape of the shock absorbers to simulate the mechanical effects of a previous IAEA 9 m drop test event. Impact tests on scale models of the shock absorbers have already been conducted in the past at the Department of Mechanical, Nuclear and Production Engineering, University of Pisa, in the '80s. The obtained results, used for possible new licensing approval purposes by the Italian competent Authority of the cask for PWR spent fuel cask transport by the Italian competent Authority, are

U.S. spent fuel transportation security in the post 9/11 world

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anne, Catherine; Patterson, John; Williams, Blake

2002-01-01

On September 11, 2002 the terrible tragedies in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC changed the world forever. Security issues not only impact our daily lives, but are also in a state flux concerning the shipment of spent nuclear fuel in the United States. The formation of the Homeland Security Advisory System and Interim Compensatory Measures from the NRC, along with other security measures, have affected the way we transport spent nuclear fuel. This paper describes the challenging and demanding way that security is planned, implemented and maintained in support of spent fuel shipments in the United States. (author)

Thirty years of transport package development for spent fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cory, A.R.

2005-01-01

By June 2005, when shipments of spent fuel for reprocessing from Germany are concluded, BNFL flask types will have been responsible for transporting more than 2000 tonnes of heavy metal in Europe in the form of spent fuel. Several thousand more tonnes of spent fuel have been transported by sea from Japan over the last thirty years. The design of spent fuel packages has not stood still for that time. In order to anticipate the changing needs of the nuclear power generation industry, advances have been made both in package design and analysis. Thirty years ago spent fuel burnup and initial enrichment were considerably lower, which was reflected in the different demands placed on the shielding design of packages, and in the design of the internal basket to separate the fuel assemblies. Technical development of both 'wet' (water-filled cavity) and 'dry' packages has progressed in parallel, and the relative merits and peculiarities of each type is explored. BNFL has considerable experience in the operation of both types, and is well placed to comment on practical and functional issues associated with both types. While there have been certain evolutionary changes affecting package design, there have also been more significant changes in the Design Safety Case. These have sometimes been necessary to meet changes in IAEA Regulations, or the challenges posed by the regulators themselves. In other cases advantage has been taken of improvements in analytical techniques to demonstrate increased margins of operational safety. Where possible these margins have also been increased by other means, such as taking advantage of commercial trends to reduce package thermal loads. A key factor over the last thirty years has been the increasing influence of the Regulating Authorities and the development of the IAEA Regulations. The various Competent Authorities now tend to have a higher proportion of technical experts, often recruited from the nuclear industry, and are thus more able to

Logistics models for the transportation of radioactive waste and spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joy, D.S.; Holcomb, B.D.

1978-03-01

Mathematical modeling of the logistics of waste shipment is an effective way to provide input to program planning and long-range waste management. Several logistics models have been developed for use in parametric studies, contingency planning, and management of transportation networks. These models allow the determination of shipping schedules, optimal routes, probable transportation modes, minimal costs, minimal personnel exposure, minimal transportation equipment, etc. Such information will permit OWI to specify waste-receiving rates at various repositories in order to balance work loads, evaluate surge capacity requirements, and estimate projected shipping cask fleets. The programs are tailored to utilize information on the types of wastes being received, location of repositories and waste-generating facilities, shipping distances, time required for a given shipment, availability of equipment, above-ground storage capabilities and locations, projected waste throughput rates, etc. Two basic models have been developed. The Low-Level Waste Model evaluates the optimal transportation policy for shipping waste directly from the source to a final destination without any intermediate stops. The Spent Fuel Logistics Model evaluates the optimal transportation policy for shipping unreprocessed spent fuel from nuclear power plants (1) indirectly, that is, to an Away-From-Reactor (AFR) storage facility, with subsequent transhipment to a repository, or (2) directly to a repository

Development of Collision Accident Scenario during Nuclear Spent Fuel Maritime Transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Min; Kang, Hyun Gook

2015-01-01

Population density of South Korea is much higher than the other countries, and it is peninsula. Therefore, it is expected that major means of transportation of the spent fuel will be maritime transportation rather than overland transportation. Korea Maritime safety Tribunal (KMST) categorized various maritime accident, see table I. Among them, collision accident is one of the most important and complicated accident from Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) point of view. We will show what will happen if the transportation ship is struck by other ship, how to calculate collision energy and probability of the branches on ship-ship collision with Event Tree Analysis (ETA) method. We selected and re-categorized maritime accident that KMST categorized for ship-ship collision analysis of spent fuel transportation ship. Event tree is constructed and collision energy distribution is derived from statistics and equation. And outer and inner hull fracture probabilities are calculated. If outer hull is broken but inner hull is fine, water will be flooded into the space between outer and inner hull. It will decrease mobility of the ship. If inner hull is fractured, water will be flooded into the ship inside. The ship has compartment structure to resist from foundering. Loss of mobility and compartment damage (ultimately it ends with sink) mechanism need to be analyzed to complete transportation ship collision event tree

Baseline descriptions for LWR spent fuel storage, handling, and transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moyer, J.W.; Sonnier, C.S.

1978-04-01

Baseline descriptions for the storage, handling, and transportation of reactor spent fuel are provided. The storage modes described include light water reactor (LWR) pools, away-from-reactor basins, dry surface storage, reprocessing-facility interim storage pools, and deep geologic storage. Land and water transportation are also discussed. This work was sponsored by the Department of Energy/Office of Safeguards and Security as part of the Sandia Laboratories Fixed Facility Physical Protection Program. 45 figs, 4 tables.

Baseline descriptions for LWR spent fuel storage, handling, and transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moyer, J.W.; Sonnier, C.S.

1978-04-01

Baseline descriptions for the storage, handling, and transportation of reactor spent fuel are provided. The storage modes described include light water reactor (LWR) pools, away-from-reactor basins, dry surface storage, reprocessing-facility interim storage pools, and deep geologic storage. Land and water transportation are also discussed. This work was sponsored by the Department of Energy/Office of Safeguards and Security as part of the Sandia Laboratories Fixed Facility Physical Protection Program. 45 figs, 4 tables

HEU and Leu FueL Shielding Comparative Study Applied for Spent Fuel Transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margeanu, C.A.; Margeanu, S.; Barbos, D.

2009-01-01

INR Pitesti owns and operates a TRIGA dual-core Research Reactor for material testing, power reactor fuel and nuclear safety studies. The dual core concept involves the operation of a 14 MW TRIGA steady-state, high flux research and material testing reactor at one end of a large pool, and the independent operation of an annular-core pulsing reactor (TRIGA-ACPR) at the other end of the pool. The steady-state reactor is mostly used for long term testing of power reactor fuel components (pellets, pins, subassemblies and fuel assemblies) followed by post-irradiation examination. Following the general trend to replace the He fuel type (High Enriched Uranium) by Leu fuel type (Low Enriched Uranium), in the light of international agreements between IAEA and the states using He fuel in their nuclear reactors, Inr Past's have been accomplished the TRIGA research reactor core full conversion on May 2006. The He fuel repatriation in US in the frame of Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Return Programme effectively started in 1999, the final stage being achieved in summer of 2008. Taking into account for the possible impact on the human and environment, in all activities associated to nuclear fuel cycle, the spent fuel or radioactive waste characteristics must be well known. Shielding calculations basic tasks consist in radiation doses calculation, in order to prevent any risks both for personnel protection and impact on the environment during the spent fuel manipulation, transport and storage. The paper is a comparative study of Leu and He fuel utilization effects for the shielding analysis during spent fuel transport. A comparison against the measured data for He spent fuel, available from the last stage of the spent fuel repatriation, is presented. All the geometrical and material data related on the spent fuel shipping cask were considered according to the Nac-Lt Cask approved model. The shielding analysis estimates radiation doses to shipping cask wall surface

Present status and prospect of spent fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adachi, H.

1987-01-01

Problems linked with spent fuel transportation in Japan, where there are 35 NPPs in operation, are considered. Every year about 500 t U are shipped to fuel reprocessing plants in Japan, as well as in France and UK. Four kinds of casks: HZ, EXCELLOX, TN and TK - are used for this purpose. By the mid-1990's it is suggested to build in Japan fuel reprocessing plant with capacity of 800 t U per year

Classification of transportation packaging and dry spent fuel storage system components according to importance to safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McConnell, J.W., Jr; Ayers, A.L. Jr; Tyacke, M.J.

1996-02-01

This report provides a graded approach for classification of components used in transportation packaging and dry spent fuel storage systems. This approach provides a method for identifying, the classification of components according to importance to safety within transportation packagings and dry spent fuel storage systems. Record retention requirements are discussed to identify the documentation necessary to validate that the individual components were fabricated in accordance with their assigned classification. A review of the existing regulations pertaining to transportation packagings and dry storage systems was performed to identify current requirements The general types of transportation packagings and dry storage systems were identified. Discussions were held with suppliers and fabricators of packagings and storage systems to determine current practices. The methodology used in this report is based on Regulatory Guide 7.10, Establishing Quality Assurance Programs for Packaging Used in the Transport of Radioactive Material. This report also includes a list of generic components for each of the general types of transportation packagings and spent fuel storage systems. The safety importance of each component is discussed, and a classification category is assigned

Evaluation of daily time spent in transportation and traffic-influenced microenvironments by urban Canadians.

Science.gov (United States)

Matz, Carlyn J; Stieb, David M; Egyed, Marika; Brion, Orly; Johnson, Markey

2018-01-01

Exposure to traffic and traffic-related air pollution is associated with a wide array of health effects. Time spent in a vehicle, in active transportation, along roadsides, and in close proximity to traffic can substantially contribute to daily exposure to air pollutants. For this study, we evaluated daily time spent in transportation and traffic-influenced microenvironments by urban Canadians using the Canadian Human Activity Pattern Survey (CHAPS) 2 results. Approximately 4-7% of daily time was spent in on- or near-road locations, mainly associated with being in a vehicle and smaller contributions from active transportation. Indoor microenvironments can be impacted by traffic emissions, especially when located near major roadways. Over 60% of the target population reported living within one block of a roadway with moderate to heavy traffic, which was variable with income level and city, and confirmed based on elevated NO 2 exposure estimated using land use regression. Furthermore, over 55% of the target population ≤ 18 years reported attending a school or daycare in close proximity to moderate to heavy traffic, and little variation was observed based on income or city. The results underline the importance of traffic emissions as a major source of exposure in Canadian urban centers, given the time spent in traffic-influenced microenvironments.

Speciation and surface interactions of actinides on aged ion-exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, D.E.; Buscher, C.T.; Donohoe, R.J.

1997-01-01

The United States Department of Energy is presently faced with the stabilization and safe disposition of hundreds of metric tons of residue materials resulting from 50+ years of nuclear weapons production activities. These residues encompass a broad range of substrates and radionuclides and include both solid and liquid materials. Combustible residues constitute a significant fraction of the total residue inventory, and an important constituent within the combustible category is spent anion ion-exchange resins. These resins are typically utilized for the separation of plutonium from other radionuclides under strongly acidic nitric or hydrochloric acid solution conditions which favor the formation and partitioning of anionic Pu(IV) nitrato or chloride species. The spent resins are usually rinsed prior to storage as residues to reduce both acid and radionuclide concentrations, but significant radionuclide concentrations remain in these resins, and the long-term effects of concentrated acid and radiolysis on the resin integrity are relatively unexplored. Thus, new research is needed to assess the stability of these resin residues and address the need for further treatment to ensure stability prior to long-term disposal

Extending Spent Fuel Storage until Transport for Reprocessing or Disposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlsen, Brett; Chiguer, Mustapha; Grahn, Per; Sampson, Michele; Wolff, Dietmar; Bevilaqua, Arturo; Wasinger, Karl; Saegusa, Toshiari; Seelev, Igor

2016-09-01

Spent fuel (SF) must be stored until an end point such as reprocessing or geologic disposal is imple-mented. Selection and implementation of an end point for SF depends upon future funding, legisla-tion, licensing and other factors that cannot be predicted with certainty. Past presumptions related to the availability of an end point have often been wrong and resulted in missed opportunities for properly informing spent fuel management policies and strategies. For example, dry cask storage systems were originally conceived to free up needed space in reactor spent fuel pools and also to provide SFS of up to 20 years until reprocessing and/or deep geological disposal became available. Hundreds of dry cask storage systems are now employed throughout the world and will be relied upon well beyond the originally envisioned design life. Given present and projected rates for the use of nuclear power coupled with projections for SF repro-cessing and disposal capacities, one concludes that SF storage will be prolonged, potentially for several decades. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has recently considered 300 years of storage to be appropriate for the characterization and prediction of ageing effects and ageing management issues associated with extending SF storage and subsequent transport. This paper encourages addressing the uncertainty associated with the duration of SF storage by de-sign – rather than by default. It suggests ways that this uncertainty may be considered in design, li-censing, policy, and strategy decisions and proposes a framework for safely extending spent fuel storage until SF can be transported for reprocessing or disposal – regardless of how long that may be. The paper however is not intended to either encourage or facilitate needlessly extending spent fuel storage durations. Its intent is to ensure a design and safety basis with sufficient margin to accommodate the full range of potential future scenarios. Although the focus is primarily on

Probabilistic risk assessment on maritime spent nuclear fuel transportation (Part II: Ship collision probability)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christian, Robby; Kang, Hyun Gook

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a methodology to assess and reduce risks of maritime spent nuclear fuel transportation with a probabilistic approach. Event trees detailing the progression of collisions leading to transport casks’ damage were constructed. Parallel and crossing collision probabilities were formulated based on the Poisson distribution. Automatic Identification System (AIS) data were processed with the Hough Transform algorithm to estimate possible intersections between the shipment route and the marine traffic. Monte Carlo simulations were done to compute collision probabilities and impact energies at each intersection. Possible safety improvement measures through a proper selection of operational transport parameters were investigated. These parameters include shipment routes, ship's cruise velocity, number of transport casks carried in a shipment, the casks’ stowage configuration and loading order on board the ship. A shipment case study is presented. Waters with high collision probabilities were identified. Effective range of cruising velocity to reduce collision risks were discovered. The number of casks in a shipment and their stowage method which gave low cask damage frequencies were obtained. The proposed methodology was successful in quantifying ship collision and cask damage frequency. It was effective in assisting decision making processes to minimize risks in maritime spent nuclear fuel transportation. - Highlights: • Proposes a probabilistic framework on the safety of spent nuclear fuel transportation by sea. • Developed a marine traffic simulation model using Generalized Hough Transform (GHT) algorithm. • A transportation case study on South Korean waters is presented. • Single-vessel risk reduction method is outlined by optimizing transport parameters.

Safety analysis of spent fuel transport and storage casks under extreme impact conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolff, D.; Wieser, G.; Ballheimer, V.; Voelzke, H.; Droste, B.

2005-01-01

Full text: Worldwide the security of transport and storage of spent fuel with respect to terrorism threats is a matter of concern. In Germany a spent nuclear fuel management program was developed by the government including a new concept of dry on-site interim storage instead of centralized interim storage. In order to minimize transports of spent fuel casks between nuclear power plants, reprocessing plants and central storage facilities, the operators of NPPs have to erect and to use interim storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel on the site or in the vicinity of nuclear power plants. Up to now, 11 on-site interim storage buildings, one storage tunnel and 4 on-site interim storage areas (preliminary cask storage till the on-site interim storage building is completed) have been licensed at 12 nuclear power plant sites. Inside the interim storage buildings the casks are kept in upright position, whereas at the preliminary interim storage areas horizontal storage of the casks on concrete slabs is used and each cask is covered by concrete elements. Storage buildings and concrete elements are designed only for gamma and neutron radiation shielding reasons and as weather protection. Therefore the security of spent fuel inside a dual purpose transport and storage cask depends on the inherent safety of the cask itself. For nearly three decades BAM has been investigating cask safety under severe accident conditions like drop tests from more than 9 m onto different targets and without impact limiters as well as artificially damaged prototype casks. Since the terror attacks of 11 September 2001 the determination of casks' inherent safety also under extreme impact conditions due to terrorist attacks has been of our increasing interest. With respect to spent fuel storage one of the most critical scenarios of a terrorist attack for a cask is the centric impact of a dynamic load onto the lid-seal-system caused e.g. by direct aircraft crash or its engine as well as by a

A Fuzzy Modeling Approach to Road Transport with Application to a Case of Spent Nuclear Fuel Transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marseguerra, Marzio; Zio, Enrico; Bianchi, Mauro

2004-01-01

In this paper, we propose a general fuzzy inference approach to building a model of hazardous road transport that relates given traffic, weather, and vehicle-speed conditions to the accident rate. The development of the model is discussed in detail, and its validation is provided with reference to literature data regarding the transport of spent nuclear fuel to its final confinement repository

BWR-spent fuel transport and storage with the TN trademark 9/4 and TN trademark 24BH casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wattez, L.; Marguerat, Y.; Hoesli, C.

2004-01-01

The Swiss Nuclear Utilities have started in 2001 to store spent fuel in dry metallic dual-purpose casks in ZWILAG, the Swiss interim storage facility. BKW FMB Energy Ltd., as Muehleberg Nuclear Power Plant owner, is involved in this process and has selected to store its spent fuel, a new high capacity dual-purpose cask, the TN trademark 24BH. For the transport in a medium size cask, COGEMA LOGISTICS has developed a new cask, the TN trademark 9/4, to replace the NTL9 cask, which performed numerous transports of BWR spent fuel in the past decades. Licensed IAEA 1996, the TN trademark 9/4 is a 40 ton transport cask, for 7 BWR high burn-up spent fuel assemblies. The spent fuel assemblies can be transferred in the ZWILAG hot cell in the TN trademark 24BH cask. The first use of these casks took place in 2003. Ten TN trademark 9/4 transports were performed, and one TN trademark 24BH was loaded. After a brief presentation of the operational aspects, the paper will focus on the TN trademark 24BH high capacity dual purpose cask, the TN trademark 9/4 transport cask and describe in detail their characteristics and possibilities

Analysis of radiation doses for a transportation system and its interface operations for commercial spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, K.J.; Ross, W.A.; Smith, R.I.; Wilmot, E.L.

1987-07-01

This paper gives the results of estimates of aggregated radiation doses to the affected public and workers in the US that would be associated with loading spent fuel at the reactors, transporting the spent fuel by truck and rail, and receiving and unloading the spent fuel at a deep geological repository. The estimates are for a postulated transportation-related system using current state-of-the-art technology, if employed in the high-level waste management system in the future, and the approximate dose reduction from some potential system improvements. The results of the study provide a starting point for the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an improved transportation system that is cost effective, safe, and results in low radiation doses. 4 refs., 1 figs., 5 tabs

Upgrading of WWER-1000 NPP safety on spent fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostarev, V.; Shchukin, A.; Petrenya, Yu.; Nikitin, V.; Romanovskij-Romanko, A.; Shevchenko, V.

2003-01-01

Transportation process for the WWER-1000 spent fuel assemblies consists of three main steps: (i) lifting of unloaded cask on the elevation of +38.05 m; (ii) loading of spent fuel assemblies into the cask; (iii) loaded cask lowering to the conveyer located in the transport corridor on the elevation 0.00 m. The most hazardous situation within described process for the cask itself and reactor building structures is an accidental drop of the cask from the height of 38.05 m to the transport corridor floor due to failure of traverse or crane's cable break. According to international practice and standards' requirements the cask shall be designed for the drop from 9 meters height to a rigid plate. However, preliminary analyses have shown that in case of 38 m drop the value of g-loads are several times larger than allowable limits. Additionally, strength capacity of the foundation slab of the reactor building is not guaranteed. Using of special damping device that is capable to bring dynamic loads to allowable limits could mitigate the catastrophic consequences of cask's 38.05 meters drop. The paper presents a basic design of the special damping platform and discusses results of analyses of different modes of cask drops and efficiency of the proposed solution. (author)

Permanganate Degradation of Reillex HPQ Ion Exchange Resin for Use in HB-Line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, B.W.

1999-01-01

This study evaluated the use of Reillex TM HPQ resin as a replacement for the Ionac A-641 resin currently authorized for use in H B-Line. The study concentrated on the ability of the existing alkaline permanganate digestion process to convert spent resin for disposal

Nevada commercial spent nuclear fuel transportation experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-09-01

The purpose of this report is to present an historic overview of commercial reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) shipments that have occurred in the state of Nevada, and to review the accident and incident experience for this type of shipments. Results show that between 1964 and 1990, 309 truck shipments covering approximately 40,000 miles moved through Nevada; this level of activity places Nevada tenth among the states in the number of truck shipments of SNF. For the same period, 15 rail shipments moving through the State covered approximately 6,500 miles, making Nevada 20th among the states in terms of number of rail shipments. None of these shipments had an accident or an incident associated with them. Because the data for Nevada are so limited, national data on SNF transportation and the safety of truck and rail transportation in general were also assessed

Proposed nuclear weapons nonproliferation policy concerning foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel: Appendix B, foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel characteristics and transportation casks. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-03-01

This is Appendix B of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a Proposed Nuclear Weapons Nonproliferation Policy Concerning Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel. It discusses relevant characterization and other information of foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel that could be managed under the proposed action. It also discusses regulations for the transport of radioactive materials and the design of spent fuel casks

A STUDY ON ADSORPTION AND DESORPTION BEHAVIORS OF 14C FROM A MIXED BED RESIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SEUNG-CHUL PARK

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Spent resin waste containing a high concentration of 14C radionuclide cannot be disposed of directly. A fundamental study on selective 14C stripping, especially from the IRN-150 mixed bed resin, was carried out. In single ion-exchange equilibrium isotherm experiments, the ion adsorption capacity of the fresh resin for non-radioactive HCO3− ion, as the chemical form of 14C, was evaluated as 11mg-C/g-resin. Adsorption affinity of anions to the resin was derived in order of NO3− > HCO3− ≥ H2PO4−. Thus the competitive adsorption affinity of NO3− ion in binary systems appeared far higher than that of HCO3− or H2PO4−, and the selective desorption of HCO3− from the resin was very effective. On one hand, the affinity of Co2+ and Cs+ for the resin remained relatively higher than that of other cations in the same stripping solution. Desorption of Cs+ was minimized when the summation of the metal ions in the spent resin and the other cations in solution was near saturation and the pH value was maintained above 4.5. Among the various solutions tested, from the view-point of the simple second waste process, NH4H2PO4 solution was preferable for the stripping of 14C from the spent resin.

Maintenance of the packagings used for the transport of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarevitch, S.; Cooke, B.

1987-01-01

Regular maintenance of packagings used for the transport of spent fuel has been carried out in Europe for the past three years. The three companies involved in this kind of transport (Cogema, Nuclear Transport and Pacific Nuclear Transport) have agreed on a common policy for these operations and, in practice, perform the maintenance work at a special facility (AMEC) at the La Hague reprocessing plant in France. This facility was erected in 1983, and commissioned in January 1984. The paper deals with the typical maintenance operations at the AMEC facility, the principles of control applied during maintenance, maintenance experience and future development and prospects. (author)

Fixing of various simulated radioactive wastes in urea-formaldehyde resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Dahai; Wei Peng

1986-01-01

This paper outlines the results of the fixing of a variety of simulated radioactive wastes in the urea-formaldehyde resin. The radioactive waste materials fixed include spent ion exchange resin, concentrates of NaNO 3 -NaBO 2 as well as NaBO 2 and sludge. The performance of the fixed products has been improved by means of selecting the synthetic conditions of resin, a suitable hardener and an inorganic additive

Spent fuel transportation cask response to a tunnel fire scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bajwa, C.S. [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. (United States); Adkins, H.E.; Cuta, J.M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

2004-07-01

On July 18, 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous (non-nuclear) materials derailed and caught fire while passing through the Howard Street railroad tunnel in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), one of the agencies responsible for ensuring the safe transportation of radioactive materials in the United States, undertook an investigation of the train derailment and fire to determine the possible regulatory implications of this particular event for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel by railroad. Shortly after the accident occurred, the USNRC met with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the U.S. agency responsible for determining the cause of transportation accidents, to discuss the details of the accident and the ensuing fire. Following these discussions, the USNRC assembled a team of experts from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to determine the thermal conditions that existed in the Howard Street tunnel fire and analyze the effects of this fire on various spent fuel transportation cask designs. The Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) code, developed by NIST, was used to determine the thermal environment present in the Howard Street tunnel during the fire. The FDS results were used as boundary conditions in the ANSYS {sup registered} and COBRA-SFS computer codes to evaluate the thermal performance of different cask designs. The staff concluded that the transportation casks analyzed would withstand a fire with thermal conditions similar to those that existed in the Baltimore tunnel fire event. No release of radioactive materials would result from exposure of the casks analyzed to such an event. This paper describes the methods and approach used for this assessment.

