Integrated management platform of nuclear fuel storage and transportation based on RFID

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Yafeng; Ma Yanqin; Chen Liyu; Jiang Yong; Wu Jianlei; Yang Haibo; Zhang Haiyan

2012-01-01

This paper describes integrated system model to improve work efficiency and optimize control measures of nuclear fuel storage and transportation, RFID and information integration technology is introduced, traditional management processes are innovated in data acquisition and monitoring fields as well, system solutions and design model are given by emphasizing on the following key technologies: cascade protection of information system, security protocol of RFID information, algorithm of collision. (authors)

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.

Fuel cell development for transportation: Catalyst development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doddapaneni, N. [Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1996-04-01

Fuel cells are being considered as alternate power sources for transportation and stationary applications. With proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells the fuel crossover to cathodes causes severe thermal management and cell voltage drop due to oxidation of fuel at the platinized cathodes. The main goal of this project was to design, synthesize, and evaluate stable and inexpensive transition metal macrocyclic catalysts for the reduction of oxygen and be electrochemically inert towards anode fuels such as hydrogen and methanol.

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

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

Spent Fuel Management Newsletter. No. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

This Newsletter has been prepared in accordance with the recommendations of the International Regular Advisory Group on Spent Fuel Management and the Agency's programme (GC XXXII/837, Table 76, item 14). The main purpose of the Newsletter is to provide Member States with new information about the state-of-the-art in one of the most important parts of the nuclear fuel cycle - Spent Fuel Management. The contents of this publication consists of two parts: (1) IAEA Secretariat contribution -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, etc. (2) Country reports - national programmes on spent fuel management: current and planned storage and reprocessing capacities, spent fuel arisings, safety, transportation, storage, treatment of spent fuel, some aspects of uranium and plutonium recycling, etc. The IAEA expects to publish the Newsletter once every two years between the publications of the Regular Advisory Group on Spent Fuel Management. Figs and tabs

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

National briefing summaries: Nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, K.J.; Harmon, K.M.; Lakey, L.T.; Silviera, D.J.; Leigh, I.W.

1987-09-01

This report is a compilation of publicly-available information concerning the nuclear fuel cycle and radioactive waste management strategies and programs of 20 nations and three international agencies that have publicized their activities in this field. The information in this document is compiled to provide summary information on radioactive waste management activities in other countries. This document indicates what is occurring in other countries with regard to strategies, activities, and facilities. This document first presents a short overview of the activities and trends for managing low- to high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel by the entities covered in this review. This is followed by information for each country for nuclear power; fuel cycle and waste management strategy/policy; highlights and major milestones; institutional considerations/organizations; nuclear fuel production; fuel recycle; spent fuel storage and transport; waste conditioning, storage and transport; surface and near-surface waste disposal; geologic waste disposal; management of uranium mine and mill wastes; decommissioning; international; and references. 406 refs

Quality management of nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The Guide presents the quality management requirements to be complied with in the procurement, design, manufacture, transport, receipt, storage, handling and operation of nuclear fuel. The Guide also applies to control rods and shield elements to be placed in the reactor. The Guide is mainly aimed for the licensee responsible for the procurement and operation of fuel, for the fuel designer and manufacturer and for other organisations, whose activities affect fuel quality and the safety of fuel transport, storage and operation. General requirements for nuclear fuel are presented in Section 114 of the Finnish Nuclear Energy Decree and in Section 15 of the Government Decision (395/1991). Regulatory control of the safety of fuel is described in Guides YVL6.1, YVL6.2 and YVL6.3. An overview of the regulatory control of nuclear power plants carried out by STUK (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Finland) is clarified in Guide YVL1.1

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

Transport of MOX fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, I.R.; Carr, M.

1997-01-01

The regulatory framework which governs the transport of MOX fuel is set out, including packages, transport modes and security requirements. Technical requirements for the packages are reviewed and BNFL's experience in plutonium and MOX fuel transport is described. The safety of such operations and the public perception of safety are described and the question of gaining public acceptance for MOX fuel transport is addressed. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for proactive programmes to improve the public acceptance of these operations. (Author)

The Canadian fuel waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McConnell, D.B.

1986-04-01

This report is the sixth in the series of annual reports on the research and development program for the safe management and disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste. The report summarizes progress in 1984 for the following activities: storage and transportation of used fuel, immobilization of nuclear fuel waste, geotechnical research, environmental research, and environmental and safety assessment. 186 refs

Transportation fuel from plastic: Two cases of study.

Science.gov (United States)

Faussone, Gian Claudio

2018-03-01

Synthesis of liquid fuels from waste is a promising pathway for reducing the carbon footprint of transportation industry and optimizing waste management towards zero landfilling. The study of commercial plants that conduct pyrolysis of plastics from post-consumer recycled materials and directly mine from old landfills without any pre-treatment has revealed two cases that show the feasibility of manufacturing transportation fuels via these methods. Pyrolysis oil, consisting of almost 26% hydrocarbons within the gasoline range and almost 70% within the diesel range, is upgraded to transportation fuel in the existing refinery. A batch operating plant is able to deliver relatively good quality pyrolysis oil from post-consumer plastic waste, owing to the catalyst employed. Simple distillation was also evaluated as an alternative and cheaper upgrading process into transportation fuels, meeting EN590 diesel and ISO8217 marine fuel standards. Even though the two installations are outside the European Union, they represent good examples of the "circular economy" concept envisaged by the European Union via its ambitious "Circular Economy Package [1]", providing real world data for comparison with other experimental and lab results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.)

Solid oxide fuel cells for transportation: A clean, efficient alternative for propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, R.; Krumpelt, M.; Myles, K.M.

1993-01-01

Fuel cells show great promise for providing clean and efficient transportation power. Of the fuel cell propulsion systems under investigation, the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is particularly attractive for heavy duty transportation applications that have a relatively long duty cycle, such as locomotives, trucks, and barges. Advantages of the SOFC include a simple, compact system configuration; inherent fuel flexibility for hydrocarbon and alternative fuels; and minimal water management. The specific advantages of the SOFC for powering a railroad locomotive are examined. Feasibility, practicality, and safety concerns regarding SOFCs in transportation applications are discussed, as am the major R ampersand D issues

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.

Core management and fuel handling for nuclear power plants. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This Safety Guide supplements and elaborates upon the safety requirements for core management and fuel handling that are presented in Section 5 of the Safety Requirements publication on the operation of nuclear power plants. The present publication supersedes the IAEA Safety Guide on Safety Aspects of Core Management and Fuel Handling, issued in 1985 as Safety Series No. 50-SG-010. It is also related to the Safety Guide on the Operating Organization for Nuclear Power Plants, which identifies fuel management as one of the various functions to be performed by the operating organization. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations for core management and fuel handling at nuclear power plants on the basis of current international good practice. The present Safety Guide addresses those aspects of fuel management activities that are necessary in order to allow optimum reactor core operation without compromising the limits imposed by the design safety considerations relating to the nuclear fuel and the plant as a whole. In this publication, 'core management' refers to those activities that are associated with fuel management in the core and reactivity control, and 'fuel handling' refers to the movement, storage and control of fresh and irradiated fuel. Fuel management comprises both core management and fuel handling. This Safety Guide deals with fuel management for all types of land based stationary thermal neutron power plants. It describes the safety objectives of core management, the tasks that have to be accomplished to meet these objectives and the activities undertaken to perform those tasks. It also deals with the receipt of fresh fuel, storage and handling of fuel and other core components, the loading and unloading of fuel and core components, and the insertion and removal of other reactor materials. In addition, it deals with loading a transport container with irradiated fuel and its preparation for transport off the site. Transport

Core management and fuel handling for nuclear power plants. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This Safety Guide supplements and elaborates upon the safety requirements for core management and fuel handling that are presented in Section 5 of the Safety Requirements publication on the operation of nuclear power plants. The present publication supersedes the IAEA Safety Guide on Safety Aspects of Core Management and Fuel Handling, issued in 1985 as Safety Series No. 50-SG-010. It is also related to the Safety Guide on the Operating Organization for Nuclear Power Plants, which identifies fuel management as one of the various functions to be performed by the operating organization. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations for core management and fuel handling at nuclear power plants on the basis of current international good practice. The present Safety Guide addresses those aspects of fuel management activities that are necessary in order to allow optimum reactor core operation without compromising the limits imposed by the design safety considerations relating to the nuclear fuel and the plant as a whole. In this publication, 'core management' refers to those activities that are associated with fuel management in the core and reactivity control, and 'fuel handling' refers to the movement, storage and control of fresh and irradiated fuel. Fuel management comprises both core management and fuel handling. This Safety Guide deals with fuel management for all types of land based stationary thermal neutron power plants. It describes the safety objectives of core management, the tasks that have to be accomplished to meet these objectives and the activities undertaken to perform those tasks. It also deals with the receipt of fresh fuel, storage and handling of fuel and other core components, the loading and unloading of fuel and core components, and the insertion and removal of other reactor materials. In addition, it deals with loading a transport container with irradiated fuel and its preparation for transport off the site. Transport

Fuels processing for transportation fuel cell systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, R.; Ahmed, S.

Fuel cells primarily use hydrogen as the fuel. This hydrogen must be produced from other fuels such as natural gas or methanol. The fuel processor requirements are affected by the fuel to be converted, the type of fuel cell to be supplied, and the fuel cell application. The conventional fuel processing technology has been reexamined to determine how it must be adapted for use in demanding applications such as transportation. The two major fuel conversion processes are steam reforming and partial oxidation reforming. The former is established practice for stationary applications; the latter offers certain advantages for mobile systems and is presently in various stages of development. This paper discusses these fuel processing technologies and the more recent developments for fuel cell systems used in transportation. The need for new materials in fuels processing, particularly in the area of reforming catalysis and hydrogen purification, is discussed.

Transportation risks in the US nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhoads, R.E.; Andrews, W.B.

1980-01-01

Estimated risks associated with accidental releases of materials transported for each step of the nuclear fuel cycle are presented. The risk estimates include both immediate and latent fatilities caused by releases of these materials in transportation accidents. Studies of the risk of transporting yellowcake, fresh nuclear and low level wastes from the front end of the fuel cycle have not been completed. Existing information does permit estimates of the risks to be made. The estimates presented result from the very low hazards associated with release of these materials. These estimates are consistent with the results of other studies. The results show that risks from all the fuel cycle transportation steps are low. The results also indicate that the total transportation risks associated with the nuclear fuel cycle are distributed about evenly between the fuel supply end and waste management end of the cycle. Risks in the front end of the cycle result primarily from the chemical toxicity of the materials transported. The results of the risk analysis studies for transportation of nuclear fuel cycle materials are compared with the results for the three studies that have been completed for non-nuclear systems. The risk analysis methodology used in these studies identifies the complete spectrum of potential accident consequences and estimates the probability of events producing that level of consequence. The maximum number of fatalities predicted for each material is presented. A variety of risk measures have been used because of the inherent difficulties in making risk comparisons. Examination of a number of risk measures can provide additional insights and help guard against conclusions that are dependent on the way the risk information has been developed and displayed. The results indicate that the risks from transporting these materials are all relatively low in comparison to other risks in society

Spent fuel shipping costs for transportation logistics analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cole, B.M.; Cross, R.E.; Cashwell, J.W.

1983-05-01

Logistics analyses supplied to the nuclear waste management programs of the U.S. Department of Energy through the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) at Sandia National Laboratories are used to predict nuclear waste material logistics, transportation packaging demands, shipping and receiving rates and transportation-related costs for alternative strategies. This study is an in-depth analysis of the problems and contingencies associated with the costs of shipping irradiated reactor fuel. These costs are extremely variable however, and have changed frequently (sometimes monthly) during the past few years due to changes in capital, fuel, and labor costs. All costs and charges reported in this study are based on January 1982 data using existing transport cask systems and should be used as relative indices only. Actual shipping costs would be negotiable for each origin-destination combination

ENS RRFM 2005: 9th international topical meeting on research reactor fuel management. Transactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The ENS topical meeting on research reactor fuel management is an annual conference launched successfully in 1997. It has since then grown into well established international forum for the exchange and expertise on all significant aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle of research reactors. Oral presentations at this meeting were divided in the following four sessions: International Topics; Fuel Development, Qualification, Fabrication and Licensing; Reactor Operation, Fuel Safety and Core Conversion; Spent Fuel Management, Back-end Options, Transportation. The three poster sessions were devoted to fuel development, qualification, fabrication and licensing; reactor operation, fuel safety, core conversion, spent fuel; spent fuel management, fuel cycle back-end options, transportation

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.)

The transports of nuclear fuel cycle: An essential activity, safely managed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.; Savornin, B.; Curtis, H.W.

1989-01-01

Transports associated with the nuclear fuel cycle normally use public means of transport by rail, road, sea and air and it might therefore be expected that they would be the Achilles heel of the cycle from a safety point of view. In fact, despite a few minor accidents, no radioactive releases resulting in a significant exposure of the public or the environment have occurred. On the other hand, during the last quarter, the news media have reported major spillages of crude oil and chemicals of high toxicity which have jeopardized the environment, the explosion of gas tankers with dozens of fatalities, and even the sinking of a nuclear submarine. All reports show that the radiation exposure to the public resulting from transports is negligible, i.e., far below 1% of that due to the whole nuclear industry. Similarly, the radiation exposure of transport workers has been lower than anticipated over several decades. The demonstrations and attacks by opponents of the nuclear industry against transports have been limited and have been used as an attempt to freeze the activity of different plants or disposal sites, and to focus public attention on the nuclear issue, rather than to question the fuel cycle transports themselves or the safety principles ruling them. When looking for explanations of such a favorable situation, which they should endeavour to perpetuate, without being surprised if any incident occurs, one finds two major reasons: First, the awareness by the fuel cycle operators, of the vital importance of a safe and reliable implementation of the necessary transports. Secondly, the results of assessments of safety conducted by international organizations and most countries, which have resulted in detailed international recommendations, as well as uniform national and modal regulations, thus establishing the necessary link between the basic rules for radioprotection and the needs of the Transport Industry

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

The Canadian nuclear fuel waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, R.S.; Rosinger, E.L.J.

1984-04-01

This report, the fifth of a series of annual reports, reviews the progress that has been made in the research and development program for the safe management and disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste. The report summarizes activities over the past year in the following areas: public interaction; used fuel storage and transportation; immobilization of used fuel and fuel recycle waste; geoscience research related to deep underground disposal; environmental research; and environmental and safety assessment

Radioactive waste management of experimental DUPIC fuel fabrication process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, H. H.; Park, J. J.; Shin, J. M.; Yang, M. S.; Hong, K. P.

2001-01-01

The concept of DUPIC(Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel in CANDU Reactors) is a dry processing technology to manufacture CANDU compatible DUPIC fuel from spent PWR fuel material. Real spent PWR fuel was used in IMEF M6 hot cell to carry out DUPIC experiment. Afterwards, about 200 kg-U of spent PWR fuel is supposed to be used till 2006. This study has been conducted in some hot cells of PIEF and M6 cell of IMEF. There are various forms of nuclear material such as rod cut, powder, green pellet, sintered pellet, fabrication debris, fuel rod, fuel bundle, sample, and process waste produced from various manufacturing experiment of DUPIC fuel. After completing test, the above nuclear wastes and test equipment etc. will be classified as radioactive waste, transferred to storage facility and managed rigorously according to domestic and international laws until the final management policy is determined. It is desirable to review management options in advance for radioactive waste generated from manufacturing experiment of DUPIC nuclear fuel as well as residual nuclear material and dismantled equipment. This paper includes basic plan for DUPIC radwaste, arising source and estimated amount of radioactive waste, waste classification and packing, transport cask, transport procedures

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

Method of transporting fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Katsutoshi.

1979-01-01

Purpose: To enable safety transportation of fuel assemblies for FBR type reactors by surrounding each of fuel elements in a wrapper tube by a rubbery, hollow cylindrical container and by sealing medium such as air to the inside of the container. Method: A fuel element is contained in a hollow cylindrical rubber-like tube. The fuel element has an upper end plug, a lower end plug and a wire spirally wound around the outer periphery. Upon transportation of the fuel assemblies, each of the fuel elements is covered with the container and arranged in the wrapper tube and then the fuel assemblies are assembled. Then, medium such as air is sealed for each of the fuel elements by way of an opening and then the opening is tightly closed. Before loading the transported fuel assemblies in the reactor, the medium is discharged through the opening and the container is completely extracted and removed from the inside of the wrapper tube. (Seki, T.)

MOX fuel transport: the French experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchis, H.; Verdier, A.; Sanchis, H.

1999-01-01

In the back-end of the fuel cycle, several leading countries have chosen the Reprocessing, Conditioning, Recycling (RCR) option. Plutonium recycling in the form of MOX fuel is a mature industry, with successful operational experience and large-scale fabrication plants an several European countries. The COGEMA Group has developed the industrialized products to master the RCR operation including transport COGEMA subsidiary, TRANSNUCLEAIRE has been operating MOX fuel transports on an industrial scale for more than 10 years. In 1998, around 200 transports of Plutonium materials have been organised by TRANSNUCLEAIRE. These transports have been carried out by road between various facilities in Europe: reprocessing plants, manufacturing plants and power plants. The materials transported are either: PuO 2 and MOX powder; BWR and PWR MOX fuel rods; BWR and PWR MOX fuel assemblies. Because MOX fuel transport is subject to specific safety, security and fuel integrity requirements, the MOX fuel transport system implemented by TRANSNUCLEAIRE is fully dedicated. Packaging have been developed, licensed and manufactured for each kind of MOX material in compliance with relevant regulations. A fleet of vehicles qualified according to existing physical protection regulations is operated by TRANSNUCLEAIRE. TRANSNUCLEAIRE has gained a broad experience in MOX transport in 10 years. Technical and operational know-how has been developed and improved for each step: vehicles and packaging design and qualification; vehicle and packaging maintenance; transport operations. Further developments are underway to increase the payload of the packaging and to improve the transport conditions, safety and security remaining of course top priority. (authors)

PORTABLE PEM FUEL CELL SYSTEM: WATER AND HEAT MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SITI NAJIBAH ABD RAHMAN

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Portable polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM fuel cell power generator is a PEM fuel cell application that is used as an external charger to supply the demand for high energy. Different environments at various ambient temperatures and humidity levels affect the performance of PEM fuel cell power generators. Thermal and water management in portable PEM fuel cells are a critical technical barrier for the commercialization of this technology. The size and weight of the portable PEM fuel cells used for thermal and water management systems that determine the performance of portable PEM fuel cells also need to be considered. The main objective of this paper review was to determine the importance of water and thermal management systems in portable PEM fuel cells. Additionally, this review investigated heat transfer and water transport in PEM fuel cells. Given that portable PEM fuel cells with different powers require different thermal and water management systems, this review also discussed and compared management systems for low-, medium-, and high-power portable PEM fuel cells.

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)

Transport of irradiated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

In response to public interest in the transport by rail through London of containers of irradiated fuel elements on their way from nuclear power stations to Windscale, the Central Electricity Generating Board and British Rail held three information meetings in London in January 1980. One meeting was for representatives of London Borough Councils and Members of Parliament with a known interest in the subject, and the others were for press, radio and television journalists. This booklet contains the main points made by the principal speakers from the CEGB and BR. (The points covered include: brief description of the fuel cycle; effect of the fission process in producing plutonium and fission products in the fuel element; fuel transport; the fuel flasks; protection against accidents; experience of transporting fuel). (U.K.)

Comparison of spent fuel management fee collection alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, M.K.; Engel, R.L.

1979-01-01

Five alternative methods for recovering the costs of spent fuel management were evaluated. These alternatives consist of collecting the fee for various components of spent fuel management cost (AFR basin storage, transportation from AFR basin to the repository, packaging, repository, R and D, and government overhead) at times ranging from generation of power to delivery of the spent fuel to the government. The five fee collection mechanisms were analyzed to determine how well they serve the interests of the public and the electricity ratepayer

Solid fuel applications to transportation engines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rentz, Richard L.; Renner, Roy A.

1980-06-01

The utilization of solid fuels as alternatives to liquid fuels for future transportation engines is reviewed. Alternative liquid fuels will not be addressed nor will petroleum/solid fuel blends except for the case of diesel engines. With respect to diesel engines, coal/oil mixtures will be addressed because of the high interest in this specific application as a result of the large number of diesel engines currently in transportation use. Final assessments refer to solid fuels only for diesel engines. The technical assessments of solid fuels utilization for transportation engines is summarized: solid fuel combustion in transportation engines is in a non-developed state; highway transportation is not amenable to solid fuels utilization due to severe environmental, packaging, control, and disposal problems; diesel and open-cycle gas turbines do not appear worthy of further development, although coal/oil mixtures for slow speed diesels may offer some promise as a transition technology; closed-cycle gas turbines show some promise for solid fuels utilization for limited applications as does the Stirling engine for use of cleaner solid fuels; Rankine cycle engines show good potential for limited applications, such as for locomotives and ships; and any development program will require large resources and sophisticated equipment in order to advance the state-of-the-art.

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

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

Alternatives to traditional transportation fuels: An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-06-01

This report presents the first compilation by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of information on alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuel. The purpose of the report is: (1) to provide background information on alternative transportation fuels and replacement fuels compared with gasoline and diesel fuel, and (2) to furnish preliminary estimates of alternative transportation fuels and alternative fueled vehicles as required by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT), Title V, Section 503, ``Replacement Fuel Demand Estimates and Supply Information.`` Specifically, Section 503 requires the EIA to report annually on: (1) the number and type of alternative fueled vehicles in existence the previous year and expected to be in use the following year, (2) the geographic distribution of these vehicles, (3) the amounts and types of replacement fuels consumed, and (4) the greenhouse gas emissions likely to result from replacement fuel use. Alternative fueled vehicles are defined in this report as motorized vehicles licensed for on-road use, which may consume alternative transportation fuels. (Alternative fueled vehicles may use either an alternative transportation fuel or a replacement fuel.) The intended audience for the first section of this report includes the Secretary of Energy, the Congress, Federal and State agencies, the automobile manufacturing industry, the transportation fuel manufacturing and distribution industries, and the general public. The second section is designed primarily for persons desiring a more technical explanation of and background for the issues surrounding alternative transportation fuels.

Fuel element transport container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benna, P.; Neuenfeldt, W.

1979-01-01

The reprocessing system includes a large number of waterfilled ponds next to each other for the intermediate storage of fuel elements from LWR's. The fuel element transport device is allocated to a middle pond. The individual ponds are separated from each other by walls, and are only accessible from the middle pond via narrow passages. The transport device includes a telescopic running rail for a trolley with a grab device for the fuel element. The running rail is supported in turn by a second trolley, which can be moved by wheels on rails. Part of the drive of the first trolley is arranged on the second one. Using this transport device, adjacent ponds can be served through the passage openings. (DG) [de

Spent fuel management in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pattantyus, P.

1998-01-01

The current status of the Canadian Spent Fuel Management is described. This includes wet and dry interim storage, transportation issues and future plans regarding final disposal based on deep underground emplacement in stable granite rock. Extension of wet interim storage facilities is not planned, as dry storage technologies have found wide acceptance. (author)

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

Management of spent fuel from research and prototype power reactors and residues from post-irradiation examination of fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-09-01

The safe and economic management of spent fuel is important for all countries which have nuclear research or power reactors. It involves all aspects of the handling, transportation, storage, conditioning and reprocessing or final disposal of the spent fuel. In the case of spent fuel management from power reactors the shortage of available reprocessing capacity and the rising economic interest in the direct disposal of spent fuel have led to an increasing interest in the long term storage and management of spent fuel. The IAEA has played a major role in coordinating the national activities of the Member States in this area. It was against this background that the Technical Committee Meeting on ''Safe Management of Spent Fuel From Research Reactors, Prototype Power Reactors and Fuel From Commercial Power Reactors That Has Been Subjected to PIE (Post Irradiated Examination)'' (28th November - 1st December 1988) was organised. The aims of the current meeting have been to: 1. Review the state-of-the-art in the field of management of spent fuel from research and prototype power reactors, as well as the residues from post irradiation examination of commercial power reactor fuel. The emphasis was to be on the safe handling, conditioning, transportation, storage and/or disposal of the spent fuel during operation and final decommissioning of the reactors. Information was sought on design details, including shielding, criticality and radionuclide release prevention, heat removal, automation and remote control, planning and staff training; licensing and operational practices during each of the phases of spent fuel management. 2. Identify areas where additional research and development are needed. 3. Recommend areas for future international cooperation in this field. Refs, figs and tabs

Transportation of irradiated fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

A critique is presented of current methods of transporting spent nuclear fuel and the inadequacies of the associated contingency plans, with particular reference to the transportation of irradiated fuel through London. Anti-nuclear and pro-nuclear arguments are presented on a number of factors, including tests on flasks, levels of radiation exposure, routine transport arrangements and contingency arrangements. (U.K.)

Alternatives to traditional transportation fuels 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1995-01-01

In recent years, gasoline and diesel fuel have accounted for about 80 percent of total transportation fuel and nearly all of the fuel used in on-road vehicles. Growing concerns about the environmental effects of fossil fuel use and the Nation`s high level of dependence on foreign oil are providing impetus for the development of replacements or alternatives for these traditional transportation fuels. (The Energy Policy Act of 1992 definitions of {open_quotes}replacement{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}alternative{close_quotes} fuels are presented in the following box.) The Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA90) and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) are significant legislative forces behind the growth of replacement fuel use. Alternatives to Traditional Transportation Fuels 1993 provides the number of on-road alternative fueled vehicles in use in the United States, alternative and replacement fuel consumption, and information on greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production, delivery, and use of replacement fuels for 1992, 1993, and 1995.

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.

