Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T02:08:21.186Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Disposal of Aluminum Based Spent Fuels in a Repository

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

M. R. Louthan ,
N. C. Iyer Jr. ,
R. L. Sindelar  and
H. B. Peacock Jr.
M. R. Louthan
Affiliation:
Materials Technology Section Savannah River Technology Center Aiken, SC, 29808
N. C. Iyer Jr.
Affiliation:
Materials Technology Section Savannah River Technology Center Aiken, SC, 29808
R. L. Sindelar
Affiliation:
Materials Technology Section Savannah River Technology Center Aiken, SC, 29808
H. B. Peacock Jr.
Affiliation:
Materials Technology Section Savannah River Technology Center Aiken, SC, 29808
Get access

Abstract

Aluminum clad fuel and target elements represent approximately 10% of the DOE owned spent nuclear fuels. The uranium in a large fraction of these fuels is highly enriched and is present as uraniumaluminides which are distributed relatively uniformly within an Al-U alloy core. Emerging acceptance criteria are expected to limit the dry storage temperature for aluminum based fuels to approximately 200°C. The rock temperature near the center of a repository may exceed 200°C if the thermal loading approaches 110 kW/acre. This combination may force the placement of canisters containing aluminum based fuels near the repository periphery. The warm, moist environment anticipated at the periphery may provide aggressive conditions for corrosion of the canister and the highly enriched, aluminum based fuels. Peripheral locations may also be the most vulnerable to covert fuel removal operations. Possible consequences of mixing aluminum based fuels with other fuels in a repository are discussed in this paper.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 412: Symposium V – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XIX , 1995 , 91
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1) Horton, D. G., ”OCRWM Quality Assurance Policy, Progress, and Politics”, DOE Soent Nuclear Fuel Challenees & Initiatives, p. 50, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
2) Fillmore, D. L., ”Characteristics of Department of Energy Spent Nuclear Fuel”, DOE Spent Nuclear Fuel Challenses & Initiatives, p. 3, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
3) Burke, S. D. and Howell, J. P., ”The Impacts of Prolonged Wet Storage of DOE Reactor Irradiated Nuclear Materials at the Savannah River Site”, DOE Soent Nuclear Fuel Challen2es & Initiatives, p. 118, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
4) Johnson, A. B. Jr., ”Bases for Extrapolating Materials Durability in Fuel Storage Pools”, DOE Soent Nuclear Fuel Challenees & Initiatives, p. 83, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
5) Louthan, M. R. Jr. and Iyer, N. C., ”Characterization of Aluminum Clad Fuels and Targets for Long Term Storage”, DOE Soent Nuclear Fuel Challenees & Initiatives, p. 333, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
6) Iyer, N. C. and Louthan, M. R. Jr., ”Materials Considerations for Dry Storage of Aluminum Clad Spent Nuclear Fuels”, Proceedings. Spectrum ‘94. Nuclear and Hazardous Waste Management. International Topical Meeting. p. 694, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
7) McKinnon, M., Einzinger, R. E., Louthan, M. R. Jr., and Iyer, N. C., ”Technical Issues for Possible Dry Storage of DOE Owned Spent Nuclear Fuels”, published as an ASME paper and presented at the ASME PVP Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, July, 1995 Google Scholar
8) Gorschboth, F. F., Goldin, H. and Anderson, M., ”Exploring the Regulatory Challenge: A Comparative Analysis of DOE and NRC Requirements”, DOE Snent Nuclear Fuel Challen2es & Initiatives, p. 45, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
9) Miller, B. and Chapman, N., ”Archaeological and Industrial Analogs for Deep Repository Materials”, High Level Radioactive Waste Management, Proceedines of the Sixth International Conference. p. 559, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1995 Google Scholar
10) Sindelar, R. L., Iyer, N. C., Peacock, H. B. Jr. and Louthan, M. R. Jr., ”Acceptance Criteria for Interim Dry Storage of Aluminum-Clad Fuels”, Hieh Level Radioactive Waste Manaeement. Proceedines of the Sixth International Conference, p. 647, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1995 Google Scholar
11) Roy, A. K., Fish, R. L. and McCright, R. D., ”Waste Package Materials Selection Process”, Hieh Level Radioactive Waste Management, Proceedines of the Fifth International Conference, p. 993, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
12) Buscheck, T. A., Nitao, J. J. and Saterlie, S. F., ”Evaluation of Thermo-Hydrological Performance in Support of the Thermal Loading Systems Study”, High Level Radioactive Waste Management, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference, p. 592, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
13) Gansemer, J. D. and Lamont, A., ”Effect of Aerial Power Density and Relative Humidity on Corrosion Resistance Container Performance”, High Level Radioactive Waste Manaeement. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference, p. 313, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1995 Google Scholar
14) McCoy, J. K., Stahl, D. and Buscheck, T. A., ”A Corrosion Model for Waste Package Corrosion-Allowance Materials”, High Level Radioactive Waste Manaeement. Proceedines of the Sixth International Conference, p. 565, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1995 Google Scholar
15) Apperson, C. E. and Mincey, J. F., ”Regulations, Criticality, and Long-Term Storage of HE-SNF”, DOE Soent Nuclear Fuel Challenges & Initiatives, p. 376, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar
16) McKibben, J. M., Gould, T. H., McDonell, W. R. and Bickford, W. E., ”A Disposition Strategy for Highly Enriched, Aluminum-Based Fuel form Research & Test Reactors”, DOE Soent Nuclear Fuel Challen2es & Initiatives. p. 203, American Nuclear Society, LaGrange Park, IL, 1994 Google Scholar