Spent fuel transportation cask response to a tunnel fire scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajwa, C.S.; Adkins, H.E.; Cuta, J.M.

2004-01-01

On July 18, 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous (non-nuclear) materials derailed and caught fire while passing through the Howard Street railroad tunnel in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), one of the agencies responsible for ensuring the safe transportation of radioactive materials in the United States, undertook an investigation of the train derailment and fire to determine the possible regulatory implications of this particular event for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel by railroad. Shortly after the accident occurred, the USNRC met with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the U.S. agency responsible for determining the cause of transportation accidents, to discuss the details of the accident and the ensuing fire. Following these discussions, the USNRC assembled a team of experts from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to determine the thermal conditions that existed in the Howard Street tunnel fire and analyze the effects of this fire on various spent fuel transportation cask designs. The Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) code, developed by NIST, was used to determine the thermal environment present in the Howard Street tunnel during the fire. The FDS results were used as boundary conditions in the ANSYS registered and COBRA-SFS computer codes to evaluate the thermal performance of different cask designs. The staff concluded that the transportation casks analyzed would withstand a fire with thermal conditions similar to those that existed in the Baltimore tunnel fire event. No release of radioactive materials would result from exposure of the casks analyzed to such an event. This paper describes the methods and approach used for this assessment

Extraction of resins from WD-22 tank in Jose Cabrera Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benavides, E.

1997-01-01

The Spent Resin Tank (WD-22) is located in the Auxiliary Building of Jose Cabrera Nuclear Plant (PWR 150 Mwe). This tank has a nominal capacity of 4 m 3 and is almost full of spent resins that has been stored from the late sixties to early eighties. As the lines are completely plugged with resins and due to the difficulties in the pipe lay-out, it has not been possible to transfer the resins to the cementation plant since that date. The plant decided, by an open bid quotation, to select the most suitable process to transfer the resins to the cementation plant avoiding the high doses existing in the tank cubicle and in a reasonable time schedule. The solution given in this paper contemplates that sometimes there is an imaginative answer to a problem that seems to be difficult to solve. (authors)

Immobilisation of ion exchange resins in cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, C.G.; Jolliffe, C.B.; Lee, D.J.

1990-09-01

The removal of activity from spent decontaminating solutions eg LOMI can be achieved using organic ion exchange resins. These resins can be successfully immobilised in cement based matrices. The optimum cement system contained 10% ordinary Portland cement 84% gg blast furnace slag, 6% microsilica with a water cement ratio of 0.5 and a dry resin loading of 36% with respect to total weight. This formulation was successfully scaled up to 200 litres giving a product with acceptable compressive strength, dimensional stability and elastic modulus. Storage of samples under water appears to have no detrimental effects on the product's properties. (author)

Immobilisation of ion exchange resins in cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, C.G.; Jolliffe, C.B.; Lee, D.J.

1990-09-01

The removal of activity from spent decontaminating solutions eg LOMI can be achieved using organic ion exchange resins. These resins can be successfully immobilised in cement based matrices. The optimum cement system contained 10% ordinary Portland cement, 84% gg blast furnace slag, 6% microsilica with a water cement ratio of 0.5 and a dry resin loading of 36% with respect to total weight. This formulation was successfully scaled up to 200 litres giving a product with acceptable compressive strength, dimensional stability and elastic modulus. Storage of samples under water appears to have no detrimental effects on the products' properties. (author)

Development of a Computer Program for an Analysis of the Logistics and Transportation Costs of the PWR Spent Fuels in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, Jeong Hun; Choi, Heui Joo; Lee, Jong Youl; Choi, Jong Won

2009-01-01

It is expected that a substantial amount of spent fuels will be transported from the four nuclear power plant (NPP) sites in Korea to a hypothetical centralized interim storage facility or a final repository in the near future. The cost for the transportation is proportional to the amount of spent fuels. In this paper, a cost estimation program is developed based on the conceptual design of a transportation system and a logistics analysis. Using the developed computer program, named as CASK, the minimum capacity of a centralized interim storage facility (CISF) and the transportation cost for PWR spent fuels are calculated. The PWR spent fuels are transported from 4 NPP sites to a final repository (FR) via the CISF. Since NPP sites and the CISF are located along the coast, a sea-transportation is considered and a road-transportation is considered between the CISF and the FR. The result shows that the minimum capacity of the interim storage facility is 15,000 MTU

Present and future problems of radiation shielding for maritime transport of nuclear spent fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueki, K.; Nariyama, N.; Ohashi, A.

2000-01-01

The transport of spent fuels with casks began in September 1999 by the exclusive spent fuel transport vessel the 'Rokuei Maru'. The casks have been transported to the reprocessing plant at Rokkasho-village in Aomori Prefecture. The 'Rokuei Maru' is approximately 100 m-length, 16.5 m-width and 3,000 gross-tons. The 20 NFT casks can be loaded into 5 holds. At the present time, the NFT casks can carry spent fuels of up to 44,000 MWD/MTU. Serpentine concrete is employed as a neutron shields in the hatch covers, the bulkheads, and the house front of the accommodations except the wheelhouse. Polyethylene covers the side walls in each hold. The neutron shielding ability of serpentine concrete and polyethylene was investigated by a shielding experiment using a 252 Cf-neutron source. The shielding experiment was analyzed with the Monte Carlo code MCNP 4B. In the near future, on-board experiment will be carried out to measure the dose-equivalent rate distributions in the 'Rokuei Maru' and the measured data and the Monte Carlo analysis of it will establish the radiation safety of the ship. (author)

Design and fabrication of transport/storage packaging for spent fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagahama, Hayao; Kakunai, Haruo

1989-01-01

Dry storage in containers is one of several methods for storing spent fuel dischaged from nuclear power plants. Kobe Steel and Transnucleaire (France) have jointly developed large-capacity, safe transport/storage packaging for use in this storage method. This paper outlines the packaging, the manufacturing of a prototype model, and an active storage demonstration test involving the prototype model. (author)

Studies on the Conditioning Methods of Spent Tri-butyl Phosphate/Kerosene and its Degradation Product in Different Matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Dessouky, M.I.; El-sourougy, M.R.; Abed El-Aziz, M.M.; Aly, H.F.

1999-01-01

The destruction of spent TBP/Kerosene (odourless Kerosene (OK)) with potassium permanganate have been investigated. Comparative studies on the immobilization of spent TBP/Kerosene and its degradation product into different matrices have been carried out. The matrices used include, ordinary Portland cement, silica fume, treated fly ash, epoxy resin and cement mixed with epoxy resin.The different factors affecting solidified waste forms such as, compressive strength, water resistance, thermal stability, chemical resistance, radiological stability and leachability have been investigated. It was found that, epoxy resin and cement mixed with 5,10,20, and 50% of epoxy resin enhance the compressive strength of the solidified waste forms with spent TBP/OK more than that obtained from degradation products. The leaching rates of 152 and 154 Eu and 181 Hf from waste forms containing TBP/OK was found lower than that with degradation product

Method of burning ion-exchange resin contaminated with radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Shigenori.

1986-01-01

Purpose: To process spent ion exchange resins to reduce their volume, without increasing the load on a off-gas system and in a stable state and at the same time not leaving any uncombusted portions. Method: The water slurries of the ion exchange resins contaminated with radioactive materials is dehydrated or dry combusted to reduce the water content. A binder is then added to solidify the ion exchange resin. The solidified ion exchange resins are then combusted in a furnace. This prevents the ion exchange resin from being dispersed by air and combustion gases. Furthermore, the solidified ion exchange resins in the form of small pellets burn from the surface inwards. Moreover the binder is carbonized by the combustion heat and promotes combustion to convert the ion exchange resins into a solid mass, making sure that no uncombusted portion is left. (Takahashi, M.)

Thermal analysis of transportation packaging for nuclear spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akamatsu, Hiroshi; Taniuchi, Hiroaki

1989-01-01

Safety analysis of transportation packaging for nuclear spent fuel comprises structural, thermal, containment, shielding and criticality factors, and the safety of a packaging is verified by these analyses. In thermal analysis, the temperature of each part of the packaging is calculated under normal and accident test conditions. As an example of thermal analysis, the temperature distribution of a packaging being subjected to a normal test was calculated by the TRUMP code and compared with measured data. (author)

Experience with contamination protection of spent fuel transport packages in Germany since 2000/2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krinninger, H.; Bach, R.; Seidel, J.; Jung, P.

2004-01-01

On April 30, 1998 just a few days before the PATRAM 1998 conference at Paris, the French Nuclear Installations Safety Directorate (DSIN now DGSNR) published a press release, that during the year before some 35% of the spent fuel transports to the reprocessing plant of COGEMA at La Hague have non-fixed surface contamination in excess of the regulatory standard. A few day in advance DSIN informed in French Ministries and the competent foreign authorities of the customer countries of COGEMA. The consequences of this publication were multi-fold and perceived by the public as an act negligence of the nuclear industry. Because of concerns about additional radiation exposure to the railway workers by the unions the French Railway company SNCF suspended all transports by May 6, 1998 until implementation of corrective measures. This decision of SNF interupted also the spent fuel transports from continental Europe to the reprocessing plant of BNFL at Sellafield all performed across France to the port of Dunkirk. Furthermore on May 25, 1998 the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU) imposed a transport ban for shipment of spent fuel from commercial power plants and for high active waste returned from La Hague to the Gorleben site. The conditions for resumption of these transports were outlined by NMU in a 10-point programme. In response to these publications on contamination findings competent German State and Federal Authorities commissioned investigations by independent experts dealing with the identification of the causes, the proposal of counter measures, the investigation of shortcomings in the transport system in general and recommendations for retification of it

Comparative economics for DUCRETE spent fuel storage cask handling, transportation, and capital requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, F.P.

1995-04-01

This report summarizes economic differences between a DUCRETE spent nuclear fuel storage cask and a conventional concrete storage cask in the areas of handling, transportation, and capital requirements. The DUCRETE cask is under evaluation as a new technology that could substantially reduce the overall costs of spent fuel and depleted U disposal. DUCRETE incorporates depleted U in a Portland cement mixture and functions as the cask's primary radiation barrier. The cask system design includes insertion of the US DOE Multi-Purpose Canister inside the DUCRETE cask. The economic comparison is from the time a cask is loaded in a spent fuel pool until it is placed in the repository and includes the utility and overall US system perspectives

Characterization of radioactive contaminants and water treatment trials for the Taiwan Research Reactor's spent fuel pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Chun-Ping; Lin, Tzung-Yi; Chiao, Ling-Huan; Chen, Hong-Bin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Deal with a practical radioactive contamination in Taiwan Research Reactor spent fuel pool water. ► Identify the properties of radioactive contaminants and performance test for water treatment materials. ► The radioactive solids were primary attributed by ruptured spent fuels, spent resins, and metal debris. ► The radioactive ions were major composed by uranium and fission products. ► Diatomite-based ceramic depth filter can simultaneously removal radioactive solids and ions. - Abstract: There were approximately 926 m 3 of water contaminated by fission products and actinides in the Taiwan Research Reactor's spent fuel pool (TRR SFP). The solid and ionic contaminants were thoroughly characterized using radiochemical analyses, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) in this study. The sludge was made up of agglomerates contaminated by spent fuel particles. Suspended solids from spent ion-exchange resins interfered with the clarity of the water. In addition, the ionic radionuclides such as 137 Cs, 90 Sr, U, and α-emitters, present in the water were measured. Various filters and cation-exchange resins were employed for water treatment trials, and the results indicated that the solid and ionic contaminants could be effectively removed through the use of <0.9 μm filters and cation exchange resins, respectively. Interestingly, the removal of U was obviously efficient by cation exchange resin, and the ceramic depth filter composed of diatomite exhibited the properties of both filtration and adsorption. It was found that the ceramic depth filter could adsorb β-emitters, α-emitters, and uranium ions. The diatomite-based ceramic depth filter was able to simultaneously eliminate particles and adsorb ionic radionuclides from water.

Immobilization of ion-exchange resins in cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, C.G.; Jolliffe, C.B.; Lee, D.J.

1991-01-01

The removal of activity from spent decontaminating solutions, can be achieved using organic ion-exchange resins. These resins can be successfully immobilized in cement-based matrices. The optimum cement system contained 10% ordinary Portland cement, 84% gg blast furnace slag, 6% microsilica with a water/cement ratio of 0.5 and a dry resin loading of 36% with respect to total weight. This formulation was successfully scaled up to 200 litres, giving a product with acceptable compressive strength, dimensional stability and elastic modulus. Storage of samples under water appears to have no detrimental effects on the product's properties. 26 tabs., 22 figs., 29 refs

Spent Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by SSEB in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ''comprehensive overview of the issues.'' This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste Issues. In addition. this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-11-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages sew be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-11-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ''comprehensive overview of the issues.'' This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages sew be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-11-01

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ''comprehensive overview of the issues.'' This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list

Westinghouse Modular Grinding Process - Enhancement of Volume Reduction for Hot Resin Supercompaction - 13491

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fehrmann, Henning [Westinghouse Electric Germany GmbH, Dudenstr. 44, D-68167 Mannheim (Germany); Aign, Joerg [Westinghouse Electric Germany GmbH, Global D and D and Waste Management, Tarpenring 6, D-22419 Hamburg (Germany)

2013-07-01

In nuclear power plants (NPP) ion exchange (IX) resins are used in several systems for water treatment. Spent resins can contain a significant amount of contaminates which makes treatment for disposal of spent resins mandatory. Several treatment processes are available such as direct immobilization with technologies like cementation, bitumisation, polymer solidification or usage of a high integrity container (HIC). These technologies usually come with a significant increase in final waste volume. The Hot Resin Supercompaction (HRSC) is a thermal treatment process which reduces the resin waste volume significantly. For a mixture of powdered and bead resins the HRSC process has demonstrated a volume reduction of up to 75 % [1]. For bead resins only the HRSC process is challenging because the bead resins compaction properties are unfavorable. The bead resin material does not form a solid block after compaction and shows a high spring back effect. The volume reduction of bead resins is not as good as for the mixture described in [1]. The compaction properties of bead resin waste can be significantly improved by grinding the beads to powder. The grinding also eliminates the need for a powder additive.Westinghouse has developed a modular grinding process to grind the bead resin to powder. The developed process requires no circulation of resins and enables a selective adjustment of particle size and distribution to achieve optimal results in the HRSC or in any other following process. A special grinding tool setup is use to minimize maintenance and radiation exposure to personnel. (authors)

Assessment of alternate ion exchange resins for improved antimony removal from the primary heat transport system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burany, R.; Suryanarayan, S.; Husain, A. [Kinectrics, Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

2015-07-01

Radiation fields around the CANDU heat transport system are a major contributor to worker dose during inspection, maintenance and refurbishment activities. While Co-60 is typically the dominant contributor to radiation fields in CANDU reactors, Sb-124, an activation product of antimony, is also a significant contributor, accounting for 5-20% of the radiation fields. The goal of this research project was to investigate resins for improved removal of antimony under both oxidizing and reducing conditions.Several candidate resins were tested and short-listed through a sequence of iterative testing. The results of the laboratory testing have identified potential candidates for improved antimony removal. Further testing is required to ensure compatibility with existing station resin specifications. (author)

Checking the mathematical model of the radionuclides migration velocity in the system: bitumen-spent ion-exchange resins; Provera matematickog modela za brzinu izluzivanja radionukluda u sistemu: bitumen-istrosene jonoizmenjivacke smole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peric, A; Plecas, I; Kostadinovic, A [Institute of Nuclear Sciences VINCA, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

1992-07-01

Immobilization process of the spent ion-exchange resins was performed in bitumen matrix. from the twelve investigated formulations, one was chosen: BIT 200-40% I.I. resin, on which the mathematical model of the migration velocity for radionuclides Co-60 and Cs-137 was checked. Behaviour of the migration velocity trend obtained by mathematical modeling was compared with the measured results. Leaching level trends obtained by measurements and by mathematical modeling of the process do not show great differences in the nearly two years of investigation, and pointed out the stability of the bitumenized rad-waste form in the relatively relevant period of time. (author)

Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Facility and its impact on spent fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joy, D.S.; Jolley, R.L.

1986-01-01

The Department of Energy has identified nine potential sites for a repository to permanently dispose of radioactive wastes. DOE has released several sets of maps and tables identifying expected transportation routes between nuclear reactors and repository sites. More recently, the DOE has announced three potential Monitored Retrievable Storage Facility (MRS) sites in the state of Tennessee. Obviously, if a large portion of the spent fuel is routed to Tennessee for consolidation and repackaging, there will be significant changes in the estimated routes. For typical scenarios, the number of shipments in the vicinity of the repository will be reduced. For example, with direct reactor to repository shipments, 995 highway and 262 rail shipments are expected to arrive at the repository annually. With a MRS these numbers are reduced to 201 and 30, respectively. The remaining consolidated fuel would be transported from the MRS in 22 dedicated trains (each train transporting five casks). Conversely, the MRS would result in an increase in the number of spent fuel shipments traveling through the eastern part of Tennessee. However, the operation of a MRS would significantly reduce the number of shipments through the central and western parts of the state

A comparison of radiation doses and risks between spent fuel transport/storage and selected non-nuclear activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennington, C.W.

2003-01-01

Spent fuel transport and storage have achieved an exemplary safety record over four decades within both the United States (US) and the global community at large. This paper offers an assessment demonstrating the safety of spent fuel transport and storage packagings relative to currently accepted but unregulated non-nuclear activities and practices within society. Over the last quarter of a century, several spent fuel transport and storage packaging test programmes have produced data that allow calculation of potential releases and population doses resulting from a terrorist attack. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has used this information to develop projected worst-case, low probability population exposures as part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Yucca Mountain repository. The paper discusses potential population exposures from these packagings based on analysis and testing under beyond-design-basis (BDB) events, including missile attacks, and then defines and defends an acceptance criterion for the bounding outcomes of these events, based upon current accepted activities within society that produce high radiation doses to the general public. These activities involve unregulated technologies and practices within society that yield population doses significantly exceeding those that would result from such hypothetical and highly improbable events as a terrorist missile attack on a spent fuel transport or storage packaging. In particular, technologically enhanced natural radiation (TENR) exposures from building materials, farming, and masonry construction are highlighted. Recent landmark work by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) are cited in support of this assessment, along with work from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). From this compelling evidence, it is concluded that spent fuel transport and storage represent a low

Oxidative degradation of ion-exchange resins in acid medium. Vol. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eskander, S.B.; Ghattas, N.K.

1996-01-01

Volume reduction of spent ion-exchange resins used in nuclear facilities receive increasing importance due to the increase in storage cost, unstable physical and chemical properties and their relatively high specific activity (in some cases up to 1 Ci per liter). The present study is part of research program on the treatment and immobilization of radioactive spent ion-exchange resins simulate; hydrogen peroxide was used for the oxidative degradation of spent ion-exchange resins simulate in sulphuric acid medium. Five liters ring digester developed in Karlsruhe nuclear research center-(KFK)- in germany was the chosen option to perform the oxidation process. The work reported focused on the kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation process. Heating the organic resins in sulphuric acid results in its carbonization and partial oxidation of only 1.7% of the carbon added. Results show that the oxidation reaction is a relatively slow process of first order with K value in the order of 10 -4 min -1 , and the main oxidation product was carbon dioxide. The production of carbon oxide in the off gas stream increased sharply by the addition of hydrogen peroxide to the hot sulphuric acid-resin mixture. The results obtained show that more than 97% of the carbon added was oxidized to carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The rate constant value (K) of this reaction was calculated to be (1.69±0.13) x 10 -2 min -1 . The results of gas chromatographic analysis indicate that no significant amounts of hazardous organic materials were detected in the off-gas streams. 6 figs., 4 tabs

Basic planning of a newly built exclusive ship for spent fuel transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obara, I.; Sasao, T.; Akiyama, H.; Kybota, T.

1998-01-01

A commercial reprocessing plant is under construction at the Fuel Cycle Facilities in Rokkasho-mura, Aomori Prefecture. To prepare for the transport of spent nuclear fuels (SF) from all Japanese nuclear power stations to this reprocessing plant, the need for an exclusive transport ship was recognized. Nuclear Fuel Transport Co. Ltd. (NFT), in cooperation with electric power utilities planned the construction of such a ship over a period of several years. During this period NFT developed new types of cask to transport high burn-up spent fuels to the reprocessing plant. Six kinds of casks were developed and 40 units are now under fabrication. The ship was designed to carry a maximum of 20 units. Based on the Irradiated Nuclear Fuel (INF) Code adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Japanese Ministry of Transport (MoT) issued new domestic regulations in September, 1995 which covered design criteria for ships carrying Irradiated Nuclear Fuels. The new SF transport ship is the first one to which this new regulation was applied. Although the ship will only ply the coastal routes of Japan, she has been designed to conform with all the international requirements for the Class-3 of the INF Code. In May 1995, Nuclear Fuel Shipping Co. Ltd (NFS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NFT, concluded a contract with Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. for the construction of the exclusive transport ship. The keel was laid in November 1995. The ship was launched in april 1996 and named 'Rokuei-Maru'. At the end of September, she was completed and delivered to the ship owner, NFS. (authors)

An approach for the design of closure bolts of spent fuel elements transportation packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattar Neto, Miguel; Miranda, Carlos A.J.; Fainer, Gerson

2009-01-01

The spent fuel elements transportation packages must be designed for severe conditions including significant fire and impact loads corresponding to hypothetical accident conditions. In general, these packages have large flat lids connected to cylindrical bodies by closure bolts that can be the weak link in the containment system. The bolted closure design depends on the geometrical characteristics of the flat lid and the cylindrical body, including their flanges, on the type of the gaskets and their dimensions, and on the number, strength, and tightness of the bolts. There are well established procedures for the closure bolts design used in pressure vessels and piping. They can not be used directly in the bolts design applied to transportation packages. Prior to the use of these procedures, it is necessary consider the differences in the main loads (pressure for the pressure vessels and piping and impact loads for the transportation packages) and in the geometry (large flat lids are not used in pressure vessels and piping). So, this paper presents an approach for the design of the closure bolts of spent fuel elements transportation packages considering the impact loads and the typical geometrical configuration of the transportation packages. (author)

Human reliability and risk management in the transportation of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuler, S.; Kasperson, R.E.; Ratick, S.

1989-01-01

This paper summarizes work on human factor contributions to risks from spent nuclear fuel transportation. Human participation may have significant effects on the levels and types of risks by enabling or initiating incidents and exacerbating adverse consequences. Human errors are defined to be the result of mismatches between perceived system state and actual system state. In complex transportation systems such mismatches may be distributed in time (e.g., during different stages of design, implementation, operation, maintenance) and location (e.g., human error, its identification, and its recovery may be geographically and institutionally separate). Risk management programs may decrease the probability of undesirable events or attenuate the consequences of mismatches. This paper presents a methodology to identify the scope and types of human-task mismatches and to identify potential management options for their prevention, mitigation, or recovery. A review of transportation accident databases, in conjunction with human error models, is used to develop a taxonomy of human errors during design for the pre-identification of potential mismatches or after incidents have occurred to evaluate their causes. Risk management options to improve human reliability are identified by a matrix that relates the multiple stages of a spent nuclear fuel transportation system to management options (e.g., training, data analysis, regulation). The paper concludes with examples to illustrate how the methodology may be applied. (author)

Standard problem exercise to validate criticality codes for spent LWR fuel transport container calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitesides, G.H.; Stephens, M.E.