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

The verification of PWR-fuel code for PWR in-core fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surian Pinem; Tagor M Sembiring; Tukiran

2015-01-01

In-core fuel management for PWR is not easy because of the number of fuel assemblies in the core as much as 192 assemblies so many possibilities for placement of the fuel in the core. Configuration of fuel assemblies in the core must be precise and accurate so that the reactor operates safely and economically. It is necessary for verification of PWR-FUEL code that will be used in-core fuel management for PWR. PWR-FUEL code based on neutron transport theory and solved with the approach of multi-dimensional nodal diffusion method many groups and diffusion finite difference method (FDM). The goal is to check whether the program works fine, especially for the design and in-core fuel management for PWR. Verification is done with equilibrium core search model at three conditions that boron free, 1000 ppm boron concentration and critical boron concentration. The result of the average burn up fuel assemblies distribution and power distribution at BOC and EOC showed a consistent trend where the fuel with high power at BOC will produce a high burn up in the EOC. On the core without boron is obtained a high multiplication factor because absence of boron in the core and the effect of fission products on the core around 3.8 %. Reactivity effect at 1000 ppm boron solution of BOC and EOC is 6.44 % and 1.703 % respectively. Distribution neutron flux and power density using NODAL and FDM methods have the same result. The results show that the verification PWR-FUEL code work properly, especially for core design and in-core fuel management for PWR. (author)

CNG: a potential transport fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is an alternative transport fuel. Advantages of its use are briefly described. Infra structural requirements, if it is to be used in India are outlined. Applications of CNG as transport fuel for buses and trucks in India are discussed. (P.R.K.). 5 refs

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

The Canadian nuclear fuel waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, R.S.

1984-12-01

The Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program involves research into the storage and transportation of used nuclear fuel, immobilization of fuel waste, and deep geological disposal of the immobilized waste. The program is now in the fourth year of a ten-year generic research and development phase. The objective of this phase of the program is to assess the safety and environmental aspects of the deep underground disposal of immobilized fuel waste in plutonic rock. The objectives of the research for each component of the program and the progress made to the end of 1983 are described in this report

Specific transport and storage solutions: Waste management facing current and future stakes of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deniau, Helene; Gagner, Laurent; Gendreau, Francoise; Presta, Anne

2006-01-01

With major projects ongoing or being planned, and also with the daily management of radioactive waste from nuclear facilities, the role of transport and/or storage packaging has been often overlooked. Indeed, the packaging development process and transport solutions implemented are a key part of the waste management challenge: protection of people and environment. During over four decades, the AREVA Group has developed a complete and coherent system for the transport of waste produced by nuclear industries. The transport solutions integrate the factors to consider, as industrial transportation needs, various waste forms, associated hazards and current regulations. Thus, COGEMA LOGISTICS has designed, licensed and manufactured a large number of different transport, storage and dual purpose cask models for residues and all kinds of radioactive wastes. The present paper proposes to illustrate how a company acting both as a cask designer and a carrier is key to the waste management issue and how it can support the waste management policy of nuclear producers through their operational choices. We will focus on the COGEMA LOGISTICS technical solutions implemented to guarantee safe and secure transportation and storage solutions. We will describe different aspects of the cask design process, insisting on how it enables to fulfill both customer needs and regulation requirements. We will also mention the associated services developed by the AREVA Business Unit Logistics (COGEMA LOGISTICS, TRANSNUCLEAR, MAINCO, and LEMARECHAL CELESTIN) in order to manage transportation of liquid and solid waste towards interim or final storage sites. The paper has the following contents: About radioactive waste; - Radioactive waste classification; - High level activity waste and long-lived intermediate level waste; - Long-lived low level waste; - Short-lived low- and intermediate level waste; - Very low level waste; - The radioactive waste in nuclear fuel cycle; - Packaging design and

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

Cost reductions of fuel cells for transport applications: fuel processing options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teagan, W P; Bentley, J; Barnett, B [Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)

1998-03-15

The highly favorable efficiency/environmental characteristics of fuel cell technologies have now been verified by virtue of recent and ongoing field experience. The key issue regarding the timing and extent of fuel cell commercialization is the ability to reduce costs to acceptable levels in both stationary and transport applications. It is increasingly recognized that the fuel processing subsystem can have a major impact on overall system costs, particularly as ongoing R and D efforts result in reduction of the basic cost structure of stacks which currently dominate system costs. The fuel processing subsystem for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology, which is the focus of transport applications, includes the reformer, shift reactors, and means for CO reduction. In addition to low cost, transport applications require a fuel processor that is compact and can start rapidly. This paper describes the impact of factors such as fuel choice operating temperature, material selection, catalyst requirements, and controls on the cost of fuel processing systems. There are fuel processor technology paths which manufacturing cost analyses indicate are consistent with fuel processor subsystem costs of under $150/kW in stationary applications and $30/kW in transport applications. As such, the costs of mature fuel processing subsystem technologies should be consistent with their use in commercially viable fuel cell systems in both application categories. (orig.)

Transport and reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenail, B.

1981-01-01

This contribution deals with transport and packaging of oxide fuel from and to the Cogema reprocessing plant at La Hague (France). After a general discussion of nuclear fuel and the fuel cycle, the main aspects of transport and reprocessing of oxide fuel are analysed. (Auth.)

Fuel cell water transport

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderborgh, Nicholas E.; Hedstrom, James C.

1990-01-01

The moisture content and temperature of hydrogen and oxygen gases is regulated throughout traverse of the gases in a fuel cell incorporating a solid polymer membrane. At least one of the gases traverses a first flow field adjacent the solid polymer membrane, where chemical reactions occur to generate an electrical current. A second flow field is located sequential with the first flow field and incorporates a membrane for effective water transport. A control fluid is then circulated adjacent the second membrane on the face opposite the fuel cell gas wherein moisture is either transported from the control fluid to humidify a fuel gas, e.g., hydrogen, or to the control fluid to prevent excess water buildup in the oxidizer gas, e.g., oxygen. Evaporation of water into the control gas and the control gas temperature act to control the fuel cell gas temperatures throughout the traverse of the fuel cell by the gases.

Estimating road transport fuel consumption in Ecuador

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sierra, Jaime Cevallos

2016-01-01

Road transport is one of the sectors with highest energy consumptions in the planet, with large dependence of fossil fuels, and contribution for global greenhouse gas emissions. Although, Latin America is not a high-energy consumer, its share in global consumption is expected to grow, especially in the transportation sector. This make essential for developing countries the adoption of better policies to identify the vehicle groups with largest fuel demands. The present study describes the VKT technique to disaggregate road transport energy consumption by vehicle type, applied to the road transportation system of Ecuador. It also describes the procedures performed to estimate the variables required to run the model, and some of the practical applications that be used to create public policies. Results show as the biggest fuel consumers the heavy-duty freight cargo, followed by light duty vehicles. The estimation of greenhouse gas emissions evidence that road transport released 14.3 million tons of CO_2 in 2012. When fuel consumption is compared by it costs, it can be confirmed that Ecuadorean Government covered, through subsidies, for 68% of the annual fuel costs of national road transport, demonstrating the importance of restructuring these expenditures in order to achieve an efficient road transport system. - Highlights: •The vehicle-kilometers traveled has been estimated from local info. •The fuel economy has been calculated from national and international data. •The groups with higher fuel consumption has been located. •The fuel-type dependency has been estimated for each vehicle group. •Greenhouse gas emission, and fuel costs, has been estimated for local road transport.

Methods of producing transportation fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Vijay [Katy, TX; Roes, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria [Houston, TX; Cherrillo, Ralph Anthony [Houston, TX; Bauldreay, Joanna M [Chester, GB

2011-12-27

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one method for producing transportation fuel is described herein. The method for producing transportation fuel may include providing formation fluid having a boiling range distribution between -5.degree. C. and 350.degree. C. from a subsurface in situ heat treatment process to a subsurface treatment facility. A liquid stream may be separated from the formation fluid. The separated liquid stream may be hydrotreated and then distilled to produce a distilled stream having a boiling range distribution between 150.degree. C. and 350.degree. C. The distilled liquid stream may be combined with one or more additives to produce transportation fuel.

Transport of MOX fuel from Europe to Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The MOX fuel transports from Europe to Japan represent a main part in the implementing of the Japan nuclear program. They complement the 160 transports of spent fuels realized from Japan to Europe and the vitrified residues return from France to Japan. In this framework the document presents the MOX fuel, the use of the MOX fuel in reactor, the proliferation risks, the MOX fuel transport to Japan, the public health, the transport regulations, the safety and the civil liability. (A.L.B.)

PEM fuel cells thermal and water management fundamentals

CERN Document Server

Wang, Yun; Cho, Sung Chan

2014-01-01

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells convert chemical energy in hydrogen into electrical energy with water as the only by-product. Thus, PEM fuel cells hold great promise to reduce both pollutant emissions and dependency on fossil fuels, especially for transportation-passenger cars, utility vehicles, and buses-and small-scale stationary and portable power generators. But one of the greatest challenges to realizing the high efficiency and zero emissions potential of PEM fuel cells technology is heat and water management. This book provides an introduction to the essential concepts for effective thermal and water management in PEM fuel cells and an assessment on the current status of fundamental research in this field. The book offers you: An overview of current energy and environmental challenges and their imperatives for the development of renewable energy resources, including discussion of the role of PEM fuel cells in addressing these issues; Reviews of basic principles pertaining to PEM fuel cel...

An assessment of the transportation costs of shipping non-fuel assembly hardware to FWMS facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shappert, L.B.; Joy, D.S.; Johnson, P.E.; Danese, F.L.; Best, R.E.

1991-01-01

This study examines the cost of using Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Initiative I casks for transporting 62,700 MTU of spent fuel plus associated non-fuel assembly hardware (NFAH) between reactor sites and either a monitored retrievable storage (MRS) or a repository facility. The study further considers the benefits of increasing the cell size of the Initiative I BWR cask baskets to accommodate the fuel plus channels (which also would decrease the capacity of the cask to carry BWR fuel without channels) and the use of a commercial, non-spent-fuel cask to carry compacted NFAH that could not be shipped integrally. Costs that are developed involve transportation charges, capital costs for casks, and canning costs of NFAH that have been separated from the fuel. The results indicate that significant cost savings are possible if NFAH is accepted into the Federal Waste Management System (FWMS) that is either integral with the spent fuel, or consolidated if it has been separated. Shipment of unconsolidated NFAH is very expensive. Transportation costs for shipping to a western repository are approximately 50 to 75% higher than the costs for shipping to an eastern MRS

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 Studies and Modeling in PEM Fuel Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mittelsteadt, Cortney K. [Giner, Inc., Auburndale, MA (United States); Xu, Hui [Giner, Inc., Auburndale, MA (United States); Brawn, Shelly [Giner, Inc., Auburndale, MA (United States)

2014-07-30

was not achieved. We have simulated fuel cell performance, current distribution and water distribution at various values of the water uptake, membrane diffusivity, and electro-osmotic drag coefficient (EODC) and compared modeling results with segmented-cell data for both serpentine and parallel flow-fields. We have developed iterations of fuel cell flow fields to achieve specific water transport and thermal management targets. This work demonstrated the importance of membrane diffusivity on fuel cell performance, the necessity of a high membrane diffusion coefficient, and the desirability of a low EODC at low levels of relative humidity.

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)

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)

Phenomena in thermal transport in fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernatynskiy, A.; Tulenko, J.S.; Phillpot, S.R.; El-Azab, A.

2015-01-01

Thermal transport in nuclear fuels is a key performance metric that affects not only the power output, but is also an important consideration in potential accident situations. While the fundamental theory of the thermal transport in crystalline solids was extensively developed in the 1950's and 1960's, the pertinent analytic approaches contained significant simplifications of the physical processes. While these approaches enabled estimates of the thermal conductivity in bulk materials with microstructure, they were not comprehensive enough to provide the detailed guidance needed for the in-pile fuel performance. Rather, this guidance has come from data painfully accumulated over 50 years of experiments on irradiated uranium dioxide, the most widely used nuclear fuel. At this point, a fundamental theoretical understanding of the interplay between the microstructure and thermal conductivity of irradiated uranium dioxide fuel is still lacking. In this chapter, recent advances are summarised in the modelling approaches for thermal transport of uranium dioxide fuel. Being computational in nature, these modelling approaches can, at least in principle, describe in detail virtually all mechanisms affecting thermal transport at the atomistic level, while permitting the coupling of the atomistic-level simulations to the mesoscale continuum theory and thus enable the capture of the impact of microstructural evolution in fuel on thermal transport. While the subject of current studies is uranium dioxide, potential applications of the methods described in this chapter extend to the thermal performance of other fuel forms. (authors)

Fuel Mix Impacts from Transportation Fuel Carbon Intensity Standards in Multiple Jurisdictions

Science.gov (United States)

Witcover, J.

2017-12-01

Fuel carbon intensity standards have emerged as an important policy in jurisdictions looking to target transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for reduction. A carbon intensity standard rates transportation fuels based on analysis of lifecycle GHG emissions, and uses a system of deficits and tradable, bankable credits to reward increased use of fuels with lower carbon intensity ratings while disincentivizing use of fuels with higher carbon intensity ratings such as conventional fossil fuels. Jurisdictions with carbon intensity standards now in effect include California, Oregon, and British Columbia, all requiring 10% reductions in carbon intensity of the transport fuel pool over a 10-year period. The states and province have committed to grow demand for low carbon fuels in the region as part of collaboration on climate change policies. Canada is developing a carbon intensity standard with broader coverage, for fuels used in transport, industry, and buildings. This study shows a changing fuel mix in affected jurisdictions under the policy in terms of shifting contribution of transportation energy from alternative fuels and trends in shares of particular fuel pathways. It contrasts program designs across the jurisdictions with the policy, highlights the opportunities and challenges these pose for the alternative fuel market, and discusses the impact of having multiple policies alongside federal renewable fuel standards and sometimes local carbon pricing regimes. The results show how the market has responded thus far to a policy that incentivizes carbon saving anywhere along the supply chain at lowest cost, in ways that diverged from a priori policy expectations. Lessons for the policies moving forward are discussed.

Transport fuel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ronsse, Frederik; Jørgensen, Henning; Schüßler, Ingmar

2014-01-01

Worldwide, the use of transport fuel derived from biomass increased four-fold between 2003 and 2012. Mainly based on food resources, these conventional biofuels did not achieve the expected emission savings and contributed to higher prices for food commod - ities, especially maize and oilseeds...

The planning and management system of the low level radioactive waste transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K.; Yoshida, K.; Miyamoto, J.; Sanui, T.; Noura, T.; Kitanishi, K.; Nara, S.

1993-01-01

Nuclear Fuel Transport Co, Ltd. (hereafter called NFT) was the first in Japan to transport low-level radioactive waste (LLW). It is now engaged in preparatory operations with the slogan 'Improved Safety and Reliability' and is introducing advanced mechanization systems to provide safety and reliability in software management such as transportation planning and transportation information management. The following is an introduction of these systems, which provide overall support in transportation planning determination and transportation management operations related to the LLW transportation cycle. (J.P.N.)

Inspection of nuclear fuel transport in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobo Mendez, J.

1977-01-01

The experience acquired in inspecting nuclear fuel shipments carried out in Spain will serve as a basis for establishing the regulations wich must be adhered to for future transports, as the transport of nuclear fuels in Spain will increase considerably within the next years as a result of the Spanish nuclear program. The experience acquired in nuclear fuel transport inspection is described. (author) [es

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

Transport device for nuclear fuel powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adelmann, M.

1987-01-01

The transport device for nuclear fuel powder, which does not disintegrate during transport, has a transport pipe which starts with its entry end from the floor or a closed container and opens with its outlet end at the top into a closed separation container connect via a powder filter to a suction pump. By alternate regular opening and closing of a first control valve for transport gas fitted to a transport pipe to a supply duct and a second control valve for transport gas fitted to the container to an additional supply duct, alternating plugs of nuclear fuel powder and transport gas cushions are formed and are transported to the outlet end of the transport pipe. (orig./HP) [de

Sustainable Transportation: Accelerating Widespread Adoption of Energy Efficient Vehicles & Fuels (Brochure)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2014-12-01

While energy efficient transportation strategies have the potential to simultaneously slash oil consumption and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a truly sustainable solution will require more than just putting drivers behind the wheels of new fuel-efficient cars. As the only national laboratory dedicated 100% to renewable energy and energy efficiency, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) accelerates widespread adoption of high-performance, low-emission, energy-efficient passenger and freight vehicles, as well as alternative fuels and related infrastructure. Researchers collaborate closely with industry, government, and research partners, using a whole-systems approach to design better batteries, drivetrains, and engines, as well as thermal management, energy storage, power electronic, climate control, alternative fuel, combustion, and emission systems. NREL's sustainable transportation research, development, and deployment (RD&D) efforts are not limited to vehicles, roads, and fueling stations. The lab also explores ways to save energy and reduce GHGs by integrating transportation technology advancements with renewable energy generation, power grids and building systems, urban planning and policy, and fleet operations.

Alternatives to traditional transportation fuels 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-01

Interest in alternative transportation fuels (ATF`s) has increased in recent years due to the drives for cleaner air and less dependence upon foreign oil. This report, Alternatives to Traditional Transportation Fuels 1996, provides information on ATFs, as well as the vehicles that consume them.

Multi-fuel reformers for fuel cells used in transportation. Phase 1: Multi-fuel reformers

Science.gov (United States)

1994-05-01

DOE has established the goal, through the Fuel Cells in Transportation Program, of fostering the rapid development and commercialization of fuel cells as economic competitors for the internal combustion engine. Central to this goal is a safe feasible means of supplying hydrogen of the required purity to the vehicular fuel cell system. Two basic strategies are being considered: (1) on-board fuel processing whereby alternative fuels such as methanol, ethanol or natural gas stored on the vehicle undergo reformation and subsequent processing to produce hydrogen, and (2) on-board storage of pure hydrogen provided by stationary fuel processing plants. This report analyzes fuel processor technologies, types of fuel and fuel cell options for on-board reformation. As the Phase 1 of a multi-phased program to develop a prototype multi-fuel reformer system for a fuel cell powered vehicle, the objective of this program was to evaluate the feasibility of a multi-fuel reformer concept and to select a reforming technology for further development in the Phase 2 program, with the ultimate goal of integration with a DOE-designated fuel cell and vehicle configuration. The basic reformer processes examined in this study included catalytic steam reforming (SR), non-catalytic partial oxidation (POX) and catalytic partial oxidation (also known as Autothermal Reforming, or ATR). Fuels under consideration in this study included methanol, ethanol, and natural gas. A systematic evaluation of reforming technologies, fuels, and transportation fuel cell applications was conducted for the purpose of selecting a suitable multi-fuel processor for further development and demonstration in a transportation application.

Spent fuel management in China: Current status and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, J.L.

1998-01-01

In this paper, the development of nuclear power in China, its status of operating nuclear power plants and progress of on-going NPP projects are described. With the arising of spent fuel from NPPs, a national policy of a closed nuclear fuel cycle has been determined. Following storage at reactor sites for at least 5 years (generally maximum 10 years), spent fuel will be transferred to an away-from-reactor pool type centralized storage facility. Adjacent to the storage facility, a multi-purpose reprocessing pilot plant will be set up by the end of this century. An industrial scale reprocessing plant would be succeeded around the year 2020. China's spent fuel management activities include at-reactor storage, transportation, away-from-reactor storage and reprocessing. Relatively detailed description of the work done up to now on spent fuel management and plans for the future are described. It should be noted that activities related to the management of high level radioactive waste are not included here. (author)

Data requirements and maintenance of records for spent fuel management: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-11-01

Data collection and maintenance are an essential part of activities required in the lifetime management of spent fuel. Key data on spent fuel are required from the earliest phase of any project. To allow informed decisions for spent fuel management to be made, the data need to be maintained throughout the lifetime of spent fuel management including storage, transport, reprocessing or disposal. This publication is intended to provide a state-of-the-art review of spent fuel data management, including what data need to be gathered for the relevant activities in spent fuel management and how to maintain them by the responsible bodies at various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. It provides some insights on a rational approach to spent fuel data management, considering the common requirements involved in spent fuel management for any Member State. In this regard, the information provided in these sections is mostly generic. After the introductory Section 1 and the Section 2 on data requirements for spent fuel management, Section 3 examines technical parameters that could specify spent fuel characteristics and associated conditions, followed by Section 4 on life cycle management of spent fuel data which includes the maintenance of records and other issues. Finally, some specific examples of the approaches already developed by a number of utilities and national organisations to characterise and track their spent-fuel data are presented in the Annex

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

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)

Effects of fueling profiles on plasma transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houlberg, W.A.; Mense, A.T.; Attenberger, S.E.; Milora, S.L.

1977-01-01

The effects of cold particle fueling profiles on particle and energy transport in an ignition sized tokamak plasma are investigated in this study with a one-dimensional, multifluid transport model. A density gradient driven trapped particle microinstability model for plasma transport is used to demonstrate potential effects of fueling profiles on ignition requirements. Important criteria for the development of improved transport models under the conditions of shallow particle fueling profiles are outlined. A discrete pellet fueling model indicates that large fluctuations in density and temperature may occur in the outer regions of the plasma with large, shallowly penetrating pellets, but fluctuations in the pressure profile are small. The hot central core of the plasma remains unaffected by the large fluctuations near the plasma edge

Multi-purpose container technologies for spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-12-01

The management of spent nuclear fuel is an integral part of the nuclear fuel cycle. Spent fuel management resides in the back end of the fuel cycle, and is not revenue producing as electric power generation is. It instead results in a cost associated power generation. It is a major consideration in the nuclear power industry today. Because technologies, needs and circumstances vary from country to country, there is no single, standardized approach to spent fuel management. The projected cumulative amount of spent fuel generated worldwide by 2010 will be 330 000 t HM. When reprocessing is accounted for, that amount is likely to be reduced to 215 000 t HM, which is still more than twice as much as the amount now in storage. Considering the limited capacity of at-reactor (AR) storage, various technologies are being developed for increasing storage capacities. At present, many countries are developing away-from-reactor (AFR) storage in the form of pool storage or as dry storage. Further these AFR storage systems may be at-reactor sites or away-from-reactor sites (e.g. centrally located interim storage facilities, serving several reactors). The dry storage technologies being developed are varied and include vaults, horizontal concrete modules, concrete casks, and metal casks. The review of the interim storage plans of several countries indicates that the newest approaches being pursued for spent fuel management use dual-purpose and multi-purpose containers. These containers are envisaged to hold several spent fuel assemblies, and be part of the transport, storage, and possibly geological disposal systems of an integrated spent fuel management system

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

ALGORITHMS FOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN THE INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey Borisovich Nikolaev

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Traffic jams interfere with the drivers and cost billions of dollars per year and lead to a substantial increase in fuel consumption. In order to avoid such problems the paper describes the algorithms for traffic management in intelligent transportation system, which collects traffic information in real time and is able to detect and manage congestion on the basis of this information. The results show that the proposed algorithms reduce the average travel time, emissions and fuel consumption. In particular, travel time has decreased by about 23%, the average fuel consumption of 9%, and the average emission of 10%.

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

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

An economic analysis of transportation fuel policies in Brazil: Fuel choice, land use, and environmental impacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuñez, Hector M.; Önal, Hayri

2016-01-01

Brazil uses taxes, subsidies, and blending mandates as policy instruments to manage and stabilize its transportation fuel markets. The fuel sector has been very dynamic in recent years due to frequent policy adjustments and variable market conditions. In this paper, we use a price endogenous economic simulation model to analyze the impacts of such policy adjustments under various challenging conditions in the global ethanol and sugar markets. Our analysis specifically focuses on Brazilian producers' supply responses, consumers' driving demand and fuel choice, ethanol trade, land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and social welfare. The model results show that (i) under a low ethanol blending rate, conventional vehicles would be driven significantly less while flex-fuel and ethanol-dedicated vehicles would not be affected significantly; (ii) lowering the fuel taxes adversely affects the competitiveness of sugarcane ethanol against gasoline blends, thus lowering producers' surplus; and (iii) while a reduction in fuel taxes is advantageous in terms of overall social welfare, it has serious environmental impacts by increasing the GHG emissions from transportation fuels consumed in Brazil. - Highlights: • We examine the economic and environmental impacts of Brazilian fuel policies. • We also analyze impacts under different sugar and ethanol markets conditions. • Lowering blending rate reduces distance driven by conventional cars. • Lowering fuel tax rates affects competitiveness of ethanol against gasoline blend. • Reducing fuel tax rates has dramatic environmental impacts by increasing emissions.

In-core fuel management code package validation for BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-12-01

The main goal of the present CRP (Coordinated Research Programme) was to develop benchmarks which are appropriate to check and improve the fuel management computer code packages and their procedures. Therefore, benchmark specifications were established which included a set of realistic data for running in-core fuel management codes. Secondly, the results of measurements and/or operating data were also provided to verify and compare with these parameters as calculated by the in-core fuel management codes or code packages. For the BWR it was established that the Mexican Laguna Verde 1 BWR would serve as the model for providing data on the benchmark specifications. It was decided to provide results for the first 2 cycles of Unit 1 of the Laguna Verde reactor. The analyses of the above benchmarks are performed in two stages. In the first stage, the lattice parameters are generated as a function of burnup at different voids and with and without control rod. These lattice parameters form the input for 3-dimensional diffusion theory codes for over-all reactor analysis. The lattice calculations were performed using different methods, such as, Monte Carlo, 2-D integral transport theory methods. Supercell Model and transport-diffusion model with proper correction for burnable absorber. Thus the variety of results should provide adequate information for any institute or organization to develop competence to analyze In-core fuel management codes. 15 refs, figs and tabs

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.)

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)

MANAGEMENT OF RESEARCH AND TEST REACTOR ALUMINUM SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL - A TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vinson, D.