1984-01-01

During the past two years, a Working Group established by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development's Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD-NEA) has been developing a set of criticality benchmark problems which could be used to help establish the validity of criticality safety computer programs and their associated nuclear data for calculation of ksub(eff) for spent light water reactor (LWR) fuel transport containers. The basic goal of this effort was to identify a set of actual critical experiments which would contain the various material and geometric properties present in spent LWR transport contrainers. These data, when used by the various computational methods, are intended to demonstrate the ability of each method to accurately reproduce the experimentally measured ksub(eff) for the parameters under consideration

Collective processing device for spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, Hiroaki; Taniguchi, Noboru.

1996-01-01

The device of the present invention comprises a sealing vessel, a transporting device for transporting spent fuels to the sealing vessel, a laser beam cutting device for cutting the transported spent fuels, a dissolving device for dissolving the cut spent fuels, and a recovering device for recovering radioactive materials from the spent fuels during processing. Reprocessing treatments comprising each processing of dismantling, shearing and dissolving are conducted in the sealing vessel can ensure a sealing barrier for the radioactive materials (fissionable products and heavy nuclides). Then, since spent fuels can be processed in a state of assemblies, and the spent fuels are easily placed in the sealing vessel, operation efficiency is improved, as well as operation cost is saved. Further, since the spent fuels can be cut by a remote laser beam operation, there can be prevented operator's exposure due to radioactive materials released from the spent fuels during cutting operation. (T.M.)

Characterization of radioactive contaminants and water treatment trials for the Taiwan Research Reactor's spent fuel pool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Chun-Ping, E-mail: chunping@iner.gov.tw [Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, 1000, Wenhua Road, Jiaan Village, Longtan Township, Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, Tzung-Yi; Chiao, Ling-Huan; Chen, Hong-Bin [Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, 1000, Wenhua Road, Jiaan Village, Longtan Township, Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2012-09-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Deal with a practical radioactive contamination in Taiwan Research Reactor spent fuel pool water. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Identify the properties of radioactive contaminants and performance test for water treatment materials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The radioactive solids were primary attributed by ruptured spent fuels, spent resins, and metal debris. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The radioactive ions were major composed by uranium and fission products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Diatomite-based ceramic depth filter can simultaneously removal radioactive solids and ions. - Abstract: There were approximately 926 m{sup 3} of water contaminated by fission products and actinides in the Taiwan Research Reactor's spent fuel pool (TRR SFP). The solid and ionic contaminants were thoroughly characterized using radiochemical analyses, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) in this study. The sludge was made up of agglomerates contaminated by spent fuel particles. Suspended solids from spent ion-exchange resins interfered with the clarity of the water. In addition, the ionic radionuclides such as {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, U, and {alpha}-emitters, present in the water were measured. Various filters and cation-exchange resins were employed for water treatment trials, and the results indicated that the solid and ionic contaminants could be effectively removed through the use of <0.9 {mu}m filters and cation exchange resins, respectively. Interestingly, the removal of U was obviously efficient by cation exchange resin, and the ceramic depth filter composed of diatomite exhibited the properties of both filtration and adsorption. It was found that the ceramic depth filter could adsorb {beta}-emitters, {alpha}-emitters, and uranium ions. The diatomite-based ceramic depth filter was able to simultaneously

Policy issues of transporting spent nuclear fuel by rail

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spraggins, H.B.

1994-01-01

The topic of this paper is safe and economical transportation of spent nuclear fuel by rail. The cost of safe movement given the liability consequences in the event of a rail accident involving such material is the core issue. Underlying this issue is the ability to access the risk probability of such an accident. The paper delineates how the rail industry and certain governmental agencies perceive and assess such important operational, safety, and economic issues. It also covers benefits and drawbacks of dedicated and regular train movement of such materials

Immobilisation of ion exchange resins in cement: final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, C.G.; Jolliffe, C.B.; Lee, D.J.

1989-03-01

The removal of activity from spent decontaminating solutions eg LOMI can be achieved using organic ion exchange resins. These resins can be successfully immobilised in cement based matrices. The optimum cement system contained 10% Ordinary Portland Cement 84% gg Blast Furnace Slag, 6% Microsilica with a water cement ratio of 0.5 and a dry resin loading of 36% with respect to total weight. This information was successfully scaled up to 200 litres giving a product with acceptable compressive strength, dimensional stability and elastic modulus. Storage of samples under water appears to have no detrimental effects on the product's properties. (author)

Embedding in thermosetting resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buzonniere, A. de

1985-01-01

Medium activity waste coming either from nuclear power plants in operation such as evaporator concentrates, spent resins, filter cartridges or the dismantling of installations are embedded in order to obtain a product suitable for long term disposal. Embedding in thermosetting resins (polyester or epoxy) is one among currently used techniques; it is being developed by the CEA (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique) and Technicatome (subsidiary of CEA and EDF). The process is easy to operate and yields excellent results particularly as far as volume reduction and radioelement containment (cesium particularly) are concerned. The process has already been in operation in four stationary plants for several years. Extension of the process to mobile units has been completed by Technicatome in collaboration with the CEA [fr

Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation Risk Assessment Methodology for Homeland Security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teagarden, Grant A.; Canavan, Kenneth T.; Nickell, Robert E.

2006-01-01

In response to increased interest in risk-informed decision making regarding terrorism, EPRI was selected by U.S. DHS and ASME to develop and demonstrate a nuclear sector specific methodology for owner / operators to utilize in performing a Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection (RAMCAP) assessment for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The objective is to characterize SNF transportation risk for risk management opportunities and to provide consistent information for DHS decision making. The method uses a characterization of risk as a function of Consequence, Vulnerability, and Threat. Worst reasonable case scenarios characterize risk for a benchmark set of threats and consequence types. A trial application was successfully performed and implementation is underway by one utility. (authors)

''Spray'' drying unit for spent ion-exchange resins sludges and radioactive concentrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raibaud, J.

1985-01-01

The procedure consisting in drying radwaste either in liquid form or in aqueous suspension is a very attractive solution for volume Reduction. Technicatome presents an experimental spray drying station for 50 kg/hr, using the LEAFLASH process, developed by Rhone Poulenc Recherches. This process, used at full scale in a large number of branches in industry, is applicable to the drying of various materials: bead type ion-echange resins, powered ion exchange resins, centrifuge sludges, filter sludges, evaporator bottoms [fr

Resumption of transport of KUR spent fuel from Japan to USA - Very long-term storage and public acceptance for transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagome, Yoshihiro; Nishimaki, Kenzo; Kanda, Keiji

1999-01-01

The Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University (KURRI) has more than 250 MTR-type HEU spent fuel elements. They have been stored in water pools after irradiation in the Kyoto University Research Reactor (KUR) core. The longest pool residence time is 25 years. In accordance with the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Receipt Program of the United States, sixty KUR spent fuel elements were shipped from KURRI to the Savannah River Site of the USDOE in August, 1999. This shipment was done successfully through a public port in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. This is the first shipment in the past twenty-six years after the last shipment through the Yokohama Port. Concerning the use of a public port, we had to solve many issues for public acceptance. In this paper, we describe how we have stored the spent fuels for a long time with high integrity and how we have obtained public acceptance for the transport. (author)

A method for determining the spent-fuel contribution to transport cask containment requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, T.L.; Seager, K.D.; Rashid, Y.R.; Barrett, P.R.; Malinauskas, A.P.; Einziger, R.E.; Jordan, H.; Reardon, P.C.

1992-11-01

This report examines containment requirements for spent-fuel transport containers that are transported under normal and hypothetical accident conditions. A methodology is described that estimates the probability of rod failure and the quantity of radioactive material released from breached rods. This methodology characterizes the dynamic environment of the cask and its contents and deterministically models the peak stresses that are induced in spent-fuel cladding by the mechanical and thermal dynamic environments. The peak stresses are evaluated in relation to probabilistic failure criteria for generated or preexisting ductile tearing and material fractures at cracks partially through the wall in fuel rods. Activity concentrations in the cask cavity are predicted from estimates of the fraction of gases, volatiles, and fuel fines that are released when the rod cladding is breached. Containment requirements based on the source term are calculated in terms of maximum permissible volumetric leak rates from the cask. Calculations are included for representative cask designs

Recycling of spent hydroprocessing catalysts: EURECAT technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berrebi, G.; Dufresne, P.; Jacquier, Y. (EURECAT-European Reprocessing Catalysts, La Voulte sur Rhone (France))

1994-04-01

Disposal of spent catalyst is a growing concern for all refiners. Environmental regulations are becoming stricter and stricter and there are State recommendations to develop disposal routes which would emphasize recycling as much as possible, and processing the wastes as near as possible to the production center. In this context, EURECAT has developed a recycling process for the hydroprocessing catalysts used in the oil refineries (NiMo, CoMo, NiW on alumina or mixed alumina silica). The process starts with a regeneration of the catalyst to eliminate hydrocarbons, carbon and sulfur. After a caustic roasting, the material is leached to obtain a solution containing mainly molybdenum (or tungsten) and vanadium, and a solid containing essentially alumina, cobalt and/or nickel. Molybdenum and vanadium are separated by an ion exchange resin technique. The solid is processed in an arc furnace to separate the alumina. Nickel and cobalt are separated by conventional solvent extraction to obtain pure metal. Alumina is disposed of as an inert slag. The strength of the process lies in the combination of proven technologies applied by companies whose reliability in their respective field is well known. The aspects concerning spent catalyst handling, packaging and transport are also discussed. 13 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

German Approach for the Transport of Spent Fuel Packages after Interim Storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wille, Frank; Wolff, Dietmar; Droste, Bernhard; Voelzke, Holger

2014-01-01

In Germany the concept of dry interim storage of spent nuclear fuel in dual purpose metal casks is implemented, currently for periods of up to 40 years. The casks being used have an approved package design in accordance with the international transport regulations. The license for dry storage is granted on the German Atomic Energy Act with respect to the recently (in 2012) revised 'Guidelines for dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel and heat-generating waste' by the German Waste management Commission (ESK) which are very similar to the former RSK (reactor safety commission) guidelines. For transport on public routes between or after long term interim storage periods, it has to be ensured that the transport and storage casks fulfil the specifications of the transport approval or other sufficient properties which satisfy the proofs for the compliance of the safety objectives at that time. In recent years the validation period of transport approval certificates for manufactured, loaded and stored packages were discussed among authorities and applicants. A case dependent system of 3, 5 and 10 years was established. There are consequences for the safety cases in the Package Design Safety Report including evaluation of long term behavior of components and specific operating procedures of the package. Present research and knowledge concerning the long term behavior of transport and storage cask components have to be consulted as well as experiences from interim cask storage operations. Challenges in the safety assessment are e.g. the behavior of aged metal and elastomeric seals under IAEA test conditions to ensure that the results of drop tests can be transferred to the compliance of the safety objectives at the time of transport after the interim storage period (aged package). Assessment methods for the material compatibility, the behavior of fuel assemblies and the aging behavior of shielding parts are issues as well. This paper describes the state

Review of the Effects of Normal Conditions of Transport on Spent Fuel Integrity in Transportation Casks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Junggoo; Yoo, Youngik; Lee, Seongki; Lim, Chaejoon [Korea Nuclear Fuel Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Spent fuel(SF) storage capacity of each domestic nuclear power plant will reach a saturated state in the near future. Although there are several methods of SF disposal, interim storage is suggested as the most realistic and promising alternative. SF integrity evaluation is a regulatory requirement that is described in Part 71 of Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10 of the U..S. NRC licensing requirement. In this paper, the report is reviewed written by EPRI in US and it is helpful to a development of domestic SF integrity evaluation technology. EPRI report about integrity evaluation method on normal conditions of high burn-up spent fuel transport is reviewed. First, dynamic forces occurred in one-foot side drop are calculated. And deformation patterns and fuel rods responses by dynamic forces calculated from spent fuel and cask model are analyzed. It is shown that the damage of fuel rods is not occurred by the dynamic forces on normal conditions. Assembly distortion is not predicted, by virtue of the facts that the spacer grids do not experience significant permanent deformation. Axial forces, bending moments and pinch forces of fuel rods are calculated and compared with the results under the hypothetical accident conditions. No occurrence of transverse tearing mode that is the most serious damage mode in side drop case is predicted. Till now, in Korea, regulatory requirements related with structural integrity of spent fuel are not specified such as 10CFR71. To establish own regulation standards, producing and analyzing sufficient experimental data must be performed preferentially. Based on this, failure analysis and criteria establishment are necessary through modeling and analyzing of spent fuel.

Treatment of Simulated Soil Decontamination Waste Solution by Ferrocyanide-Anion Exchange Resin Beads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, Hui Jun; Kim, Min Gil; Kim, Gye Nam; Jung, Chung Hun; Park, Jin Ho; Oh, Won Zin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-03-15

Preparation of ferrocyanide-anion exchange resin and adsorption test of the prepared resin on the Cs{sup -} ion were performed. Adsorption capability of the prepared resin on the Cs{sup -} ion in the simulated citric acid based soil decontamination waste solution was 4 times greater than that of the commercial cation exchange resin. Adsorption equilibrium of the prepared resin on the Cs{sup -} ion reached within 360 minutes. Adsorption capability on the Cs{sup -} ion became to decrease above the necessary Co{sup 2-} ion concentration in the experimental range. Recycling test of the spent ion exchange resin by the successive application of hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine was also performed. It was found that desorption of Cs{sup -} ion from the resin occurred to satisfy the electroneutrality condition without any degradation of the resin.

Classification of the railway accident in accordance with the requirement of the safety analysis of transporting spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Tao

1993-01-01

Based on the analysis of the difference between the accident severity categorization used in the Ministry of Railway and that used in the safety analysis of the transporting spent fuel, a method used for the classification of the railway accident in accordance with the requirement of the safety analysis of transporting spent fuel is suggested. The method classifies the railway accidents into 10 scenarios and make it possible to scale the accident through directly using the data documented by the Ministry of Railway without any additional effort

Design of systems for handling radioactive ion exchange resin beads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shapiro, S.A.; Story, G.L.

1979-01-01

The flow of slurries in pipes is a complex phenomenon. There are little slurry data available on which to base the design of systems for radioactive ion exchange resin beads and, as a result, the designs vary markedly in operating plants. With several plants on-line, the opportunity now exists to evaluate the designs of systems handling high activity spent resin beads. Results of testing at Robbins and Meyers Pump Division to quantify the behavior of resin bead slurries are presented. These tests evaluated the following slurry parameters; resin slurry velocity, pressure drop, bead degradation, and slurry concentration effects. A discussion of the general characteristics of resin bead slurries is presented along with a correlation to enable the designer to establish the proper flowrate for a given slurry composition and flow regime as a function of line size. Guidelines to follow in designing a resin handling system are presented

Development of spent fuel remote handling technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Ji Sup; Park, B. S.; Park, Y. S.; Oh, S. C.; Kim, S. H.; Cho, M. W.; Hong, D. H.

1997-12-01

Since the nation's policy on spent fuel management is not finalized, the technical items commonly required for safe management and recycling of spent fuel - remote technologies of transportation, inspection, maintenance, and disassembly of spent fuel - are selected and pursued. In this regards, the following R and D activities are carried out : collision free transportation of spent fuel assembly, mechanical disassembly of spent nuclear fuel and graphical simulation of fuel handling / disassembly process. (author). 36 refs., 16 tabs., 77 figs

Burnup credit demands for spent fuel management in Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medun, V.

2001-01-01

In fact, till now, burnup credit has not be applied in Ukrainian nuclear power for spent fuel management systems (storage and transport). However, application of advanced fuel at VVER reactors, arising spent fuel amounts, represent burnup credit as an important resource to decrease spent fuel management costs. The paper describes spent fuel management status in Ukraine from viewpoint of subcriticality assurance under spent fuel storage and transport. It also considers: 1. Regulation basis concerning subcriticality assurance, 2. Basic spent fuel and transport casks characteristics, 3. Possibilities and demands for burnup credit application at spent fuel management systems in Ukraine. (author)

Determination of degradation conditions of exchange resins containing technetium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivera S, A.; Monroy G, F.; Quintero P, E.

2014-10-01

The quantification of Tc-99 in spent exchange resins, coming from nuclear power plants, is indispensable to define their administration. The Tc-99 is a pure beta emitter of 210000 years of half-life, volatile and of a high mobility in water and soil. For this reason, the objective of this work is to establish a digestion method of ionic exchange resins containing technetium that retains more than 95% of this radioisotope. Mineralization tests were carried out of a resin Amberlite IRN-150 by means of an oxidation heat, in acid medium, varying the resin mass, the medium volume, the media type, the temperature and the digestion time. The digested samples were analyzed by gas chromatography to estimate the grade of their degradation. The 99m Tc was used as tracer to determine the technetium percentage recovered after mineralizing the resin. The digestion process depends on the temperature and the resin mass. At higher temperature better mineralization of samples and to greater resin mass to a constant temperature, less degradation of the resin. The spectra beta of the 99m Tc and 99 Tc are presented. (Author)

A simplified computational scheme for thermal analysis of LWR spent fuel dry storage and transportation casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chang Hyun

1997-02-01

A simplified computational scheme for thermal analysis of the LWR spent fuel dry storage and transportation casks has been developed using two-step thermal analysis method incorporating effective thermal conductivity model for the homogenized spent fuel assembly. Although a lot of computer codes and analytical models have been developed for application to the fields of thermal analysis of dry storage and/or transportation casks, some difficulties in its analysis arise from the complexity of the geometry including the rod bundles of spent fuel and the heat transfer phenomena in the cavity of cask. Particularly, if the disk-type structures such as fuel baskets and aluminium heat transfer fins are included, the thermal analysis problems in the cavity are very complex. To overcome these difficulties, cylindrical coordinate system is adopted to calculate the temperature profile of a cylindrical cask body using the multiple cylinder model as the step-1 analysis of the present study. In the step-2 analysis, Cartesian coordinate system is adopted to calculate the temperature distributions of the disk-type structures such as fuel basket and aluminium heat transfer fin using three- dimensional conduction analysis model. The effective thermal conductivity for homogenized spent fuel assembly based on Manteufel and Todreas model is incorporated in step-2 analysis to predict the maximum fuel temperature. The presented two-step computational scheme has been performed using an existing HEATING 7.2 code and the effective thermal conductivity for the homogenized spent fuel assembly has been calculated by additional numerical analyses. Sample analyses of five cases are performed for NAC-STC including normal transportation condition to examine the applicability of the presented simplified computational scheme for thermal analysis of the large LWR spent fuel dry storage and transportation casks and heat transfer characteristics in the cavity of the cask with the disk-type structures

Development of spent fuel remote handling technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Ji Sup; Park, B S; Park, Y S; Oh, S C; Kim, S H; Cho, M W; Hong, D H

1997-12-01

Since the nation`s policy on spent fuel management is not finalized, the technical items commonly required for safe management and recycling of spent fuel - remote technologies of transportation, inspection, maintenance, and disassembly of spent fuel - are selected and pursued. In this regards, the following R and D activities are carried out : collision free transportation of spent fuel assembly, mechanical disassembly of spent nuclear fuel and graphical simulation of fuel handling / disassembly process. (author). 36 refs., 16 tabs., 77 figs

Bituminization of simulated waste, spent resins, evaporator concentrates and animal ashes by extrusion process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosche Filho, C.E.; Chandra, U.

1987-01-01

The results of the study of bituminization of simulated radwaste - spennt ion-exchange resins, borate evaporator/concentrates and animal ashes, are presented and discussed. Distilled and oxidizer bitumen were used. Characterization of the crude material and simulated wastes-bitumen mixtures of varying weigt composition (30, 40, 50, 60% by weight of dry waste material) was carried out. The asphaltene and parafin contents in the bitumens were also determined. Some additives and were used with an aim to improve the characteristcs of solidified wastes. For leaching studies, granular ion-exchange resins were with Cs - 134 and mixtures of resin-bitumen were prepared. The leaching studies were executed using the IAEA recommendation and the ISO method. A conventional screw-extruder, common in plastic industry, was used determine operational parameters and process difficulties. Mixtures of resin-bitumen and evaporator concentrate-bitumen obtained from differents operational conditions were characterized. (Author) [pt

Testing of a transport cask for research reactor spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mourao, Rogerio P.; Silva, Luiz Leite da; Miranda, Carlos A.; Mattar Neto, Miguel; Quintana, Jose F.A.; Saliba, Roberto O.; Novara, Oscar E.

2011-01-01

Since the beginning of the last decade three Latin American countries which operate research reactors - Argentina, Brazil and Chile - have been joining efforts to improve the regional capability in the management of spent fuel elements from the reactors operated in the region. As a step in this direction, a packaging for the transport of irradiated fuel from research reactors was designed by a tri-national team and a half-scale model for MTR fuel constructed in Argentina and tested in Brazil. Two test campaigns have been carried out so far, covering both normal conditions of transportation and hypothetical accident conditions. Although the specimen has not successfully performed the tests, its overall performance was considered very satisfactory, and improvements are being introduced to the design. A third test sequence is planned for 2011. (author)

Assessment of shielding analysis methods, codes, and data for spent fuel transport/storage applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parks, C.V.; Broadhead, B.L.; Hermann, O.W.; Tang, J.S.; Cramer, S.N.; Gauthey, J.C.; Kirk, B.L.; Roussin, R.W.

1988-07-01

This report provides a preliminary assessment of the computational tools and existing methods used to obtain radiation dose rates from shielded spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Particular emphasis is placed on analysis tools and techniques applicable to facilities/equipment designed for the transport or storage of spent nuclear fuel or HLW. Applications to cask transport, storage, and facility handling are considered. The report reviews the analytic techniques for generating appropriate radiation sources, evaluating the radiation transport through the shield, and calculating the dose at a desired point or surface exterior to the shield. Discrete ordinates, Monte Carlo, and point kernel methods for evaluating radiation transport are reviewed, along with existing codes and data that utilize these methods. A literature survey was employed to select a cadre of codes and data libraries to be reviewed. The selection process was based on specific criteria presented in the report. Separate summaries were written for several codes (or family of codes) that provided information on the method of solution, limitations and advantages, availability, data access, ease of use, and known accuracy. For each data library, the summary covers the source of the data, applicability of these data, and known verification efforts. Finally, the report discusses the overall status of spent fuel shielding analysis techniques and attempts to illustrate areas where inaccuracy and/or uncertainty exist. The report notes the advantages and limitations of several analysis procedures and illustrates the importance of using adequate cross-section data sets. Additional work is recommended to enable final selection/validation of analysis tools that will best meet the US Department of Energy's requirements for use in developing a viable HLW management system. 188 refs., 16 figs., 27 tabs

Approaches to overall architecture of transport systems for spent fuel and high level waste: examples from Europe and Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roland, V.; Neider, T.