2010-07-11

The Department of Energy's Environmental Management (DOE-EM) Program is responsible for the receipt and storage of aluminum research reactor spent nuclear fuel or used fuel until ultimate disposition. Aluminum research reactor used fuel is currently being stored or is anticipated to be returned to the U.S. and stored at DOE-EM storage facilities at the Savannah River Site and the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. This paper assesses the technologies and the options for safe transportation/receipt and interim storage of aluminum research reactor spent fuel and reviews the comprehensive strategy for its management. The U.S. Department of Energy uses the Appendix A, Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Criteria, to identify the physical, chemical, and isotopic characteristics of spent nuclear fuel to be returned to the United States under the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program. The fuel is further evaluated for acceptance through assessments of the fuel at the foreign sites that include corrosion damage and handleability. Transport involves use of commercial shipping casks with defined leakage rates that can provide containment of the fuel, some of which are breached. Options for safe storage include wet storage and dry storage. Both options must fully address potential degradation of the aluminum during the storage period. This paper focuses on the various options for safe transport and storage with respect to technology maturity and application.

Transportation fuels of the future?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piel, W.J.

2001-01-01

Society is putting more emphasis on the mobile transportation sector to achieve future goals of sustainability and a cleaner environment. To achieve these goals, does society need to jump to a new combination of fuel and vehicle technology or can we just continue to improve on the current fuels and drive train technology that has powered us the past 70 or more years? Do we need to move to more exotic energy conversion technology (fuel cell vehicles?), or can improving fuel properties further allow us to continue using combustion engines to power our vehicles? What fuel properties can still be improved in gasoline and diesel? Besides removing sulfur, should there be less aromatics in fuels? Should aromatics be eliminated? Is there a role for oxygenates in gasoline and diesel? Do blending oxygenates in fuels help or hinder in achieving the environmental goals? Can we and should we reduce our dependency on crude oil for transportation energy? Why have not the previous government-sponsored Alternative Fuel programs displaced crude oil? The marketplace will determine which fuel and vehicle technology combination will eventually be used in the future. Does the information we know today give us insight to this future? This paper will attempt to address some of the key issues and questions on the role fuels may play in that marketplace decision

Fuels and Combustion | Transportation Research | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Fuels and Combustion Fuels and Combustion This is the March 2015 issue of the Transportation and , combustion strategy, and engine design hold the potential to maximize vehicle energy efficiency and performance of low-carbon fuels in internal combustion engines with a whole-systems approach to fuel chemistry

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

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

Analysis of radwaste material management options for experimental DUPIC fuel fabrication process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, H. H.; Park, J. J.; Yang, M. S.; Kim, K. H.; Shin, J. M.; Lee, H. S.; Ko, W. I.; Lee, J. W.; Yim, S. P.; Hong, D. H.; Lee, J. Y.; Baik, S. Y.; Song, W. S.; Yoo, B. O.; Lee, E. P.; Kang, I. S. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2000-03-01

This report is desirable to review management options in advance for radioactive waste generated from manufacturing experiment of DUPIC nuclear fuel as well as residual nuclear material and dismantled equipment. This report was written for helping researchers working in related facilities to DUPIC project understanding management of DUPIC radioactive waste as well as fellows in DUPIC project. Also, it will be used as basic material to prove transparency and safeguardability of DUPIC fuel cycle. In order to meet these purposes, this report includes basic experiment plan for manufacturing DUPIC nuclear fuel, outlines for DUPIC manufacturing facility and equipment, arising source and estimated amount of radioactive waste, waste classification and packing, transport cask, transport procedures. 15 refs., 31 figs., 11 tabs. (Author)

BNFL's experience in the sea transport of irradiated research reactor fuel to the USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudson, I.A.; Porter, I.

2000-01-01

BNFL provides worldwide transport for a wide range of nuclear materials. BNFL Transport manages an unique fleet of vessels, designed, built, and operated to the highest safety standards, including the highest rating within the INF Code recommended by the International Maritime Organisation. The company has some 20 years of experience of transporting irradiated research reactor fuel in support of the United States' programme for returning US obligated fuel from around the world. Between 1977 and 1988 BNFL performed 11 shipments of irradiated research reactor fuel from the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute to the US. Since 1997, a further 3 shipments have been performed as part of an ongoing programme for Japanese research reactor operators. Where possible, shipments of fuel from European countries such as Sweden and Spain have been combined with those from Japan for delivery to the US. (author)

Managing aging effects on dry cask storage systems for extended long-term storage and transportation of used fuel - rev. 0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chopra, O.K.; Diercks, D.; Fabian, R.; Ma, D.; Shah, V.; Tam, S.W.; Liu, Y. (Decision and Information Sciences); ( EVS); ( NE)

2012-07-06

The cancellation of the Yucca Mountain repository program in the United States raises the prospect of extended long-term storage (i.e., >120 years) and deferred transportation of used fuel at operating and decommissioned nuclear power plant sites. Under U.S. federal regulations contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 72.42, the initial license term for an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) must not exceed 40 years from the date of issuance. Licenses may be renewed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the expiration of the license term upon application by the licensee for a period not to exceed 40 years. Application for ISFSI license renewals must include the following: (1) Time-limited aging analyses (TLAAs) that demonstrate that structures, systems, and components (SSCs) important to safety will continue to perform their intended function for the requested period of extended operation; and (2) a description of the aging management program (AMP) for management of issues associated with aging that could adversely affect SSCs important to safety. In addition, the application must also include design bases information as documented in the most recent updated final safety analysis report as required by 10 CFR 72.70. Information contained in previous applications, statements, or reports filed with the Commission under the license may be incorporated by reference provided that those references are clear and specific. The NRC has recently issued the Standard Review Plan (SRP) for renewal of used-fuel dry cask storage system (DCSS) licenses and Certificates of Compliance (CoCs), NUREG-1927, under which NRC may renew a specific license or a CoC for a term not to exceed 40 years. Both the license and the CoC renewal applications must contain revised technical requirements and operating conditions (fuel storage, surveillance and maintenance, and other requirements) for the ISFSI and DCSS that address aging effects that

DOE perspective on fuel cells in transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kost, R.

1996-04-01

Fuel cells are one of the most promising technologies for meeting the rapidly growing demand for transportation services while minimizing adverse energy and environmental impacts. This paper reviews the benefits of introducing fuel cells into the transportation sector; in addition to dramatically reduced vehicle emissions, fuel cells offer the flexibility than use petroleum-based or alternative fuels, have significantly greater energy efficiency than internal combustion engines, and greatly reduce noise levels during operation. The rationale leading to the emphasis on proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells for transportation applications is reviewed as are the development issues requiring resolution to achieve adequate performance, packaging, and cost for use in automobiles. Technical targets for power density, specific power, platinum loading on the electrodes, cost, and other factors that become increasingly more demanding over time have been established. Fuel choice issues and pathways to reduced costs and to a renewable energy future are explored. One such path initially introduces fuel cell vehicles using reformed gasoline while-on-board hydrogen storage technology is developed to the point of allowing adequate range (350 miles) and refueling convenience. This scenario also allows time for renewable hydrogen production technologies and the required supply infrastructure to develop. Finally, the DOE Fuel Cells in Transportation program is described. The program, whose goal is to establish the technology for fuel cell vehicles as rapidly as possible, is being implemented by means of the United States Fuel Cell Alliance, a Government-industry alliance that includes Detroit`s Big Three automakers, fuel cell and other component suppliers, the national laboratories, and universities.

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology for transportation applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swathirajan, S. [General Motors R& D Center, Warren, MI (United States)

1996-04-01

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells are extremely promising as future power plants in the transportation sector to achieve an increase in energy efficiency and eliminate environmental pollution due to vehicles. GM is currently involved in a multiphase program with the US Department of Energy for developing a proof-of-concept hybrid vehicle based on a PEM fuel cell power plant and a methanol fuel processor. Other participants in the program are Los Alamos National Labs, Dow Chemical Co., Ballard Power Systems and DuPont Co., In the just completed phase 1 of the program, a 10 kW PEM fuel cell power plant was built and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating a methanol fuel processor with a PEM fuel cell stack. However, the fuel cell power plant must overcome stiff technical and economic challenges before it can be commercialized for light duty vehicle applications. Progress achieved in phase I on the use of monolithic catalyst reactors in the fuel processor, managing CO impurity in the fuel cell stack, low-cost electrode-membrane assembles, and on the integration of the fuel processor with a Ballard PEM fuel cell stack will be presented.

Remote technology applications in spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-03-01

Spent fuel management has become a prospective area for application of remote technology in recent years with a steadily growing inventory of spent fuel arising from nuclear power production. A remark that could be made from the review of technical information collected from the IAEA meetings was that remote technology in spent fuel management has matured well through the past decades of industrial experiences. Various remote technologies have been developed and applied in the past for facility operation and maintenance work in spent fuel examination, storage, transportation, reprocessing and radioactive waste treatment, among others, with significant accomplishments in dose reduction to workers, enhancement of reliability, etc. While some developmental activities are continuing for more advanced applications, industrial practices have made use of simple and robust designs for most of the remote systems technology applications to spent fuel management. In the current state of affairs, equipment and services in remote technology are available in the market for applications to most of the projects in spent fuel management. It can be concluded that the issue of critical importance in remote systems engineering is to make an optimal selection of technology and equipment that would best satisfy the as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) requirements in terms of relevant criteria like dose reduction, reliability, costs, etc. In fact, good selection methodology is the key to efficient implementation of remote systems applications in the modern globalized market. This TECDOC gives a review of the current status of remote technology applications for spent fuel management, based on country reports from some Member States presented at the consultancy meetings, of which updated reports are attached in the annex. The scope of the review covers the series of spent fuel handling operations involved in spent fuel management, from discharge from reactor to reprocessing or

Impact of fuel fabrication and fuel management technologies on uranium management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnsberger, P.L.; Stucker, D.L.

1994-01-01

Uranium utilization in commercial pressurized water reactors is a complex function of original NSSS design, utility energy requirements, fuel assembly design, fuel fabrication materials and fuel fabrication materials and fuel management optimization. Fuel design and fabrication technologies have reacted to the resulting market forcing functions with a combination of design and material changes. The technologies employed have included ever-increasing fuel discharge burnup, non-parasitic structural materials, burnable absorbers, and fissile material core zoning schemes (both in the axial and radial direction). The result of these technological advances has improved uranium utilization by roughly sixty percent from the infancy days of nuclear power to present fuel management. Fuel management optimization technologies have also been developed in recent years which provide fuel utilization improvements due to core loading pattern optimization. This paper describes the development and impact of technology advances upon uranium utilization in modern pressurized water reactors. 10 refs., 3 tabs., 10 figs

AREVA Logistics Business Unit Transportation Risk Management Initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anne, C.

2009-01-01

A safe, secure and reliable transportation organization is a key component for the success of the nuclear industry. With the forecasted increase of radioactive material transport flows in future and the changing environment, AREVA Logistic Business Unit (L-BU) must ensure that safety and security risks are minimized but also ensure of the chain supply for its various facilities (mines, conversion, enrichment, fuel manufacturing, reprocessing, etc). AREVA L-BU Unit is implementing a transportation risk management initiative for the radioactive shipments of the AREVA group across all the Business Unit involved in shipments of radioactive and nuclear materials. The paper will present the four main components of the risk management. (authors)

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

Transportation of radioactive wastes from nuclear fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-09-01

This paper discusses current and foreseen radioactive waste transportation systems as they apply to the INFCE Working Group 7 study. The types of wastes considered include spent fuel, which is treated as a waste in once-through fuel cycles; high-, medium-, and low-level waste; and gaseous waste. Regulatory classification of waste quantities and containers applicable to these classifications are discussed. Radioactive wastes are presently being transported in a safe and satisfactory manner. None of the INFCE candidate fuel cycles pose any extraordinary problems to future radioactive waste transportation and such transportation will not constitute a decisive factor in the choice of a preferred fuel cycle

Third annual report of the Canadian nuclear fuel waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, R.S.; Rosinger, E.L.J.

1981-12-01

This report, the third of a series of annual reports, reviews the progress that has been made in the research and development program for the safe management and disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel wastes. The report summarizes activities over the past year, in the areas of public interaction, irradiated fuel storage and transportation, immobilization of irradiated fuel and fuel recycle wastes, research and development associated with deep underground disposal, and environmental and safety assessment

Fourth annual report of the Canadian nuclear fuel waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosinger, E.L.J.; Dixon, R.S.

1982-12-01

This report, the fourth of a series of annual reports, reviews the progress that has been made in the research and development program for the safe management and disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste. The report summarizes activities over the past year in the following areas: public interaction, used fuel storage and transportation, immobilization of used fuel and fuel recycle waste, geoscience research associated with deep underground disposal, environmental research, environmental and safety assessment

Role of transportation in the utilities' management of spent fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newman, D.F.

1985-01-01

Additional spent fuel storage can be provided by using a combination of wet and dry storage technologies, with the technology or technologies used in any specific instance being determined by the particular circumstances involved. The capability for spent fuel storage at a reactor site can be enhanced using any one or a combination of the following: expansion of existing pool storage capacity; more efficient use of available capacity; and addition of an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). Each of these methods, which are described more fully below, have characteristics that may make them more or less suitable for use, depending on the nuclear power plant where they will be deployed, the magnitude of the need for additional storage, the utility's overall spent fuel management strategy, and other factors. 15 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Fuel cycle management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herbin, H.C.

1977-01-01

The fuel cycle management is more and more dependent on the management of the generation means among the power plants tied to the grid. This is due mainly because of the importance taken by the nuclear power plants within the power system. The main task of the fuel cycle management is to define the refuelling pattern of the new and irradiated fuel assemblies to load in the core as a function of: 1) the differences which exist between the actual conditions of the core and what was expected for the present cycle, 2) the operating constraints and the reactor availability, 3) the technical requirements in safety and the technological limits of the fuel, 4) the economics. Three levels of fuel cycle management can be considered: 1) a long term management: determination of enrichments and expected cycle lengths, 2) a mid term management whose aim corresponds to the evaluation of the batch to load within the core as a function of both: the next cycle length to achieve and the integrated power history of all the cycles up to the present one, 3) a short term management which deals with the updating of the loaded fuel utilisations to take into account the operation perturbations, or with the alteration of the loading pattern of the next batch to respect unexpected conditions. (orig.) [de

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

Transport of encapsulated nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broman, Ulrika; Dybeck, Peter; Ekendahl, Ann-Mari

2005-12-01

The transport system for encapsulated fuel is described, including a preliminary drawing of a transport container. In the report, the encapsulation plant is assumed to be located to Oskarshamn, and the repository to Oskarshamn or Forsmark

Transportation of irradiated fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preece, A.H.

1980-01-01

The report falls under the headings: introduction (explaining the special interest of the London Borough of Brent, as forming part of the route for transportation of irradiated fuel elements); nuclear power (with special reference to transport of spent fuel and radioactive wastes); the flask aspect (design, safety regulations, criticisms, tests, etc.); the accident aspect (working manual for rail staff, train formation, responsibility, postulated accident situations); the emergency arrangements aspect; the monitoring aspect (health and safety reports); legislation; contingency plans; radiation - relevant background information. (U.K.)

An improved assembly for the transport of fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, G.

1979-01-01

An improved assembly for the transport and storage of radioactive nuclear fuel elements is described. The fuel element transport canister is of the type in which the fuel elements are submerged in liquid with a self regulating ullage system, so that the fuel elements are always submerged in the liquid even when the assembly is used in one orientation during loading and another orientation during transportation. (UK)

Alternatives to traditional transportation fuels 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-01

This report provides information on transportation fuels other than gasoline and diesel, and the vehicles that use these fuels. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides this information to support the U.S. Department of Energy`s reporting obligations under Section 503 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT). The principal information contained in this report includes historical and year-ahead estimates of the following: (1) the number and type of alterative-fueled vehicles (AFV`s) in use; (2) the consumption of alternative transportation fuels and {open_quotes}replacement fuels{close_quotes}; and (3) the number and type of alterative-fueled vehicles made available in the current and following years. In addition, the report contains some material on special topics. The appendices include a discussion of the methodology used to develop the estimates (Appendix A), a map defining geographic regions used, and a list of AFV suppliers.

Control system of fuel transporting device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokota, Minoru.

1981-01-01

Purpose: To effectively avoid an obstacle in a fuel transporting device by reading the outputs of absolute position detectors mounted on movable trucks, controlling the movements of the trucks, and thereby smoothly and accurately positioning the fuel transporting device at predetermined position and providing a contact detector thereat. Method: The outputs from absolute position detectors which are mounted on a longitudinally movable truck and a laterally movable truck are input to an input/output control circuit. The input/output control circuit serves to compare, the position a fuel transporting device is to be moved to, with the present position on the basis of said input detection signal and a command signal from an operator console, to calculate the amount of movement to be driven, to produce an operation signal therefor to a control panel, and to drive and control the drive motors which are respectively mounted on the trucks for the fuel transfer device. On the other hand, in case that the transfer device comes into contact with an obstacle, the contact detector will immediately operate to produce a stop command through the control panel to the transporting device, and avoid a collision with the obstacle. (Yoshino, Y.)

A durable and dependable solution for RTR spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomasson, J.

1999-01-01

RTR Operators need efficient and cost-effective services for the management of their spent fuel and this, for the full lifetime of their facility. Thanks to the integration of transport, reprocessing and conditioning services, COGEMA provides a cogent solution, with the utmost respect for safety and preservation of the environment, for the short, medium and long terms. As demonstrated in this paper, this option offers the only durable and dependable solution for the RTR spent fuel management, leading to a conditioning for the final residues directly suitable for final disposal. The main advantage of such an option is obviously the significant reduction in terms of volume and radiotoxicity of the ultimate waste when compared to direct disposal of spent fuels. The efficiency of such a solution has been proven, some RTR operators having already trusted COGEMA for the management of their aluminide fuel. With its commitment in R and D activities for the development of a high performance and reprocessable LEU fuels, COGEMA will be able to propose a solution for all types of fuels, HEU and LEU

Liquid-fueled SOFC power sources for transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Myles, K. M.; Doshi, R.; Kumar, R.; Krumpelt, M.

Traditionally, fuel cells have been developed for space or stationary terrestrial applications. As the first commercial 200-kW systems were being introduced by ONSI and Fuji Electric, the potentially much larger, but also more challenging, application in transportation was beginning to be addressed. As a result, fuel cell-powered buses have been designed and built, and R&D programs for fuel cell-powered passenger cars have been initiated. The engineering challenge of eventually replacing the internal combustion engine in buses, trucks, and passenger cars with fuel cell systems is to achieve much higher power densities and much lower costs than obtainable in systems designed for stationary applications. At present, the leading fuel cell candidate for transportation applications is, without question, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Offering ambient temperature start-up and the potential for a relatively high power density, the polymer technology has attracted the interest of automotive manufacturers worldwide. But the difficulties of fuel handling for the PEFC have led to a growing interest in exploring the prospects for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating on liquid fuels for transportation applications. Solid oxide fuel cells are much more compatible with liquid fuels (methanol or other hydrocarbons) and are potentially capable of power densities high enough for vehicular use. Two SOFC options for such use are discussed in this report.

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

Radiological risks of transports to central waste management facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lange, F.

1997-01-01

Transports of radioactive waste from nuclear facilities have been a matter of frequent public concern in the recent past. News reports, protests and questions concerning the radiological risk tended to concentrate on transports to and from central waste management facilities, e.g. transports of spent fuel elements to reprocessing plants abroad (France, England), transports to intermediate storage sites (Ahaus, Gorleben), transports to operative (Morsleben) and projected (Konrad) final storage sites, and transports of vitrified high-activity waste from reprocessing plants to the intermediate storage site (Gorleben). (orig.) [de

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

Nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen as a transportation fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeLuchi, M.A.

1989-01-01

Hydrogen is a very attractive transportation fuel in three important ways: it is the least polluting fuel that can be used in an internal combustion engine, it produces no greenhouse gases, and it is potentially available anywhere there is water and a clean source of power. The prospect of a clean, widely available transportation fuel has motivated much of the research on hydrogen fuels. This paper is a state-of-the art review of the production, storage, performance, environmental impacts, safety, and cost of nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen for highway vehicles

EDF energy generation UK transport of irradiated fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, R. [EDF Energy, London, (United Kingdom)

2015-07-01

This paper give an overview of irradiated fuel transport in the UK. It describes the design of irradiated fuel flask used by EDF Energy; operational experience and good practices learnt from over 50 years of irradiated fuel transport. The AGRs can store approximately 9 months generation of spent fuel, hence the ability to transport irradiated fuel is vital. Movements are by road to the nearest railhead, typically less than 2 miles and then by rail to Sellafield, up to 400 miles, for reprocessing or long term storage. Road and rail vehicles are covered. To date in the UK: over 30,000 Magnox flask journeys and over 15,000 AGR A2 flask journeys have been carried out.

Swedish spent fuel management systems, facilities and operating experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, J.

1998-01-01

About 50% of the electricity in Sweden is generated by means of nuclear power from 12 LWR reactors located at four sites and with a total capacity of 10,000 MW. The four utilities have jointly created SKB, the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, which has been given the mandate to manage the spent fuel and radioactive waste from its origin at the reactors to the final disposal. SKB has developed a system for the safe handling of all kinds of radioactive waste from the Swedish nuclear power plants. The keystones now in operation of this system are a transport system, a central interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel (CLAB), a final repository for short-lived, low and intermediate level waste (SFR). The remaining, system components being planned are an encapsulation plant for spent nuclear fuel and a deep repository for encapsulated spent fuel and other long-lived radioactive wastes. (author)

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

Nuclear fuel management in JMTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naka, Michihiro; Miyazawa, Masataka; Sato, Hiroshi; Nakayama, Fusao; Ito, Haruhiko

1999-01-01

The Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) is the largest scale materials (author)ted the fission gas release compared with the steady state opkW/l in Japan. JMTR as a multi-purpose reactor has been contributing to research and development on nuclear field with a wide variety of irradiation for performing engineering tests and safety research on fuel and component for light water reactor as well as fast breeder reactor, high temperature gas-cooled reactor etc., for research and development on blanket material for fusion reactor, for fundamental research, and for radio-isotope (RI) production. The driver nuclear fuel used in JMTR is aluminum based MTR type fuel. According to the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) Program, the JMTR fuel elements had been converted from 93% high enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to 45% medium enriched uranium (MEU) fuel in 1986, and then to 20% low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel in 1994. The cumulative operation cycles until March 1999 reached to 127 cycles since the first criticality in 1968. JMTR has used 1,628 HEU, 688 MEU and 308 LEU fuel elements for these operation cycles. After these spent fuel elements were cooled in the JMTR water canal more than one year after discharged from the JMTR core, they had been transported to reprocessing plants in Europe, and then to plants in USA in order to extract the uranium remaining in the spent fuel. The JMTR spent fuel transportation for reprocessing had been continued until the end of 1988. However, USA had ceased spent fuel reprocessing in 1989, while USDOE committed to prepare an environmental review of the impacts of accepting spent fuels from foreign research reactors. After that, USDOE decided to implement a new acceptance policy in 1996, the spent fuel transportation from JMTR to Savannah River Site was commenced in 1997. It was the first transportation not only in Japan but in Asia also. Until resuming the transportation, the spent fuel elements stored in JMTR

Transporting fuel debris from TMI-2 to INEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, G.J.; Burton, H.M.; Bixby, W.W.; McIntosh, T.W.; McGoff, O.J.; Barkonic, R.J.; Henrie, J.O.

1986-06-01

Transportation of the damaged fuel from Unit 2 of Three Mile Island (TMI-2) presented noteworthy technical challenges involving complex institutional issues. The program resulted from both a need to package and remove the accident debris and also the opportunity to receive and study damaged core components. These combined to establish the safe transport of the TMI-2 fuel debris as a high priority for many diverse organizations. The capability of the sending and receiving facilities to handle spent fuel transport casks in the most cost-effective manner was assessed and resulted in the development by Nuclear Packaging Inc. (NuPac) of the NuPac 125-B rail cask. This paper reviews the technical challenges in preparation of the TMI-2 core debris for transport from TMI-2 to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) and receipt and storage of that material at INEL. Challenges discussed include design and testing of fuel debris canisters; design, fabrication and licensing of a new rail cask for spent fuel transport; cask loading operations, equipment and facilities at TMI-2; transportation logistics; and, receipt, storage and core examination operations at INEL. 10 refs

Risk associated with the transport of radioactive materials in the fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lange, F.; Mairs, J.; Niel, C.

1997-01-01

This paper sets out the regulatory framework within which nuclear fuel cycle materials are transported. It establishes the basic principles of those safety regulations and explains the graded approach to satisfying those requirements depending on the hazard of the radioactive contents. The paper outlines the minimum performance standards required by the Regulations. It covers the performance standards for Type C packages in a little more detail because these are new to the 1996 Edition of the IAEA's Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material and are less well reported elsewhere at present. The paper then gives approximate data on the number of shipments of radioactive materials that service the nuclear fuel cycles in France, Germany and the UK. The quantities are expressed as average annual quantities per GW el installed capacity. There is also a short discussion of the general performance standards required of Type B packages in comparison with tests that have simulated specific accident conditions involving particular packages. There follows a discussion on the probability of packages experiencing accident conditions that are comparable with the tests that Type B packages are required to withstand. Finally there is a summary of the implementation of the Regulations for sea and air transport and a description of ongoing work that may have a bearing on the future development of mode related Regulations. Nuclear fuel cycle materials are transported in accordance with strict and internationally agreed safety regulations which are the result of a permanent and progressive process based on social concern and on the advancement of knowledge provided by research and development. Transport operations take place in the public domain and some become high profile events in the management of these materials, attracting a lot of public, political and media attention. The risks associated with the transport of radioactive materials are low and it is important

Effects of fueling profiles on plasma transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mense, A.T.; Houlberg, W.A.; Attenberger, S.E.; Milora, S.L.

1978-04-01

A one-dimensional (1-D), multifluid transport model is used to investigate the effects of particle fueling profiles on plasma transport in an ignition-sized tokamak (TNS). Normal diffusive properties of plasmas will likely maintain the density at the center of the discharge even if no active fueling is provided there. This significantly relaxes the requirements for fuel penetration. Not only is lower fuel penetration easier to achieve, but it may have the advantage of reducing or eliminating density gradient-driven trapped particle microinstabilities. Simulation of discrete pellet fueling indicates that relatively low velocity (approximately 10 3 m/sec) pellets may be sufficient to fuel a TNS-sized device (approximately 1.25-m minor radius), to produce a relatively broad, cool edge region of plasma which should reduce the potential for sputtering, and also to reduce the likelihood of trapped particle mode dominated transport. Low penetrating pellets containing up to 10 to 20 percent of the total plasma ions can produce fluctuations in density and temperature at the plasma edge, but the pressure profile and fusion alpha production remain almost constant

Alternative transport fuels: supply, consumption and conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trindade, S.C.

1990-01-01

Road-based passenger and freight transport almost exclusively uses petroleum/hydrocarbon fuels in the fluid form. These fuels will probably continue to be major transport fuels well into the 21st century. As such there is need to prolong their use which can be done through: (1) conservation of fuel by increasing efficiency of internal combustion engines, and (2) conversion of natural gas, coal and peat, and biomass into alternate fuels such as ethanol, methanol, CNG, LNG, LPG, low heat-content (producer) gas and vegetable oils. Research, development and demonstration (RD and D) priorities in supply, consumption and conservation of these alternate fuels are identified and ranked in the context of situation prevailing in Brazil. Author has assigned the highest priority for research in the impact of pricing, economic, fiscal and trade policies, capital allocation criteria and institutional and legislative framework. It has also been emphasised that an integrated or systems approach is mandatory to achieve net energy gains in transport sector. (M.G.B.). 33 refs., 11 tabs., 4 figs

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

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)

Leveraging fuel purchasing and management activities within a competitive power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stallard, S.; Anderson, A.; Schick, J.

1998-01-01

Worldwide, one can see that competition, deregulation, or at a minimum, a closer focus on the overall economies of power generation is stimulating change within the power sector. Power generation markets are becoming liberalized providing for independent power producers and, in some cases, providing third-party access to the grid. In the US, fuel costs are being transformed from a pass-through expense to the consumer to one of a strategic asset or liability. In every case, fuel quality, fuel-related costs, and managing the fuel purchasing process are key factors in the overall efficiency and financial performance on the power generator. This paper illustrates how effective fuel management requires that the utility or GenCo improve upon historical fuel management/purchasing practices to lower overall generation costs and address the opportunities present in the power and fuel markets. Key framework/principles to be discussed include: Tighter coupling of fuel purchasing, short-term planning, and dispatch functions. Effective planning to link purchased fuel to system demand forecasts, consider contract/transportation constraints/economics, evaluate alternative sources, and consider fuel mix strategies (e.g., between sport, contract, and various regions/qualities). Tools and processes needed to support the new business environment such as fuel impact analysis, application of integrated fuel evaluation/management systems, market forecasting, purchasing, and the role of fuel management in energy trading. Flexibility to support optimal purchasing strategies including shorter purchase cycles, special buys, buys for third parties, and coal tolling. This framework would be discussed using examples from the US, UK, European, and Pacific Rim markets

Comparison of transports expected under different waste management concepts: determination of basic data for application in risk analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alter, U.; Mielke, H.G.; Wehner, G.

1983-01-01

According to the Atomic Act, article 9a, paragraph 1, the licensees of nuclear power plants in the Federal Republic of Germany are obliged to provide for the management of radioactive wastes resulting from the operation of these plants. Concerning the provisions to be made for the management of such wastes, two concepts are discussed: nuclear reprocessing and final waste disposal center (Nukleares Entsorgungszentrum, NEZ); and the integrated spent fuel and waste management concept (Integriertes Entsorgungskonzept, IEK). Unlike the NEZ, the IEK-concept may have different sites for the following fuel cycle facilities: intermediate spent fuel storage, reprocessing, waste conditioning and final disposal, and uranium and plutonium fuel element fabrication facilities. The fundamental differences of the pertinent transports are presented. Transport scenarios expected under the two alternatives NEZ and IEK have been elaborated for the purpose of a data collection covering the following aspects: materials to be shipped, number of packages shipped, number of packages shipped per transport, transport by rail or by road, transport routes and distances, and duration of transports

Review of the nuclear fuel waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatcher, S.R.

1980-06-01

Progress over the previous year in the nuclear fuel waste management program is reviewed. Universities, industry and consultants have become increasingly involved, and the work is being overseen by a Technical Advisory Committee. The program has also been investigated by Ontario's Porter Commission and Select Committe on Ontario Hydro Affairs. A public information program has been extended to cover most of the Canadian Shield region of Ontario. Ontario Hydro is studying spent fuel storage and transportation, while AECL is covering immobilization of spent fuel or processing wastes, geotechnical and geochemical research in the laboratory and in the field, design of disposal facilities, and environmental and safety assessments. (L.L.)

French experience in research reactor fuel transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisonnier, Daniele

1996-01-01

Since 1963 Transnucleaire has safely performed a large number of national and international transports of radioactive material. Transnucleaire has also designed and supplied suitable packaging for all types of nuclear fuel cycle radioactive material from front-end and back-end products and for power or for research reactors. Transportation of spent fuel from power reactors are made on a regular and industrial basis, but this is not yet the case for the transport of spent fuel coming from research reactors. Each shipment is a permanent challenge and requires a reactive organization dealing with all the transportation issues. This presentation will explain the choices made by Transnucleaire and its associates to provide and optimize the corresponding services while remaining in full compliance with the applicable regulations and customer requirements. (author)

Irradiated nuclear fuel transport from Japan to Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavanagh, M.T.; Shimoyama, S.

1976-01-01

Irradiated nuclear fuel has been transported from Japan to Europe since 1969, although U.K. experience goes back almost two decades. Both magnox and oxide fuel have been transported, and the technical requirements associated with each type of fuel are outlined. The specialized ships used by British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) for this transport are described, as well as the ships being developed for future use in the Japan trade. The ship requirements are related to the regulatory position both in the United Kingdom and internationally, and the Japanese regulatory requirements are described. Finally, specific operational experience of a Japanese reactor operator is described

Spent fuel management and closed nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kudryavtsev, E.G.

2012-01-01

Strategic objectives set by Rosatom Corporation in the field of spent fuel management are given. By 2030, Russia is to create technological infrastructure for innovative nuclear energy development, including complete closure of the nuclear fuel cycle. A target model of the spent NPP nuclear fuel management system until 2030 is analyzed. The schedule for key stages of putting in place the infrastructure for spent NPP fuel management is given. The financial aspect of the problem is also discussed [ru

Spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The production of nuclear electricity results in the generation of spent fuel that requires safe, secure and efficient management. Appropriate management of the resulting spent fuel is a key issue for the steady and sustainable growth of nuclear energy. Currently about 10,000 tonnes heavy metal (HM) of spent fuel are unloaded every year from nuclear power reactors worldwide, of which 8,500 t HM need to be stored (after accounting for reprocessed fuel). This is the largest continuous source of civil radioactive material generated, and needs to be managed appropriately. Member States have referred to storage periods of 100 years and even beyond, and as storage quantities and durations extend, new challenges arise in the institutional as well as in the technical area. The IAEA gives high priority to safe and effective spent fuel management. As an example of continuing efforts, the 2003 International Conference on Storage of Spent Fuel from Power Reactors gathered 125 participants from 35 member states to exchange information on this important subject. With its large number of Member States, the IAEA is well-positioned to gather and share information useful in addressing Member State priorities. IAEA activities on this topic include plans to produce technical documents as resources for a range of priority topics: spent fuel performance assessment and research, burnup credit applications, cask maintenance, cask loading optimization, long term storage requirements including records maintenance, economics, spent fuel treatment, remote technology, and influence of fuel design on spent fuel storage. In addition to broader topics, the IAEA supports coordinated research projects and technical cooperation projects focused on specific needs

Fuel-cycle greenhouse gas emissions impacts of alternative transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, M. Q.

1998-01-01

At an international conference on global warming, held in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997, the United States committed to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 7% over its 1990 level by the year 2012. To help achieve that goal, transportation GHG emissions need to be reduced. Using Argonne's fuel-cycle model, I estimated GHG emissions reduction potentials of various near- and long-term transportation technologies. The estimated per-mile GHG emissions results show that alternative transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies can help significantly reduce transportation GHG emissions. Of the near-term technologies evaluated in this study, electric vehicles; hybrid electric vehicles; compression-ignition, direct-injection vehicles; and E85 flexible fuel vehicles can reduce fuel-cycle GHG emissions by more than 25%, on the fuel-cycle basis. Electric vehicles powered by electricity generated primarily from nuclear and renewable sources can reduce GHG emissions by 80%. Other alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas, offer limited, but positive, GHG emission reduction benefits. Among the long-term technologies evaluated in this study, conventional spark ignition and compression ignition engines powered by alternative fuels and gasoline- and diesel-powered advanced vehicles can reduce GHG emissions by 10% to 30%. Ethanol dedicated vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel-cell vehicles can reduce GHG emissions by over 40%. Spark ignition engines and fuel-cell vehicles powered by cellulosic ethanol and solar hydrogen (for fuel-cell vehicles only) can reduce GHG emissions by over 80%. In conclusion, both near- and long-term alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies can play a role in reducing the United States GHG emissions

Fuel-cycle greenhouse gas emissions impacts of alternative transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, M. Q.

1998-12-16

At an international conference on global warming, held in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997, the United States committed to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 7% over its 1990 level by the year 2012. To help achieve that goal, transportation GHG emissions need to be reduced. Using Argonne's fuel-cycle model, I estimated GHG emissions reduction potentials of various near- and long-term transportation technologies. The estimated per-mile GHG emissions results show that alternative transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies can help significantly reduce transportation GHG emissions. Of the near-term technologies evaluated in this study, electric vehicles; hybrid electric vehicles; compression-ignition, direct-injection vehicles; and E85 flexible fuel vehicles can reduce fuel-cycle GHG emissions by more than 25%, on the fuel-cycle basis. Electric vehicles powered by electricity generated primarily from nuclear and renewable sources can reduce GHG emissions by 80%. Other alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas, offer limited, but positive, GHG emission reduction benefits. Among the long-term technologies evaluated in this study, conventional spark ignition and compression ignition engines powered by alternative fuels and gasoline- and diesel-powered advanced vehicles can reduce GHG emissions by 10% to 30%. Ethanol dedicated vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel-cell vehicles can reduce GHG emissions by over 40%. Spark ignition engines and fuel-cell vehicles powered by cellulosic ethanol and solar hydrogen (for fuel-cell vehicles only) can reduce GHG emissions by over 80%. In conclusion, both near- and long-term alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies can play a role in reducing the United States GHG emissions.

Nuclear-fuel-cycle education: Module 5. In-core fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, S.H.

1980-07-01

The purpose of this project was to develop a series of educational modules for use in nuclear-fuel-cycle education. These modules are designed for use in a traditional classroom setting by lectures or in a self-paced, personalized system of instruction. This module on in-core fuel management contains information on computational methods and theory; in-core fuel management using the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University computer modules; pressurized water reactor in-core fuel management; boiling water reactor in-core fuel management; and in-core fuel management for gas-cooled and fast reactors

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)

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.

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)

Life cycle analysis of transportation fuel pathways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-02-24

The purpose of this work is to improve the understanding of the concept of life cycle analysis (LCA) of transportation fuels and some of its pertinent issues among non-technical people, senior managers, and policy makers. This work should provide some guidance to nations considering LCA-based policies and to people who are affected by existing policies or those being developed. While the concept of employing LCA to evaluate fuel options is simple and straightforward, the act of putting the concept into practice is complex and fraught with issues. Policy makers need to understand the limitations inherent in carrying out LCA work for transportation fuel systems. For many systems, even those that have been employed for a 100 years, there is a lack of sound data on the performance of those systems. Comparisons between systems should ideally be made using the same tool, so that differences caused by system boundaries, allocation processes, and temporal issues can be minimized (although probably not eliminated). Comparing the results for fuel pathway 1 from tool A to those of fuel system 2 from tool B introduces significant uncertainty into the results. There is also the question of the scale of system changes. LCA will give more reliable estimates when it is used to examine small changes in transportation fuel pathways than when used to estimate large scale changes that replace current pathways with completely new pathways. Some LCA tools have been developed recently primarily for regulatory purposes. These tools may deviate from ISO principles in order to facilitate simplicity and ease of use. In a regulatory environment, simplicity and ease of use are worthy objectives and in most cases there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, particularly for assessing relative performance. However, the results of these tools should not be confused with, or compared to, the results that are obtained from a more complex and rigorous ISO compliant LCA. It should be

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

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Truck Transports Capitol Christmas

Science.gov (United States)

Tree Biodiesel Truck Transports Capitol Christmas Tree to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Truck Transports Capitol Christmas Tree on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Truck Transports Capitol Christmas Tree on Twitter Bookmark Alternative

Road transport fuels in europe: the explosion of demand for diesel fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bensaid, B.

2004-01-01

In the last 20 years, road transport fuel consumption has more than doubled in European countries, due to strong growth on the diesel passenger car segment and in the transport of road freight. In an economy heavily dependent on oil, European authorities are seeking to promote alternative energy solutions, such as motor fuels produced from biomass

Numerical simulation of ion transport membrane reactors: Oxygen permeation and transport and fuel conversion

KAUST Repository

Hong, Jongsup

2012-07-01

Ion transport membrane (ITM) based reactors have been suggested as a novel technology for several applications including fuel reforming and oxy-fuel combustion, which integrates air separation and fuel conversion while reducing complexity and the associated energy penalty. To utilize this technology more effectively, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of the fundamental processes of oxygen transport and fuel conversion in the immediate vicinity of the membrane. In this paper, a numerical model that spatially resolves the gas flow, transport and reactions is presented. The model incorporates detailed gas phase chemistry and transport. The model is used to express the oxygen permeation flux in terms of the oxygen concentrations at the membrane surface given data on the bulk concentration, which is necessary for cases when mass transfer limitations on the permeate side are important and for reactive flow modeling. The simulation results show the dependence of oxygen transport and fuel conversion on the geometry and flow parameters including the membrane temperature, feed and sweep gas flow, oxygen concentration in the feed and fuel concentration in the sweep gas. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Design of a transportation cask for irradiated CANDU fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nash, K.E.; Gavin, M.E.

1983-01-01

A major step in the development of a large-scale transportation system for irradiated CANDU fuel is being made by Ontario Hydro in the design and construction of a demonstration cask by 1988/89. The system being designed is based on dry transportation with the eventual fully developed system providing for dry fuel loading and unloading. Research carried out to date has demonstrated that it is possible to transport irradiated CANDU fuel in a operationally efficient and simple manner without any damage which would prejudice subsequent automated fuel handling

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

Transport of MOX fuel from Europe to Japan; Transport de combustible mox d' Europe vers le Japon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-07-01

The MOX fuel transports from Europe to Japan represent a main part in the implementing of the Japan nuclear program. They complement the 160 transports of spent fuels realized from Japan to Europe and the vitrified residues return from France to Japan. In this framework the document presents the MOX fuel, the use of the MOX fuel in reactor, the proliferation risks, the MOX fuel transport to Japan, the public health, the transport regulations, the safety and the civil liability. (A.L.B.)

Development of a computer program for the cost analysis of spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2009-01-01

So far, a substantial amount of spent fuels have been generated from the PWR and CANDU reactors. They are being temporarily stored at the nuclear power plant sites. It is expected that the temporary storage facility will be full of spent fuels by around 2016. The government plans to solve the problem by constructing an interim storage facility soon. The radioactive management act was enacted in 2008 to manage the spent fuels safety in Korea. According to the act, the radioactive waste management fund which will be used for the transportation, interim storage, and the final disposal of spent fuels has been established. The cost for the management of spent fuels is surprisingly high and could include a lot of uncertainty. KAERI and Kyunghee University have developed cost estimation tools to evaluate the cost for a spent fuel management based on an engineering design and calculation. It is not easy to develop a tool for a cost estimation under the situation that the national policy on a spent fuel management has not yet been fixed at all. Thus, the current version of the computer program is based on the current conceptual design of each management system. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce the computer program developed for the cost analysis of a spent fuel management. In order to show the application of the program, a spent fuel management scenario is prepared, and the cost for the scenario is estimated

POWER MANAGEMENT SAFETY IN EU AND THE ENERGY POLICY IN TRANSPORTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryszard Rolbiecki

2015-06-01

Full Text Available EU countries face a serious problem of being too much dependent on the crude oil import. Transportation sector is especially dependent on import of fuels. Therefore The White Paper of 2011 outlines the need for more effective energy supplies management as one of the main European transportation policy objectives. Technical innovations, featuring a wider use of alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, liquefied natural gas (LNG and biofuels play a great role in the process of ensuring energy safety.

Sensor system for fuel transport vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Earl, Dennis Duncan; McIntyre, Timothy J.; West, David L.

2016-03-22

An exemplary sensor system for a fuel transport vehicle can comprise a fuel marker sensor positioned between a fuel storage chamber of the vehicle and an access valve for the fuel storage chamber of the vehicle. The fuel marker sensor can be configured to measure one or more characteristics of one or more fuel markers present in the fuel adjacent the sensor, such as when the marked fuel is unloaded at a retail station. The one or more characteristics can comprise concentration and/or identity of the one or more fuel markers in the fuel. Based on the measured characteristics of the one or more fuel markers, the sensor system can identify the fuel and/or can determine whether the fuel has been adulterated after the marked fuel was last measured, such as when the marked fuel was loaded into the vehicle.

Studies of Lanthanide Transport in Metallic Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jinsuo; Taylor, Christopher

2018-04-02

Metallic nuclear fuels were tested in fast reactor programs and performed well. However, metallic fuels have shown the phenomenon of FCCI that are due to deleterious reactions between lanthanide fission products and cladding material. As the burnup is increased, lanthanide fission products that contact with the cladding could react with cladding constituents such as iron and chrome. These reactions produce higher-melting intermetallic compounds and low-melting alloys, and weaken the mechanical integrity. The lanthanide interaction with clad in metallic fuels is recognized as a long-term, high-burnup cause of the clad failures. Therefore, one of the key concerns of using metallic fuels is the redistribution of lanthanide fission products and migration to the fuel surface. It is believed that lanthanide migration is in part due to the thermal gradient between the center and the fuel-cladding interface, but also largely in part due to the low solubility of lanthanides within the uranium-based metal fuel. PIE of EBR-II fuels shows that lanthanides precipitate directly and do not dissolve to an appreciable extent in the fuel matrix. Based on the PIE data from EBR-II, a recent study recommended a so-called “liquid-like” transport mechanism for lanthanides and certain other species. The liquid-like transport model readily accounts for redistribution of Ln, noble metal fission products, and cladding components in the fuel matrix. According to the novel mechanism, fission products can transport as solutes in liquid metals, such as liquid cesium or liquid cesium–sodium, and on pore surfaces and fracture surfaces for metals near their melting temperatures. Transport in such solutions is expected to be much more rapid than solid-state diffusion. The mechanism could explain the Ln migration to the fuel slug peripheral surface and their deposition with a sludge-like form. Lanthanides have high solubility in liquid cesium but have low solubility in liquid sodium. As a

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 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

Fuel management of HTR-10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zongxin; Jing Xingqing

2001-01-01

The 10 MW high temperature cooled reactor (HTR-10) built in Tsinghua University is a pebble bed type of HTGR. The continuous recharge and multiple-pass of spherical fuel elements are used for fuel management. The initiative stage of core is composed of the mix of spherical fuel elements and graphite elements. The equilibrium stage of core is composed of identical spherical fuel elements. The fuel management during the transition from the initiative stage to the equilibrium stage is a key issue for HTR-10 physical design. A fuel management strategy is proposed based on self-adjustment of core reactivity. The neutron physical code is used to simulate the process of fuel management. The results show that the graphite elements, the recharging fuel elements below the burn-up allowance, and the discharging fuel elements over the burn-up allowance could be identified by burn-up measurement. The maximum of burn-up fuel elements could be controlled below the burn-up limit

Agricultural transportation fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The recommendations on the title subject are focused on the question whether advantages and disadvantages of agricultural fuels compared to fossil fuels justify the Dutch policy promotion of the use of agricultural products as basic materials for agricultural fuels. Attention is paid to energetic, environmental and economical aspects of both fuel types. Four options to apply agricultural transportation fuels are discussed: (1) 10% bio-ethanol in euro-unleaded gasoline for engines of passenger cars, equipped with a three-way catalyst; (2) the substitution of 15% methyl tertiair butyl ether (MTBE) by ethyl tertiair butyl ether (ETBE) as a substituent for lead in unleaded super plus gasoline (Sp 98) for engines of passenger cars, equipped with a three-way catalyst; (3) 50% KME (rapeseed oil ester) in low-sulfur diesel (0.05%S D) for engines of vans without a catalyst; and (4) the substitution of 0.05% S D by bio-ethanol or KME for buses with fuel-adjusted engines, equipped with a catalyst. Also the substitution by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) or E 95 was investigated in option four. Each of the options investigated can contribute to a reduction of the use of fossil energy and the environmental effects of the use of fossil fuels, although some environmental effects from agricultural fuels must be taken into consideration. It is recommended to seriously pay attention to the promotion of agricultural fuels, not only in the Netherlands, but also in an international context. Policy instruments to be used in the stimulation of the use of such fuels are the existing European Community subsidies on fallow lands, exemption of the European Community energy levy, and the use of tax differentiation. Large-scale demonstration projects must be started to quantify hazardous emissions and to solve still existing technical problems. 8 figs., 3 tabs., refs., 4 appendices

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

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.

Conventional transport fuels quality and ATF : recent Asian experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Desbiens, R. [Consultec, Montreal, PQ (Canada)

2002-07-01

The experience gained in Manila, Philippines, with regard to transport fuels, was discussed during this presentation. It is estimated that 70 to 80 per cent of air pollution in the city of Manila is generated by vehicular traffic. Diesel-fueled vehicles operate all hours of the day, and motorized tricycles powered by a two-stroke engine, are cause for concern for local authorities. Several factors play a role in the problems experienced: vehicle ownership, poor air, congestion and noise in urban areas, poor transport infrastructure, coupled with policy problems such as fuel and vehicle quality standards, poor monitoring, ancient technologies, etc. The motorization of cities was examined, and special emphasis was places on the situation in Asia. The situation in China was looked at, where approximately 15 million automobiles are in use, with an annual increase of 11 to 13 per cent. The air pollution caused by motor vehicles in China was discussed, and new vehicle emission standards for China were presented. The issue of fuel injection systems for motorcycles in China was discussed, and the author mentioned that cost and reliability problems require further improvement. The use of compressed natural gas vehicles in Beijing was looked at, and some of the barriers are lack of public awareness, capital shortages, high price of natural gas, and shortage of advanced technologies. A feasibility study for the introduction of compressed natural gas vehicles in Beijing was conducted and the main findings presented. Public transport management in Hong Kong was reviewed, including the use of alternative environmentally friendly vehicles and fuel. A look at India, and specifically Delhi, was presented. The norms concerning vehicle emissions in India were briefly reviewed, followed by fuel quality improvements, and compressed natural gas vehicles. The author then discussed alternative fuels in Korea and the country's compressed natural gas bus promotion policy. The next

Transport of nuclear used fuel and waste materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neau, H.J. [World Nuclear Transport Institute, London (United Kingdom)

2015-07-01

20 millions consignments of radioactive materials are routinely transported annually on public roads, railways and ships. 5% of these are nuclear fuel cycle related. International Atomic Energy Agency Regulations have been in force since 1961. The sector has an excellent safety record spanning over 50 years. Back end transport covers the operations concerned with spent fuel that leaves reactors and wastes. Since 1971, there have been 70,000 shipments of used fuel (i.e. over 80,000 tonnes) with no damage to property or person. The excellent safety record spanning over 50 years praised every year by the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency. More than 200 sea voyages over a distance of more than 8 million kilometres of transport of used fuel or high-level wastes.

Taking burnup credit for interim storage and transportation system for BWR fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, Ken-ichi; Ando, Y.; Kumanomido, H.; Sasaki, T.; Mitsuhashi, I.; Ueda, M.

2001-01-01

In order to establish a realistic burnup credit design system, a calculation system has been developed for determining isotope compositions, burnup, and criticality. The calculation system consists of several modules such as TGBLA, ORIGEN, CITATION, MCNP, and KENO. The TGBLA code is a fuel design code for LWR fuels developed in TOSHIBA Corporation. A compact measurement system for a fuel assembly has been being developed to meet requirements for the burnup determination, the neutron emission-rate evaluation, and the nuclear materials management. For a spent MOX fuel, a neutron emission rate measurement method has been being developed. The system consists of Cd-Te detectors and / or fission chambers. Some model calculations were carried out for the latest design BWR fuels. The effect of taking burnup credit for a transportation cask is shown. (authors)

Concept study for interim storage of research reactor fuel elements in transport and storage casks. Transport and storage licensing procedure for the CASTOR MTR 2 cask. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, M.

2001-01-01

As a result of the project, a concept was to be developed for managing spent fuel elements from research reactors on the basis of the interim storage technology existing in Germany, in order to make the transition to direct disposal possible in the long term. This final report describes the studies for the spent fuel management concept as well as the development of a transport and storage cask for spent fuel elements from research reactors. The concept analyses were based on data of the fuel to be disposed of, as well as the handling conditions for casks at the German research reactors. Due to the quite different conditions for handling of casks at the individual reactors, it was necessary to examine different cask concepts as well as special solutions for loading the casks outside of the spent fuel pools. As a result of these analyses, a concept was elaborated on the basis of a newly developed transport and storage cask as well as a mobile fuel transfer system for the reactor stations, at which a direct loading of the cask is not possible, as the optimal variant. The cask necessary for this concept with the designation CASTOR trademark MTR 2 follows in ist design the tried and tested principles of the CASTOR trademark casks for transport and interim storage of spent LWR fuel. With the CASTOR trademark MTR 2, it is possible to transport and to place into long term interim storage various fuel element types, which have been and are currently used in German research reactors. The technical development of the cask has been completed, the documents for the transport license as type B(U)F package design and for obtaining the storage license at the interim storage facility of Ahaus have been prepared, submitted to the licensing authorities and to a large degree already evaluated positively. The transport license of the CASTOR trademark MTR 2 has been issued for the shipment of VKTA-contents and FRM II compact fuel elements. (orig.)