2006-01-01

As over the years, the nuclear industry worldwide was developing and building a clean, efficient and safe energy supply, it also built along the essential link for any global industry, transportation. The early approach at IAEA of creating international recommendations that then would be integrated into national laws came as a blessing to the structuration of transport This enabled a clear, recognized safety regime that has a proven world track record of outstanding safety. It also gave us a common language, and one may say that within the nuclear community, there is indeed a nuclear transport community. Because of steady and large flows of material for the nuclear cycles, countries where reprocessing of spent fuel takes place had to implement early on large transport structures and organizations. In most countries where reprocessing is not yet the main path for spent fuel management, like in the USA and in Canada, large scale transport for the back-end is still at the inception stage. Today the industry must demonstrate that waste is properly managed and that the peaceful use of nuclear energy delivers indeed the best economic and environmental value. Transport has to answer a part of this challenge if the industry is to grow further. The paper will illustrate how the current continental Europe systems of transport progressively evolved so as to make daily deliveries of spent nuclear fuel to the COGEMA La Hague reprocessing plant a strong, dependable and effective system. It also shows that this experience is in the background of a major study ordered by Ontario Power Generation from COGEMA Logistics, as a contribution to the work of the trust now examining approaches to long-term management of spent fuel in Canada. (author)

Comparison of apical transportation and change of working length in K3, NRT AND PROFILE rotary instruments using transparent resin block

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Jung Yoon

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives The purpose of this study is to compare the apical transportation and working length change in curved root canals created in resin blocks, using 3 geometrically different types of Ni-Ti files, K3, NRT, and Profile. Materials and Methods The curvature of 30 resin blocks was measured by Schneider technique and each groups of Ni-Ti files were allocated with 10 resin blocks at random. The canals were shaped with Ni-Ti files by Crown-down technique. It was analyzed by Double radiograph superimposition method (Backman CA 1992, and for the accuracy and consistency, specially designed jig, digital X-ray, and CAD/CAM software for measurement of apical transportation were used. The amount of apical transportation was measured at 0, 1, 3, 5 mm from 'apical foramen - 0.5 mm' area, and the alteration of the working length before and after canal shaping was also measured. For statistics, Kruskal-Wallis One Way Analysis was used. Results There was no significant difference between the groups in the amount of working length change and apical transportation at 0, 1, and 3 mm area (p = 0.027, however, the amount of apical transportation at 5 mm area showed significant difference between K3 and Profile system (p = 0.924. Conclusions As a result of this study, the 3 geometrically different Ni-Ti files showed no significant difference in apical transportation and working length change and maintained the original root canal shape.

Safety analysis of spent fuel packaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akamatsu, Hiroshi; Taniuchi, Hiroaki; Tai, Hideto

1987-01-01

Many types of spent fuel packagings have been manufactured and been used for transport of spent fuels discharged from nuclear power plant. These spent fuel packagings need to be assesed thoroughly about safety transportation because spent fuels loaded into the packaging have high radioactivity and generation of heat. This paper explains the outline of safety analysis of a packaging, Safety analysis is performed for structural, thermal, containment, shielding and criticality factors, and MARC-CDC, TRUMP, ORIGEN, QAD, ANISN, KENO, etc computer codes are used for such analysis. (author)

Dissolution of ion exchange resin by hydrogen peroxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.C.

1981-08-01

The resin dissolution process was conducted successfully in full-scale equipment at the SRL Semiworks. A solution containing 0.001M Fe 2+ , or Fe 3+ , and 3 vol % H 2 O 2 in 0.1M HNO 3 is sufficient to dissolve up to 40 vol % resin slurry (Dowex 50W-X8). Foaming and pressurization can be eliminated by maintaining the dissolution temperature below 99 0 C. The recommended dissolution temperature range is 85 to 90 0 C. Premixing hydrogen peroxide with all reactants will not create a safety hazard, but operating with a continual feed of hydrogen peroxide is recommended to control the dissolution rate. An air sparging rate of 1.0 to 1.5 scfm will provide sufficient mixing. Spent resin from chemical separation contains DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) residue, and the resin must be washed with 0.1M NH 4 OH to remove excess DTPA before dissolution. Gamma irradiation of resin up to 4 kW-hr/L did not change the dissolution rate significantly

RISKIND: A computer program for calculating radiological consequences and health risks from transportation of spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Y.C. [Square Y, Orchard Park, NY (United States); Chen, S.Y.; LePoire, D.J. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental Assessment and Information Sciences Div.; Rothman, R. [USDOE Idaho Field Office, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1993-02-01

This report presents the technical details of RISIUND, a computer code designed to estimate potential radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. RISKIND is a user-friendly, semiinteractive program that can be run on an IBM or equivalent personal computer. The program language is FORTRAN-77. Several models are included in RISKIND that have been tailored to calculate the exposure to individuals under various incident-free and accident conditions. The incidentfree models assess exposures from both gamma and neutron radiation and can account for different cask designs. The accident models include accidental release, atmospheric transport, and the environmental pathways of radionuclides from spent fuels; these models also assess health risks to individuals and the collective population. The models are supported by databases that are specific to spent nuclear fuels and include a radionudide inventory and dose conversion factors.

RISKIND: A computer program for calculating radiological consequences and health risks from transportation of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Y.C.; Chen, S.Y.; LePoire, D.J.

1993-02-01

This report presents the technical details of RISIUND, a computer code designed to estimate potential radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. RISKIND is a user-friendly, semiinteractive program that can be run on an IBM or equivalent personal computer. The program language is FORTRAN-77. Several models are included in RISKIND that have been tailored to calculate the exposure to individuals under various incident-free and accident conditions. The incidentfree models assess exposures from both gamma and neutron radiation and can account for different cask designs. The accident models include accidental release, atmospheric transport, and the environmental pathways of radionuclides from spent fuels; these models also assess health risks to individuals and the collective population. The models are supported by databases that are specific to spent nuclear fuels and include a radionudide inventory and dose conversion factors

Spent fuel storage facility, Kalpakkam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shreekumar, B.; Anthony, S.

2017-01-01

Spent Fuel Storage Facility (SFSF), Kalpakkam is designed to store spent fuel arising from PHWRs. Spent fuel is transported in AERB qualified/authorized shipping cask by NPCIL to SFSF by road or rail route. The spent fuel storage facility at Kalpakkam was hot commissioned in December 2006. All systems, structures and components (SSCs) related to safety are designed to meet the operational requirements

Guidebook on spent fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The Guidebook summarizes the experience and information in various areas related to spent fuel storage: technological aspects, the transport of spent fuel, economical, regulatory and institutional aspects, international safeguards, evaluation criteria for the selection of a specific spent fuel storage concept, international cooperation on spent fuel storage. The last part of the Guidebook presents specific problems on the spent fuel storage in the United Kingdom, Sweden, USSR, USA, Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland

Neutron and Gamma Shielding Evaluation for KN-12 Spent Nuclear Fuel Transport Cask

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, I. J.; Min, D. K.; Lee, J. C.; You, G. S.; Yoon, J. S. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Chang, G. H.; Jeong, Y. C.; Ko, Y. W. [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., LTD., Kori (Korea, Republic of)

2007-07-01

The CASTOR KN-12 is designed to transport 12 intact PWR spent fuel assemblies for dry and wet transportation conditions. The overall cask length is 480.1 cm with a wall thickness 37.5 cm. Shield for the KN-12 is maintained by the thick walled cask body and the lid. For neutron shielding, polyethylene rods (PE) are arranged in longitudinal boreholes in the vessel wall and PE-plates are inserted between the cask lid and lid side shock absorber and between the cask bottom and bottom steel plate. The shielding evaluation of the cask has been performed with MCNP to confirm the shielding integrity of cask for pre-service inspection of transport cask.

TRIGA Mark II Ljubljana - spent fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravnik, M.; Dimic, V.

2008-01-01

The most important activity in 1999 was shipment of the spent fuel elements back to the United States for final disposal. This activity started already in 1998 with some governmental support. In July 1999 all spent fuel elements (219 pieces) from the TRIGA research reactor in Ljubljana were shipped back to the United Stated by the ship from the port Koper in Slovenia. At the same time shipment of the spent fuel from the research reactor in Pitesti, Romania, and the research reactor in Rome, Italy, was conducted. During the loading the radiation exposure to the workers was rather low. The loading and shipment of the spent nuclear fuel went very smoothly and according the accepted time table. During the last two years the TRIGA research reactor in Ljubljana has been in operation about 1100 hours per year and without any undesired shut-down. (authors)

Evaluation of ferrocyanide anion exchange resins regarding the uptake of Cs+ ions and their regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Hui Jun; Mooon, Jei Kwon; Jung, Chong Hun; Chung, Won Yang

2008-01-01

Ferrocyanide-anion exchange resin was prepared and the prepared ion exchange resins were tested on the ability to uptake Cs + ion. The prepared ion exchange resins were resin-KCoFC, resin-KNiFC, and resin-KCuFC. The three tested ion exchange resins showed ion exchange selectivity on the Cs + ion of the surrogate soil decontamination solution, and resin- KCoFC showed the best Cs + ion uptake capability among the tested ion exchange resins. The ion exchange behaviors were explained well by the modified Dubinin-Polanyi equation. A regeneration feasibility study of the spent ion exchange resins was also performed by the successive application of hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine. The desorption of the Cs + ion from the ion exchange resin satisfied the electroneutrality condition in the oxidation step; the desorption of the Fe 2+ ion in the reduction step could also be reduced by adding the K + ion

A study on adsorption onto TODGA resin after electrolytic reduction in ERIX process for reprocessing spent FBR-MOX fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoshi, Harutaka; Arai, Tsuyoshi; Wei, Yuezhou; Kumagai, Mikio; Asakura, Toshihide; Morita, Yasuji

2005-01-01

For reprocessing spent FBR-MOX fuel, an advanced aqueous reprocessing process ''ERIX process'' has been developed. In this system, hydrazine is used as reduction holding reagent for the valance adjustment of U by electrolytic reduction in nitric acid solution. Therefore, hydrazine is contained in high level liquid waste after separation of U, Pu and Np. Effect of hydrazine on adsorption of FP onto TODGA resin was examined. When hydrazine concentration was less than 0.3 M, effect on the distribution coefficient was negligibly small. After electrolytic reduction, some elements exist as lower valence state. Ru and Tc are most difficult elements to control their behavior in aqueous process. The distribution coefficient of both Ru and Tc onto TODGA decreased after electrolytic reduction, because they are reduced to lower valence. Hence, it is difficult for Ru or Tc to diffuse to allover the process and separation of MA from Tc and Ru was enhanced by electrolytic reduction. (author)

Radiological health risks from accidents during transportation of spent nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.Y.; Yuan, Y.C.

1988-01-01

Potential radiological health risks from severe accident scenarios during the transportation of spent nuclear fuels are estimated. These extremely low probability, but potentially credible, scenarios are characterized by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Modal Study in terms of the maximum credible structural responses and/or the maximum credible cask temperature responses. In some accident scenarios, the spent nuclear fuel casks are assumed to be breached, resulting in the release of radioactivity to the atmosphere. Models have been developed to estimate radiological health consequences, including potential short-term exposures and health effects to individuals and potential long-term environmental dose commitments and health effects to the population. The population risks are calculated using state-level data, and the resulting overall health risks are compared for several levels of cleanup effort to determine the relative effects on long-term risks to the population in the event of an accident. 4 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

The operational and logistic experience on transportation of Brazilian spent fuel to USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maiorino, Jose Rubens; Frajndlich, Roberto; Mandlae, Martin; Bensberg, Werner; Renger, August; Grabow, Karsten

2000-01-01

A shipment of 127 spent MTR fuel assemblies was made from IEA-R1 Research Reactor located at the Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP), Sao Paulo, Brazil to Savannah River Site Laboratory in the United States. This paper describes the operational and logistic experience on this transportation made by IPEN staff and the Consortium NCS/GNS. (author)

Factors affecting radiation doses from dedicated rail transport of spent reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, J.E.

1988-01-01

This paper reports there are two exposure control concerns associated with the shipment of spent reactor fuel in dedicated trains -- compliance with transportation regulations for maximum allowable radiation levels, and minimizing the dose received by the general public. This article examines the methods used to calculate the dose equivalent rates alongside stationary (transport regulations) and moving trains (public exposure) of various lengths. The factors examined include the source term, the effect of overlapping radiation fields, the speed of the train, and the location of the population relative to the train. Trains made up of series of cars that individually meet transport regulations can, as a whole, exceed transport vehicle dose equivalent rate limits by up to 23% due to overlapping radiation fields. For moving trains and the worst case analyzed -- a person located 20 feet from the tracks and a train speed of 5 mph --- 141 rail cars would have to pass by to deliver a dose equivalent of 1 mrem

Experience with the transport and storage casks CASTOR (registered) MTR 2 for spent nuclear fuel assemblies from research reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jack, Allen; Rettenbacher, Katharina; Skrzyppek, Juergen [GNS Gesellschaft fuer Nuklear-Service mbH, Essen (Germany)

2011-07-01

The CASTOR (registered) MTR 2 cask was designed and manufactured by the company GNS during the 1990's for the transport and interim storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies from various types of research reactors. Casks of this type have been used at the VKTA Research Centre in Rossendorf near Dresden, Germany as well as at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre at Petten and at the HOR reactor at Delft in the Netherlands. A total of 24 units have been used for the functions of transport and storage with various spent fuel types (VVER, HFR-HEU, and HOR-HEU) for more than ten years now. This type of packaging for radioactive material is a member of the CASTOR (registered) family of spent nuclear fuel casks used worldwide. Over 1000 units are loaded and in storage in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. This paper presents the experience from the use of the casks for transport and storage in the past, as well as the prospects for the future. (author)

New strategies for treatment and reuse of spent sulfidic caustic stream from petroleum industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jéssica Frontino Paulino

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This work examines traditional and new routes for removal of H2S and other sulfur compounds from spent sufidic caustic (SSC. SH- (hydrogenosulfide and S2- (sulfide ions were quantitatively oxidized at 25 ºC using H2O2, NaOCl or a spent sulfochromic mixture. SH-/S2- ions were also removed via reaction with freshly prepared iron or manganese hydroxides, or after passing the SSC through strong basic anion exchange resins (OH- form. The treated caustic solution, as well as iron/manganese hydroxides, removed H2S from diesel samples at 25 ºC. SSC treatment via strong basic anion-exchange resins produced the treated caustic solution with the highest free alkalinity.

TN-68 Spent Fuel Transport Cask Analytical Evaluation for Drop Events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, M.J.; Klymyshyn, Nicholas A.; Adkins, Harold E.; Koeppel, Brian J.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is responsible for licensing commercial spent nuclear fuel transported in casks certified by NRC under the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Title 10, Part 71 (1). Both the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations for transporting radioactive materials (2, paragraph 727), and 10 CFR 71.73 require casks to be evaluated for hypothetical accident conditions, which includes a 9-meter (m) (30-ft) drop-impact event onto a flat, essentially unyielding, horizontal surface, in the most damaging orientation. This paper examines the behavior of one of the NRC certified transportation casks, the TN-68 (3), for drop-impact events. The specific area examined is the behavior of the bolted connections in the cask body and the closure lid, which are significantly loaded during the hypothetical drop-impact event. Analytical work to evaluate the NRC-certified TN-68 spent fuel transport cask (3) for a 9-m (30-ft) drop-impact event on a flat, unyielding, horizontal surface, was performed using the ANSYS (4) and LS DYNA (5) finite-element analysis codes. The models were sufficiently detailed, in the areas of bolt closure interfaces and containment boundaries, to evaluate the structural integrity of the bolted connections under 9-m (30-ft) free-drop hypothetical accident conditions, as specified in 10 CFR 71.73. Evaluation of the cask for puncture, caused by a free drop through a distance of 1-m (40-in.) onto a mild steel bar mounted on a flat, essentially unyielding, horizontal surface, required by 10 CFR 71.73, was not included in the current work, and will have to be addressed in the future. Based on the analyses performed to date, it is concluded that, even though brief separation of the flange and the lid surfaces may occur under some conditions, the seals would close at the end of the drop events, because the materials remain elastic during the duration of the event

Soviet-German cooperation in safety improvements of spent fuel transport casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz-Forberg, B.; Zeisler, P.; Droste, B.; Kondratiev, A.; Kozlov, Ju.; Tichinov, N.

1993-01-01

The paper gives a survey of the Soviet (Russian)-German activities which started in 1988 with the objective of creating a long-term scientific-technical cooperation in the field of transport and storage casks for spent nuclear fuel. The first step, i.e., the step of informing each other about the state of development is done. The more complicated second phase with concerted common activities of both the Russian and German competent Authorities and industrial enterprises is intended to start the in near future. (author)

Evaluation of the resin oxidation process using Fenton's reagent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, Leandro G.; Goes, Marcos M.; Marumo, Julio T.

2013-01-01

The ion exchange resin is considered radioactive waste after its final useful life in nuclear reactors. Usually, this type of waste is treated with the immobilization in cement Portland, in order to form a solid monolithic matrix, reducing the possibility of radionuclides release in to environment. Because of the characteristic of expansion and contraction of the resins in presence of water, its incorporation in the common Portland cement is limited in 10% in direct immobilization, causing high costs in the final product. A pre-treatment would be able to reduce the volume, degrading the resins and increasing the load capacity of this material. This paper is about a method of degradation of ion spent resins from the nuclear research reactor of Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Brazil, using the Fenton's reagent. The resin evaluated was a mixture of cationic and anionic resins. The reactions were conducted by varying the concentration of the catalyst (25 to 80 mM), with and without external heat. The time of reaction was two hours. The concentration of 50 mM of catalyst was the most effective in degrading approximately 99%. The resin degradation was confirmed by the presence of CaCO 3 as a white precipitate resulting from the reaction between the Ca(OH) 2 and the CO 2 from the resin degradation. It was possible to degrade the resins without external heating. The calcium carbonates showed no correlation with the residual resin mass. (author)

Long-term properties of TVO's bituminized resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valkiainen, M.; Vuorinen, U.

1989-06-01

Long-term properties of bituminized spent ion-exchange resins from Olkiluoto power plant have been studied since 1981. This report summarizes the results on water uptake and leaching obtained up till now. It is observed that water uptake in excess of rewetting of the ion-exchange resins is taking place. Leach test in water equilibrated with cement have been performed for about five years. Separation of granular resin particles caused by density differences observed in former experiments was further studied and confirmed in this work. Anaerobic corrosion of a steel drum has been studied in laboratory conditions generally giving corrosion rates below l μm/a. Radiolytic gases will accumulate and be trapped in the waste product. The rate of swelling is estimated by a specially constructed device based on ultrasonic distance meter observing changes in level of the product surface in the drum

Testing of a Transport Cask for Research Reactor Spent Fuel - 13003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mourao, Rogerio P.; Leite da Silva, Luiz; Miranda, Carlos A.; Mattar Neto, Miguel; Quintana, Jose F.A.; Saliba, Roberto O.; Novara, Oscar E.

2013-01-01

Since the beginning of the last decade three Latin American countries that operate research reactors - Argentina, Brazil and Chile - have been joining efforts to improve the regional capability in the management of spent fuel elements from the TRIGA and MTR reactors operated in the region. A main drive in this initiative, sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency, is the fact that no definite solution regarding the back end of the research reactor fuel cycle has been taken by any of the participating country. However, any long-term solution - either disposition in a repository or storage away from reactor - will involve at some stage the transportation of the spent fuel through public roads. Therefore, a licensed cask that provides adequate shielding, assurance of subcriticality, and conformance to internationally accepted safety, security and safeguards regimes is considered a strategic part of any future solution to be adopted at a regional level. As a step in this direction, a packaging for the transport of irradiated fuel for MTR and TRIGA research reactors was designed by the tri-national team and a half-scale model equipped with the MTR version of the internal basket was constructed in Argentina and Brazil and tested in Brazil. Three test campaigns have been carried out so far, covering both normal conditions of transportation and hypothetical accident conditions. After failing the tests in the first two test series, the specimen successfully underwent the last test sequence. A second specimen, incorporating the structural improvements in view of the previous tests results, will be tested in the near future. Numerical simulations of the free drop and thermal tests are being carried out in parallel, in order to validate the computational modeling that is going to be used as a support for the package certification. (authors)

Feasibility and incentives for the consideration of spent fuel operating histories in the criticality analysis of spent fuel shipping casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, T.L.; Westfall, R.M.; Jones, R.H.

1987-08-01

Analyses have been completed that indicate the consideration of spent fuel histories (''burnup credit'') in the design of spent fuel shipping casks is a justifiable concept that would result in cost savings and public risk benefits in the transport of spent nuclear fuel. Since cask capacities could be increased over those of casks without burnup credit, the number of shipments necessary to transport a given amount of fuel could be reduced. Reducing the number of shipments would increase safety benefits by reducing public and occupational exposure to both radiological and nonradiological risks associated with the transport of spent fuel. Economic benefits would include lower in-transit shipping, reduced transportation fleet capital costs, and reduced numbers of cask handling operations at both shipping and receiving facilities. 44 refs., 66 figs., 28 tabs

Microwave process employed to study the immobilization feasibility of spent ion exchange resins in polymeric matrices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caratin, Reinaldo L.; Araujo, Sumair G. de; Landini, Liliane; Neves, Sabrina C.; Lugao, Ademar B. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], E-mail: rcaratin@ipen.br, E-mail: sgaraujo@ipen.br, E-mail: llandini@ipen.br, E-mail: scneves@ipen.br, E-mail: ablugao@ipen.br

2007-07-01

Nuclear activities generate radioactive wastes in several physical states, radioactive levels and kinds of radioactive emission. Hence, a lot of techniques have been developed and optimized to do the immobilization of these materials, according to local and international regulations to protect human being and environment. Another great concern is the indiscriminate disposal of used polymeric materials (such as plastic and rubber) or production leftovers in landfills, which remain for many years before they are naturally decomposed. In this work, it was studied the possibility of carrying out the immobilization of spent ion exchange resins (contaminated with ionising radiation), by using polymeric matrices of bitumen and rubber (as solidification materials for the storage of low level radioactive waste). The samples were mixed at different percentages and were heated in a microwave device (2,450 MHz) at IPEN/CNEN-SP, varying the irradiation time and power. The objective of the immobilization is converting the wastes into forms that are leach resistant and physically and chemically stable for disposal. Characterizations of these materials have been performed according to ABNT-NBR standards. The results indicated the previous idea of the necessary minimum temperature to keep the matrix for future embedding of radioactive waste, in solid state. (author)

Road transport of LWR spent fuel in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bach, R.

1987-01-01

Since 1967, when fuel from LWRs was first transported by road from the Kahl reactor in the Federal Republic of Germany to the Eurochemic reprocessing plant in Belgium, a total of more than 400 road transports have been performed without any adverse effect on the environment. In the beginning, road transport was the dominant mode. However, in recent years large capacity rail flasks with a weight ranging from 80 to 110 tonnes have been put into service in order to cope with the increasing demand of transport services and to replace existing smaller flasks designed primarily for road transport. Therefore, the number of spent fuel transports by road has declined. However, road transport of heavy flasks from reactor sites without a direct rail link to a nearby rail terminal has become an important task and a number of special problems have had to be solved. The following items are discussed, with special emphasis placed on heavy load transports by road from the reactor to a nearby rail terminal: design of road transport equipment to meet the requirements of the national traffic law; application of technical and administrative procedures to meet the IAEA Regulations; transport restrictions due to overload/oversize; transfer of the flask from the reactor to the transport vehicle; handling of the flask at the rail terminal; turn-around inspection and periodic maintenance of equipment to ensure safe performance of transport; and physical protection during transport and handling at rail terminals. (author). 4 figs

Constor steel concrete sandwich cask concept for transport and storage of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diersch, R.; Dreier, G.; Gluschke, K.; Zubkov, A.; Danilin, B.; Fromzel, V.