Environmental economics of lignin derived transport fuels

OpenAIRE

Obydenkova, SV; Kouris, P Panagiotis; Hensen, EJM Emiel; Heeres, Hero J; Boot, MD Michael

2017-01-01

This paper explores the environmental and economic aspects of fast pyrolytic conversion of lignin, obtained from 2G ethanol plants, to transport fuels for both the marine and automotive markets. Various scenarios are explored, pertaining to aggregation of lignin from several sites, alternative energy carries to replace lignin, transport modalities, and allocation methodology. The results highlight two critical factors that ultimately determine the economic and/or environmental fuel viability....

Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Draft Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is currently deciding the direction of its environmental restoration and waste management programs at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) for the next 10 years. Pertinent to this decision is establishing policies for the environmentally sensitive and safe transport, storage, and management of spent nuclear fuels. To develop these policies, it is necessary to revisit or examine the available options. As a part of the DOE complex, the Hanford Site not only has a large portion of the nationwide DOE-owned inventory of spent nuclear fuel, but also is a participant in the DOE decision for management and ultimate disposition of spent nuclear fuel. Efforts in this process at Hanford include assessment of several options for stabilizing, transporting, and storing all or portions of DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel at the Hanford Site. Such storage and management of spent nuclear fuel will be in a safe and suitable manner until a final decision is made for ultimate disposition of spent nuclear fuel. Five alternatives involving the Hanford Site are being considered for management of the spent nuclear fuel inventory: (1) the No Action Alternative, (2) the Decentralization Alternative, (3) the 1992/1993 Planning Basis Alternative, (4) the Regionalization Alternative, and (5) the Centralization Alternative. AU alternatives will be carefully designed to avoid environmental degradation and to provide protection to human health and safety at the Hanford Site and surrounding region

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

Transport of MOX fuel from Europe to Japan; Transport de combustible mox d' Europe vers le Japon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-07-01

The MOX fuel transports from Europe to Japan represent a main part in the implementing of the Japan nuclear program. They complement the 160 transports of spent fuels realized from Japan to Europe and the vitrified residues return from France to Japan. In this framework the document presents the MOX fuel, the use of the MOX fuel in reactor, the proliferation risks, the MOX fuel transport to Japan, the public health, the transport regulations, the safety and the civil liability. (A.L.B.)

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

CANDU-PHW fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frescura, G.M.; Wight, A.L.

1982-01-01

This report covers the material presented in a series of six lectures at the Winter College on Nuclear Physics and Reactors held at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, Jan 22 - March 28, 1980. The report deals with fuel management in natural uranium fuelled CANDU-PHW reactors. Assuming that the reader has a basic knowledge of CANDU core physics, some of the reactor systems which are more closely related to fuelling are described. This is followed by a discussion of the methods used to calculate the power distribution and perform fuel management analyses for the equilibrium core. A brief description of some computer codes used in fuel management is given, together with an overview of the calculations required to provide parameters for core design and support the accident analysis. Fuel scheduling during approach to equilibrium and equilibrium is discussed. Fuel management during actual reactor operation is discussed with a review of the operating experience for some of the Ontario Hydro CANDU reactors. (author)

Safety evaluation on MOX new fuel at marine transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsumune, Daisuke; Ito, Chihiro; Saegusa, Toshiari; Maruyama, Koki

2000-01-01

In the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, in order to confirm effects of MOX new fuel on the public are as small as possible even when its marine transport goes down, some exposed radiation dose has previously conducted on imaginary shipwreck of marine transport on used nuclear fuel, plutonium dioxide, and high level return glass solid. Under a base of such informations, some investigations on safety on marine transport of the MOX new fuel was conducted. On September, 1999, five transport vessels of the MOX new fuel was at first transported on marine. The value of five times of estimated exposed radiation dose (max. 8.1 x 10 -8 mSv/y) corresponds to an evaluation result assumed by shipwreck in marine transport this time. As a result, it was found that the exposed radiation dose estimated on this case would be sufficiently less than an effective dose equivalent limit (1 mSv/y) of public exposure according to the recommendation of ICRP in both coastal and oceanic areas. (G.K.)

Transport phenomena in fuel cells : from microscale to macroscale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Djilali, N. [Victoria Univ., BC (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering]|[Victoria Univ., BC (Canada). Inst. for Integrated Energy Systems

2006-07-01

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells rely on an array of thermofluid transport processes for the regulated supply of reactant gases and the removal of by-product heat and water. Flows are characterized by a broad range of length and time scales that take place in conjunction with reaction kinetics in a variety of regimes and structures. This paper examined some of the challenges related to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling of PEM fuel cell transport phenomena. An overview of the main features, components and operation of PEM fuel cells was followed by a discussion of the various strategies used for component modelling of the electrolyte membrane; the gas diffusion layer; microporous layer; and flow channels. A review of integrated CFD models for PEM fuel cells included the coupling of electrochemical thermal and fluid transport with 3-D unit cell simulations; air-breathing micro-structured fuel cells; and stack level modelling. Physical models for modelling of transport at the micro-scale were also discussed. Results of the review indicated that the treatment of electrochemical reactions in a PEM fuel cell currently combines classical reaction kinetics with solutions procedures to resolve charged species transport, which may lead to thermodynamically inconsistent solutions for more complex systems. Proper representation of the surface coverage of all the chemical species at all reaction sites is needed, and secondary reactions such as platinum (Pt) dissolution and oxidation must be accounted for in order to model and understand degradation mechanisms in fuel cells. While progress has been made in CFD-based modelling of fuel cells, functional and predictive capabilities remain a challenge because of fundamental modelling and material characterization deficiencies in ionic and water transport in polymer membranes; 2-phase transport in porous gas diffusion electrodes and gas flow channels; inadequate macroscopic modelling and resolution of catalyst

Transportation operations functions of the federal waste management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shappert, L.B.; Klimas, M.J.

1989-01-01

This paper documents the functions that are necessary to operate the OCRWM transportation system. OCRWM's mission is to accept and transport spent fuel and high-level waste from waste generators to FWMS facilities. The emphasis is on transportation operations and assumes that all necessary facilities are in place and equipment designs and specifications are available to permit the system to operate properly. The information reported in this paper was developed for TOPO and is compatible with the draft revision of the Waste Management System Requirements and Description (SRD). 5 refs

Regulation on the transport of nuclear fuel materials by vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The regulations applying to the transport of nuclear fuel materials by vehicles, mentioned in the law for the regulations of nuclear source materials, nuclear fuel materials and reactors. The transport is for outside of the factories and the site of enterprises by such modes of transport as rail, trucks, etc. Covered are the following: definitions of terms, places of fuel materials handling, loading methods, limitations on mix loading with other cargo, radiation dose rates concerning the containers and the vehicles, transport indexes, signs and indications, limitations on train linkage during transport by rail, security guards, transport of empty containers, etc. together with ordinary rail cargo and so on. (Mori, K.)

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

Fuel Cell System for Transportation -- 2005 Cost Estimate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wheeler, D.

2006-10-01

Independent review report of the methodology used by TIAX to estimate the cost of producing PEM fuel cells using 2005 cell stack technology. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program Manager asked the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to commission an independent review of the 2005 TIAX cost analysis for fuel cell production. The NREL Systems Integrator is responsible for conducting independent reviews of progress toward meeting the DOE Hydrogen Program (the Program) technical targets. An important technical target of the Program is the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell cost in terms of dollars per kilowatt ($/kW). The Program's Multi-Year Program Research, Development, and Demonstration Plan established $125/kW as the 2005 technical target. Over the last several years, the Program has contracted with TIAX, LLC (TIAX) to produce estimates of the high volume cost of PEM fuel cell production for transportation use. Since no manufacturer is yet producing PEM fuel cells in the quantities needed for an initial hydrogen-based transportation economy, these estimates are necessary for DOE to gauge progress toward meeting its targets. For a PEM fuel cell system configuration developed by Argonne National Laboratory, TIAX estimated the total cost to be $108/kW, based on assumptions of 500,000 units per year produced with 2005 cell stack technology, vertical integration of cell stack manufacturing, and balance-of-plant (BOP) components purchased from a supplier network. Furthermore, TIAX conducted a Monte Carlo analysis by varying ten key parameters over a wide range of values and estimated with 98% certainty that the mean PEM fuel cell system cost would be below DOE's 2005 target of $125/kW. NREL commissioned DJW TECHNOLOGY, LLC to form an Independent Review Team (the Team) of industry fuel cell experts and to evaluate the cost estimation process and the results reported by TIAX. The results of

World-wide French experience in research reactor fuel cycle transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisonnier, D.

1997-01-01

Since 1963 Transnucleaire has safely performed a large number of national and international transports of radioactive material. Transnucleaire has also designed and supplied suitable packagings for all types of nuclear fuel cycle radioactive material from front-end and back-end products and for power or for research reactors. Transportation of the nuclear fuel material for power reactors is made on a regular and industrial basis. The transportation of material for the research reactor fuel cycle is quite different due to the small quantities involved, the categorisation of material and the numerous places of delivery world-wide. Adapted solutions exist, which require a reactive organisation dealing with all the transportation issues for LEU and HEU products as metal, oxide, fresh fuel elements, spent fuel elements including supply of necessary transport packaging and equipment. This presentation will: - explain the choices made by Transnucleaire and its associates to provide and optimise the corresponding services, - demonstrate the capability to achieve, through reliable partnership, transport operations involving new routes, specific equipment and new political constraints while respecting sophisticated safety and security regulations. (author)

Preliminary cost analysis of a universal package concept in the spent fuel management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-09-01

The purpose of this study is to provide a preliminary cost assessment of a universal spent fuel package concept as it applies to the backend of the once through nuclear fuel cycle; i.e., a package that would be qualified for spent fuel storage, transportation, and disposal. To provide this preliminary cost assessment, costs for each element of the spent fuel management system have been compiled for system scenarios employing the universal package, and these costs are compared against system costs for scenarios employing the universal package, and these costs are compared against system costs for scenarios employing other types of storage, transportation, and disposal packages. The system elements considered in this study are storage at the nuclear power plant, spent fuel transportation, a Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility, and a geologic repository. In accordance with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, most of these system elements and associated functions will be the responsibility of the Department of Energy. 10 refs., 25 figs., 22 tabs

Experience feedback from the transportation of Framatome fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robin, M.E.; Gaillard, G.; Aubin, C.

1998-01-01

Framatome, the foremost world nuclear fuel manufacturer, has for 25 years been delivering fuel elements from its three factories (Dessel, Romans, Pierrelatte) to the various sites in France and abroad (Germany, Sweden, Belgium, China, Korea, South Africa, Switzerland). During this period, Framatome has built up experience and expertise in fuel element transportation by road, rail and sea. In this filed, the range of constraints is very wide: safety and environmental protection constraints; constraints arising from the control and protection of nuclear materials, contractual and financial constraints, media watchdogs. Through the experience feedback from the transportation of FRAMATOME assemblies, this paper addresses all the phases in the transportation of fresh fuel assemblies. (authors)

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

Thorium fuel cycle management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zajac, R.; Darilek, P.; Breza, J.; Necas, V.

2010-01-01

In this presentation author deals with the thorium fuel cycle management. Description of the thorium fuels and thorium fuel cycle benefits and challenges as well as thorium fuel calculations performed by the computer code HELIOS are presented.

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

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)

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)

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

Alternative transportation fuels in the USA: government hydrogen vehicle programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cannon, J.S.

1993-01-01

The linkage between natural gas-based transportation and hydrogen-based transportation strategies, two clean burning gaseous fuels, provides a strong policy rationale for increased government sponsorship of hydrogen vehicle research and demonstration programs. Existing federal and state government hydrogen vehicle projects are discussed in this paper: research at the NREL, alternate-fueled buses, Renewable Hydrogen for the State of Hawaii program, New York state alternative transportation fuels program, Colorado program. 9 refs

In-core fuel management and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waeckel, N.

2009-01-01

The management of nuclear fuel inside the core has to take into account the necessity to stop the reactor periodically to renew the fuel partially and to perform maintenance operations. The fuel management strategy determines the cost of the fuel (through the number of assemblies that have been changed and their enrichment rate) and the duration of the campaign till next stop. Fuel management strategies have to conciliate different objectives: -) the safety of the reactor, -) the reliability of the fuel assemblies, -) the optimization of the fuel cost by increasing the discharge burnup. The necessity of spent fuel processing implies a maximal discharge burnup. During the 1990-2000 period, the discharge burnups have been progressively increased through the following fuel management strategies: Garance, Cyclades and Gemmes. During the years 2000-2009, the progressive absorption of the nuclear over-equipment, the opening of the European electricity markets favored power production through the MOX-parity, Alcade and Galice fuel management strategies. The perspective for next decade is to favor production to the prejudice of higher burnups. (A.C.)

Integrated modeling for optimized regional transportation with compressed natural gas fuel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossam A. Gabbar

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Transportation represents major energy consumption where fuel is considered as a primary energy source. Recent development in the vehicle technology revealed possible economical improvements when using natural gas as a fuel source instead of traditional gasoline. There are several fuel alternatives such as electricity, which showed potential for future long-term transportation. However, the move from current situation where gasoline vehicle is dominating shows high cost compared to compressed natural gas vehicle. This paper presents modeling and simulation methodology to optimize performance of transportation based on quantitative study of the risk-based performance of regional transportation. Emission estimation method is demonstrated and used to optimize transportation strategies based on life cycle costing. Different fuel supply scenarios are synthesized and evaluated, which showed strategic use of natural gas as a fuel supply.

The transport of fuel assemblies. New containers for transport the used nuclear material in Juzbado factory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Juzbado Manufacturing Facility is designed to be versatile and flexible. It is manufactured different kind of fuel assemblies PWR, BWR and VVER, beginning by the uranium oxide coming from the conversion facilities. The transport of these products (radioactive material fissile) requires the availability of different kind of packages; our models variety is similar to the big manufacturers. It is required a depth knowledge of the licensing process, approvals, manufacturing and handling instruction to be confident. Moreover, the recently changes on the Transport Regulations and the demands for the approval by the Competent Authorities have required the renovation of most of the package designs for the transport of radioactive material fissile worldwide. ENUSA assumed time ago this renovation and it is nowadays in the pick moment of this process. If we also consider the complexity on the management of multimodal international transportations, the Logistic task for the transport of nuclear material associated to the Juzbado factory results in a real changeling area. (Author)

INTERACTION OF AIR TRANSPORTATION AND FUEL-SUPPLY COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. P. Zheleznaya

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes the role of aviation fuel in the life of air transport. Fueling industry worldwide solves two main tasks - ensuring the safety and economy of air traffic. In Russia, there is one more task of airlines fuel supply. The article deals with fuel pricing taking into consideration today's realities.

Environmental economics of lignin derived transport fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Obydenkova, Svetlana V; Kouris, Panos D; Hensen, Emiel J M; Heeres, Hero J; Boot, Michael D

2017-11-01

This paper explores the environmental and economic aspects of fast pyrolytic conversion of lignin, obtained from 2G ethanol plants, to transport fuels for both the marine and automotive markets. Various scenarios are explored, pertaining to aggregation of lignin from several sites, alternative energy carries to replace lignin, transport modalities, and allocation methodology. The results highlight two critical factors that ultimately determine the economic and/or environmental fuel viability. The first factor, the logistics scheme, exhibited the disadvantage of the centralized approach, owing to prohibitively expensive transportation costs of the low energy-dense lignin. Life cycle analysis (LCA) displayed the second critical factor related to alternative energy carrier selection. Natural gas (NG) chosen over additional biomass boosts well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions (WTW GHG) to a level incompatible with the reduction targets set by the U.S. renewable fuel standard (RFS). Adversely, the process' economics revealed higher profits vs. fossil energy carrier. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the 2008 transportation technologies and fuels forum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

As a large emitter of pollutants, the transportation industry is now seeking to develop a sustainable transportation plan for the future by developing methods of reducing emissions and improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles. This forum discussed recent innovations in vehicle transportation technologies. Industry leaders, government representatives, and researchers discussed methods of reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollution in the transportation sector. Advanced combustion technologies were outlined, and recent developments in hybrid electric-powered vehicles were discussed. Research related to fuel cells, hydrogen fuels and biofuels was presented. The impacts of polluting vehicles on public health were also discussed. The forum was divided into the following 5 sessions: (1) setting the scene, (2) future fuels, (3) emissions, (4) EVs now, and (5) the road to the future. The sessions were followed by a panel on technology roadmaps. The forum featured 14 presentations, of which 4 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs., figs.

Drop analysis for structural integrity evaluation of KJRR fuel transport container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yun Young; Lim, Jong Min; Choi, Woo Seok; Lee, Ju Chan

2016-01-01

A fuel transport container for KiJang Research Reactor(KJRR) has been developed to transport fresh fuel assemblies and fission molly targets which are used for a research reactor built in Kijang. The KJRR fuel transport container is a type-A(F) container, which is defined in domestic and foreign regulations of a radioactive substance container. According to Nuclear Safety and Security Commission's notification, the container should meet the accident conditions defined in IAEA safety Standard Series, US NRC and etc. In this study, a structural integrity of the KJRR fuel transport container is evaluated by conducting computational analyses of 9-meter free drop and 1 meter puncture. It is confirmed that structural integrity of the KJRR fuel transport container can be maintained in the transportation accident condition. Hereafter, when the test model is produced, a safety test will be conducted and its result will be compared with the result of drop and puncture analyses.

Numerical simulation of ion transport membrane reactors: Oxygen permeation and transport and fuel conversion

KAUST Repository

Hong, Jongsup; Kirchen, Patrick; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2012-01-01

Ion transport membrane (ITM) based reactors have been suggested as a novel technology for several applications including fuel reforming and oxy-fuel combustion, which integrates air separation and fuel conversion while reducing complexity

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

Fuel mechanical design as a boundary condition for fuel management optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wunderlich, F.; Aisch, F.W.; Heins, L.

1988-01-01

The incentive to reduce fuel cycle costs as well as the amount of active waste requires, among others, measures to optimize fuel management. Improved fuel management in this sense calls, e.g., for reduction of parasitic neutron absorption, for reduction of neutron leakage, and particularly for burnup extension. Such measures result in increased demands for fuel mechanical design. In the first part of this paper their impact on fuel mechanical behaviour is described. In the second part, some examples of practical importance for the interaction between fuel management optimization and fuel mechanical design are discussed. (orig.) [de

Secure Transportation Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibbs, P. W.

2014-01-01

Secure Transport Management Course (STMC) course provides managers with information related to procedures and equipment used to successfully transport special nuclear material. This workshop outlines these procedures and reinforces the information presented with the aid of numerous practical examples. The course focuses on understanding the regulatory framework for secure transportation of special nuclear materials, identifying the insider and outsider threat(s) to secure transportation, organization of a secure transportation unit, management and supervision of secure transportation units, equipment and facilities required, training and qualification needed.

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

Transport of fresh MOX fuel assemblies for the Monju initial core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurakami, J.; Ouchi, Y.; Usami, M.

1997-01-01

Transport of fresh MOX fuel assemblies for the prototype FBR MONJU initial core started in July 1992 and ended in March 1994. As many as 205 fresh MOX fuel assemblies for an inner core, 91 assemblies for an outer core and 5 assemblies for testing) were transported in nine transport missions. The packaging for fuel assemblies, which has shielding and shock absorbing material inside, meets IAEA regulatory requirements for Type B(U) packaging including hypothetical accident conditions such as the 9 m drop test, fire test, etc. Moreover, this package design feature such advanced technologies as high performance neutron shielding material and an automatic hold-down mechanism for the fuel assemblies. Every effort was made to carry out safe transport in conjunction with the cooperation of every competent organisation. This effort includes establishment of the transport control centre, communication training, and accompanying of the radiation monitoring expert. No transport accident occurred during the transport and all the transport missions were successfully completed on schedule. (Author)

Accelerated fuel depreciation as an economic incentive for low-leakage fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Downar, T.J.

1986-01-01

An analysis is presented which evaluates the tax depreciation advantage which results from the increased rate of fuel depletion achieved in the current low-leakage fuel-management LWR core reload designs. An analytical fuel-cycle cost model is used to examine the important cost parameters which are then validated using the fuel-cycle cost code CINCAS and data from the Maine Yankee PWR. Results show that low-leakage fuel management, through the tax depreciation advantage from accelerated fuel depletion, provides an improvement of several percent in fuel-cycle costs compared to traditional out-in fuel management and a constant fuel depletion rate. (author)

Memento. Maritime transport of MOX fuels from Europe to Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-07-01

The maritime transport of MOX fuels from Europe to Japan represents the last of the 3 steps of transport of the nuclear fuel reprocessing-recycling program settled between ORC (Japan), BNFL (UK) and Cogema (France). This document summarizes the different aspects of this program: the companies concerned, the physical protection measures, the US-Japan agreements (accompanying warship), the in-depth safety, the handling of MOX fuels (containers and ships), and the Japan MOX fuel needs. (J.S.)

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

Current status of sea transport of nuclear fuel materials and LLW in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Hideo

2000-01-01

Along with the basic policy of the nuclear fuel cycle of Japan, many fuel cycle facilities have been already constructed in Rokkasho-Mura, Aomori prefecture, such as the uranium enrichment plant, the low level waste disposal center and the receiving pool of the spent nuclear fuels for reprocessing. These facilities belong to the Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited. (JNFL). Domestic sea transport of the spent nuclear fuels (SF) has been carried out since 1977 to the Tokai Reprocessing Plant, and the first sea transport of the SF to the fuel cycle facility in Rokkasho-Mura was done in Oct, 1998 using a new exclusive ship 'Rokuei-Maru'. Sea transport of the low level radioactive wastes (LLW) has been carried out since 1992 to the Rokkasho LLW Disposal Center, and about 130,000 LLW drams were transported from the nuclear power plant sites. These sea transport have demonstrated the safety of the transport of the nuclear fuel cycle materials. It is hoped that the safe sea transport of the nuclear fuel materials will contribute to the more progress of the nuclear fuel cycle activities of Japan. (author)

Recent BWR fuel management reactor physics advances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crowther, R.L.; Congdon, S.P.; Crawford, B.W.; Kang, C.M.; Martin, C.L.; Reese, A.P.; Savoia, P.J.; Specker, S.R.; Welchly, R.

1982-01-01

Improvements in BWR fuel management have been under development to reduce uranium and separative work (SWU) requirements and reduce fuel cycle costs, while also maintaining maximal capacity factors and high fuel reliability. Improved reactor physics methods are playing an increasingly important role in making such advances feasible. The improved design, process computer and analysis methods both increase knowledge of the thermal margins which are available to implement fuel management advance, and improve the capability to reliably and efficiently analyze and design for fuel management advances. Gamma scan measurements of the power distributions of advanced fuel assembly and advanced reactor core designs, and improved in-core instruments also are important contributors to improving 3-d predictive methods and to increasing thermal margins. This paper is an overview of the recent advances in BWR reactor physics fuel management methods, coupled with fuel management and core design advances. The reactor physics measurements which are required to confirm the predictions of performance fo fuel management advances also are summarized

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 assessment of ammonia as a transport fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duijm, N.J.; Markert, F.; Lundtang paulsen, Jette

2005-02-01

This report describes the safety study performed as part of the EU supported project 'Ammonia Cracking for Clean Electric Power Technology' The study addresses the following activities: safety of operation of the ammonia-powered vehicle under normal and accident (collision) conditions, safety of transport of ammonia to the refuelling stations and safety of the activities at the refuelling station (unloading and refuelling). Comparisons are made between the safety of using ammonia and the safety of other existing or alternative fuels. The conclusion is that the hazards in relation to ammonia need to be controlled by a combination of technical and regulatory measures. The most important requirements are: - Advanced safety systems in the vehicle - Additional technical measures and regulations are required to avoid releases in maintenance workshops and unauthorised maintenance on the fuel system - Road transport of ammonia to refuelling stations in refrigerated form - Sufficient safety zones between refuelling stations and residential or otherwise public areas. When these measures are applied, the use of ammonia as a transport fuel wouldnt cause more risks than currently used fuels (using current practice). (au)

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

Some UK experience and practice in the packaging and transport of irradiated fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edney, C.J.; Rutter, R.L.

1977-01-01

The origin and growth of irradiated fuel transport within and to the U.K. is described and the role of the organisations presently carrying out transport operations is explained. An explanation of the relevant U.K. regulations and laws affecting irradiated fuel transport and the role of the controlling body, the Department of the Environment is given. An explanation is given of the technical requirements for the transport of irradiated Magnox fuel and of the type of flask used, and the transport arrangements, both within the U.K. and to the U.K., from overseas is discussed. The technical requirements for the transport of C.A.G.R. fuel are outlined and the flask and transport arrangements are discussed. The transport requirements of oxide fuel from water reactors is outlined and the flask and shipping arrangements under which this fuel is brought to the U.K. from overseas is explained. The shipping arrangements are explained with particular reference to current international and national requirements. The requirements of the transport of M.T.R. fuel are discussed and the flask type explained. The expected future expansion of the transport of irradiated fuel within and to the U.K. is outlined and the proposed operating methods are briefly discussed. A summary is given of the U.K. experience and the lessons to be drawn from that experience

Social science to improve fuels management: a synthesis of research on aesthetics and fuels management

Science.gov (United States)

Robert L. Ryan

2005-01-01

A series of syntheses were commissioned by the USDA Forest Service to aid in fuels mitigation project planning. This synthesis focuses on research addressing aesthetic considerations of fuels management. A general finding is that fuels management activities can contribute to the visual quality of a landscape. Topics covered in the synthesis include research findings on...