1998-01-01

A spent nuclear fuel transport and storage sandwich cask concept has been developed together with the Russian company CKTI. Special consideration was given to an economical and effective way of manufacturing by using conventional mechanical engineering technologies and common materials. The main objective of this development was to fabricate these casks in countries not having highly specialized industries. Nevertheless, this sandwich cask concept fulfills both the internationally valid IAEA criteria for transportation and the German criteria for long-term intermediate storage. The basic cask concept has been designed for adaptation to different spent fuel specifications as well as handling conditions in the NPP. Recently, adaptations have been made for spent fuel from the RBMK and VVER reactors, and also for BWR spent fuel. The analyses of nuclear and thermal behaviour as well as of strength according to IAEA examination requirements (9-m-drop, 1-m-pin drop, 800 deg. C-fire test) and of the behaviour during accident scenarios at the storage site (drop, fire, gas cloud explosion, side impact) were carried out by means of recognized calculation methods and programmes. In a special experimental programme, the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of heavy concrete were examined and the reference values required for safety analyses were determined. The results of the safety analysis after drop tests according to IAEA-regulations as well as after 1 m-drops at the storage site were confirmed by means of a test programme using a scale model. The fabrication technology has been tested with help of a half scale cask model. The model has been prefabricated in Russia and completed in Germany. It has been shown that the CONSTOR cask can be fabricated in an effective and economic way. (authors)

Spent fuel storage and transportation - ANSTO experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irwin, Tony

2002-01-01

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has operated the 10 MW DIDO class High Flux Materials Test Reactor (HIFAR) since 1958. Refuelling the reactor produces about 38 spent fuel elements each year. Australia has no power reactors and only one operating research reactor so that a reprocessing plant in Australia is not an economic proposition. The HEU fuel for HIFAR is manufactured at Dounreay using UK or US origin enriched uranium. Spent fuel was originally sent to Dounreay, UK for reprocessing but this plant was shutdown in 1998. ANSTO participates in the US Foreign Research Reactor Spent Fuel Return program and also has a contract with COGEMA for the reprocessing of non-US origin fuel

Review of disposal techniques for radioactively contaminated organic ion-exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inman, J.R.; Mack, J.

1993-03-01

Organic ion-exchange resins are used in the UK nuclear industry to remove radioactive nuclides from dilute aqueous solution. Resins represent a significant proportion of the organic content of ILW and LLW, particularly ILW. Spent resins are destined to be disposed of in the UK deep repository. There are concerns regarding the potential effects of organic materials on long-term repository performance, and these effects have been the subject of much recent research work. The object of this study has been to conduct a worldwide review of treatment and conditioning techniques available for spent organic ion-exchange resins with the intention of recommending the best option for dealing with the waste in the UK. Data on available techniques have been gathered together, and are presented in tabular form at the back of the report. The techniques have been reviewed and compared considering safety, practicality and cost, and a best option selected on the basis of current knowledge. On balance it would appear that wet oxidation using hydrogen peroxide with residue encapsulation in BFS/OPC is the most appropriate technique, probably implemented using a mobile plant. This conclusion and recommendation is not however clear cut and further advice regarding the acceptability of organic material in the repository is necessary before a definite recommendation can be made. (Author)

Structural Evaluation on HIC Transport Packaging under Accident Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Sung Hwan; Kim, Duck Hoi; Jung, Jin Se; Yang, Ke Hyung; Lee, Heung Young

2005-01-01

HIC transport packaging to transport a high integrity container(HIC) containing dry spent resin generated from nuclear power plants is to comply with the regulatory requirements of Korea and IAEA for Type B packaging due to the high radioactivity of the content, and to maintain the structural integrity under normal and accident conditions. It must withstand 9 m free drop impact onto an unyielding surface and 1 m drop impact onto a mild steel bar in a position causing maximum damage. For the conceptual design of a cylindrical HIC transport package, three dimensional dynamic structural analysis to ensure that the integrity of the package is maintained under all credible loads for 9 m free drop and 1 m puncture conditions were carried out using ABAQUS code.

Thermal simulations and tests in the development of a helmet transport spent fuel elements Research Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saliba, R.; Quintana, F.; Márquez Turiello, R.; Furnari, J.C.; Pimenta Mourão, R.

2013-01-01

A packaging for the transport of irradiated fuel from research reactors was designed by a group of researchers to improve the capability in the management of spent fuel elements from the reactors operated in the region. Two half-scale models for MTR fuel were constructed and tested so far and a third one for both MTR and TRIGA fuels will be constructed and tested next. Four test campaigns have been carried out, covering both normal and hypothetical accident conditions of transportation. The thermal test is part of the requirements for the qualification of transportation packages for nuclear reactors spent fuel elements. In this paper both the numerical modelling and experimental thermal tests performed are presented and discussed. The cask is briefly described as well as the finite element model developed and the main adopted hypotheses for the thermal phenomena. The results of both numerical runs and experimental tests are discussed as a tool to validate the thermal modelling. The impact limiters, attached to the cask for protection, were not modelled. (author) [es

RISKIND: A computer program for calculating radiological consequences and health risks from transportation of spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Y.C. [Square Y Consultants, Orchard Park, NY (US); Chen, S.Y.; Biwer, B.M.; LePoire, D.J. [Argonne National Lab., IL (US)

1995-11-01

This report presents the technical details of RISKIND, a computer code designed to estimate potential radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. RISKIND is a user-friendly, interactive program that can be run on an IBM or equivalent personal computer under the Windows{trademark} environment. Several models are included in RISKIND that have been tailored to calculate the exposure to individuals under various incident-free and accident conditions. The incident-free models assess exposures from both gamma and neutron radiation and can account for different cask designs. The accident models include accidental release, atmospheric transport, and the environmental pathways of radionuclides from spent fuels; these models also assess health risks to individuals and the collective population. The models are supported by databases that are specific to spent nuclear fuels and include a radionuclide inventory and dose conversion factors. In addition, the flexibility of the models allows them to be used for assessing any accidental release involving radioactive materials. The RISKIND code allows for user-specified accident scenarios as well as receptor locations under various exposure conditions, thereby facilitating the estimation of radiological consequences and health risks for individuals. Median (50% probability) and typical worst-case (less than 5% probability of being exceeded) doses and health consequences from potential accidental releases can be calculated by constructing a cumulative dose/probability distribution curve for a complete matrix of site joint-wind-frequency data. These consequence results, together with the estimated probability of the entire spectrum of potential accidents, form a comprehensive, probabilistic risk assessment of a spent nuclear fuel transportation accident.

RISKIND: A computer program for calculating radiological consequences and health risks from transportation of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Y.C.; Chen, S.Y.; Biwer, B.M.; LePoire, D.J.

1995-11-01

This report presents the technical details of RISKIND, a computer code designed to estimate potential radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. RISKIND is a user-friendly, interactive program that can be run on an IBM or equivalent personal computer under the Windows trademark environment. Several models are included in RISKIND that have been tailored to calculate the exposure to individuals under various incident-free and accident conditions. The incident-free models assess exposures from both gamma and neutron radiation and can account for different cask designs. The accident models include accidental release, atmospheric transport, and the environmental pathways of radionuclides from spent fuels; these models also assess health risks to individuals and the collective population. The models are supported by databases that are specific to spent nuclear fuels and include a radionuclide inventory and dose conversion factors. In addition, the flexibility of the models allows them to be used for assessing any accidental release involving radioactive materials. The RISKIND code allows for user-specified accident scenarios as well as receptor locations under various exposure conditions, thereby facilitating the estimation of radiological consequences and health risks for individuals. Median (50% probability) and typical worst-case (less than 5% probability of being exceeded) doses and health consequences from potential accidental releases can be calculated by constructing a cumulative dose/probability distribution curve for a complete matrix of site joint-wind-frequency data. These consequence results, together with the estimated probability of the entire spectrum of potential accidents, form a comprehensive, probabilistic risk assessment of a spent nuclear fuel transportation accident

US spent fuel research and experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Machiels, A [EPRI and USDOE (United States)

2012-07-01

The structural performance of high-burnup spent fuel cladding during dry storage and transportation has been the subject of research and evaluation at EPRI for several years. The major issues addressed in this research program have included the following: Characterization and development of predictive models for damage mechanisms perceived to be potentially active during dry storage; Modeling and analysis of deformation processes during long-term dry storage; Development of cladding failure models and failure criteria, considering cladding material and physical conditions during dry storage and transportation; Failure analysis, considering end-of-dry-storage conditions, of spent fuel systems subjected to normal and accident conditions of transport, prescribed in Part 71 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10CFR71) While issues related to dry storage have largely been resolved, transportation issues have not, at least for spent fuel with discharge burnups greater than 45 GWd/MTU. A research program was launched in late 2002 following two NRC-industry meetings held on September 6, 2002 and October 23, 2002. The aim of the research program was to assess the performance of high-burnup spent fuel cladding under normal and accident conditions of transportation, as prescribed by 10CFR71, considering the physical characteristics and mechanical properties of cladding at the end of dry storage. The objective is to present a synthesis of the information that collectively forms a part of a technical basis intended to facilitate resolution of regulatory issues associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel characterized by discharge burnups greater than 45 GWd/MTU.

Supercritical water oxidation of ion exchange resins: Degradation mechanisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leybros, A.; Roubaud, A. [CEA Marcoule, DEN DTCD SPDE LFSM, F-30207 Bagnols Sur Ceze (France); Guichardon, P. [Ecole Cent Marseille, F-13451 Marseille 20 (France); Boutin, O. [Aix Marseille Univ, UMR CNRS 6181, F-13545 Aix En Provence 4 (France)

2010-07-01

Spent ion exchange resins are radioactive process wastes for which there is no satisfactory industrial treatment. Supercritical water oxidation could offer a viable treatment alternative to destroy the organic structure of resins and contain radioactivity. IER degradation experiments were carried out in a continuous supercritical water reactor. Total organic carbon degradation rates in the range of 95-98% were obtained depending on operating conditions. GC-MS chromatography analyses were carried out to determine intermediate products formed during the reaction. Around 50 species were identified for cationic and anionic resins. Degradation of poly-styrenic structure leads to the formation of low molecular weight compounds. Benzoic acid, phenol and acetic acid are the main compounds. However, other products are detected in appreciable yields such as phenolic species or heterocycles, for anionic IERs degradation. Intermediates produced by intramolecular rearrangements are also obtained. A radical degradation mechanism is proposed for each resin. In this overall mechanism, several hypotheses are foreseen, according to HOO center dot radical attack sites. (authors)

HIGH ASPECT RATIO ION EXCHANGE RESIN BED - HYDRAULIC RESULTS FOR SPERICAL RESIN BEADS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duignan, M; Charles Nash, C; Timothy Punch, T

2007-01-01

A principal role of the DOE Savannah River Site is to safely dispose of a large volume of liquid nuclear waste held in many storage tanks. An in-tank ion exchange unit is being considered for cesium removal to accelerate waste processing. This unit is planned to have a relatively high bed height to diameter ratio (10:1). Complicating the design is the need to cool the ion exchange media; therefore, the ion exchange column will have a central cooling core making the flow path annular. To separate cesium from waste the media being considered is made of resorcinol formaldehyde resin deposited on spherical plastic beads and is a substitute for a previously tested resin made of crystalline silicotitanate. This spherical media not only has an advantage of being mechanically robust, but, unlike its predecessor, it is also reusable, that is, loaded cesium can be removed through elution and regeneration. Resin regeneration leads to more efficient operation and less spent resin waste, but its hydraulic performance in the planned ion exchange column was unknown. Moreover, the recycling process of this spherical resorcinol formaldehyde causes its volume to significantly shrink and swell. To determine the spherical media's hydraulic demand a linearly scaled column was designed and tested. The waste simulant used was prototypic of the wastes' viscosity and density. This paper discusses the hydraulic performance of the media that will be used to assist in the design of a full-scale unit

Behavior study of spend ion exchange resins immobilized in pyrolyzed polymer matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, P.B; Fuentes, N.O; Luca, V.

2012-01-01

The pyrolysis of spent ion exchange resins contained in epoxy resins represents an attractive alternative to cementation as a confining method. In this sense, a significant reduction of volume can be achieved, as well as avoiding the dispersion of the exhausted ion exchange resin by the means of an epoxy resin used as a matrix, while potentially limiting the release of highly radioactive long life isotopes such us Cs-137, Sr-90 and Co-60 among others. Three types of monoliths were made: (i) epoxy resin, (ii) epoxy resin with carbon and (iii) a binder of epoxy resin and clay. In every case, the monolith contained the ion exchange resin. They were prepared by the mixing of resin pearl loaded with epoxy cations and a subsequent pyrolysis process with a temperature increase ratio of 2 o C /min reaching maximum values in the range between 200 o C - 800 o C, remaining in it for 1 hour. Monoliths obtained for each final temperature had been characterized to obtain data corresponding to the mass loss, volume reduction and lixiviation, as well as mechanical and microstructural properties (author)

Evaluation of ferrocyanide anion exchange resins regarding the uptake of Cs{sup +} ions and their regeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, Hui Jun; Mooon, Jei Kwon; Jung, Chong Hun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Won Yang [Kangwon University, Chuncheon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-10-15

Ferrocyanide-anion exchange resin was prepared and the prepared ion exchange resins were tested on the ability to uptake Cs{sup +} ion. The prepared ion exchange resins were resin-KCoFC, resin-KNiFC, and resin-KCuFC. The three tested ion exchange resins showed ion exchange selectivity on the Cs{sup +} ion of the surrogate soil decontamination solution, and resin- KCoFC showed the best Cs{sup +} ion uptake capability among the tested ion exchange resins. The ion exchange behaviors were explained well by the modified Dubinin-Polanyi equation. A regeneration feasibility study of the spent ion exchange resins was also performed by the successive application of hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine. The desorption of the Cs{sup +} ion from the ion exchange resin satisfied the electroneutrality condition in the oxidation step; the desorption of the Fe{sup 2+} ion in the reduction step could also be reduced by adding the K{sup +} ion.

Packaging and transportation system for K-Basin spent fuel-component testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kee, A.T.

1998-01-01

This paper describes the cask/transportation system that was designed, procured and delivered to the Hanford K-Basin site at Richland, Washington. The performance requirements and design of the various components -- cask, trailer with cask tie-down system, and the cask operation equipment for the load-out pit -- will be discussed. The presentation will include the details of the factory acceptance testing and its results. The performance requirements for the cask/transportation system was dictated by the constraints imposed by the large number of high priority shipments and the spent fuel pool environment, and the complex interface requirements with other equipment and facility designs. The results of the testing form the basis for the conclusion that the system satisfies the site performance requirements. The cask/transportation system design was driven by the existing facility constraints and the limitations imposed by the large number of shipments over a short two-year period. This system may be useful information for other DOE facilities that may be or will be in a similar situation

Geosphere transport of radionuclides in safety assessment of spent fuel disposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jussila, P

2000-07-01

The study is associated with a research project of Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) to utilise analytical models in safety assessment for disposal of spent nuclear fuel. Geosphere constitutes a natural barrier for the possible escape of radionuclides from a geological repository of spent nuclear fuel. However, rock contains fractures in which flowing groundwater can transport material. Radionuclide transport in rock is complicated - the flow paths in the geosphere are difficult to characterise and there are various phenomena involved. In mathematical models, critical paths along which radionuclides can reach the biosphere are considered. The worst predictable cases and the effect of the essential parameters can be assessed with the help of such models although they simplify the reality considerably. Some of the main differences between the transport model used and the reality are the mathematical characterisation of the flow route in rock as a smooth and straight fracture and the modelling of the complicated chemical processes causing retardation with the help of a distribution coefficient that does not explain those phenomena. Radionuclide transport models via a heat transfer analogy and analytical solutions of them are derived in the study. The calculations are performed with a created Matlab program for a single nuclide model taking into account 1D advective transport along a fracture, 1D diffusion from the fracture into and within the porous rock matrices surrounding the fracture, retardation within the matrices, and radioactive decay. The results are compared to the results of the same calculation cases obtained by Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and presented in TILA-99 safety assessment report. The model used by VTT is the same but the results have been calculated numerically in different geometry. The differences between the results of the present study and TILA-99 can to a large extent be explained by the different approaches to

The thermal analysis of BR-100: A barge/rail nuclear spent fuel transportation container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copsey, A.B.

1992-01-01

B ampersand W Fuel Company is designing a spent-fuel container called BR-100 that can be used for either barge or rail transport. This paper presents the thermal design and analysis. Both normal operation and hypothetical accident thermal transient conditions are evaluated. The BR-100 cask has a concrete layer than contains free water. During a hypothetical accident, the free water vaporizes and flows from the cask, removing a significant amount of thermal transient energy. The BR-100 transportation package meets the thermal requirements of 10CFR71. It additionally offers substantial margins to established material temperature limits

Immobilization in cement of ion exchange resins from Spanish nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huebra, A.G. de la; Murillo, R.; Ortiz, S.J.

1990-01-01

Ion exchange materials used at nuclear power plants can be immobilized in cements less expensive than polymer matrices. Cement solidification of spent ion exchange resins shows swelling and cracking troubles (during setting time, or of storage). The objective of this study was to select the types of cement that produce the best quality on immobilization of three kinds of resins and to set up cement formulations containing the maximum possible loading of resin. Four cements were selected to carried out the study. After a study of hydration-dehydration phenomena of ion exchange resins, a systematic work has been carried out on immobilization. Tests were performed to study compressive strength and underwater stability by changing water/cement ratio and resin/cement ratio. Mixtures made with water, cement and resin only were loaded with 10% by weight dry resin. Mixtures with higher loadings show poor workability. Tests were carried out by adding organic plasticizers and silica products to improve waste loading. Plasticizers reduced water demand and silica products permit the use of more water. Leaching tests have been performed at 40 O C. In conclusion Blast Furnace Slag is the best cement for immobilization of ion exchange resin both bead and powdered form for mechanical strength, stability and leaching

A Historical Review of the Safe Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel, Rev. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connolly, Kevin J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pope, Ronald [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2016-09-01

This report is a revision to M3 milestone M3FT-16OR090402028 for the former Nuclear Fuels Storage and Transportation Planning Project (NFST), “Safety Record of SNF Shipments.” The US Department of Energy (DOE) has since established the Office of Integrated Waste Management (IWM), which builds on the work begun by NFST, to develop an integrated waste management system for spent nuclear fuel (SNF), including the developm

Handling sticky resin by stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markus Gastauer

2011-06-01

Full Text Available For their nest defense, stingless bees (Meliponini collect plant resins which they stick on intruders like ants or cleptobiotic robber bees causing their immobilization. The aim of this article is to identify all parts of stingless bee workers contacting these sticky resins. Of special interest are those body parts with anti-adhesive properties to resin, where it can be removed without residues. For that, extensive behavioral observations during foraging flight, handling and application of the resin have been carried out. When handling the resin, all tarsi touch the resin while walking above it. For transportation from plants to the nest during foraging flight, the resin is packed to the corbicula via tarsi and basitarsi of front and middle legs. Once stuck to the resin or after the corbicula had been unloaded, the bee's legs have to be cleaned thoroughly. Only the tips of the mandibles, that form, cut and apply the sticky resin, seem to have at least temporarily resin-rejecting properties.

ANS/ENS tutorial session: Burnup credit issues in spent fuel transportation: Overview and objectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, T.L.

1988-01-01

A number of opportunities exist to increase the efficiency of the next generation of spent fuel shipping casks. Improving cask efficiency will not only reduce life cycle transportation costs, but also is consistent with maintaining public and occupational radiological risks and, more importantly, total risks (radiological and nonradiological) within the guidelines of the ''as low as reasonably achievable'' (ALARA) philosophy. Increases in cask capacities will reduce both the total number of shipments required to transport a given amount of fuel and the number of handling operations at both shipping and receiving facilities. Additional capacity increases can be achieved by implementing various design strategies based on new concepts and/or the actual characteristics of the majority of the spent fuel to be shipped in the future. For example, it has been determined that additional capacity increases can be achieved by taking credit for burnup, the reduced reactivity that results when fuel has been used to produce power in a nuclear reactor. That is, as the fuel is used the atoms of fissile material decrease, and neutron absorbers (or ''poisons'') that tend to retard the fission process are produced. 7 refs., 1 fig

Adsorption of Rh(III) complexes from chloride solutions obtained by leaching chlorinated spent automotive catalysts on ion-exchange resin Diaion WA21J

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Shaobo; Pan Tonglin; Liu Xinqiang; Yuan Lei; Wang Jinchao; Zhang Yongjian; Guo Zhanchen

2010-01-01

It was found that Rh, Pd and Pt contained in the spent ceramic automotive catalysts could be effectively extracted by dry chlorination with chlorine. In order to concentrate Rh(III) ions contained in the chloride solutions obtained, thermodynamic and kinetics studies for adsorption of Rh(III) complexes from the chloride solutions on an anionic exchange resin Diaion WA21J were carried out. Rh, Pd, Pt, Al, Fe, Si, Zn and Pb from the chloride solution could be adsorbed on the resin. The distribution coefficients (K d ) of Rh(III) decreased with the increase in initial Rh(III) concentration or in adsorption temperature. The isothermal adsorption of Rh(III) was found to fit Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Kaganer-Radushkevich models under the adsorption conditions. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacities Q max based on Langmuir adsorption isotherms were 6.39, 6.61 and 5.81 mg/g for temperatures 18, 28 and 40 deg. C, respectively. The apparent adsorption energy of Rh was about -7.6 kJ/mol and thus Rh(III) adsorption was a physical type. The experimental data obtained could be better simulated by pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the activation energy obtained was 6.54 J/mol. The adsorption rate of Rh(III) was controlled by intraparticle diffusion in most of time of adsorption process.

Transportation and storage of foreign spent power reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

This report describes the generic actions to be taken by the Department of Energy, in cooperation with other US government agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations, in support of the implementation of Administration policies with respect to the following international spent fuel management activities: bilateral cooperation related to expansion of foreign national storage capacities; multilateral and international cooperation related to development of multinational and international spent fuel storage regimes; fee-based transfer of foreign spent power reactor fuel to the US for storage; and emergency transfer of foreign spent power reactor fuel to the US for storage

Spent fuel storage and transport cask decontamination and modification. An overview of management requirements and applications based on practical experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-04-01

A large increase in the number of casks required for transport and/or storage of spent fuel is forecast into the next century. The principal requirement will be for increased number of storage and dual purpose (transport/storage) casks for interim storage of spent fuel prior to reprocessing or permanent disposal in both on-site and off-site storage facilities. Through contact with radioactive materials spent fuel casks will be contaminated on both internal and external surfaces. In broad terms, cask contamination management can be defined by three components: minimisation, prevention and decontamination. This publication is a compilation of international experience with cask contamination problems and decontamination practices. The objective is to present current knowledge and experience as well as developments, trends and potential for new applications in this field. Furthermore, the report may assist in new design or modification of existing casks, cask handling systems and decontamination equipment

Volume reduction of ion exchange resin by a pyrolysis technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, M.; Funabashi, K.; Uchida, S.; Kikuchi, M.

1985-01-01

Volume reduction techniques, such as incineration and acid digestion, of spent ion exchange resins from nuclear power plants are being developed with a view toward reducing radioactive waste volume and also making the final waste form more stable. The authors chose pyrolysis as a technique that can be done at low operating temperatures and low gas flow rates in a reactor vessel. Fundamental experiments were performed to clarify the resin pyrolysis characteristics, and the optimum pyrolysis temperature was determined. Consequently, a pilot plant with a treatment capacity of approx. 50 kg/batch was constructed based on the results. Using the pilot plant, the authors are now performing pyrolysis of the resins and solidification of their residues. This report will give the results of fundamental experiments and pilot plant tests

A central spent fuel storage in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustafsson, B.; Hagberth, R.

1978-01-01

A planned central spent fuel storage facility in Sweden is described. The nuclear power program and quantities of spent fuel generated in Sweden is discussed. A general description of the facility is given with emphasis on the lay-out of the buildings, transport casks and fuel handling. Finally a possible design of a Swedish transportation system is discussed. (author)

The Question of Queue: Implications for -Best Practice- in Cross-country Transport of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.M.

2009-01-01

The 'Standard Contract' authorized by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Section 302(a)) provides that priority for acceptance of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) shall be based on the date of its discharge from civilian nuclear reactors. Through 2007, about 2,100 discharges of about 58,000 metric tons have created a priority ranking (or 'queue') for US DOE spent fuel acceptance and transport. Since 1982, consideration of the task of large-scale, cross-country SNF transport (by the National Academies and others) has led to several recommendations for 'best practice' in such an unprecedented campaign. Many of these recommendations, however, are inconsistent with the acceptance priority established by the Standard Contract, and in fact cannot be implemented under its provisions. This paper considers the SNF acceptance rankings established by the Standard Contract, and the barrier these place on best practice cross-country transport of the nation's inventory of SNF. Using a series of case studies, the paper explores the challenge of best practice transport from selected shipment origins under current arrangements. The case studies support preliminary conclusions regarding the inconsistency between best practice SNF transport and the Standard Contract acceptance queue, with reference to particular origins sites and their utility owners. The paper concludes with a suggestion for resolving the inconsistencies, and recommended next steps in the inquiry. (authors)

Spent-fuel transport: available as needed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macklin, L.

1976-01-01

As a result of the general uncertainty as to when commercial reprocessing will actually take place in the United States (U.S.) and the long lead times now required before bringing a spent-fuel cask system in operation, it appears that serious problems can arise by 1979-1980 in cask capacity availability. Compounding the uncertainty with respect to cask capacity availability is the position taken by some of the U.S. railroad systems and some state and local governmental agencies in imposing restraints in the movement of spent fuel. By utility companies taking risk in committing to casks in advance of the actual requirement dates and by cask suppliers assuming the risks of licensing, costs, and delivery schedules, this potential bottleneck could be minimized

Regulatory status of burnup credit for storage and transport of spent fuel in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neuber, J.C.; Schweer, H.H.; Johann, H.G.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the regulatory status of burnup credit applications to pond storage and dry-cask transport and storage of spent fuel in Germany. Burnup credit for wet storage of LWR fuel at nuclear power plants has to comply with the newly developed safety standard DIN 25471. This standard establishes the safety requirements for burnup credit criticality safety analysis of LWR fuel storage ponds and gives guidance on meeting these requirements. Licensing evaluations of dry transport systems are based on the application of the IAEA Safety Standards Series No.ST-1. However, because of the fact that burnup credit for dry-cask transport becomes more and more inevitable due to increasing initial enrichment of the fuel, and because of the increasing importance of dry-cask storage in Germany, the necessity of giving regulatory guidance on applying burnup credit to dry-cask transport and storage is seen. (author)

Preliminary Report: Bases for Containment Analysis for Transportation of Aluminum-Based Spent Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinson, D.W.

1998-01-01

Aluminum-based spent nuclear fuel (Al-SNF) from foreign and domestic research reactors (FRR/DRR) is being shipped to SRS under the site FRR/DRR Receipts Program. Shipment of the FRR/DRR assemblies required that the cask with loaded fuel be certified by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (for US-owned casks) or the US Department of Transportation (for foreign-owned casks) to comply with the requirements in 10CFR71

Purification of degraded TBP solvent using macroreticular anion exchange resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kartha, P.K.S.; Kutty, P.V.E.; Janaradanan, C.; Ramanujam, A.; Dhumwad, R.K.

1989-01-01

Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) diluted with a suitable diluent is commonly used for solvent extraction in Purex process for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from irradiated nuclear fuels. This solvent gets degraded due to various factors, the main degradation product being dibutyl phosphoric acid (HDBP). A solvent cleanup step is generally incorporated in the process for removing the degradation products from the used solvent. A liquid-liquid cleanup system using sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide solution is routinely used. Considering certain advantages, like the possibility of loading the resin almost to saturation capacity and the subsequent disposal of the spent resin by incineration and the feasibility of adopting it to the process, a liquid-solid system has been tried as an alternate method, employing various available macroreticular anion exchange resins in OH - form for the sorption of HDBP from TBP. After standardizing the various conditions for the satisfactory removal of HDBP from TBP using synthetic mixtures, resins were tested with process solvent in batch contacts. The parameters studied were (1) capacity of different resins for HDBP sorption (2) influence of acidity, uranium and HDBP on the sorption behaviour of the latter (3) removal of fission products from the solvent by the resin and (4) regeneration and recycling of the resin. (author). 2 figs., 13 tabs., 17 refs

Quantitative Analysis of Radionuclide for the Used Resin of the Primary Purification System in HANARO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Mun; Kim, Myong Seop; Park, Se Il; Kim, Tae Whan; Kim, Dong Hun; Kim, Young Chil

2005-01-01

In HANARO, a 30 MW research reactor, the ion exchange resin has been used for the purification of the primary coolant system. The resin used in the primary coolant purification system is replaced with new one once every 3 months during 30 MW reactor operation. The extracted resin from the primary coolant purification system is temporarily stored in a shielding treatment of the reactor hall for radiation cooling. After the radiation level of resin decreases enough to be handled for the waste disposal, it is put into the waste drum, and delivered to the waste facility in KAERI. Recently, in this procedure, the quantitative analysis of radionuclide which is contained in resin is required to have more quantitative data for the disposal. Therefore, in this work, a preliminary study was performed to find a sampling method for the representation of the characteristics of radionuclide in the spent resin

Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) spent fuel transportation and handling facility models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrews, W.B.; Bower, J.C.; Burnett, R.A.; Engel, R.L.; Rolland, C.W.

1979-09-01

A spent fuel logistics study was conducted in support of the US DOE program to develop facilities for preparing spent unreprocessed fuel from commercial LWRs for geological storage. Two computerized logistics models were developed. The first one was the site evaluation model. Two studies of spent fuel handling facility and spent fuel disposal facility siting were completed; the first postulates a single spent fuel handling facility located at any of six DOE laboratory sites, while the second study examined siting strategies with the spent fuel repository relative to the spent fuel handling facility. A second model to conduct storage/handling facility simulations was developed. (DLC)

Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) spent fuel transportation and handling facility models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, W.B.; Bower, J.C.; Burnett, R.A.; Engel, R.L.; Rolland, C.W.

1979-09-01

A spent fuel logistics study was conducted in support of the US DOE program to develop facilities for preparing spent unreprocessed fuel from commercial LWRs for geological storage. Two computerized logistics models were developed. The first one was the site evaluation model. Two studies of spent fuel handling facility and spent fuel disposal facility siting were completed; the first postulates a single spent fuel handling facility located at any of six DOE laboratory sites, while the second study examined siting strategies with the spent fuel repository relative to the spent fuel handling facility. A second model to conduct storage/handling facility simulations was developed

Summary of the spent nuclear fuel transportation workshop for state officials, October 22, 1985, Springfield, Illinois. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

On October 22, 1985, thirty-two state officials representing eighteen states attended a workshop on the transportation of spent nuclear fuel hosted by the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety and co-sponsored by the US Department of Energy. The letter of invitation is attached to this report along with the agenda for the workshop. Also attached is the attendance list. The purposes of the workshop were to explain Illinois' inspection, escort and emergency preparedness program for spent nuclear fuel to officials from other states and to discuss the needs of the future national system when DOE begins shipping spent fuel to either a repository or a monitored retrievable storage facility. Summaries of the presentations and the reports from the discussion groups are presented

Multi-purpose canisters as an alternative for storage, transportation, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollaway, W.R.; Rozier, R.; Nitti, D.A.; Williams, J.R.

1993-01-01

A study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using multi-purpose canisters to handle spent nuclear fuel throughout the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System. Multi-purpose canisters would be sealed, metallic containers maintaining multiple spent fuel assemblies in a dry, inert environment and overpacked separately and uniquely for the various system elements of storage, transportation, and disposal. Using five implementation scenarios, the multi-purpose canister was evaluated with regard to several measures of effectiveness, including number of handlings, radiation exposure, cost, schedule and licensing considerations, and public perception. Advantages and disadvantages of the multi-purpose canister were identified relative to the current reference system within each scenario, and the scenarios were compared to determine the most effective method of implementation

Hypothetical Case and Scenario Description for International Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Adam David [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Osborn, Douglas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Jones, Katherine A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kalinina, Elena Arkadievna [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Cohn, Brian [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Thomas, Maikael A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Parks, Mancel Jordan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Parks, Ethan Rutledge [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Mohagheghi, Amir H. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-12-01

To support more rigorous analysis on global security issues at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), there is a need to develop realistic data sets without using "real" data or identifying "real" vulnerabilities, hazards or geopolitically embarrassing shortcomings. In response, an interdisciplinary team led by subject matter experts in SNL's Center for Global Security and Cooperation (CGSC) developed a hypothetical case description. This hypothetical case description assigns various attributes related to international SNF transportation that are representative, illustrative and indicative of "real" characteristics of "real" countries. There is no intent to identify any particular country and any similarity with specific real-world events is purely coincidental. To support the goal of this report to provide a case description (and set of scenarios of concern) for international SNF transportation inclusive of as much "real-world" complexity as possible -- without crossing over into politically sensitive or classified information -- this SAND report provides a subject matter expert-validated (and detailed) description of both technical and political influences on the international transportation of spent nuclear fuel. [PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Opportunities in the certification of metal storage casks for spent fuel transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teer, B.R.

1988-01-01

The current regulatory climate in the Transportation Certification Branch of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is such that the applicant for a Certificate of Compliance must submit a well prepared, comprehensive Safety Analysis Report which meets all requirements of Regulatory Guide. All methods and procedures for structural, nuclear and thermal analyses must be qualified and benchmarked. The materials used for the containment boundary, impact limiters, neutron and gamma shields and internal structures must have documented and reproducible properties and, ideally, be referred in a recognized national standard. And, finally, in most cases, the analyses must be supplemented by model or full scale test results. The paper discusses some recent Transnuclear experiences with the NRC Transportation Certification Branch in attempting to get the TN-BRP and TN-REG casks certified for the transport of spent fuel. The authors have utilized non-standard materials for the baskets and a modified material for the containment. The impact limiters are not of a conventional design. Some of the analytical procedures are proprietary codes which are not used by others in the industry

Burnup credit calculations for criticality safety justification for RBMK-1000 spent fuel of transport and storage systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Galchenko

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In present paper the burnup credit calculations for TK-8 transport container and SVJP-1 spent fuel storage fa-cility of pool type with RBMK-1000 spent fuel during 100-years of cooling time were performed for criticality safety analysis purpose using MCNP and SCALE codes. Only actinides were taken into account for these critical systems. Two approaches were analyzed with isotopes distribution calculations along fuel assembly height and without it. The results show that subcriticality margin is increased considerably using burnup credit and isotopes distribution along fuel assembly height made this value more reasonable.

The resistance to impact of spent Magnox fuel transport flasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1985-01-01

This book completes the papers of the four-year programme of research and demonstrations embarked upon by the CEGB in 1981, culminating in the spectacular train crash at Old Dalby in July 1984. It explains the CEGB's operations in relation to the transportation of spent Magnox fuel. The public tests described in this book are more effective in improving public understanding and confidence than any amount of explanations could have been, raising the wider question of how best the scientific community can respond to the legitimate concerns of the man and woman in the street about the generating of electricity from nuclear power. The contents are: Taking care; irradiated fuel transport in the UK; programming for flask safety; the use of scale models in impact testing; flask analytical studies; drop test facilities; demonstration drop test; a study of flask transport impact hazards; impact of Magnox irradiated fuel transport flasks into rock and concrete; rail crash demonstration scenarios; horizontal impact testing of quarter scale flasks using masonry targets; horizontal crash testing and analysis of model flatrols; flatrol test; analysis of full scale impact into an abutment; analysis of primary impact forces in the train crash demonstration; horizontal impact tests of quarter scale Magnox flasks and stylised model locomotives; predictive estimates for behaviour in the train crash demonstration; design and organization of the crash; execution of the crash demonstration by British Rail; instrumentation for the train crash demonstration; photography for the crash demonstration; a summary of the CEGB's flask accident impact studies

Cost effectiveness of detritiating water with resin columns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, R.H.; Williams, D.S.

1997-10-01

There are technologies in use for cleaning up concentrated tritiated process water. These are not cost effective for tritiated water with low concentrations of tritium. There are currently no cost-effective technologies for cleaning up low-tritium-concentration tritiated water, such as most tritiated groundwater, spent fuel storage basin water, or underground storage tank water. Resin removal of tritium from tritiated water at low concentrations (near the order of magnitude of drinking water standard maximums) is being tested on TA-SO (Los Alamos National Laboratory's Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility) waste streams. There are good theoretical and test indications that this may be a technologically effective means of removing tritium from tritiated water. Because of likely engineering design similarity, it is reasonable to anticipate that a resin column system's costs will be similar to some common commercial water treatment systems. Thus, the potential cost effectiveness of a resin treatment system offers hope for treating tritiated water at affordable costs. The TA-50 resin treatment cost projection of $18 per 1,000 gallons is within the same order of magnitude as cost data for typical commercial groundwater cleanup projects. The prospective Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) resin treatment system at $18 per 1,000 gallons appears to have a likely cost advantage of at least an order of magnitude over the competing, developmental, water detritiation technologies

Spent fuel transport in Romania by road: An approach considering safety, risk and radiological consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieru, G.

2001-01-01

The transport of high-level radioactive wastes, involving Type B packages, is a part of the safety of the Romanian waste management programme and the overall aim of this activity is to promote the safe transport of radioactive materials in Romania. The paper presents a safety case analysis of the transport of a single spent fuel CANDU bundle, using a Romanian built Type B package, from the CANDU type nuclear power plant Cernavoda to the INR Pitesti, in order to be examined within INR's hot-cells facilities. The safety assessment includes the following main aspects: (1) evaluation and analysis of available data on road traffic accidents; (2) estimation of the expected frequency for severe road accident scenarios resulting in potential radionuclide release; and (3) evaluation of the expected radiological consequences and accident risks of transport operations. (author)

A risk-informed basis for establishing non-fixed surface contamination limits for spent fuel transportation casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawl, R.R.; Eckerman, K.F.; Bogard, J.S.; Cook, J.R.

2004-01-01

The current limits for non-fixed contamination on packages used to transport radioactive materials were introduced in the 1961 edition of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) transport regulations and were based on radiation protection guidance and practices in use at that time. The limits were based on exposure scenarios leading to intakes of radionuclides by inhalation and external irradiation of the hands. These considerations are collectively referred to as the Fairbairn model. Although formulated over 40 years ago, the model remains unchanged and is still the basis of current regulatory-derived limits on package non-fixed surface contamination. There can also be doses that while not resulting directly from the contamination, are strongly influenced by and attributable to transport regulatory requirements for contamination control. For example, actions necessary to comply with the current derived limits for light-water-reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) casks can result in significant external doses to workers. This is due to the relatively high radiation levels around the loaded casks, where workers must function during the measurement of contamination levels and while decontaminating the cask. In order to optimize the total dose received due to compliance with cask contamination levels, it is necessary to take into account all the doses that vary as a result of the regulatory limit. Limits for non-fixed surface contamination on spent fuel casks should be established by using a model that considers and optimizes the appropriate exposure scenarios both in the workplace and in the public environment. A risk-informed approach is needed to ensure optimal use of personnel and material resources for SNF-based packaging operations. This paper is a summary of a study sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory that examined the dose implications for removable surface contamination limits on spent fuel

Spent nuclear fuel transportation: public issues and answers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-01-01

The court-ordered shipping of 750 spent nuclear fuel assemblies from West Valley, New York back to their utility owners has generated considerable public and media interest. This paper discusses the specific concerns of the general public over the West Valley shipments, the issues raised by opposition groups, the interest of public officials and emergency preparedness teams as well as the media coverage generated. An analysis is performed on the effectiveness of the West Valley and utility public information programs utilized in addressing these issues, concerns and interests. Emphasis is placed on communications which work to facilitate the shipments and generate fuel transport acceptance. Information programs are discussed which increase preparedness for nuclear shipments by emergency response teams and build public confidence in their safety. The paper also examines communications which could have further enhanced the shipping campaign to date. Finally, plans are discussed for media preparation with interview training and press conferences. Emphasis is placed on materials provided for the media which have served to generate more favorable print and air time

Spent nuclear fuel transportation: Public issues and answers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-01-01

The court-ordered shipping of 750 spent nuclear fuel assemblies from West Valley, New York back to their utility owners has generated considerable public and media interest. This paper discusses the specific concerns of the general public over the West Valley shipments, the issues raised by opposition groups, the interests of public officials and emergency preparedness teams as well as the media coverage generated. An analysis is performed on the effectiveness of the West Valley and utility public information programs utilized in addressing these issues, concerns and interests. Emphasis is placed on communications which work to facilitate the shipments and generate fuel transport acceptance. Information programs are discussed which increase preparedness for nuclear shipments by emergency response teams and build public confidence in their safety. The paper also examines communications which could have further enhanced the shipping campaigns to date. Finally, plans are discussed for media preparation with interview training and press conferences. Emphasis is placed on materials provided for the media which has served to generate more favorable print and air time

Transport and leaching of technetium and uranium from spent UO2 fuel in compacted bentonite clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramebaeck, H.; Albinsson, Y.; Skaalberg, M.; Eklund, U.B.; Kjellberg, L.; Werme, L.

2000-01-01

The transport properties of Tc and U in compacted bentonite clay and the leaching behaviour of these elements from spent nuclear fuel in the same system were investigated. Pieces of spent UO 2 fuel were embedded in bentonite clay (ρ d =2100 kg/m 3 ). A low saline synthetic groundwater was used as the aqueous phase. After certain experimental times, the bentonite clay was cut into 0.1 mm thick slices, which were analysed for their content of Tc and U. Measurements were made using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Tc analysis comprised chemical separation. The analysis of U was done by means of detecting 236 U, since the natural content of U in bentonite clay made it impossible to distinguish between U originating from the fuel and the clay. The influence of different additives mixed into the clay was studied. The results showed an influence on both transport and leaching behaviour when metallic Fe was mixed into the clay. This indicates that Tc and U are reduced to their lower oxidation states as a result of this additive

On the swelling of ion exchange resins used in Swedish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, A.C.; Hoegfeldt, E.; Muhammed, M.

1988-03-01

Ion exchange resins are used in nuclear power plants for purification and decontamination of water. In some of the cases, the spent resins are solidified by drying at elevated temperatures and then molded together with bitumen before final disposal. The objective of the present work is to study the swelling behavior of such resins and describe it with a model that permits calculation of the water uptake into the bituminized resins and the external swelling pressure that might develop by the swelling resins under repository conditions. The experimental part of the study comprises the swelling of ion exchange resins upon their exposure to water vapour before and after thermal treatment under conditions simulating those used in the various solidification processes. Seven different resins were studied in different chemical forms; H + , N + and OH - , So 4 2- for the cation an anion exchangers respectively. For each resin, water uptake, density and volume were measured at different water activities at 25 degrees C. The swelling pressure for all resins studied was calculated. A slight increase in swelling pressure after thermal treatment could be observed, especially for anion exchangers. The apparent molar volume of water in the resin phase has been determined and the swelling free energies of swelling has been calculated from experimental data at 25 degrees C and estimated at 0 degrees C. (authors)

5 CFR 551.422 - Time spent traveling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Time spent traveling. 551.422 Section 551... Activities § 551.422 Time spent traveling. (a) Time spent traveling shall be considered hours of work if: (1... who is permitted to use an alternative mode of transportation, or an employee who travels at a time...

Status of spent fuel shipping cask development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, I.K.; Hinschberger, S.T.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses how several new-generation shopping cask systems are being developed for safe and economical transport of commercial spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive wastes for the generating sites to a federal geologic repository or monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility. Primary objectives of the from-reactor spent fuel cask development work are: to increase cask payloads by taking advantage of the increased at-reactor storage time under the current spent fuel management scenario, to facilitate more efficient cask handling operations with reduced occupational radiation exposure, and to promote standardization of the physical interfaces between casks and the shipping and receiving facilities. Increased cask payloads will significantly reduce the numbers of shipments, with corresponding reductions in transportation costs and risks to transportation workers, cask handling personnel, and the general public

75 FR 70042 - In the Matter of All Power Reactor Licensees and Research Reactor Licensees Who Transport Spent...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-16

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos (Redacted), License Nos (Redacted), EA (Redacted); NRC- 2010-0351] In the Matter of All Power Reactor Licensees and Research Reactor Licensees Who Transport Spent Nuclear Fuel; Order Modifying License (Effective Immediately) I. The licensees identified in...

75 FR 79423 - In the Matter of All Power Reactor Licensees and Research Reactor Licensees Who Transport Spent...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-20

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. (Redacted), License Nos.: (Redacted), EA (Redacted); NRC- 2010-0351] In the Matter of All Power Reactor Licensees and Research Reactor Licensees Who Transport Spent Nuclear Fuel; Order Modifying License (Effective Immediately) I The licensees identified in...

Calculation of health risks from spent-nuclear-fuel transportation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.Y.; Yuan, Y.C.

1987-01-01

Models developed to analyze potential radiological health risks from various accident scenarios during transportation of spent nuclear fuels are described. The models are designed both for detailed route-specific risk analyses and for use in conducting overall risk analyses for route selection and related decision-making activities. The radiological risks calculated include individual dose commitments, collective dose commitments, and long-term (100-year) environmental dose commitments to a population following release of radioactivity. To facilitate route-specific analysis, a state-level database was developed and incorporated into the model. Route-specific analysis is demonstrated by the calculation of radiological risks resulting from various accident scenarios, as postulated by the recent US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Modal Study, for four representative states selected from various regions of the United States. 10 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Proposed nuclear weapons nonproliferation policy concerning foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel: Appendix C, marine transport and associated environmental impacts. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-03-01

This is Appendix C to a Draft Environmental Statement on a Proposed Nuclear Weapon Nonproliferation Policy Concerning Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel. Shipment of any material via ocean transport entails risks to both the ship's crew and the environment. The risks result directly from transportation-related accidents and, in the case of radioactive or other hazardous materials, also include exposure to the effects of the material itself. This appendix provides a description of the approach used to assess the risks associated with the transport of foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel from a foreign port to a U.S. port(s) of entry. This appendix also includes a discussion of the shipping configuration of the foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel, the possible types of vessels that could be used to make the shipments, the risk assessment methodology (addressing both incident-free and accident risks), and the results of the analyses. Analysis of activities in the port(s) is described in Appendix D. The incident-free and accident risk assessment results are presented in terms of the per shipment risk and total risks associated with the basic implementation of Management Alternative 1and other implementation alternatives. In addition, annual risks from incident-free transport are developed

Transporting spent reactor fuel: allegations and responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jefferson, R.M.

1983-03-01

A January 1982 monthly newsletter from the Council on Economic Priorities (CEP) was entirely devoted to the presentation of a broad-ranging series of allegations that the transportation of spent fuel in particular, and other high-level radioactive materials by inference is currently being conducted in this country in an unsafe manner. This newsletter preceded the release of a book authored by Marvin Resnikoff on the same subject by over a year. This book titled The Next Nuclear Gamble contained substantially the same allegations as the newsletter, although the book devoted space to a greatly increased number of specific examples. This paper reduces those allegations contained in the executive summary and the recommendations contained in the last chapter of the book to a manageable number by combining the many specific issues into a few topics. Each of these topics is then addressed. As such, this is an abbreviated analysis of The Next Nuclear Gamble and does not address much of the fine detail. In spite of that, it would be possible to address each of the details within the book on a similar basis. The intent of this document is to provide background information for those who are questioned on the validity of the allegations made by the CEp

Spent nuclear fuel system dynamic stability under normal conditions of transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Hao; Wang, Jy-An John, E-mail: wangja@ornl.gov

2016-12-15

Highlights: • A conformational potential effect of fuel assembly contact interaction induced transient shock. • Complex vibration modes and vibration load intensity were observed from fuel assembly system. • The project was able to link the periodic transient shock to spent fuel fatigue strength reduction. - Abstract: In a horizontal layout of a spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assembly under normal conditions of transportation (NCT), the fuel assembly’s skeleton formed by guide tubes and spacer grids is the primary load bearing structure for carrying and transferring the vibration loads within an SNF assembly. Therefore, the integrity of guide tubes and spacer grids will dictate the vibration amplitude/intensity of the fuel assembly during transport, and must be considered when designing multipurpose purpose canister (MPC) for safe SNF transport. This paper investigates the SNF assembly deformation dynamics during normal vibration mode, as well as the transient shock mode inside the cask during NCT. Dynamic analyses were performed in the frequency domain to study frequency characteristic of the fuel assembly system and in the time domain to simulate the transient dynamic response of the fuel assembly. To further evaluate the intensity of contact interaction induced by the local contacts’ impact loading at the spacer grid, detailed models of the actual spring and dimples of the spacer grids were created. The impacts between the fuel rod and springs and dimples were simulated with a 20 g transient shock load. The associated contact interaction intensities, in terms of reaction forces, were estimated from the finite element analyses (FEA) results. The bending moment estimated from the resultant stress on the clad under 20 g transient shock can be used to define the loading in cyclic integrated reversible-bending fatigue tester (CIRFT) vibration testing for the equivalent condition. To estimate the damage potential of the transient shock to the SNF vibration

Corrosion of steel drums containing immobilized ion exchange-resins and incineration ashes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marotta, F.; Schulz Rodriguez, F.M.; Farina, Silvia B.; Duffo, Gustavo S.