Swedish plans and experience regarding management of spent fuel and core components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grahn, P.H.; Hedin, G.

2005-01-01

In Sweden, the duties and responsibilities involved in handling radioactive waste were defined in the seventies. The 1976 Stipulation Law provides for the originator of the waste to be fully responsible for te waste arising in the course of plant operation. SKB, Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., was founded by the Swedish operators of nuclear power plants in 1972 to take care of nuclear power plant waste management and radioactive waste treatment. In the eighties, the Finance Act was adopted which provides for the establishment of a fund to finance complete disposal of nuclear power plant waste, including radioactive waste and spent fuel. Over the past few years, there have been various developments in nuclear power plant waste management: - Reprocessing of spent fuel is no longer part of the waste management strategy. The fuel elements are stored in a central interim store, CLAB, which has been in operation since 1985 and now holds approx. 4 000 t of fuel elements. - A transport system for radioactive waste and spent fuel has been in operation successfully since 1985. - A repository for low- and medium-level waste has been in operation since 1985. - Work has been underway for the past twenty years in research, development, and construction of an underground repository for spent fuel. Development has now reached a stage which will allow a decision to be taken within the next five or ten years about the sites of the conditioning plant and the repository. (orig.)

Emissions of greenhouse gases from the use of transportation fuels and electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeLuchi, M.A.

1991-11-01

This report presents estimates of full fuel-cycle emissions of greenhouse gases from using transportation fuels and electricity. The data cover emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen oxides, and nonmethane organic compounds resulting from the end use of fuels, compression or liquefaction of gaseous transportation fuels, fuel distribution, fuel production, feedstock transport, feedstock recovery, manufacture of motor vehicles, maintenance of transportation systems, manufacture of materials used in major energy facilities, and changes in land use that result from using biomass-derived fuels. The results for electricity use are in grams of CO 2 -equivalent emissions per kilowatt-hour of electricity delivered to end users and cover generating plants powered by coal, oil, natural gas, methanol, biomass, and nuclear energy. The transportation analysis compares CO 2 -equivalent emissions, in grams per mile, from base-case gasoline and diesel fuel cycles with emissions from these alternative- fuel cycles: methanol from coal, natural gas, or wood; compressed or liquefied natural gas; synthetic natural gas from wood; ethanol from corn or wood; liquefied petroleum gas from oil or natural gas; hydrogen from nuclear or solar power; electricity from coal, uranium, oil, natural gas, biomass, or solar energy, used in battery-powered electric vehicles; and hydrogen and methanol used in fuel-cell vehicles

Radiological aspects of postfission waste management for light-water reactor fuel cycle options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shipler, D B; Nelson, I C [Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Richland, WA (United States)

1978-12-01

A generic environmental impact statement on the management of radioactive postfission wastes from various light-water reactor fuel cycles in the United States has been prepared. The environmental analysis for post-fission waste management includes an examination of radiological impacts related to different waste treatment, storage, transportation, and disposal options at the process level. Effects addressed include effluents from plants, and radiological impacts from facility operation (routine and accidents), and decommissioning. Environmental effects are combined for fuel reprocessing plants, mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plants, and waste repositories. Radiological effects are also aggregated for several fuel cycle options over the period 1980 and 2050. Fuel cycles analyzed are (1) once-through cycle in which spent reactor fuel is cooled in water basins for at least 6-1/2 years and then disposed of in deep geologic repositories; (2) spent fuel reprocessing in which uranium only and uranium and plutonium is recycled and solidified high level waste, fuel residues, and non-high-level transuranic wastes are disposed of in deep geologic repositories; and (3) deferred cycle that calls for storage of spent fuel at Federal spent fuel storage facilities until the year 2000 at which time a decision is made whether to dispose of spent fuel as a waste or to reprocess the fuel to recover uranium and plutonium. Key environmental issues for decision-making related to waste management alternatives and fuel cycle options are highlighted. (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

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

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

Transport insurance of unirradiated nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matto, H.

1985-01-01

Special conditions must be taken into account in transport insurance for nuclear materials even if the nuclear risk involved is negligible, as in shipments of unirradiated nuclear fuels. The shipwreck of the 'Mont Louis' has raised a number of open points which must be solved pragmatically within the framework of transport insurance. Some proposals are outlined in the article. (orig.) [de

Gas transport in solid oxide fuel cells

CERN Document Server

He, Weidong; Dickerson, James

2014-01-01

This book provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary research and emerging measurement technologies associated with gas transport in solid oxide fuel cells. Within these pages, an introduction to the concept of gas diffusion in solid oxide fuel cells is presented. This book also discusses the history and underlying fundamental mechanisms of gas diffusion in solid oxide fuel cells, general theoretical mathematical models for gas diffusion, and traditional and advanced techniques for gas diffusivity measurement.

Development and use of GREET 1.6 fuel-cycle model for transportation fuels and vehicle technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, M. Q.

2001-01-01

Since 1995, with funds from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT), Argonne National Laboratory has been developing the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model. The model is intended to serve as an analytical tool for use by researchers and practitioners in estimating fuel-cycle energy use and emissions associated with alternative transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Argonne released the first version of the GREET model--GREET 1.0--in June 1996. Since then, it has released a series of GREET versions with revisions, updates, and upgrades. In February 2000, the latest public version of the model--GREET 1.5a--was posted on Argonne's Transportation Technology Research and Development Center (TTRDC) Web site (www.transportation.anl.gov/ttrdc/greet). Major publications that address GREET development are listed. These reports document methodologies, development, key default assumptions, applications, and results of the GREET model. They are also posted, along with additional materials for the GREET model, on the TTRDC Web site. For a given transportation fuel/technology combination, the GREET model separately calculates: (A)--Fuel-cycle energy consumption for the following three source categories: (1) Total energy (all energy sources), (2) Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas [NG], and coal), and (3) Petroleum. (B)--Fuel-cycle emissions of the following three greenhouse gases (GHGs): (1) Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) (with a global warming potential [GWP] of 1), (2) Methane (CH 4 ) (with a GWP of 21), and (3) Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) (with a GWP of 310). (C)--Fuel-cycle emissions of the following five criteria pollutants (separated into total [T] and urban [U] emissions): (1) Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), (2) Carbon monoxide (CO), (3) Nitrogen oxides (NO x ), (4) Particulate matter with a mean aerodynamic diameter of 10 (micro)m or less (PM 10 ), and (5) Sulfur oxides

Conceptual Assessment of a Fresh Fuel Transport Package for KJRR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Ju-Chan; Choi, W. S.; Bang, K. S.; Yu, S. H.; Park, J. S.; Yang, Y. Y. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The IAEA and domestic regulations stipulate that the fissile material transport package be subjected to the cumulative effects of a 9 m drop, 1 m puncture, 800 ℃ thermal and water leakage tests. A fissile material transport package should be maintained the subcriticality during the normal and accident conditions for contingency of leakage of water into or out of package, rearrangement of the contents, reduction of spaces and temperature changes. KAERI has been developing a fresh fuel transport package for Kijang research reactor (KJRR). This paper describes a conceptual design and preliminary safety analysis of the transport package for KJRR. The transport package was designed for shipment of a fresh fuel and a FM (Fission Molybdenum) target. Low-enriched uranium (LEU) of U-Mo fuel with U-235 enrichment of 19.75 w/o is used as a research reactor fuel. And LEU of UAlx-Al with U-235 enrichment of 19.75 w/o is used as a FM target material. The transport package was designed for shipment of a fresh fuel and a FM target. Safety analyses were conducted on all areas, including criticality, structural, and thermal fields. In the criticality analysis, effective neutron multiplication factors were below the criticality safety limit. In the structural analysis, the maximum stress satisfied the stress requirement stipulated in the ASME code. After 9 m free drop and 1 m puncture test, there was no significant deformation of fuel basket to cause a criticality. In the thermal analysis, the maximum temperatures at each part were lower than the allowable values.

Spent nuclear fuel management. Moving toward a century of spent fuel management: A view from the halfway mark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shephard, L.

2004-01-01

Full text: A half-century ago, President Eisenhower in his 1953 'Atoms for Peace' speech, offered nuclear technology to other nations as part of a broad nuclear arms control initiative. In the years that followed, the nuclear power generation capabilities of many nations has helped economic development and contributed to the prosperity of the modern world. The growth of nuclear power, while providing many benefits, has also contributed to an increasing global challenge over safe and secure spent fuel management. Over 40 countries have invested in nuclear energy, developing over 400 nuclear power reactors. Nuclear power supplies approximately 16% of the global electricity needs. With the finite resources and challenges of fossil fuels, nuclear power will undoubtedly become more prevalent in the future, both in the U.S. and abroad. We must address this inevitability with new paradigms for managing a global nuclear future. Over the past fifty years, the world has come to better understand the strong interplay between all elements of the nuclear fuel cycle, global economics, and global security. In the modern world, the nuclear fuel cycle can no longer be managed as a simple sequence of technological, economic and political challenges. Rather it must be seen, and managed, as a system of strongly interrelated challenges. Spent fuel management, as one element of the nuclear fuel system, cannot be relegated to the back-end of the fuel cycle as only a disposal or storage issue. There exists a wealth of success and experience with spent fuel management over the past fifty years. We must forge this experience with a global systems perspective, to reshape the governing of all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, including spent fuel management. This session will examine the collective experience of spent fuel management enterprises, seeking to shape the development of new management paradigms for the next fifty years. (author)

The dieselization of America: An integrated strategy for future transportation fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eberhardt, J.J. [Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

1997-12-31

The Diesel Cycle engine has already established itself as the engine-of-choice for the heavy duty transport industry because of its fuel efficiency, durability, and reliability. In addition, it has also been shown to be capable of using alternative fuels, albeit at efficiencies lower than that achieved with petroleum-derived diesel fuel. Alternative fuel dedicated engines have not made significant penetration of the heavy duty truck market because truck fleet operators need a cost-competitive fuel and reliable supply and fueling infrastructure. In lieu of forcing diverse fuels from many diverse domestic feedstocks onto the end-users, the Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies envisions that a future fuels strategy for the heavy duty transport sector is one where the diverse feedstocks are utilized to provide a single fuel specification (dispensed from the existing fueling infrastructure) that would run efficiently in a single high efficiency energy conversion device, the Diesel Cycle engine. In so doing, the US Commercial transport industry may gain a measure of security from the rapid fuel price increases by relying less on a single feedstock source to meet its increasing fuel requirements.

Fuel cells in transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erdmann, G [Technische Univ., Berlin (Germany); Hoehlein, B [Research Center Juelich (Germany)

1996-12-01

A promising new power source for electric drive systems is the fuel cell technology with hydrogen as energy input. The worldwide fuel cell development concentrates on basic research efforts aiming at improving this new technology and at developing applications that might reach market maturity in the very near future. Due to the progress achieved, the interest is now steadily turning to the development of overall systems such as demonstration plants for different purposes: electricity generation, drive systems for road vehicles, ships and railroads. This paper does not present results concerning the market potential of fuel cells in transportation but rather addresses some questions and reflections that are subject to further research of both engineers and economists. Some joint effort of this research will be conducted under the umbrella of the IEA Implementing Agreement 026 - Annex X, but there is a lot more to be done in this challenging but also promising fields. (EG) 18 refs.

Fuel cycle management in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaeyrynen, H.; Mikkola, I.

1987-01-01

Both Finnish utilities producing nuclear power - Imatran Voima Oy (IVO) and Teollisuuden Voima Oy (Industrial Power Co. Ltd, TVO) - have created efficient fuel cycle management systems. The systems however differ in almost all respects. The reason is that the principal supplier for IVO is the Soviet Union and for TVO is Sweden. A common feature of both systems at the front end of the cycle is the building of stockpiles in order to provide for interruptions in fuel deliveries. Quality assurance supervision at the fuel factory for IVO is regulated by the Soviet Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a final control is made in Finland. The in-core fuel management is done by IVO using codes developed in Finland. The whole IVO fuel cycle is basically a leasing arrangement. The spent fuel is returned to the USSR after five years cooling. TVO carries out the in-core fuel management using a computer code system supplied by Asea-Atom. TVO is responsable for the back end of the cycle and makes preparations for the final disposal of the spent fuel in Finland. 6 refs., 2 figs

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

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

Development of a Life Cycle Inventory of Water Consumption Associated with the Production of Transportation Fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lampert, David J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Cai, Hao [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wang, Zhichao [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Keisman, Jennifer [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wu, May [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Han, Jeongwoo [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Dunn, Jennifer [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Sullivan, John L. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Elgowainy, Amgad [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wang, Michael [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Keisman, Jennifer [American Association for the Advancemetn of Science (AAAS), Washington, DC (United States)

2015-10-01

The production of all forms of energy consumes water. To meet increased energy demands, it is essential to quantify the amount of water consumed in the production of different forms of energy. By analyzing the water consumed in different technologies, it is possible to identify areas for improvement in water conservation and reduce water stress in energy-producing regions. The transportation sector is a major consumer of energy in the United States. Because of the relationships between water and energy, the sustainability of transportation is tied to management of water resources. Assessment of water consumption throughout the life cycle of a fuel is necessary to understand its water resource implications. To perform a comparative life cycle assessment of transportation fuels, it is necessary first to develop an inventory of the water consumed in each process in each production supply chain. The Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model is an analytical tool that can used to estimate the full life-cycle environmental impacts of various transportation fuel pathways from wells to wheels. GREET is currently being expanded to include water consumption as a sustainability metric. The purpose of this report was to document data sources and methodologies to estimate water consumption factors (WCF) for the various transportation fuel pathways in GREET. WCFs reflect the quantity of freshwater directly consumed per unit production for various production processes in GREET. These factors do not include consumption of precipitation or low-quality water (e.g., seawater) and reflect only water that is consumed (i.e., not returned to the source from which it was withdrawn). The data in the report can be combined with GREET to compare the life cycle water consumption for different transportation fuels.

Safe transport of irradiated fuel by sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, M.L.

1997-01-01

The development is described of a transport system dedicated to the sea transport of irradiated nuclear fuel. The background is reviewed of why shipments were required and the establishment of a specialist shipping company, Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. A description of the ships, flasks and other equipment utilised is provided, together with details of key procedures implemented to ensure safety and customer satisfaction. (Author)

The sea transport of irradiated nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, M.L.

1995-01-01

The paper describes the development of a transport system dedicated to the sea transport of irradiated nuclear fuel. It reviews the background to why shipments were required and the establishment of a specialist shipping company, Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. A description of the ships, flasks and other equipment utilized is provided, together with details of key procedures implemented to ensure safety and customer satisfaction

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

Comparison of fuel production costs for future transportation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ridjan, Iva; Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Connolly, David

The purpose of this poster is to provide an overview of fuel production costs for two types of synthetic fuels – methanol and methane, along with comparable costs for first and second generation biodiesel, two types of second generation bioethanol, and biogas. The model analysed is a 100% renewable...... scenario of Denmark for 2050, where the data for the transport sector has been changed to estimate the fuel production costs for eight different fuel pathways....

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

Alternative Fuel Guidelines for Alternative Transportation Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-31

The Volpe Center documented the increased use of alternative fuels on vehicles owned and operated by federal land management agencies. For each alternative fuel type, the Volpe Center documented the availability of vehicles, fueling mechanisms and pr...

Fuel management approach in IRIS Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrovic, B.; Franceschini, F.

2004-01-01

This paper provides an overview of fuel management approach employed in IRIS (International Reactor Innovative and Secure). It introduces the initial, rather ambitious, fuel management goals and discusses their evolution that reflected the fast pace of progress of the overall project. The updated objectives rely on using currently licensed fuel technology, thus enabling near-term deployment of IRIS, while still providing improved fuel utilization. The paper focuses on the reference core design and fuel management strategy that is considered in pre-application licensing, which enables extended cycle of three to four years. The extended cycle reduces maintenance outage time and increases capacity factor, thus reducing the cost of electricity. Approaches to achieving this goal are discussed, including use of different reloading strategies. Additional fuel management options, which are not part of the licensing process, but are pursued as long-term research for possible future implementation, are presented as well. (Author)

Nuclear fuel management via fuel quality factor averaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mingle, J.O.

1978-01-01

The numerical procedure of prime number averaging is applied to the fuel quality factor distribution of once and twice-burned fuel in order to evolve a fuel management scheme. The resulting fuel shuffling arrangement produces a near optimal flat power profile both under beginning-of-life and end-of-life conditions. The procedure is easily applied requiring only the solution of linear algebraic equations. (author)

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

Integrated System for Retrieval, Transportation and Consolidated Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel in the US - 13312

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bracey, William; Bondre, Jayant; Shelton, Catherine; Edmonds, Robert

2013-01-01

The current inventory of used nuclear fuel assemblies (UNFAs) from commercial reactor operations in the United States totals approximately 65,000 metric tons or approximately 232,000 UNFAs primarily stored at the 104 operational reactors in the US and a small number of decommissioned reactors. This inventory is growing at a rate of roughly 2,000 to 2,400 metric tons each year, (Approx. 7,000 UNFAs) as a result of ongoing commercial reactor operations. Assuming an average of 10 metric tons per storage/transportation casks, this inventory of commercial UNFAs represents about 6,500 casks with an additional of about 220 casks every year. In January 2010, the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) [1] was directed to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and recommend a new plan. The BRC issued their final recommendations in January 2012. One of the main recommendations is for the United States to proceed promptly to develop one or more consolidated storage facilities (CSF) as part of an integrated, comprehensive plan for safely managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Based on its extensive experience in storage and transportation cask design, analysis, licensing, fabrication, and operations including transportation logistics, Transnuclear, Inc. (TN), an AREVA Subsidiary within the Logistics Business Unit, is engineering an integrated system that will address the complete process of commercial UNFA management. The system will deal with UNFAs in their current storage mode in various configurations, the preparation including handling and additional packaging where required and transportation of UNFAs to a CSF site, and subsequent storage, operation and maintenance at the CSF with eventual transportation to a future repository or recycling site. It is essential to proceed by steps to ensure that the system will be the most efficient and serve at best its purpose by defining: the problem to be resolved, the criteria to

Integrated System for Retrieval, Transportation and Consolidated Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel in the US - 13312

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bracey, William; Bondre, Jayant; Shelton, Catherine [Transnuclear, Inc., 7135 Minstrel Way Suite 300, Columbia MD 21045 (United States); Edmonds, Robert [AREVA Federal Services, 7207 IBM Drive, Charlotte NC 28262 (United States)

2013-07-01

The current inventory of used nuclear fuel assemblies (UNFAs) from commercial reactor operations in the United States totals approximately 65,000 metric tons or approximately 232,000 UNFAs primarily stored at the 104 operational reactors in the US and a small number of decommissioned reactors. This inventory is growing at a rate of roughly 2,000 to 2,400 metric tons each year, (Approx. 7,000 UNFAs) as a result of ongoing commercial reactor operations. Assuming an average of 10 metric tons per storage/transportation casks, this inventory of commercial UNFAs represents about 6,500 casks with an additional of about 220 casks every year. In January 2010, the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) [1] was directed to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and recommend a new plan. The BRC issued their final recommendations in January 2012. One of the main recommendations is for the United States to proceed promptly to develop one or more consolidated storage facilities (CSF) as part of an integrated, comprehensive plan for safely managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Based on its extensive experience in storage and transportation cask design, analysis, licensing, fabrication, and operations including transportation logistics, Transnuclear, Inc. (TN), an AREVA Subsidiary within the Logistics Business Unit, is engineering an integrated system that will address the complete process of commercial UNFA management. The system will deal with UNFAs in their current storage mode in various configurations, the preparation including handling and additional packaging where required and transportation of UNFAs to a CSF site, and subsequent storage, operation and maintenance at the CSF with eventual transportation to a future repository or recycling site. It is essential to proceed by steps to ensure that the system will be the most efficient and serve at best its purpose by defining: the problem to be resolved, the criteria to

Macroscopic Modeling of Transport Phenomena in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Anders Christian

An increasing need for energy efficiency and high energy density has sparked a growing interest in direct methanol fuel cells for portable power applications. This type of fuel cell directly generates electricity from a fuel mixture consisting of methanol and water. Although this technology...... surpasses batteries in important areas, fundamental research is still required to improve durability and performance. Particularly the transport of methanol and water within the cell structure is difficult to study in-situ. A demand therefore exist for the fundamental development of mathematical models...... for studying their transport. In this PhD dissertation the macroscopic transport phenomena governing direct methanol fuel cell operation are analyzed, discussed and modeled using the two-fluid approach in the computational fluid dynamics framework of CFX 14. The overall objective of this work is to extend...

Storage, transportation and disposal system for used nuclear fuel assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Scaglione, John M.; Wagner, John C.

2017-01-10

An integrated storage, transportation and disposal system for used fuel assemblies is provided. The system includes a plurality of sealed canisters and a cask sized to receive the sealed canisters in side by side relationship. The plurality of sealed canisters include an internal basket structure to receive a plurality of used fuel assemblies. The internal basket structure includes a plurality of radiation-absorbing panels and a plurality of hemispherical ribs generally perpendicular to the canister sidewall. The sealed canisters are received within the cask for storage and transportation and are removed from the cask for disposal at a designated repository. The system of the present invention allows the handling of sealed canisters separately or collectively, while allowing storage and transportation of high burnup fuel and damaged fuel to the designated repository.

An overview on the nuclear spent fuel management in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radu, M.

2001-01-01

The sources of radioactive waste in Romania are users of radiation and radioactive materials in industry (including nuclear electricity generation), medicine, agriculture and research and also the processing of materials that are naturally radioactive, such as uranium ores. The different types of radioactive waste are classified into four categories of waste: excepted waste, low level waste, medium level waste and high level waste. A spent fuel management sub-programme as a part of the Radioactive Waste Management programme was initiated by the former Romanian Electricity Company (RENEL) in 1992. Within the frame of R and D of the Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Programme, the topics cover investigations, studies and research to identify the sites and the conceptual designs for a Spent Fuel Interim Storage Facility (SFISF) and also a Spent Fuel Disposal Facility (SFDF). Changes in the organization of the nuclear activities of RENEL, involving both responsibilities and financing aspects, led to interruption of the programme. The programme includes study of the main methods and the existing technologies for the design, operation and safety of an interim storage facility (including transport aspects). It also includes analysis of details on the site selection for this facility and for a spent fuel final disposal facility. The achievement of the spent fuel interim storage facility is proceeding. The results from the studies performed in the last years will permit us to prepare the feasibility study next year and the documentation required by our regulatory body for starting the process to obtain a license for a SFISF at Cernavoda. A second phase is the assessment of a long term strategy to select and adopt a proven disposal technology for spent fuel, corresponding with a selected site. The status of the work performed in the frame of this programme and also the situation of the spent fuel from research reactors are presented. (author)

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

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Activity on Technical Influence of High Burnup UOX and MOX Water Reactor Fuel on Spent Fuel Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovasic, Z.; Einziger, R.

2009-01-01

This paper briefly reviews the results of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project investigating the influence of high burnup and mixed-oxide (MOX) fuels, from water power reactors, on spent fuel management. These data will provide information on the impacts, regarding spent fuel management, for those countries operating light-water reactors (LWR)s and heavy-water reactors (HWR)s with zirconium alloy-clad uranium dioxide (UOX) fuels, that are considering the use of higher burnup UOX or the introduction of reprocessing and MOX fuels. The mechanical designs of lower burnup UOX and higher burnup UOX or MOX fuel are very similar, but some of the properties (e.g., higher fuel rod internal pressures; higher decay heat; higher specific activity; and degraded cladding mechanical properties of higher burnup UOX and MOX spent fuels) may potentially significantly affect the behavior of the fuel after irradiation. These properties are reviewed. The effects of these property changes on wet and dry storage, transportation, reprocessing, re-fabrication of fuel, and final disposal were evaluated, based on regulatory, safety, and operational considerations. Political and strategic considerations were not taken into account since relative importance of technical, economic and strategic considerations vary from country to country. There will also be an impact of these fuels on issues like non-proliferation, safeguards, and sustainability, but because of the complexity of factors affecting those issues, they are only briefly discussed. Data gaps were also identified during this investigation. The pros and cons of using high burnup UOX or MOX, for each applicable issue in each stage of the back end of the fuel cycle, were evaluated and are discussed.. Although, in theory, higher burnup fuel and MOX fuels mean a smaller quantity of spent fuel, the potential need for some changes in design of spent fuel storage, transportation, handling, reprocessing, re-fabrication, and

Spent fuel management overview: a global perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonne, A.; Crijns, M.J.; Dyck, P.H.; Fukuda, K.; Mourogov, V.M.

1999-01-01

The paper defines the main spent fuel management strategies and options, highlights the challenges for spent fuel storage and gives an overview of the regional balances of spent fuel storage capacity and spent fuel arising. The relevant IAEA activities in the area of spent fuel management are summarised. (author)

An evaluation of the alternative transport fuel policies for Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arslan, Ridvan; Ulusoy, Yahya; Tekin, Yuecel; Suermen, Ali

2010-01-01

The search for alternative fuels and new fuel resources is a top priority for Turkey, as is the case in the majority of countries throughout the world. The fuel policies pursued by governmental or civil authorities are of key importance in the success of alternative fuel use, especially for widespread and efficient use. Following the 1973 petroleum crisis, many users in Turkey, especially in transportation sector, searched for alternative fuels and forms of transportation. Gasoline engines were replaced with diesel engines between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s. In addition, natural gas was introduced to the Turkish market for heating in the early 1990s. Liquid petroleum gas was put into use in the mid-1990s, and bio-diesel was introduced into the market for transportation in 2003. However, after long periods of indifference governmental action, guidance and fuel policies were so weak that they did not make sense. Entrepreneurs and users experienced great economical losses and lost confidence in future attempts to search for other possible alternatives. In the present study, we will look at the history of alternative fuel use in the recent past and investigate the alternative engine fuel potential of Turkey, as well as introduce possible future policies based on experience.

Reduced Gravity Studies of Soret Transport Effects in Liquid Fuel Combustion

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Benjamin D.

2004-01-01

Soret transport, which is mass transport driven by thermal gradients, can be important in practical flames as well as laboratory flames by influencing transport of low molecular weight species (e.g., monatomic and diatomic hydrogen). In addition, gas-phase Soret transport of high molecular weight fuel species that are present in practical liquid fuels (e.g., octane or methanol) can be significant in practical flames (Rosner et al., 2000; Dakhlia et al., 2002) and in high pressure droplet evaporation (Curtis and Farrell, 1992), and it has also been shown that Soret transport effects can be important in determining oxygen diffusion rates in certain classes of microgravity droplet combustion experiments (Aharon and Shaw, 1998). It is thus useful to obtain information on flames under conditions where Soret effects can be clearly observed. This research is concerned with investigating effects of Soret transport on combustion of liquid fuels, in particular liquid fuel droplets. Reduced-gravity is employed to provide an ideal (spherically-symmetrical) experimental model with which to investigate effects of Soret transport on combustion. The research will involve performing reduced-gravity experiments on combustion of liquid fuel droplets in environments where Soret effects significantly influence transport of fuel and oxygen to flame zones. Experiments will also be performed where Soret effects are not expected to be important. Droplets initially in the 0.5 to 1 mm size range will be burned. Data will be obtained on influences of Soret transport on combustion characteristics (e.g., droplet burning rates, droplet lifetimes, gas-phase extinction, and transient flame behaviors) under simplified geometrical conditions that are most amenable to theoretical modeling (i.e., spherical symmetry). The experiments will be compared with existing theoretical models as well as new models that will be developed. Normal gravity experiments will also be performed.

Radwaste management and spent fuel management in JAVYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozik, M.; Strazovec, R.

2010-01-01

In this work authors present radwaste management and spent fuel management in JAVYS, a.s. Processing of radioactive wastes (RAW) in the Bohunice Radioactive Waste Processing Center and surface storage of RAW in National RAW Repository as well as Interim Spent fuel storage in Jaslovske Bohunice are presented.

Spent Nuclear Fuel project, project management plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuquay, B.J.

1995-01-01

The Hanford Spent Nuclear Fuel Project has been established to safely store spent nuclear fuel at the Hanford Site. This Project Management Plan sets forth the management basis for the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project. The plan applies to all fabrication and construction projects, operation of the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project facilities, and necessary engineering and management functions within the scope of the project

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)

Transport equations in an enzymatic glucose fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Jariwala, Soham; Krishnamurthy, Balaji

2018-01-01

A mathematical model is developed to study the effects of convective flux and operating temperature on the performance of an enzymatic glucose fuel cell with a membrane. The model assumes isothermal operating conditions and constant feed rate of glucose. The glucose fuel cell domain is divided into five sections, with governing equations describing transport characteristics in each region, namely - anode diffusion layer, anode catalyst layer (enzyme layer), membrane, cathode catalyst layer and cathode diffusion layer. The mass transport is assumed to be one-dimensional and the governing equations are solved numerically. The effects flow rate of glucose feed on the performance of the fuel cell are studied as it contributes significantly to the convective flux. The effects of operating temperature on the performance of a glucose fuel cell are also modeled. The cell performances are compared using cell polarization curves, which were found compliant with experimental observations.

Experience of European LWR irradiated fuel transport: the first five hundred tonnes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, H.W.

1978-01-01

The paper describes the service provided by an international company specializing in the transport of LWR irradiated fuel throughout Europe. Methods of transport used to the reprocessing plants at La Hague and Windscale include road transport of 38 te flasks over the whole route; transport of flasks between 55 and 105 te by rail, with rail-head and the reprocessing plant, where required, performed by road using heavy trailers; roll-on, roll-off sea ferries; and charter ships. Different modes of transport have been developed to cater for the various limitations on access to reactor sites arising from geographical and routing considerations. The experience of transporting more than 500 tonnes of irradiated uranium from twenty-one power reactors is used to illustrate the flexibility which the transport organization requires when the access and handling facilities are different at almost every reactor. Variations in fuel cross sections and lengths of fuel elements used in first generation reactors created the need for first generation flasks with sufficient variants to accommodate all reactor fuels but the trend now is towards standardization of flasks to perhaps two basic types. The safety record of irradiated fuel transport is examined with explanation of the means whereby this has been achieved. The problems of programming the movement of a pool of eighteen flasks for twenty-one reactors in eight countries are discussed together with the steps taken to ensure that the service operates fairly to give priority to those reactors with the greatest problems. The transport of irradiated fuel across several national frontiers is an international task which requires an international company. The transport of European irradiated fuel can be presented as an example of international collaboration which works

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)

Plutonium recycle. In-core fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vincent, F.; Berthet, A.; Le Bars, M.

1985-01-01

Plutonium recycle in France will concern a dozen of PWR 900 MWe controlled in gray mode till 1995. This paper presents the main characteristics of fuel management with plutonium recycle. The organization of management studies will be copied from this developed for classical management studies. Up these studies, a ''feasibility report'' aims at establishing at each stage of the fuel cycle, the impact of the utilization of fuel containing plutonium [fr

Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Volume 1, Appendix C, Savannah River Site Spent Nuclear Fuel Mangement Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-06-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is engaged in two related decision making processes concerning: (1) the transportation, receipt, processing, and storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at the DOE Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) which will focus on the next 10 years; and (2) programmatic decisions on future spent nuclear fuel management which will emphasize the next 40 years. DOE is analyzing the environmental consequences of these spent nuclear fuel management actions in this two-volume Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Volume 1 supports broad programmatic decisions that will have applicability across the DOE complex and describes in detail the purpose and need for this DOE action. Volume 2 is specific to actions at the INEL. This document, which limits its discussion to the Savannah River Site (SRS) spent nuclear fuel management program, supports Volume 1 of the EIS. Following the introduction, Chapter 2 contains background information related to the SRS and the framework of environmental regulations pertinent to spent nuclear fuel management. Chapter 3 identifies spent nuclear fuel management alternatives that DOE could implement at the SRS, and summarizes their potential environmental consequences. Chapter 4 describes the existing environmental resources of the SRS that spent nuclear fuel activities could affect. Chapter 5 analyzes in detail the environmental consequences of each spent nuclear fuel management alternative and describes cumulative impacts. The chapter also contains information on unavoidable adverse impacts, commitment of resources, short-term use of the environment and mitigation measures.

Fuel cell assembly with electrolyte transport

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Chang V.

1983-01-01

A fuel cell assembly wherein electrolyte for filling the fuel cell matrix is carried via a transport system comprising a first passage means for conveying electrolyte through a first plate and communicating with a groove in a second plate at a first point, the first and second plates together sandwiching the matrix, and second passage means acting to carry electrolyte exclusively through the second plate and communicating with the groove at a second point exclusive of the first point.

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

Experience of European irradiated fuel transport - the first four hundred tonnes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, H.W.

1977-01-01

The paper describes the successful integration of the experience of its three shareholders into an international company providing an irradiated fuel transport service throughout Europe. The experience of transporting more than 400 tonnes of irradiated uranium from fifteen power reactors is used to illustrate the flexibility which the transport organisation requires when the access and handling facilities are different at almost every reactor. Variations in fuel cross sections and lengths of fuel elements used in first generation reactors created the need for first generation flasks with sufficient variants to accommodate all reactor fuels but the trend now is towards standardisation of flasks to perhaps two basic types. Increases in fuel rating have raised the flask shielding and heat dissipation requirements and have influenced the design of later flasks. More stringent criticality acceptance criteria have tended to reduce the flask capacity below the maximum number of elements which could physically be contained. Reprocessing plant acceptance criteria initiated because of the presence of substantial quantities of loose crud released in the flask and the need to transport substantial numbers of failed elements have also reduced the flask capacity. Different modes of transport have been developed to cater for the various limitations on access to reactor sites arising from geographical and routing considerations. The safety record of irradiated fuel transport is examined with explanation of the means whereby this has been achieved. The problems of programming the movement of a pool of flasks for fifteen reactors in eight countries are discussed together with the steps taken to ensure that the service operates fairly to give priority to those reactors with the greatest problems. The transport of European irradiated fuel can be presented as an example of international collaboration which works

Moisture management, energy density and fuel quality in forest fuel supply chains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tahvanainen, T. [Joensuu Science Park Ltd., Joensuu (Finland); Sikanen, L. [Joensuu Univ. (Finland); Roser, D. [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Joensuu (Finland)

2009-07-01

This presentation provided tools for reducing the moisture content (MC) in wood chips, as moisture is one of the main quality factors for woody biomass, along with energy density and cleanness. The amount of water in solid wood fuels has a considerable effect on transportation efficiency, combustion efficiency and emissions. Under favourable storage conditions, MC can be decreased from typical fresh cut 50-55 per cent to 20-30 per cent in relatively short periods of storing by natural or artificial drying. Minor modifications can boost natural drying in fuel wood supply chains. This natural drying effect can have significant effects on the total energy efficiency and emissions of supply chains. The effect of improved packing density on transportation phase was discussed along with the need to control chip purity and size distribution. A procedure developed at the University of Joensuu and in the Finnish Forest Research Institute was used to estimate transportation costs and emissions according to transportation fleet and MC of the transported fuel. tabs., figs.

Method to mount defect fuel elements i transport casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgers, H.; Deleryd, R.

1996-01-01

Leaching or otherwise failed fuel elements are mounted in special containers that fit into specially designed chambers in a transportation cask for transport to reprocessing or long-time storage. The fuel elements are entered into the container under water in a pool. The interior of the container is dried before transfer to the cask. Before closing the cask, its interior, and the exterior of the container are dried. 2 figs

Fuel management and economics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vendryes, G

1972-11-01

From international conference on nuclear solutions to world energy problems; Washington, District of Columbia, USA (12 Nov The low cost of the fuel cycle is the most attractive feature of the fast neutron breeder reactor. In order to achieve it a good fuel management is essential, with well balanced fixed investment and renewal fuel costs. In addition the designer can optimize the power station as a whole (fuel cycle and thermal characteristics). (auth)

Ordinance concerning the filing of transport of nuclear fuel materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The ordinance is defined under the law for the regulations of nuclear source materials, nuclear fuel materials and reactors and the order for execution of the law. Any person who reports the transport of nuclear fuel materials shall file four copies of a notification according to the form attached to the public safety commission of the prefecture in charge of the dispatching place. When the transportation extends over the area in charge of another public safety commission, the commission which has received the notice shall report without delay date and route of the transport, kind and quantity of nuclear fuel materials and other necessary matters to the commission concerned and hear from the latter opinions on the items informed. The designation by the ordinance includes speed of the vehicle loaded with nuclear fuel materials, disposition of an accompanying car, arrangement of the line of the loaded vehicle and accompanying and other escorting cars, location of the parking, place of unloading and temporary storage, etc. Reports concerning troubles and measures taken shall be filed in ten days to the public safety commission which has received the notification, when accidents occur on the way, such as: theft or loss of nuclear fuel materials; traffic accident; irregular leaking of nuclear fuel materials and personal trouble by the transport. (Okada, K.)

One approach to accepting and transporting spent fuel from early-generation reactors with short fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, R.W.; Bentz, E.J. Jr.; Bentz, C.B.

1993-01-01

In the early days of development of commercial nuclear power reactors in the U.S., the overall length and uranium loading of the fuel assemblies were considerably less than those of later generation facilities. In turn, some of these early facilities were designed for handling shorter casks than currently-certified casks. The spent fuel assemblies from these facilities are nearly all standard fuel within the definition in the Standard Contract (10 CFR 961) between the utilities and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (the Big Rock Point fuel cross-section is outside the standard fuel dimension), and the utilities involved hold early delivery rights under DOE's oldest-fuel-first (OFF) allocation scenario. However, development of casks suitable for satisfying the acceptance and transportation requirements of some of these facilities is not currently underway in the DOE Cask System Development Program (CSDP). While the total MTU of these fuels is relatively small compared to the total program, the number of assemblies to be transported is significant, especially in the early years of operation according to the OFF allocation scenario. We therefore perceive a need for DOE to develop an approach and to implement plans to satisfy the unique acceptance and transportation requirements of these facilities. One such approach is outlined below. (author)

European experience in the transport of irradiated light-water reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, H.W.

1979-01-01

Various methods of transport of irradiated fuel flasks in Europe are described. While many problems in the transport of heavy flasks have been solved some remain and new ones have appeared. Some of these problems are the accumulation of crud on the surface of fuel elements, the problems of failed fuel, stringent criticality criteria, the ''sweating out'' of contaminated flasks, the access, road or rail, to reactor sites, and the maintenance of the transport vehicles. Some future trends in the direction of heavy flasks in the range of 75 to 100 tonnes are indicated

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)

A Study of Transport Airplane Crash-Resistant Fuel Systems

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Robertson, S

2002-01-01

...), of transport airplane crash-resistant fuel system (CRFS). The report covers the historical studies related to aircraft crash fires and fuel containment concepts undertaken by the FAA, NASA, and the U.S...

Regional analysis of renewable transportation fuels - production and consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoshuai

The transportation sector contributes more than a quarter of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable fuels can be a key solution to mitigate GHG emissions from the transportation sector. Particularly, we have focused on land-based production of renewable fuels from landfills and brownfield in the southeastern region of the United States. These so call marginal lands require no direct land-use change to avoid environmental impact and, furthermore, have rendered opportunities for carbon trading and low-carbon intensity business. The resources potential and production capacity were derived using federal and state energy databases with the aid of GIS techniques. To maximize fuels production and land-use efficiency, a scheme of co-location renewable transportation fuels for production on landfills was conducted as a case study. Results of economic modeling analysis indicate that solar panel installed on landfill sites could generate a positive return within the project duration, but the biofuel production within the landfill facility is relatively uncertain, requiring proper sizing of the onsite processing facility, economic scale of production and available tax credits. From the consumers' perspective, a life-cycle cost analysis has been conducted to determine the economic and environmental implications of different transportation choices by consumers. Without tax credits, only the hybrid electric vehicles have lifetime total costs equivalent to a conventional vehicles differing by about 1 to 7%. With tax credits, electric and hybrid electric vehicles could be affordable and attain similar lifetime total costs as compared to conventional vehicles. The dissertation research has provided policy-makers and consumers a pathway of prioritizing investment on sustainable transportation systems with a balance of environmental benefits and economic feasibility.

Procedures and techniques for the management of experimental and exotic fuel from research and test reactors in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisonnier, D.

1999-01-01

Since 1995, the Commissariat a I'Energie Atomique CEA has implemented a three point fuel management plan. One of the three points, the removal and the reprocessing of a wide range of spent fuels stored in different facilities in Saclay, Grenoble and Cadarache nuclear research centers, is described. The COGEMA Group has developed and implemented a comprehensive set of solutions for the management of research reactor and exotic fuels. It includes transport casks, storage casks or interim storage facilities at the reactor site, or at a centralized interim storage, as well as spent fuel reprocessing, material recycling and waste conditioning. (author)

Development of Monte Carlo-based pebble bed reactor fuel management code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Setiadipura, Topan; Obara, Toru

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A new Monte Carlo-based fuel management code for OTTO cycle pebble bed reactor was developed. • The double-heterogeneity was modeled using statistical method in MVP-BURN code. • The code can perform analysis of equilibrium and non-equilibrium phase. • Code-to-code comparisons for Once-Through-Then-Out case were investigated. • Ability of the code to accommodate the void cavity was confirmed. - Abstract: A fuel management code for pebble bed reactors (PBRs) based on the Monte Carlo method has been developed in this study. The code, named Monte Carlo burnup analysis code for PBR (MCPBR), enables a simulation of the Once-Through-Then-Out (OTTO) cycle of a PBR from the running-in phase to the equilibrium condition. In MCPBR, a burnup calculation based on a continuous-energy Monte Carlo code, MVP-BURN, is coupled with an additional utility code to be able to simulate the OTTO cycle of PBR. MCPBR has several advantages in modeling PBRs, namely its Monte Carlo neutron transport modeling, its capability of explicitly modeling the double heterogeneity of the PBR core, and its ability to model different axial fuel speeds in the PBR core. Analysis at the equilibrium condition of the simplified PBR was used as the validation test of MCPBR. The calculation results of the code were compared with the results of diffusion-based fuel management PBR codes, namely the VSOP and PEBBED codes. Using JENDL-4.0 nuclide library, MCPBR gave a 4.15% and 3.32% lower k eff value compared to VSOP and PEBBED, respectively. While using JENDL-3.3, MCPBR gave a 2.22% and 3.11% higher k eff value compared to VSOP and PEBBED, respectively. The ability of MCPBR to analyze neutron transport in the top void of the PBR core and its effects was also confirmed

Managing aging effects on used fuel dry cask for very long-term storage - 59067

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, Omesh; Diercks, Dwight; Ma, David; Shah, Vikram; Tam, Shiu-Wing; Fabian, Ralph; Liu, Yung; Nutt, Mark

2012-01-01

The cancellation of the Yucca Mountain repository program in the Unites States raises the prospect of very long-term storage (i.e., >120 years) and deferred transportation of used fuel at the nuclear power plant sites. While long-term storage of used nuclear fuel in dry cask storage systems (DCSSs) at Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs) is already a standard practice among U.S. utilities, recent rule-making activities of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) indicated additional flexibility for the NRC licensees of ISFSIs and certificate holders of the DCSSs to request initial and renewal terms for up to 40 years. The proposed rule also adds a requirement that renewal applicants must provide descriptions of aging management programs (AMPs) and time-limited aging analyses (TLAAs) to ensure that the structures, systems, and components (SSCs) that are important to safety in the DCSSs will perform as designed under the extended license terms. This paper examines issues related to managing aging effects on DCSSs for very long-term storage (VLTS) of used fuels, capitalizing on the extensive knowledge and experience accumulated from the work on aging research and life cycle management at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) over the last 30 years. The technical basis for acceptable AMPs and TLAAs is described, as are generic AMPs and TLAAs that are being developed by Argonne under the support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Used Fuel Disposition Campaign for R and D on extended long-term storage and transportation. (authors)

Joint convention on the safety of spent fuel management and on the safety of radioactive waste management. Report of the Federal Republic of Germany for the sixth review meeting in May 2018

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-08-01

The joint convention on the safety of spent fuel management and on the safety of radioactive waste management covers the following topics: historical development and actual status of the civil use of nuclear power, politics and the spent fuel management, inventories and listing, legislation and executive systems, other safeguard regulations, safety during spent fuel handling, safety during radioactive waste processing, transport across national borders, disused enclosed radioactive sources, general regulations for safety enhancement.

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

Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Draft Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is engaged in two related decision making processes concerning: (1) the transportation, receipt, processing, and storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at the DOE Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) which will focus on the next 10 years; and (2) programmatic decisions on future spent nuclear fuel management which will emphasize the next 40 years. DOE is analyzing the environmental consequences of these spent nuclear fuel management actions in this two-volume Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Volume 1 supports broad programmatic decisions that will have applicability across the DOE complex and describes in detail the purpose and need for this DOE action. Volume 2 is specific to actions at the INEL. This document, which limits its discussion to the Savannah River Site (SRS) spent nuclear fuel management program, supports Volume 1 of the EIS. Following the introduction, Chapter 2 contains background information related to the SRS and the framework of environmental regulations pertinent to spent nuclear fuel management. Chapter 3 identifies spent nuclear fuel management alternatives that DOE could implement at the SRS, and summarizes their potential environmental consequences. Chapter 4 describes the existing environmental resources of the SRS that spent nuclear fuel activities could affect. Chapter 5 analyzes in detail the environmental consequences of each spent nuclear fuel management alternative and describes cumulative impacts. The chapter also contains information on unavoidable adverse impacts, commitment of resources, short-term use of the environment and mitigation measures

Practice and prospect of advanced fuel management and fuel technology application in PWR in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Min; Zhang Hong; Ma Cang; Bai Chengfei; Zhou Zhou; Wang Lei; Xiao Xiaojun

2015-01-01

Since Daya Bay nuclear power plant implemented 18-month refueling strategy in 2001, China has completed a series of innovative fuel management and fuel technology projects, including the Ling Ao Advanced Fuel Management (AFM) project (high-burnup quarter core refueling) and the Ningde 18-month refueling project with gadolinium-bearing fuel in initial core. First, this paper gives brief introduction to China's advanced fuel management and fuel technology experience. Second, it introduces practices of the advanced fuel management in China in detail, which mainly focuses on the implementation and progress of the Ningde 18-month refueling project with gadolinium-bearing fuel in initial core. Finally, the paper introduces the practices of advanced fuel technology in China and gives the outlook of the future advanced fuel management and fuel technology in this field. (author)

L. Transportation of fuel and wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

The principles applied to the transport of nuclear fuels and wastes have been founded on the more general provisions governing the transport of radioactive materials. Safe shipment of radioactive materials has historically been sought by specifying required characteristics in the shipping packages and establishing minimum acceptable levels of package integrity. The reason for this is that in the course of transport by road, rail, sea, or air, consignments of radioactive material are in close proximity to members of the public, and in many cases they are loaded or unloaded by transport workers who have had no special training or experience in the handling of such substances. The procedures adopted to ensure transport safety have worked satisfactorily. Both in the USA and the UK, the industry and regulatory authorities have established outstanding safety records in shipping radioactive materials over a period of thirty years. It is claimed that there have been no injuries due to the radioactive nature of the shipments, nor has there been a release of nuclear materials serious enough to be a threat of death or injury. Admittedly, about 95% of the 800,000 shipments estimated in the USA each year involve small quantities for use in industry, medicine, agriculture and education. However the principals underlying the safe packaging of these and reactor fuels are the same, and there is little reason to doubt that a similar safety record can be maintained

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

Commercializing an alternate transportation fuel: lessons learned from NGV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flynn, P.C.

2001-01-01

An alternate transportation fuel, compressed natural gas, was adopted in Canada in the mid-1980s due to the unique conditions present at the time. The factors that had an impact on the limited acceptance of the fuel, keeping its rate of adoption below the critical point were examined in this paper. It was revealed that a lack of infrastructure to support converted vehicles was the deciding factor. Existing refueling stations failed to become profitable, preventing further investment in refueling facilities and resulting in depressed sales of converted vehicles. Excessive parts markup by conversion dealers was another major hurdle, as was exaggerated claims for environmental and economic benefits. In addition, promotional programs were poorly designed. In the late 1980s, the relative values of oil and natural gas shifted, lowering the momentum from sales of conversions. The consequence was major players leaving the market and natural gas remained on the fringe in both Canada and the United States. Different alternate transportation fuels, including electricity and hydrogen, are being favored by new technologies and driving forces. The growth to commercial viability for those fuels will likely be influenced by some of the factors that played a role in the fate of natural gas as a transportation fuel. 4 refs., 1 fig

Towards sustainable urban transportation: Test, demonstration and development of fuel cell and hybrid-electric buses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Folkesson, Anders

2008-05-01

bus showed the long-term potential of fuel cells, advanced auxiliaries and hybrid-electric powertrains, but technologies applied in that bus are not yet viable in terms of cost or robustness over the service life of a bus. Results from the EU-project CUTE show that hydrogen fuelled fuel cell buses are viable for real-life operation. Successful operation and public acceptance show that focus on robustness and cost in vehicle design were key success factors, despite the resulting poor fuel economy. Hybrid-electric powertrains are feasible in stop-and-go city operation. Fuel consumption can be reduced, comfort improved, noise lowered and the main power source downsized and operated less dynamically. The potential for design improvements due to flexible component packaging is implemented in the Scania hybrid concept bus. This bus and the framework for its hybrid management system are discussed in this thesis. The development of buses for a more sustainable urban transport should be made in small steps to secure technical and economical realism, which both are needed to guarantee commercialisation and volume of production. This is needed for alternative products to have a significant influence. Hybrid buses with internal combustion engines running on renewable fuel is tomorrow's technology, which paves the way for plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell hybrid vehicles the day after tomorrow

Dynamic analysis and application of fuel elements pneumatic transportation in a pebble bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Hongbing; Du, Dong; Han, Zandong; Zou, Yirong; Pan, Jiluan

2015-01-01

Almost 10,000 spherical fuel elements are transported pneumatically one by one in the pipeline outside the core of a pebble bed reactor every day. Any failure in the transportation will lead to the shutdown of the reactor, even safety accidents. In order to ensure a stable and reliable transportation, it's of great importance to analyze the motion and force condition of the fuel element. In this paper, we focus on the dynamic analysis of the pneumatic transportation of the fuel element and derive kinetic equations. Then we introduce the design of the transportation pipeline. On this basis we calculate some important data such as the velocity of the fuel element, the force between the fuel element and the pipeline and the efficiency of the pneumatic transportation. Then we analyze these results and provide some suggestions for the design of the pipeline. The experiment was carried out on an experimental platform. The velocities of the fuel elements were measured. The experimental results were consistent with and validated the theoretical analysis. The research may offer the basis for the design of the transportation pipeline and the optimization of the fuel elements transportation in a pebble bed reactor. - Highlights: • The kinetic equations of the fuel element in pneumatic transportation are derived. • The dynamic characteristics of the fuel element are analyzed. • Some important parameters are calculated based on the kinetic equations. • The experimental results were consistent with the analysis and verified the analysis. • This paper may offer an important guide to the research of a pebble bed reactor

Sources of expertise in transportation planning, management, and operations: Information received as of September 25, 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The DOE Office of Storage and Transportation Systems is responsible for the development and management of a transportation system to provide all the necessary services for the transportation of the spent fuel and wastes from reactor sites to repositories. DOE/ORO has requested Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) to assist DOE in developing rosters of sources of transportation expertise in: (1) carrier operations; (2) transportation management, planning, and logistics; (3) transportation equipment; (4) transportation facilities design and operation; (5) vehicle safety; and (6) transportation operations quality assurance; as related to truck, rail, barge, and intermodal transportation. Persons or organizations with experience in shipping of non-hazardous materials, spent nuclear fuel, other radioactive materials, and/or other hazardous materials were included in the information system. A mailed inquiry was sent to over 2300 potential sources of transportation expertise. Responses were received from 207 persons and 254 organizations. Section 1 contains the identification numbers of the individuals and organizations that responded. Section 2 contains identification codes, names, addresses, and phone numbers of each of the individual and organization respondents. The reader can refer to Section 2 for the name and address of the respondents for the identification codes listed for each technical area/experience base in Section 1

Siting and Transportation for Consolidated Used Nuclear Fuel Management Facilities: A Proposed Approach for a Regional Initiative to Begin the Dialogue - 13562

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thrower, Alex W.; Janairo, Lisa

2013-01-01

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (BRC) was formed in January 2010 to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, and to develop a new national strategy. Over two years, the BRC held dozens of meetings and heard from hundreds of Federal, State, Tribal, and local officials, as well as representatives of trade and labor organizations, technical groups, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. The Commission's final report (issued January 26, 2012) offers a strategy to resolve longstanding challenges to responsible management of the United States' nuclear waste legacy. The Commission recommended Congressional action to rewrite parts of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA); however, a comprehensive legislative overhaul will likely take years to fully implement. The nature and characteristics of nuclear waste, the activities that generated it, and the past history of federal efforts to manage the waste make it virtually certain that finding workable solutions will be controversial and difficult. As the BRC report suggests, this difficulty can be made insurmountable if top-down, federally-mandated efforts are forced upon unwilling States, Tribes, and local communities. Decades of effort and billions of ratepayer and taxpayer dollars have been spent attempting to site and operate spent fuel storage and disposal facilities in this manner. The experience thus far indicates that voluntary consent and active partnership of States, Tribes, and local governments in siting, designing, and operating such facilities are critical. Some States, Tribes, and local communities have indicated that, given adequate scientific and technical information, along with appropriate incentives, assurances, and authority, they might be willing to consider hosting facilities for consolidated storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The authors propose a new regional approach to identifying and resolving issues

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

Summary report on transportation of nuclear fuel materials in Japan : transportation infrastructure, threats identified in open literature, and physical protection regulations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cochran, John Russell; Ouchi, Yuichiro (Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Japan); Furaus, James Phillip; Marincel, Michelle K.