2009-01-01

The Argentine Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) is responsible for developing the management nuclear waste disposal programme. This programme contemplates the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The proposed model is a near-surface monolithic repository similar to those in operation in El Cabril, Spain. The design of this type of repository is based on the use of multiple, independent and redundant barriers. The intermediate radioactive waste consists mostly in spent ionic exchange resins and filters from the nuclear power plants, research reactors and radioisotopes production facilities. The spent resins, as well as the incineration ashes, have to be immobilized before being stored to improve leach resistance of waste matrix and to maintain mechanical stability for safety requirements. Generally, cementation processes have been used as immobilization techniques for economical reasons as well as for being a simple operation. The immobilized resins and incineration ashes are thus contained in steel drums that, in turn, can undergo corrosion depending on the ionic content of the matrix. This work is a part of a systematic study of the corrosion susceptibility of steel drums in contact with immobilized cemented exchange-resins with different types and contents of aggressive species and incineration ashes. To this purpose, a special type of specimen was manufactured to simulate the cemented waste in the drum. The evolution of the corrosion potential and the corrosion current density of the steel, as well as the electrical resistivity of the matrix are being monitored along time. The aggressive species studied were chloride ions (the main ionic species present in nature) and sulphate ions (produced during the radiolysis process of the cationic exchange-resins after cementation). Preliminary results show the strong effect of chloride on the corrosion susceptibility of the steel. Monitoring will continue for

Near surface spent fuel storage: environmental issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, I.C.; Shipler, D.B.; McKee, R.W.; Glenn, R.D.

1979-01-01

Interim storage of spent fuel appears inevitable because of the lack of reprocessing plants and spent fuel repositories. This paper examines the environmental issues potentially associated with management of spent fuel before disposal or reprocessing in a reference scenario. The radiological impacts of spent fuel storage are limited to low-level releases of noble gases and iodine. Water needed for water basin storage of spent fuel and transportation accidents are considered; the need to minimize the distance travelled is pointed out. Resource commitments for construction of the storage facilities are analyzed

Simplified risk assessment for transporting ATR spent fuel within the INEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franklin, E.M.; Courtney, J.C.

1994-01-01

Interest in characterizing the condition of stored spent fuels has generated the need to move spent fuels to hot cell facilities within the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). A simplified probabilistic risk assessment (SPRA) and an evaluation of the radiological consequences in the event of an accident are discussed and applied to on-site Advanced Test Reactor (AYR) spent fuel shipments. Reported accident probabilities between 10 -4 and 10 -6 and low radiological consequences, affords this, and other spent fuel characterization efforts, an additional option to move spent fuels within the INEL

Spray drying of bead resins: feasibility tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gay, R.L.; Grantham, L.F.; Jones, L.J.

1984-01-01

Rockwell International has developed a volume reduction system for low-level reactor wastes based on drying the wastes in a heated-air spray dryer. The drying of slurries of sodium sulfate, boric acid, and powdered ion exchange resins was demonstrated in previous tests. The drying of bead ion exchange resins can be especially difficult due to the relatively large size of bead resins (about 500 to 800 microns) and their natural affinity for water. This water becomes part of the pore structure of the resins and normally comprises 50 t 60 wt % of the resin weight. A 76-cm-diameter spray dryer was used for feasibility tests of spray drying of cation and anion bead resins. These resins were fed to the dryer in the as-received form (similar to dewatered resins) and as slurries. A dry, free-flowing product was produced in all the tests. The volume of the spray-dried product was one-half to one-third the volume of the as-received material. An economic analysis was made of the potential cost savings that can be achieved using the Rockwel spray dryer system. In-plant costs, transportation costs, and burial costs of spray-dried resins were compared to similar costs for disposal of dewatered resins. A typical utility producing 170 m 3 (6,000 ft 3 ) per year of dewatered resins can save $600,000 to $700,000 per year using this volume reduction system

Treatment of Soil Decontamination Solution by the Cs{sup +} Ion Selective Ion Exchange Resin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, Hui Jun; Kim, Gye Nam; Jung, Chung Hun; Oh, Won Zin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

Occasionally, radioactively contaminated soils have been excavated and stored at the temporary storage facility. Cesium as a radionuclide is one of the most toxic elements and it has a long half decay life. During the operation of nuclear facility, soils near the facility would be contaminated with radioactive cesium and it will cause the deleterious effect to human body and environment. In this study, Cs{sup +} ion selective ion exchange resin was prepared by changing the functional group of commercial anion exchange resin for a ferrocyanide ion. Ion exchange capability of using the soil decontamination solution was investigated. We also performed the feasibility test of recycling the spent Cs ion selective ion exchange resin.

Transport of HIFAR spent fuel from Lucas Heights Research Establishment to the United Kingdom for reprocessing. Public Environmental Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The normal operations of HIFAR produce thirty-eight spent fuel elements annually. Since 1958, when operations began, 1,660 spent fuel elements have been accumulated and are stored in ANSTO's engineered interim storage facilities at Lucas Heights. In the light of the limited size of these storage facilities and following the Research Reactor Review (1993) and an Inter-Agency Review, the Commonwealth Government announced its decision to reduce the number of spent fuel elements stored at the site. Therefore, ANSTO has been authorised to negotiate the terms for shipment of spent fuel elements of United Kingdom (UK) origin to the Dounreay reprocessing plant in Scotland. This Public Environment Report, prepared under the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974, describes the potential impacts and risks of a proposed initial shipment of 120 spent fuel elements to the Dounreay reprocessing plant. It describes the intended packaging and transport procedures and considers possible alternative methods of dealing with the continued production of spent fuel rods and the limited storage capacity at LHRL. The exhaustive analysis of every phase of operations involved in the shipping of a cask of spent HIFAR fuel elements from Lucas Heights to Dounreay, for reprocessing, has shown that there are no significant environmental or public health impacts from such a shipment conducted in accordance with standard, internationally established procedures. 18 refs., 12 tabs., 2 figs

Transport of HIFAR spent fuel from Lucas Heights Research Establishment to the United Kingdom for reprocessing. Public Environmental Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-10-27

The normal operations of HIFAR produce thirty-eight spent fuel elements annually. Since 1958, when operations began, 1,660 spent fuel elements have been accumulated and are stored in ANSTO`s engineered interim storage facilities at Lucas Heights. In the light of the limited size of these storage facilities and following the Research Reactor Review (1993) and an Inter-Agency Review, the Commonwealth Government announced its decision to reduce the number of spent fuel elements stored at the site. Therefore, ANSTO has been authorised to negotiate the terms for shipment of spent fuel elements of United Kingdom (UK) origin to the Dounreay reprocessing plant in Scotland. This Public Environment Report, prepared under the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974, describes the potential impacts and risks of a proposed initial shipment of 120 spent fuel elements to the Dounreay reprocessing plant. It describes the intended packaging and transport procedures and considers possible alternative methods of dealing with the continued production of spent fuel rods and the limited storage capacity at LHRL. The exhaustive analysis of every phase of operations involved in the shipping of a cask of spent HIFAR fuel elements from Lucas Heights to Dounreay, for reprocessing, has shown that there are no significant environmental or public health impacts from such a shipment conducted in accordance with standard, internationally established procedures. 18 refs., 12 tabs., 2 figs.

The spent fuel safety experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmms, G.A.; Davis, F.J.; Ford, J.T.

1995-01-01

The Department of Energy is conducting an ongoing investigation of the consequences of taking fuel burnup into account in the design of spent fuel transportation packages. A series of experiments, collectively called the Spent Fuel Safety Experiment (SFSX), has been devised to provide integral benchmarks for testing computer-generated predictions of spent fuel behavior. A set of experiments is planned in which sections of unirradiated fuel rods are interchanged with similar sections of spent PWR fuel rods in a critical assembly. By determining the critical size of the arrays, one can obtain benchmark data for comparison with criticality safety calculations. The integral reactivity worth of the spent fuel can be assessed by comparing the measured delayed critical fuel loading with and without spent fuel. An analytical effort to model the experiments and anticipate the core loadings required to yield the delayed critical conditions runs in parallel with the experimental effort

Introduction of a new structural material for spent nuclear fuel transportation casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severson, W.J.; Mello, R.M.; Ciez, A.P.

1991-01-01

The From-Reactor Transportation Cask Initiative of the DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) has, since 1988, supported the development of cask systems for the shipment of spent nuclear fuel by both legal weight truck (LWT) and rail or barge. The design basis fuel to be transported would be 10 years out-of-reactor with maximum burnups of 35 and 30 GWD/MTU for PWR and BWR assemblies, respectively. Westinghouse's work on the program led to the development of a common use LWT cask design capable of transporting either three PWR or seven BWR assemblies. This payload in a common use cask is achieved by the use of depleted uranium for the gamma shielding material and Grade 9 titanium as the principal structural material. The use of Grade 9 titanium for cask structures has no certification precedent. This paper describes the work performed to characterize the material and the status of steps taken to gain its acceptance by the NRC, which includes ASME approval of its use in the construction of Section 3 Class 1 components. 9 refs., 7 figs., 9 tabs

Analysis of the transportation logistics for spent nuclear fuel in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyo Jik; Ko, Won Il; Seo, Ki Seok

2010-01-01

As a part of the back-end fuel cycle, transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear power plants (NPP s ) to a fuel storage facility is very important in establishing a nuclear fuel cycle. In Korea, the accumulated amount of SNF in the NPP pools is troublesome since the temporary storage facilities at these NPP pools are expected to be full of SNF within ten years. Therefore, Korea cannot help but plan for the construction of an interim storage facility to solve this problem in the near future. Especially, a decision on several factors, such as where the interim storage facility should be located, how many casks a transport ship can carry at a time and how many casks are initially required, affect the configuration of the transportation system. In order to analyze the various possible candidate scenarios, we assumed four cases for the interim storage facility location, three cases for the load capacity that a transport ship can carry and two cases for the total amount of casks used for transportation. First, this study considered the currently accumulated amount of SNF in Korea, and the amount of SNF generated from NPP s until all NPP s are shut down. Then, how much SNF per year must be transported from theNPP s to an interim storage facility was calculated during an assumed transportation period. Second, 24 candidate transportation scenarios were constructed by a combination of the decision factors. To construct viable yearly transportation schedules for the selected 24 scenarios, we created a spreadsheet program named TranScenario, which was developed by using MS EXCEL. TranScenario can help schedulers input shipping routes and allocate transportation casks. Also,TranScenario provides information on the cask distribution in the NPP s and in the interim storage facility automatically, by displaying it in real time according to the shipping routes, cask types and cask numbers that the user generates. Once a yearly transportation schedule is established

Safety aspects of dry spent fuel storage and spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Botsch, W.; Smalian, S.; Hinterding, P.; Voelzke, H.; Wolff, D.; Kasparek, E.

2014-01-01

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. In Germany dual purpose casks for SF or HLW are used for safe transportation and interim storage. TUV and BAM, who work as independent experts for the competent authorities, present the storage licensing process including 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 (authors)

Spray-type drying unit for spent ion exchange resins, sludges and radioactive concentrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raibaud, J.

1986-01-01

The process for drying radwaste in the liquid form or in aqueous suspension is a very attractive solution from the standpoint of volume reduction. Most of the existing drying facilities are not well adapted for drying the varieties of aqueous waste produced by the nuclear research centres and nuclear power plants, such as: - ion exchange resins, bead type or powdered resins, - centrifuge sludges, - settling sludges, - evaporator bottoms. Technicatome has selected the LEAFLASH process developed by Rhone Poulenc Recherches for drying the nuclear aqueous waste. This process has been well tried at full scale in a large number of industrial branches. The advantages of the process have been confirmed by the results obtained in operating a pilot facility. They include: - high flexibility in operation: - quick start-up and stoppage procedures, - adaptation to a wide spectrum of liquid waste without significant changes in the adjustment of the device. - compactness, - low power consumption, - complete drying of the waste for any initial concentration [fr

Isolation and characterization of bacteria from wasted ionic exchange resins kept at Area de Gestion Ezeiza belonging to RA-3 Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosquera Rodriguez, Leon; Pizarro, Ramon A.

2009-01-01

A spent ionic exchange resin kept at Area de Gannet's Ezeiza (Age), belonging to RA-3 Reactor, was treated with sterile water. Microorganisms suspended in the aqueous sample were isolated by several methods, broadening as much as possible cell recovery conditions. Bacteria were subject to purity controls and re-isolation when necessary. Characterization of the strains found in the sample included morphological, physiological and biochemical tests as well as stains. Being the spent resins volume reduction at Age the main purpose, a screening experiment is proposed based on bacteria capability to take carbon from the sediment present in the liquid sample. Recovered bacteria are at least the following: Method I: Bacillus cereus, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Pseudomonas acidovorans, Pseudomonas sp. Method II: Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Flavimonas sp., Agrobacterium sp. Method III: Bacillus circulans, Bacillus sphaericus, Kocuria rosea, Kytococcus sedentarius, Pseudomonas acidovorans. Microorganisms present in the sample are characteristic of those having low microbiological-contamination levels. Way III is an isolation method whose design would lead to find bacteria having the desired properties in order to diminish the volume of RA-3 Reactor spent resins. (author)

Initiation of depleted uranium oxide and spent fuel testing for the spent fuel sabotage aerosol ratio programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecke, M.A.; Gregson, M.W.; Sorenson, K.B.

2004-01-01

We provide a detailed overview of an on-going, multinational test programme that is developing aerosol data for some spent fuel sabotage scenarios on spent fuel transport and storage casks. Experiments are being performed to quantify the aerosolised materials plus volatilised fission products generated from actual spent fuel and surrogate material test rods, due to impact by a high-energy/density device. The programme participants in the United States plus Germany, France and the United Kingdom, part of the international Working Group for Sabotage Concerns of Transport and Storage Casks (WGSTSC) have strongly supported and coordinated this research programme. Sandia National Laboratories has the lead role for conducting this research programme; test programme support is provided by both the US Department of Energy and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We provide a summary of the overall, multiphase test design and a description of all explosive containment and aerosol collection test components used. We focus on the recently initiated tests on 'surrogate' spent fuel, unirradiated depleted uranium oxide and forthcoming actual spent fuel tests. We briefly summarise similar results from completed surrogate tests that used non-radioactive, sintered cerium oxide ceramic pellets in test rods. (author)

Estimated effects on radiation doses from alternatives in a spent fuel transportation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, K.J.; Ross, W.A.; Smith, R.I.

1988-07-01

This paper contains the results of a study of estimated radiation doses to the public and workers from the transport of spent fuel from commercial nuclear power reactors to a geologic repository. A postulated reference rail/legal-weight truck transportation system is defined that would use current transportation technology, and provide a breakdown of activities and time/distance/dose-rate estimates for each activity within the system. Collective doses are estimated for each of the major activities at the reactor site, in transit, and at the repository receiving facility. Annual individual doses to the maximally exposed individuals or groups of individuals are also estimated. The dose-reduction potentials and costs are estimated for a total of 17 conceptual alternatives and subalternatives to the postulated reference system. Most of the alternatives evaluated are estimated to provide both cost and dose reductions. The major conclusion is that the potential exists for significant future reductions in radiation doses to the public and workers and for reductions in costs compared to those based on a continuation of past practices in the US

Estimated effects on radiation doses from alternatives in a spent fuel transportation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, K.J.; Ross, W.A.; Smith, R.I.

1988-01-01

This paper contains the results of a study of estimated radiation doses to the public and workers from the transport of spent fuel from commercial nuclear power reactors to a geologic repository. A postulated reference rail/legal-weight truck transportation system is defined that would use current transportation technology, and provide a breakdown of activities and time/distance/dose-rate estimates for each activity within the system. Collective doses are estimated for each of the major activities at the reactor site, in transit, and at the repository receiving facility. Annual individual doses to the maximally exposed individuals or groups of individuals also estimated. The dose-reduction potentials and costs are estimated for a total of 17 conceptual alternatives and subalternatives to the postulated reference system. Most of the alternatives evaluated are estimated to provide both cost and dose reductions. The major conclusion is that the potential exists for significant future reductions in radiation doses to the public and workers and for reductions in costs compared to those based on a continuation of past practices in the U.S

Methods for estimating costs of transporting spent fuel and defense high-level radioactive waste for the civilian radioactive waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darrough, M.E.; Lilly, M.J.

1989-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE), through the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, is planning and developing a transportation program for the shipment of spent fuel and defense high-level waste from current storage locations to the site of the mined geologic repository. In addition to its responsibility for providing a safe transportation system, the DOE will assure that the transportation program will function with the other system components to create an integrated waste management system. In meeting these objectives, the DOE will use private industry to the maximum extent practicable and in a manner that is cost effective. This paper discusses various methodologies used for estimating costs for the national radioactive waste transportation system. Estimating these transportation costs is a complex effort, as the high-level radioactive waste transportation system, itself, will be complex. Spent fuel and high-level waste will be transported from more than 100 nuclear power plants and defense sites across the continental US, using multiple transport modes (truck, rail, and barge/rail) and varying sizes and types of casks. Advance notification to corridor states will be given and scheduling will need to be coordinated with utilities, carriers, state and local officials, and the DOE waste acceptance facilities. Additionally, the waste forms will vary in terms of reactor type, size, weight, age, radioactivity, and temperature

Radiometric characterisation supports, burnup credit, safeguards and radionuclide inventory determination for spent fuel transport, storage and disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chesterman, A.S.; Clapham, M.J.; Gardner, N.

1999-01-01

Spent nuclear fuel characterisation measurements play an essential role in a range of fuel handling activities. In particular, they are necessary to support the application of burnup credit to the transport of spent fuel, to detect diversion of safeguarded nuclear material and to determine the radionuclide inventory of materials destined for final disposal. To apply measurements to these activities the measurement procedures need to be approved by the relevant regulatory bodies. Often key to the measurement procedures is the method of instrument system calibration and what a priori data is acceptable to aid the measurement process. Discussion of these, pertinent to the three areas of application mentioned above, is presented with suggestions of alternative approaches where considered appropriate. (author)

Shipping cask demand associated with United States Government storage of commercial spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daling, P.M.; Engel, R.L.

1983-05-01

There were primarily two objectives of this study. The first was to develop estimates of the shipping cask fleet size that will be needed in the United States in the near future. These estimates were compared with current US spent fuel cask fleet size to determine its adequacy to provide the transportation services. The second objective was to develop estimates of the transportation costs associated with future movements of spent fuel. The results of this study were based on assumptions that were made prior to passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 which authorizes the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide Federal Interim Storage of spent fuel from commercial reactors. The Act requires that the DOE is responsible for transportation of the fuel, although private industry is to provide these services. This paper examined the impacts of various spent fuel management strategies on spent fuel transportation hardware requirements and transportation costs. Conclusions related to optimization of the spent fuel transportation system can be drawn from the results of this study. The conclusions can be affected by changing the given set of assumptions used in this analysis. 3 tables

Spent fuel management newsletter. No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-04-01

This issue of the newsletter consists of two parts. The first part describes the IAEA Secretariat activities - work and programme of the Nuclear Materials and Fuel Cycle Technology Section of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management, recent and planned meetings and publications, Technical Co-operation projects, Co-ordinated Research programmes. The second part contains country reports - national programmes on spent fuel management: current and planned storage and reprocessing capacities, spent fuel arisings, safety, transportation, storage and treatment of spent fuel

Spent fuel management newsletter. No. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-04-01

This issue of the newsletter consists of two parts. The first part describes the IAEA Secretariat activities - work and programme of the Nuclear Materials and Fuel Cycle Technology Section of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management, recent and planned meetings and publications, Technical Co-operation projects, Co-ordinated Research programmes. The second part contains country reports - national programmes on spent fuel management: current and planned storage and reprocessing capacities, spent fuel arisings, safety, transportation, storage and treatment of spent fuel.

Estimated consequences from severe spent nuclear fuel transportation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnish, J.J.; Monette, F.; LePoire, D.; Biwer, B.M.

1996-01-01

The RISKIND software package is used to estimate radiological consequences of severe accident scenarios involving the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. Radiological risks are estimated for both a collective population and a maximally exposed individual based on representative truck and rail cask designs described in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) modal study. The estimate of collective population risk considers all possible environmental pathways, including acute and long-term exposures, and is presented in terms of the 50-y committed effective dose equivalent. Radiological risks to a maximally exposed individual from acute exposure are estimated and presented in terms of the first year and 50-y committed effective dose equivalent. Consequences are estimated for accidents occurring in rural and urban population areas. The modeled pathways include inhalation during initial passing of the radioactive cloud, external exposure from a reduction of the cask shielding, long-term external exposure. from ground deposition, and ingestion from contaminated food (rural only). The major pathways and contributing radionuclides are identified, and the effects of possible mitigative actions are discussed. The cask accident responses and the radionuclide release fractions are modeled as described in the NRC modal study. Estimates of severe accident probabilities are presented for both truck and rail modes of transport. The assumptions made in this study tend to be conservative; however, a set of multiplicative factors are identified that can be applied to estimate more realistic conditions

BWR spent fuel transport and storage system for KKL: TN trademark 52L, TN trademark 97L, TN trademark 24 BHL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sicard, D.; Verdier, A.; Monsigny, P.A.

2004-01-01

The LEIBSTADT (KKL) nuclear power plant in Switzerland has opted to ship spent fuel to a central facility called ZWILAG for interim storage. In the mid-nineties, COGEMA LOGISTICS was contracted by KKL for the supply of the TN trademark a52L and TN trademark 97L transport and storage casks for BWR fuel types. In 2003, KKL also ordered from COGEMA LOGISTICS the supply of six TNae24 BHL transport and storage casks. This paper shows how all the three cask designs have responded to the KKL needs to ship and store BWR spent fuel. In addition, it highlights the already significant operational feedback of the TN trademark 52L and TN trademark 97L casks by the KKL and ZWILAG operators

Ion exchange resins destruction in a stirred supercritical water oxidation reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leybros, A.; Roubaud, A.; Guichardon, P.; Boutin, O.