2008-03-01

This report summarizes the results of three detailed studies of the physical protection systems for the protection of nuclear materials transport in Japan, with an emphasis on the transportation of mixed oxide fuel materials1. The Japanese infrastructure for transporting nuclear fuel materials is addressed in the first section. The second section of this report presents a summary of baseline data from the open literature on the threats of sabotage and theft during the transport of nuclear fuel materials in Japan. The third section summarizes a review of current International Atomic Energy Agency, Japanese and United States guidelines and regulations concerning the physical protection for the transportation of nuclear fuel materials.

Transport of volatile fission products in the fuel-to-sheath gap of defective fuel elements during normal and reactor accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, B.J.; Bonin, H.W.

1995-01-01

An analytical treatment has been used to model the vapour transport of radioactive fission products released into the fuel-to-sheath gap of defective nuclear fuel elements. The model accounts for both diffusive and bulk-convective transport. Convective transport becomes important as a result of a significant release of gaseous fission products into the gap during a high-temperature reactor accident. However, during normal reactor operation, diffusion is shown to be the dominant process of transport. The model is based on an analysis of several in-reactor tests with operating defective fuel elements, and high-temperature annealing experiments with irradiated fuel specimens. ((orig.))

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

In-core fuel management activities in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruan Keqiang; Chen Renji; Hu Chuanwen

1990-01-01

The development of nuclear power in China has reached such a stage that PWR in-core fuel management becomes an urgent problem. At present the main effort is concentrated on solving the Qinshan nuclear power plant and Daya Bay nuclear power plant fuel management problems. For the Qinshan PWR (300 MWe) two packages of in-core fuel management code were developed, one with simplified nodal diffusion method and the other uses advanced Green's function nodal method. Both were used in the PWR core design. With the help of the two code packages first two cycles of the Qinshan PWR core burn-up were calculated. Besides, several research works are under way in the following areas: improvement of the nodal diffusion method and other coarse mesh method in terms of computing speed and accuracy; backward diffusion technique for fuel management application; optimization technique in the fuel loading pattern searching. As for the Daya Bay PWR plant (twin 900 MWe unit), the problem about using what kind of code package for in-core fuel management is still under discussion. In principle the above mentioned code packages are also applicable to it. Besides PWR, in-core fuel management research works are also under way for research reactors, for example, heavy water research reactor and high flux research reactor in some institutes in China. China also takes active participation in international in-core fuel management activities. (author). 19 refs

Fuel reprocessing and waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philippone, R.L.; Kaiser, R.A.

1989-01-01

Because of different economic, social and political factors, there has been a tendency to compartmentalize the commercial nuclear power industry into separate power and fuel cycle operations to a greater degree in some countries compared to other countries. The purpose of this paper is to describe how actions in one part of the industry can affect the other parts and recommend an overall systems engineering approach which incorporates more cooperation and coordination between individual parts of the fuel cycle. Descriptions are given of the fuel cycle segments and examples are presented of how a systems engineering approach has benefitted the fuel cycle. Descriptions of fuel reprocessing methods and the waste forms generated are given. Illustrations are presented describing how reprocessing options affect waste management operations and how waste management decisions affect reprocessing

The single SNR fuel assembly container (ESBB) to transport unirradiated SNR 300 fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilbert, F.; Hottenrott, G.

1998-01-01

In this paper a new type B(U) package design is presented. The Single SNR Fuel Assembly Container (ESBB) is designed for the transport and storage of a single SNR 300 fuel assembly. This package is the main component for the future interim storage of the fuel assemblies in heavy storage casks. Its benefits are that it is compatible with the Category I transport system of Nuclear Cargo + Service NCS) used in Germany and that it can be easily handled at the current storage locations as well as in an interim storage facility. In total 205 fuel assemblies are currently stored in Hanau, Germany and Dounreay, U.K. Former studies have shown, that heavy transport and storage casks can be handled there only with considerable efforts. But the required category I transport to an interim storage is not reasonably feasible. To overcome these problems the ESBB was designed. It consists of a stainless steel tube with welded bottom, a welded plug as closure system and shock absorbers 26 packages at maximum can be transported in one batch with the NCS security vehicle. The safety analysis shows that the package complies with IAEA 1996. Standard calculations methods and computer codes like HEATING 7.2 (Childs 1993) have been used for the analysis. Criticality safety assessment is based on conservative assumptions as required in IAEA 1996. Drop tests carried out by BAM will be used to verify the design. These tests are scheduled for mid 1998. For the validation of the design prototypes have already been manufactured. Handling tests show that the design complies with the requirements. Preliminary drop tests show that the certification drop tests will be passed positively. (authors)

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)

In-core fuel management benchmarks for PHWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-06-01

Under its in-core fuel management activities, the IAEA set up two co-ordinated research programmes (CRPs) on complete in-core fuel management code packages. At a consultant meeting in November 1988 the outline of the CRP on in-core fuel management benchmars for PHWRs was prepared, three benchmarks were specified and the corresponding parameters were defined. At the first research co-ordination meeting in December 1990, seven more benchmarks were specified. The objective of this TECDOC is to provide reference cases for the verification of code packages used for reactor physics and fuel management of PHWRs. 91 refs, figs, tabs

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)

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

Alternative Fuel Transportation Optimization Tool : Description, Methodology, and Demonstration Scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

This report describes an Alternative Fuel Transportation Optimization Tool (AFTOT), developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)....

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)

Effects of fuel particle size distributions on neutron transport in stochastic media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Chao; Pavlou, Andrew T.; Ji, Wei

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Effects of fuel particle size distributions on neutron transport are evaluated. • Neutron channeling is identified as the fundamental reason for the effects. • The effects are noticeable at low packing and low optical thickness systems. • Unit cells of realistic reactor designs are studied for different size particles. • Fuel particle size distribution effects are not negligible in realistic designs. - Abstract: This paper presents a study of the fuel particle size distribution effects on neutron transport in three-dimensional stochastic media. Particle fuel is used in gas-cooled nuclear reactor designs and innovative light water reactor designs loaded with accident tolerant fuel. Due to the design requirements and fuel fabrication limits, the size of fuel particles may not be perfectly constant but instead follows a certain distribution. This brings a fundamental question to the radiation transport computation community: how does the fuel particle size distribution affect the neutron transport in particle fuel systems? To answer this question, size distribution effects and their physical interpretations are investigated by performing a series of neutron transport simulations at different fuel particle size distributions. An eigenvalue problem is simulated in a cylindrical container consisting of fissile fuel particles with five different size distributions: constant, uniform, power, exponential and Gaussian. A total of 15 parametric cases are constructed by altering the fissile particle volume packing fraction and its optical thickness, but keeping the mean chord length of the spherical fuel particle the same at different size distributions. The tallied effective multiplication factor (k eff ) and the spatial distribution of fission power density along axial and radial directions are compared between different size distributions. At low packing fraction and low optical thickness, the size distribution shows a noticeable effect on neutron

Electricity as Transportation ``Fuel''

Science.gov (United States)

Tamor, Michael

2013-04-01

The personal automobile is a surprisingly efficient device, but its place in a sustainable transportation future hinges on its ability use a sustainable fuel. While electricity is widely expected to be such a ``fuel,'' the viability of electric vehicles rests on the validity of three assumptions. First, that the emissions from generation will be significantly lower than those from competing chemical fuels whether `renewable' or fossil. Second, that advances in battery technology will deliver adequate range and durability at an affordable cost. Third, that most customers will accept any functional limitations intrinsic to electrochemical energy storage. While the first two are subjects of active research and vigorous policy debate, the third is treated virtually as a given. Popular statements to the effect that ``because 70% of all daily travel is accomplished in less than 100 miles, mass deployment of 100 mile EVs will electrify 70% of all travel'' are based on collections of one-day travel reports such as the National Household Travel Survey, and so effectively ignore the complexities of individual needs. We have analyzed the day-to-day variations of individual vehicle usage in multiple regions and draw very different conclusions. Most significant is that limited EV range results in a level of inconvenience that is likely to be unacceptable to the vast majority of vehicle owners, and for those who would accept that inconvenience, battery costs must be absurdly low to achieve any economic payback. In contrast, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) does not suffer range limitations and delivers economic payback for most users at realistic battery costs. More importantly, these findings appear to be universal in developed nations, with labor market population density being a powerful predictor of personal vehicle usage. This ``scalable city'' hypothesis may prove to a powerful predictor of the evolution of transportation in the large cities of the developing world.

Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Draft Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

This document analyzes at a programmatic level the potential environmental consequences over the next 40 years of alternatives related to the transportation, receipt, processing, and storage of spent nuclear fuel under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy. It also analyzes the site-specific consequences of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory sitewide actions anticipated over the next 10 years for waste and spent nuclear fuel management and environmental restoration. For programmatic spent nuclear fuel management this document analyzes alternatives of no action, decentralization, regionalization, centralization and the use of the plans that existed in 1992/1993 for the management of these materials. For the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, this document analyzes alternatives of no action, ten-year plan, minimum and maximum and maximum treatment, storage, and disposal of US Department of Energy wastes

Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Draft Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

This document analyzes at a pregrammatic level the potential environmental consequences over the next 40 years of alternatives related to the transportation, receipt, processing, and storage of spent nuclear fuel under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy. It also analyzes the site-specific consequences of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory sitewide actions anticipated over the next 10 years for waste and spent nuclear fuel management and environmental restoration. For pregrammatic spent nuclear fuel management, this document analyzes alternatives of no action, decentralization, regionalization, centralization and the use of the plans that existed in 1992/1993 for the management of these materials. For the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, this document analyzes alternatives of no action, ten-year plan, minimum and maximum treatment, storage, and disposal of US Department of Energy wastes

Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs draft environmental impact statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

This document analyzes at a programmatic level the potential environmental consequences over the next 40 years of alternatives related to the transportation, receipt, processing, and storage of spent nuclear fuel under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy. It also analyzes the site-specific consequences of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory sitewide actions anticipated over the next 10 years for waste and spent nuclear fuel management and environmental restoration. For programmatic spent nuclear fuel management, this document analyzes alternatives of no action, decentralization, regionalization, centralization and the use of the plans that existed in 1992/1993 for the management of these materials. For the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, this document analyzes alternatives of no action, ten-year plan, minimum and maximum treatment, storage, and disposal of US Department of Energy wastes

Real driving emissions and fuel consumption characteristics of Istanbul public transportation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozener Orkun

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Public transportation, which uses intra city lines frequently, has vital importance on the cities air pollution. The fossil fuel based drive units, which emits pollutants, are the primary source of this interest. Also, the fuel consumption is another major concern because of economic aspects. For an efficient and clear transportation, the pollutants and fuel consumption has to be analyzed, considering the operating conditions. In this context, the Metrobus line of Istanbul city which crosses from European side to Asian side of the city was analyzed with portable emission measurement system and portable fuel consumption meter devices. The relevant bus operating data were also collected during the operation. The data were analyzed while considering the operating modes like acceleration, deceleration, and constant speed cruises. The emission factors were developed. The pollutant emissions generally decreased as the vehicle speed increased while the fuel consumption increased for the same acceleration level. These results show the importance of operating conditions and their non-linear effect on emissions and fuel consumption Istanbul public transportation.

EDRP public local inquiry, UKAEA/BNFL precognition on: PFR fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste management at Dounreay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pugh, O.

1986-01-01

A description of PFR fuel reprocessing at Dounreay is given, including brief details of fuel assembly transport, dismantling, chemical separation processes and reprocessing experience. The origin of radioactive wastes from PFR reprocessing, and the types of radioactive waste are outlined. The management of radioactive waste, including storage, treatment and disposal is described. (U.K.)

Evaluation of next generation biomass derived fuels for the transport sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsita, Katerina G.; Pilavachi, Petros A.

2013-01-01

This paper evaluates next generation biomass derived fuels for the transport sector, employing the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Eight different alternatives of fuels are considered in this paper: bio-hydrogen, bio-synthetic natural gas, bio-dimethyl ether, bio-methanol, hydro thermal upgrading diesel, bio-ethanol, algal biofuel and electricity from biomass incineration. The evaluation of alternative fuels is performed according to various criteria that include economic, technical, social and policy aspects. In order to evaluate each alternative fuel, one base scenario and five alternative scenarios with different weight factors selection per criterion are presented. After deciding the alternative fuels’ scoring against each criterion and the criteria weights, their synthesis gives the overall score and ranking for all alternative scenarios. It is concluded that synthetic natural gas and electricity from biomass incineration are the most suitable next generation biomass derived fuels for the transport sector. -- Highlights: •Eight alternative fuels for the transport sector have been evaluated. •The method of the AHP was used. •The evaluation is performed according to economic, technical, social and policy criteria. •Bio-SNG and electricity from biomass incineration are the most suitable fuels

Can lignocellulosic hydrocarbon liquids rival lignocellulose-derived ethanol as a future transport fuel?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao Ding

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Although transport fuels are currently obtained mainly from petroleum, alternative fuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass (LB have drawn much attention in recent years in light of the limited reserves of crude oil and the associated environmental issues. Lignocellulosic ethanol (LE and lignocellulosic hydrocarbons (LH are two typical representatives of the LB-derived transport fuels. This editorial systematically compares LE and LB from production to their application in transport fuels. It can be demonstrated that LH has many advantages over LE relative to such uses. However, most recent studies on the production of the LB-derived transport fuels have focused on LE production. Hence, it is strongly recommended that more research should be aimed at developing an efficient and economically viable process for industrial LH production.

Study of fuel systems for LH2-fueled subsonic transport aircraft, volume 1

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, G. D.; Morris, R. E.; Davis, G. W.; Versaw, E. F.; Cunnington, G. R., Jr.; Riple, J. C.; Baerst, C. F.; Garmong, G.

1978-01-01

Several engine concepts examined to determine a preferred design which most effectively exploits the characteristics of hydrogen fuel in aircraft tanks received major emphasis. Many candidate designs of tank structure and cryogenic insulation systems were evaluated. Designs of all major elements of the aircraft fuel system including pumps, lines, valves, regulators, and heat exchangers received attention. Selected designs of boost pumps to be mounted in the LH2 tanks, and of a high pressure pump to be mounted on the engine were defined. A final design of LH2-fueled transport aircraft was established which incorporates a preferred design of fuel system. That aircraft was then compared with a conventionally fueled counterpart designed to equivalent technology standards.

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.

Modeling and energy management control design for a fuel cell hybrid passenger bus

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Kyle; Guezennec, Yann; Onori, Simona

2014-01-01

This paper presents the modeling and supervisory energy management design of a hybrid fuel cell/battery-powered passenger bus. With growing concerns about petroleum usage and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, finding alternative methods for vehicle propulsion is necessary. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems are viable possibilities for energy converters due to their high efficiencies and zero emissions. It has been shown that the benefits of PEM fuel cell systems can be greatly improved through hybridization. In this work, the challenge of developing an on-board energy management strategy with near-optimal performance is addressed by a two-step process. First, an optimal control based on Pontryagin's Minimum Principle (PMP) is implemented to find the global optimal solution which minimizes fuel consumption, for different drive cycles, with and without grade. The optimal solutions are analyzed in order to aid in development of a practical controller suitable for on-board implementation, in the form of an Auto-Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) regulator. Simulation results show that the ARMA controller is capable of achieving fuel economy within 3% of the PMP controller while being able to limit the transient demand on the fuel cell system.

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

Experience of air transport of nuclear fuel material in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, T.; Toguri, D.; Kawasaki, M.

2004-01-01

Certified Reference Materials (hereafter called as to CRMs), which are indispensable for Quality Assurance and Material Accountability in nuclear fuel plants, are being provided by overseas suppliers to Japanese nuclear entities as Type A package (non-fissile) through air transport. However, after the criticality accident at JCO in Japan, special law defining nuclear disaster countermeasures (hereafter called as to the LAW) has been newly enforced in June 2000. Thereafter, nuclear fuel materials must meet not only to the existing transport regulations but also to the LAW for its transport

Research reactor fuel transport in the U.K

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panter, R [U.K. Atomic Energy Authority, Harwell (United Kingdom)

1983-09-01

This paper describes the containers currently used for transport of fresh or spent fuel elements for Research and Materials Test Reactors in the U.K., their status, operating procedures and some of the practical difficulties. In the U.K., MTR fuel cycle work is almost entirely the responsibility of the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority.

Energy policy in transport and transport policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Dender, Kurt

2009-01-01

Explanations for, and indirect evidence of, imperfections in the market for private passenger vehicle fuel economy suggest there is a reasonable case for combining fuel economy standards and fuel or carbon taxes to contribute to an energy policy that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Estimates of key elasticities, including the rebound effect, indicate that the positive and negative side-effects of fuel economy measures on transport activities and external costs are limited. However, an energy policy for transport does not replace a transport policy that aims to manage the main transport externalities including congestion and local pollution. Conventional marginal cost estimates and standard cost-benefit reasoning suggest that policies that address congestion and local pollution likely bring benefits at least as large as those from fuel economy measures. But the large uncertainty on the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a strong challenge for standard cost-benefit reasoning. Emerging results from methods to cope with this uncertainty suggest that policies to stimulate the widespread adoption of low-carbon technologies in transport are justified.

Energy policy in transport and transport policy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Dender, Kurt [Joint Transport Research Centre of the International Transport Forum and the OECD, 2 rue Andre Pascale, F-75775 Paris Cedex 16 (France)

2009-10-15

Explanations for, and indirect evidence of, imperfections in the market for private passenger vehicle fuel economy suggest there is a reasonable case for combining fuel economy standards and fuel or carbon taxes to contribute to an energy policy that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Estimates of key elasticities, including the rebound effect, indicate that the positive and negative side-effects of fuel economy measures on transport activities and external costs are limited. However, an energy policy for transport does not replace a transport policy that aims to manage the main transport externalities including congestion and local pollution. Conventional marginal cost estimates and standard cost-benefit reasoning suggest that policies that address congestion and local pollution likely bring benefits at least as large as those from fuel economy measures. But the large uncertainty on the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a strong challenge for standard cost-benefit reasoning. Emerging results from methods to cope with this uncertainty suggest that policies to stimulate the widespread adoption of low-carbon technologies in transport are justified. (author)

Alternatives for managing wastes from reactors and post-fission operations in the LWR fuel cycle. Volume 3. Alternatives for interim storage and transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-05-01

Volume III of the five-volume report contains information on alternatives for interim storage and transportation. Section titles are: interim storage of spent fuel elements; interim storage of chop-leach fuel bundle residues; tank storage of high-level liquid waste; interim storage of solid non-high-level wastes; interim storage of solidified high-level waste; and, transportation alternatives

Spent fuel management strategies in eight countries and applicability to Sweden. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

This volume presents the texts of laws and regulations on the management of spent nuclear fuel in eight countries: Belgium, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Reports and articles presented by the governments are also provided which in many cases offer useful descriptions of programs, regulations, and policies. Summary descriptions of each of the documents are presented in this volume. The scope of the materials provided covers policies and regulations on spent fuel storage (wet and dry, at-reactor and centralized), packaging, handling, transportation, reprocessing, and disposal. Types of documents include legislation, decrees and ordinances, regulations and regulatory guidance, statements of policy and important articles. All important nuclear legislation is included whether or not it deals with spent fuel management explicitly. This includes basic atomic energy laws and laws on financial liability, environmental protection, physical security etc. Similarly, regulations and ordinances having broad impact on nuclear activities are included, such as radiation protection, environmental protection and emergency planning requirements, as well as regulations dealing with spent fuel and waste management topics directly. All legal documents provided are currently in effect

Potential Interface Issues in Spent Fuel Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-10-01

This publication is an output of a series of meetings to identify and evaluate issues and opportunities associated with interfaces in the back end of the fuel cycle (BEFC) and to describe effective management approaches based on the experience of Member States. During the meetings, participants from Member States and other international organizations shared and evaluated the main interfaces and potential interface issues among the spent fuel storage, transport, reprocessing and disposal of the BEFC, and also reviewed the national approaches to addressing these issues. The aim of this publication is to provide an approach to identify the interfaces in the BEFC as well as the potential issues that should be addressed. It also aims at responding to the solutions Member States most often find to be effective and, in some cases, were adjusted or revisited to reach the fixed target. Most of the interfaces and issues are country specific, as evidenced by the variety and diversity of examples provided in this publication

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

Regulations concerning the transport of nuclear fuel materials outside the works or the enterprise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The regulations are defined under the law for the regulations of nuclear source materials, nuclear fuel materials and reactors and the order for execution of the law. Basic concepts and terms are explained, such as: vehicle transport; easy transport; nuclear fuel material load, exclusive loading, employee, accumulative dose and exposure dose. Technical standards of vehicle transport are specified in detail on nucler fuel materials as nuclear fuel load, L,A, EM and BU type of load, nuclear fuel load of fission substances, the second and third type of fission load and materials contaminated by nuclear fuel substances to be carried not as nuclear fuel loads. Special exceptional measures to such transport and technical standards of easy transport are also designated. The application for confirmation of the transport shall be filed to the Director General of Science and Technology Agency according to the form attached with documents explaining nuclear fuel materials to be transferred, the vessel of such materials and construction, material and method of production of such a vessel, safety of nuclear materials contained, etc. Measures in dangerous situations shall be taken to fight a fire or prohibit the entrance of persons other than the staff concerned. Reports shall be presented in 10 days to the Director, when theft, loss or irregular leaking of nuclear fuel materials or personal troubles occur on the way. (Okada, K.)

Generation of transportation fuel from solid municipal waste plastics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarker, Moinuddin

2010-09-15

Transportation fuels derived from fossil fuels are subjected to the price fluctuations of the global marketplace, and constitute a major expense in the operation of a vehicle. Emissions from the evaporation and combustion of these fuels contribute to a range of environmental problems, causing poor air quality and emitting greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Alternative fuels created from domestic sources have been proposed as a solution to these problems, and many fuels are being developed based on biomass and other renewable sources. Natural State Research, Inc. developed different alternative hydrocarbon fuel which is produced from waste plastic materials.

Fuel transporting device in nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Tatsumi.

1975-01-01

Object: To obtain a support structure of an excellent quakeproof property for a fuel transporting device provided for the transportation of fuel between a reactor building and an auxiliary building in a pressure tube reactor or the like. Structure: The structure comprises an oblique transfer chute loosely penetrating the reactor building, reactor container and auxiliary building, a transfer chute support outer cylinder surrounding the transfer chute and having one end coupled to the transfer chute and other end coupled to the container, flexible seal members respectively provided on the reactor building side and on the auxiliary building side and surrounding the transfer chute and a slidable support supported on the side of the auxiliary building such that it can be in frictional contact with the outer periphery of the transfer chute. With this construction, the relative displacements of various parts caused by an earthquake or the like can be absorbed by the support outer cylinder, flexible seals and slidable support. (Ikeda, J.)

Waste biomass toward hydrogen fuel supply chain management for electricity: Malaysia perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Izatul Husna; Ibrahim, Jafni Azhan; Othman, Abdul Aziz

2016-08-01

Green energy is becoming an important aspect of every country in the world toward energy security by reducing dependence on fossil fuel import and enhancing better life quality by living in the healthy environment. This conceptual paper is an approach toward determining physical flow's characteristic of waste wood biomass in high scale plantation toward producing gas fuel for electricity using gasification technique. The scope of this study is supply chain management of syngas fuel from wood waste biomass using direct gasification conversion technology. Literature review on energy security, Malaysia's energy mix, Biomass SCM and technology. This paper uses the theoretical framework of a model of transportation (Lumsden, 2006) and the function of the terminal (Hulten, 1997) for research purpose. To incorporate biomass unique properties, Biomass Element Life Cycle Analysis (BELCA) which is a novel technique develop to understand the behaviour of biomass supply. Theoretical framework used to answer the research questions are Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) framework and Sustainable strategy development in supply chain management framework

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)