2010-01-01

Spent ion exchange resins (IERs) are radioactive process wastes for which there is no satisfactory industrial treatment. Supercritical water oxidation offers a viable treatment alternative to destroy the organic structure of resins, used to remove radioactivity. Up to now, studies carried out in supercritical water for IER destruction showed that degradation rates higher than 99% are difficult to obtain even using a catalyst or a large oxidant excess. In this study, a co-fuel, isopropanol, has been used in order to improve degradation rates by initiating the oxidation reaction and increasing temperature of the reaction medium. Concentrations up to 20 wt% were tested for anionic and cationic resins. Total organic carbon reduction rates higher than 99% were obtained from this process, without the use of a catalyst. The influence of operating parameters such as IERs feed concentration, nature and counterions of exchanged IERs were also studied. (authors)

Spent-fuel-storage alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

The Spent Fuel Storage Alternatives meeting was a technical forum in which 37 experts from 12 states discussed storage alternatives that are available or are under development. The subject matter was divided into the following five areas: techniques for increasing fuel storage density; dry storage of spent fuel; fuel characterization and conditioning; fuel storage operating experience; and storage and transport economics. Nineteen of the 21 papers which were presented at this meeting are included in this Proceedings. These have been abstracted and indexed

In vitro comparison rate of dental root canal transportation using two single file systems on the simulated resin blocks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Javad Etesami

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Cleaning and shaping is one of the most important stages in endodontic treatment. Single-file systems save time and reduce the risk of transmission of pathogens. This in vitro study was aimed to compare the rate of canal transportation after the preparation of the stimulated resin root canal with two single-file systems, namely Waveone and Reciproc. Materials and Methods: Thirty stimulated resin root canal blocks with size 8/0. 02 K file were randomly divided into two study groups. The preparation in Group A and Group B was performed using Reciproc and Waveone files, respectively. Pre and post- preparation photographs were taken and the images were superimposed to evaluate the inner and outer wall’s curvature tendency at three points (apical, middle and coronal using AutoCad pragram. Data were analyzed using T-test. Results: Based on the results, the degree of transportation in the inner and outer walls of the canal was less at the level of 3 millimeters (P0.05. Conclusion: Waveone showed better performance in the middle third of canal and this system maybe recommended.

Spent fuel critical masses and supportive measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toffer, H.; Wells, A.H.

1987-01-01

Critical masses for spent fuel are larger than for green fuel and therefore use of the increased masses could result in improved handling, storage, and transport of such materials. To apply spent fuel critical masses requires an assessment of fuel exposure and the corresponding isotopic compositions. The paper discusses several approaches at the Hanford N Reactor in establishing fuel exposure, including a direct measurement of spent to green fuel critical masses. The benefits derived from the use of spent fuel critical masses are illustrated for cask designs at the Nuclear Assurance Corporation. (author)

Long-Term Dry Storage of High Burn-Up Spent Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Fuel in TAD (Transportation, Aging, and Disposal) Containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Yong Soo

2008-12-01

A TAD canister, in conjunction with specially-designed over-packs can accomplish the functions of transportation, aging, and disposal (TAD) in the management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Industrial dry cask systems currently available for SNF are licensed for storage-only or for dual-purpose (i.e., storage and transportation). By extending the function to include the indefinite storage and perhaps, eventual geologic disposal, the TAD canister would have to be designed to enhance, among others, corrosion resistance, thermal stability, and criticality-safety control. This investigative paper introduces the use of these advanced iron-based, corrosion-resistant materials for SNF transportation, aging, and disposal.The objective of this investigative project is to explore the interest that KAERI would research and develop its specific SAM coating materials for the TAD canisters to satisfy the requirements of corrosion-resistance, thermal stability, and criticality-controls for long-term dry storage of high burn-up spent PWR fuel

Development of advanced spent fuel management process. System analysis of advanced spent fuel management process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ro, S.G.; Kang, D.S.; Seo, C.S.; Lee, H.H.; Shin, Y.J.; Park, S.W.

1999-03-01

The system analysis of an advanced spent fuel management process to establish a non-proliferation model for the long-term spent fuel management is performed by comparing the several dry processes, such as a salt transport process, a lithium process, the IFR process developed in America, and DDP developed in Russia. In our system analysis, the non-proliferation concept is focused on the separation factor between uranium and plutonium and decontamination factors of products in each process, and the non-proliferation model for the long-term spent fuel management has finally been introduced. (Author). 29 refs., 17 tabs., 12 figs

Features and safety aspects of spent fuel storage facility, Tarapur

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradhan, Sanjay; Dubey, K.; Qureshi, F.T.; Lokeswar, S.P.

2017-01-01

Spent Fuel Storage Facility (SFSF), Tarapur is designed to store spent fuel arising from PHWRs in different parts of the country. Spent fuel is transported in AERB qualified/authorized shipping cask by NPCIL to SFSF by road or rail route. The spent fuel storage facility at Tarapur was hot commissioned after regulatory clearances

Conditioning of spent fuel assemblies from the Rossendorf RFR research reactor in transport and storage containers of the type CASTOR MTR 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, B.; Hofmann, G.

1994-09-01

Most of the spent fuel assemblies are temporarily stored in the flooded fuel ponds AB 1 and AB 2 of the RFR, and some are still in the reactor core. The conditioning task described here is part of the RFR spent fuel management concept and covers the safe emplacement of the spent fuel elements in the CASTOR MTR 2 shipping containers and the sealing of the containers in compliance with the nuclear licence issued for the conditioning task. The transfer of the spent fuel assemblies from the present wet storage conditions to the dry storage conditions in the CASTOR MTR 2 containers is done by a mobile manipulation equipment consisting essentially of the transfer sluice gate and a transfer container. Subsequent to conditioning, the shipping containers are to be transported to a licensed intermediate storage facility to await their transport to a national radwaste repository. The technical handling tools for the transfer and manipulation are briefly described, as well as the process steps involved, putting emphasis on the detailed description of processes and the accompanying time frame, so that the conditioning task can be incorporated into the work plan of the entire project. The report further presents the EDP concept established for the task, including the required data archivation and documentation. (orig.) [de

Use of a commercial heat transfer code to predict horizontally oriented spent fuel rod temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wix, S.D.; Koski, J.A.

1992-01-01

Radioactive spent fuel assemblies are a source of hazardous waste that will have to be dealt with in the near future. It is anticipated that the spent fuel assemblies will be transported to disposal sites in spent fuel transportation casks. In order to design a reliable and safe transportation cask, the maximum cladding temperature of the spent fuel rod arrays must be calculated. The maximum rod temperature is a limiting factor in the amount of spent fuel that can be loaded in a transportation cask. The scope of this work is to demonstrate that reasonable and conservative spent fuel rod temperature predictions can be made using commercially available thermal analysis codes. The demonstration is accomplished by a comparison between numerical temperature predictions, with a commercially available thermal analysis code, and experimental temperature data for electrical rod heaters simulating a horizontally oriented spent fuel rod bundle

Tungsten Recovery from Spent SCR Catalyst Using Alkaline Leaching and Ion Exchange

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Cheng Wu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The recovery of tungsten (W from a honeycomb-type spent selective catalytic reduction (SCR catalyst using an alkaline leaching–ion exchange method was investigated. Spent SCR catalyst mainly consists of TiO2 and other oxides (6.37% W, 1.57% vanadium (V, and 2.81% silicon (Si, etc.. The ground catalyst was leached at the optimal conditions, as follows: NaOH concentration of 0.3 kg/kg of catalyst, pulp density of 3%, leaching temperature of 70 °C, particle size of −74 μm, and leaching time of 30 min. In this study, the leaching rate values of V and W under the above conditions were 87 wt %, and 91 wt %, respectively. The pregnant solution was then passed through a strong base anion exchange resin (Amberlite IRA900. At high pH conditions, the use of strong base anion exchange resin led to selective loading of divalent WO42− from the solution, because the fraction of two adjacent positively-charged sites on the IRA900 resin was higher and separate from the coexisting VO43−. The adsorbed W could then be eluted with 1 M NaCl + 0.5 M NaOH. The final concentrated W solution had 8.4 g/L of W with 98% purity. The application of this process in industry is expected to have an important impact on the recovery of W from secondary sources of these metals.

Spent-fuel-storage alternatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-01-01

The Spent Fuel Storage Alternatives meeting was a technical forum in which 37 experts from 12 states discussed storage alternatives that are available or are under development. The subject matter was divided into the following five areas: techniques for increasing fuel storage density; dry storage of spent fuel; fuel characterization and conditioning; fuel storage operating experience; and storage and transport economics. Nineteen of the 21 papers which were presented at this meeting are included in this Proceedings. These have been abstracted and indexed. (ATT)

Safeguards Analytical Laboratory evaluation program. Part 1. Resin bead mass spectrometry. Part 2. Results of a resin bead field experiment-Tastex-J

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, R.L.; Smith, D.H.; Carter, J.A.; Musick, W.R.; Donohue, D.L.; Deron, S.; Asakura, Y.; Kagami, K.; Irinouchi, S.; Masui, J.

1981-01-01

The first part of this report covers background of resin bead spectrometry and the new batch resin bead method. In the original technique, about ten anion resin beads in the nitrate form were exposed to the diluted sample solution. The solution was adjusted to be a 8 M HNO 3 and to have about 1 μg U per bead. Up to 48 hours of static contact between beads and solution was required for adsorption of 1 to 3 ng Pu and U per bead to be achieved. Under these conditions, contamination was a problem at reprocessing facilities. The new batch techniques reduces the risk of contamination by handling one hundred times more U in the final diluted sample which is exposed to a proportionately larger number of beads. Moreover, it only requires ten minutes adsorption time to provide about 1000 purified samples for mass spectrometry. The amounts of Pu and U adsorbed versus time were determined and results are tabulated. The second part of this report briefly summarizes results of resin bead field tests completed at the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) reprocessing plant in Tokai-mura, Japan. Both methods, the original small-sample resin bead and the batch technique, were investigated on spent fuel solutions. Beads were prepared at PNC and distributed to IAEA and ORNL along with dried residues for conventional mass spectrometric analysis at IAEA. Parallel measurements were made at PNC using their normal measuring routines. The U and Pu measurements of all resin and those of PNC are in excellent agreement for the batch method. Discrepancies were noted in the U measurements by the original method

The Influence of Volume, Temperature and Flow Rate on the of Separation Ru from IRC-50 Amberlite Resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murdani Sumarsono; Djoko Widodo

2002-01-01

It was studied Ru elution of IRC-50 amberlite resin for separating, Ru of resin bonding. The resin bonding was ion exchange result of spent fuel uranyl nitrate. In this experiment, the eluent was used 6 N HNO 3 solution the adsorption of Ru was 20 ppm and then it was eluted with 6 N HNO 3 eluent. The objective of this experiment was to determine the operation condition of elution proses that was based on the value of Ru release from its bonding as much as possible. Based on the experiment, the relative good condition were resin volume = 205 ml, elution temperature = 85 o C and the flow rate of eluent = 2 ml 6 N HNO 3 / minute and Ru as result was 93 %. (author)

Development of spent fuel remote handling technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, J. S.; Hong, H. D.; Kim, Y. H.

2001-03-01

Since the amount of the spent fuel rapidly increases, the current R and D activities are focused on the technology development related with the storage and utilization of the spent fuel. In this research, to provide such a technology, the mechanical head-end process has been developed. In detail, the swing and shock-free crane and the RCGLUD(Remote Cask Grappling and Lid Unbolting Device) were developed for the safe transportation of the spent fuel assembly, the LLW drum and the transportation cask. Also, the disassembly devices required for the head-end process were developed. This process consists of an assembly downender, a rod extractor, a rod cutter, a fuel decladding device, a skeleton compactor, a force-rectifiable manipulator for the abnormal spent fuel disassembly, and the gantry type telescopic transporter, etc. To provide reliability and safety of these devices, the 3 dimensional graphic design system is developed. In this system, the mechanical devices are modelled and their operation is simulated in the virtual environment using the graphic simulation tools. So that the performance and the operational mal-function can be investigated prior to the fabrication of the devices. All the devices are tested and verified by using the fuel prototype at the mockup facility

Past and future IAEA spent fuel management activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grigoriev, A.

1993-01-01

The main objectives and strategies of the Agency's activities in the area of spent fuel management are to promote the exchange of information between Member States on technical, safety, environmental and economic aspects of spent fuel management technology, including storage, transport and treatment of spent fuel, and to provide assistance to Member States in the planning, implementation and operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. This paper give a list of the meetings held since the last issue of the Spent Fuel Management Newsletter

CASTOR(r) and CONSTOR(r) type transport and storage casks for spent fuel and high active waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehne, B.; Sowa, W.

2002-01-01

The German company GNB has developed, tested, licensed, fabricated, loaded, transported and stored a large number of casks for spent fuel and high-level waste. CASTOR(r) casks are used at 18 sites on three continents. Spent fuel assemblies of the types PWR, BWR, VVER, RBMK, MTR and THTR as well as vitrified high active waste (HAW) containers are stored in these kinds of casks. More than 600 CASTOR(r) casks have been loaded for long-term storage. The two decades of storage have shown that the basic requirements, which are safe confinement, criticality safety, sufficient shielding and appropriate heat transfer have been fulfilled in each case. There is no indication that problems will arise in the future. Of course, the experience of 20 years has resulted in improvements of the cask design. One basic improvement is GNB's development since the mid 1990s of a sandwich cask design using heavy concrete and steel as basic materials, for economical and technical reasons. This CONSTOR(r) cask concept also fulfils all design criteria for transport and storage given by the IAEA recommendations and national authorities. By May 2002 40 CONSTOR(r) casks had been delivered and 15 had been successfully loaded and stored. In this paper the different types of casks are presented. Experiences gained during the large number of cask loadings and more than 4000 cask-years of storage will be summarised. The presentation of recent and future development shows the optimisation potential of the CASTOR(r) and CONSTOR(r) cask families for safe and economical management of spent fuel. (author)

Spent fuel management in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mineo, H.; Nomura, Y.; Sakamoto, K.

1998-01-01

In Japan 52 commercial nuclear power units are now operated, and the total power generation capacity is about 45 GWe. The cumulative amount of spent fuel arising is about 13,500 tU as of March 1997. Spent fuel is reprocessed, and recovered nuclear materials are to be recycled in LWRs and FBRs. In February 1997 short-term policy measures were announced by the Atomic Energy Commission, which addressed promotion of reprocessing programme in Rokkasho, plutonium utilization in LWRs, spent fuel management, backend measures and FBR development. With regard to the spent fuel management, the policy measures included expansion of spent fuel storage capacity at reactor sites and a study on spent fuel storage away from reactor sites, considering the increasing amount of spent fuel arising. Research and development on spent fuel storage has been carried out, particularly on dry storage technology. Fundamental studies are also conducted to implement the burnup credit into the criticality safety design of storage and transportation casks. Rokkasho reprocessing plant is being constructed towards its commencement in 2003, and Pu utilization in LWRs will be started in 1999. Research and development of future recycling technology are also continued for the establishment of nuclear fuel cycle based on FBRs and LWRs. (author)

Spent fuel's behavior under dynamic drip tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, P.A.; Buck, E.C.; Hoh, J.C.; Bates, J.K.

1995-01-01

In the potential repository at Yucca Mountain, failure of the waste package container and the cladding of the spent nuclear fuel would expose the fuel to water under oxidizing conditions. To simulate the release behavior of radionuclides from spent fuel, dynamic drip and vapor tests with spent nuclear fuel have been ongoing for 2.5 years. Rapid alteration of the spent fuel has been noted with concurrent release of radionuclides. Colloidal species containing americium and plutonium have been found in the leachate. This observation suggests that colloidal transport of radionuclides should be included in the performance assessment of a potential repository

Transport of spent nuclear fuel from the High Flux Beam Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, Michael; Carelli, Joseph; Shelton, Thomas

1997-01-01

The shipment of more than 1000 elements of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) to the Department's Savannah River Site (SRS) for long term interim storage required overcoming several significant obstacles. The project management team was comprised of DOE, BNL and NAC International personnel. This achievement involved coordinating the efforts of numerous government and contractor organizations such as the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, state and local governments, marine and motor carriers, and carrier inspectors. Unique experience was gained during development and execution of the project in the following areas: dry transfer of SNF to shipping casks; inter-modal transfers; logistics; cask licensing by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); compliance with environmental regulations; transportation plan development, and stakeholder outreach and coordination

Improvement of incineration efficiency of spent ion exchange resins on the incinerator at nuclear power plants. Manufacturing the solids of the resins mixed with paraffin wax and their incinerating test results on actual incinerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izumi, Takeshi; Ohtsu, Takashi; Inagawa, Hirofumi; Kawakami, Takashi; Hagiwara, Masahiro; Ino, Takao; Ishiyama, Yuji

2011-01-01

In nuclear power plants, ion exchange resins are used at water purification systems such as condensate demineralizers. After usage, used ion exchange resins are stored at plants as low level radioactive wastes. Ion exchange resins contain water and so, those are flame resistant materials. At present, ion exchange resins are incinerated with other inflammable materials at incinerators. Furthermore, ion exchange resins are fine particle beads and are easy to be scattered in all directions, so operators must pay attentions for treatment. Then, we have developed the new solidification system of ion exchange resins with paraffin wax. Ion exchange resins are mixed and extruded with paraffin wax and these solids are enabled to incinerate at existing incinerators. In order to demonstrate this new method, we made the large amount of solids and incinerated them at actual incinerator. From these results, we have estimated to be able to incinerate the solids only at actual incinerator. (author)

A report on the transport of MTR-type spent fuel assemblies of the Philippine Research Reactor (PRR-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshisaki, Magno B.; Leopando, Leonardo S.

1999-03-01

Fifty one (51) fuel assemblies of mixed enrichment from the Philippine Research Reactor (PRR-1), consisting of 50 spent and 1 fresh, were shipped to the United States last 14 March 1999 under the U.S. Return of Foreign Research Reactor (FRR) fuel policy. The shipment was in line with the U.S. initiative to implement its Record of Decision (ROD) which took effect on 13 May 1996 to accept and manage all FRR uranium fuel of U.S. origin and enriched in the United States. The shipment program would last10 years, ending midnight of 13 May 2006. The ROD provided a 3 year extension period within which to accept FRR spent nuclear fuel (SNF) withdrawn from reactors after 2006. The U.S. policy gave priority to the NPT significance of high enriched U, as the prime target of the return of FRR policy. Classified as a developing country, the Philippines, through the PNRI, signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy for the cost-free shipment of PRR-1 spent fuel to the United States. Spent fuel loading and transport operations to the port area lasted seven (7) days, from 8 to 14 March 1999. (Author)

Development of high-strength aluminum alloys for basket in transport and storage cask for high burn-up spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeguchi, T.; Sakaguchi, Y.; Kamiwaki, Y.; Ishii, M.; Yamamoto, T.

2004-01-01

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has developed high-strength borated aluminum alloys (high-strength B-Al alloys), suitable for application to baskets in transport and storage casks for high burn-up spent fuels. Aluminum is a suitable base material for the baskets due to its low density and high thermal conductivity. The aluminum basket would reduce weight of the cask, and effectively release heat generated by spent fuels. MHI had already developed borated aluminum alloys (high-toughness B-Al alloy), and registered them as ASME Code Case ''N-673''. However, there has been a strong demand for basket materials with higher strength in the case of MSF (Mitsubishi Spent Fuel) casks for high-burn up spent fuels, since the basket is required to stand up to higher stress at higher temperature. The high-strength basket material enables the design of a compact cask under a limitation of total size and weight. MHI has developed novel high-strength B-Al alloys which meet these requirements, based on a new manufacturing process. The outline of mechanical and metallurgical characteristics of the high-strength B-Al alloys is described in this paper

Time spent by Brazilian students in different modes of transport going to school: changes over a decade (2001-2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly Samara Silva

2014-11-01

Full Text Available To examine changes in the time spent in each mode of transportation used for going to school by gender and age among adolescents from Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Two school-based surveys were performed in 2001 (N = 5,028 and 2011 (N = 6,529 in high school students (15-19 years old. The mode of transportation (on foot; by bicycle; by bus; car/motorcycle and the time spent for commuting to school were assessed. Active commuting increased for short trips in both genders (male: 25.1% to 36.7%; female: 18.8% to 29.2% and in all ages (15-16 years: 21% to 32.7%; 17-19 years: 21.9% to 32.4%, and declined for longer trips in males (30.5% to 21.9% and in 15-16 years old students (25.7% to 34.7%. Car/motorcycle use has doubled for short trips in males (38.1% to 65.9% and in 17-19 years old students (37.7% to 62.7%, while the use of buses remained stable in both genders. Our findings contribute to discussions on public policy focusing on the design of safe environments to promote active commuting to schools, particularly to decrease the use of motorized transport for short trips.

The influence of the preparation of lignin bio-resins used in oil spilled agglomeration; A influencia do uso da lignina na preparacao de bioresinas utilizadas na aglomeracao de oleo derramado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Joao Felipe T.; Silva, Thaissa P.; Ferreira, Leticia P.; Delazare, Thais; Souza Junior, Fernando G. [Instituto de Macromoleculas Professora Eloisa Mano - IMA/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, RJ (Brazil)], e-mail: fernando_gomes@ima.ufrj.br

2011-07-01

Locate petroleum, an energy source which spent millions of years to be formed, requires a lot of knowledge and technology, beyond large investments. However, along extraction, storage or transport of oil, there is a real risk of spills take place, causing extensive damage to the environment. Experience acquired due to accidental oil spills shows the large extension of damage imposed to the environment, impacting marine life, fishing and even tourism. Thus this study proposes the use of renewable sources, aiming to create an {sup g}reen absorbent material{sup .} This material is obtained through a polycondensation among lignin, furfural and cardanol, catalyzed by a strong acid. Synthesized bio-resin presents a good chemical similarity with oil, due to the tuning of its aromatic / aliphatic compounds, producing a strong physical interaction between the resin and oil, making the agglomeration process easy and contributing for the cleanup of oil spilled on water. (author)

Status and prospects for spent fuel management in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portal, R.; L'Epine, P. de

1996-01-01

The spent fuel arisings and storage capacities, the interface between fuel storage and transportation activities, the spent fuel storage technology, the reprocessing and recycling industrial activities in France are described in the paper. (author). 6 figs, 8 tabs

Spent fuel assembly source term parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrett, P.R.; Foadian, H.; Rashid, Y.R.; Seager, K.D.; Gianoulakis, S.E.

1993-01-01

Containment of cask contents by a transport cask is a function of the cask body, one or more closure lids, and various bolting hardware, and seals associated with the cavity closure and other containment penetrations. In addition, characteristics of cask contents that impede the ability of radionuclides to move from an origin to the external environment also provide containment. In essence, multiple release barriers exist in series in transport casks, and the magnitude of the releasable activity in the cask is considerably lower than the total activity of its contents. A source term approach accounts for the magnitude of the releasable activity available in the cask by assessing the degree of barrier resistance to release provided by material characteristics and inherent barriers that impede the release of radioactive contents. Standardized methodologies for defining the spent-fuel transport packages with specified regulations have recently been developed. An essential part of applying the source term methodology involves characterizing the response of the spent fuel under regulatory conditions of transport. Thermal and structural models of the cask and fuel are analyzed and used to predict fuel rod failure probabilities. Input to these analyses and failure evaluations cover a wide range of geometrical and material properties. An important issue in the development of these models is the sensitivity of the radioactive source term generated during transport to individual parameters such as temperature and fluence level. This paper provides a summary of sensitivity analyses concentrating on the structural response and failure predictions of the spent fuel assemblies

Removal of spent fuel from the TVR reactor for reprocessing and proposals for the RA reactor spent fuel handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, E.B.; Konev, V.N.; Shvedov, O.V.; Bulkin, S.Yu; Sokolov, A.V.

2002-01-01

The 2,5 MW heavy-water moderated and cooled research reactor TVR was located at the Moscow Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics site. In 1990 the final batch of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the TVR reactor was transported for reprocessing to Production Association (PA) 'Mayak'. This transportation of the SNF was a part of TVR reactor decommissioning. The special technology and equipment was developed in order to fulfill the preparation of TVR SNF for transportation. The design of the TVR reactor and the fuel elements used are similar to the design and fuel elements of the RA reactor. Two different ways of RA spent fuel elements for transportation to reprocessing plant are considered: in aluminum barrels, and in additional cans. The experience and equipment used for the preparing TVR fuel elements for transportation can help the staff of RA reactor to find the optimal way for these technical operations. (author)