Safety Related Issues of Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage

At a NATO-sponsored workshop in Almaty in September 2005, specialists from the IAEA, Brazil, France, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, USA and Uzbekistan discussed safety-related issues of storing spent nuclear fuel. Fifteen papers dealt with aluminium-clad fuel discharged from research reactors worldwide, five papers were concerned with stainless steel-clad fuel from fast reactors, and two were devoted to Zircaloy-clad fuel from commercial light-water reactors.Although most attention was focused on fuel behaviour in storage pools, many countries—through lack of space—are beginning to ‘dry store’ spent fuel in an inert atmosphere in shielded casks, and both topics were covered thoroughly at the workshop. Water quality and dryness of the spent fuel, respectively, are the critical factors in avoiding material degradation for the two storage modes. No burning safety-related issue emerged from the twenty-two papers presented; however, the lack of wet storage space at most reactors and concerns regarding possible sabotage remain as issues that need to be periodically addressed.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Safety Related Issues of Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 26-29 September 2005

This book contains papers from a NATO-sponsored workshop in Almaty in September 2005, which discussed safety-related issues of storing spent nuclear fuel. Fifteen papers cover aluminum-clad fuel discharged from research reactors worldwide, while five papers examine stainless steel-clad fuel from fast reactors, and two Zircaloy-clad fuel from commercial light-water reactors.

Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Strategies for Safe Storage of Spent Fuel.- Spent Nuclear Fuel from Research Reactors: International Status and Perspectives; P. Adlelfang et al.- Regulatory Approach for Managing Radioactive Waste in the Republic of Kazakhstan; T. Zhantikin, M. Sharipov.- Spent Fuel Management in Poland; S. Chwaszczewski.- An Overview of Spent Fuel Storage at Commercial Reactors in the United States; J. D. B. Lambert, R. Lambert.- Managing Spent Nuclear Fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory; T. J. Hill, D. L. Fillmore.- Radiological Problems of Spent Fuel Storage.-Assessment of Environmental Impact of Reactor Facilities in Kazakhstan; K. K. Kadyrzhanov et al.- Design and Manufacture of Fuel Assemblies for Russian Research Reactors; V. V. Rozhikov et al.- Strategy for Handling Spent BN-350 Cesium Traps in the Republic of Kazakhstan; O. G. Romanenko et al.- Account and Control of Nuclear Materials at the WWR-SM Reactor in the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Tashkent; B. S. Yuldashev et al.- Activities of the Kharkov Institute Related to the Problem of Spent Nuclear Fuel Management; V. M. Azhazha et al.- Technical Issues of Wet and Dry Storage.- Understanding and Managing Aging of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Facility Components in Wet Storage; A. B. Johnson, Jr.- Long-Term (100-300 Year) Interim Dry Storage for Spent Fuel: Package and Facilities Development including Safety Aspects and Durability Assessment Program; J. P. Silvy et al.- Technical Issues of Wet and Dry Storage Facilities for Spent Nuclear Fuel; E. D. Federovich.- Problems of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Casks with Spent Fuel during Long-term Dry Storage; A. Z. Aisabekov et al.- Trial of Storage Container Technology for Research Reactor Spent Fuel; Z. I. Chechetkina et al.- Interim Storage and Long Term Disposal of Research Reactor Spent Fuel in the United States; N. C. Iyer et al.- Materials Stability Issues of Spent Fuel Storage.- Managing Spent Fuel in Wet Storage at the Savannah River Site; R. L. Sindelar et al.- Corrosion of Aluminium Alloy SAV-1 and Austenitic Stainless Steels 08Cr16Ni11Mo3 and 12Cr18Ni10Ti—Core Structural Materials for WWR-K and BN-350 Reactors; O. P. Maksimkin.- Corrosion of Fast-Reactor Claddings by Physical and Chemical Interaction with Fuel and Fission Products; V. A. Tzykanov et al.- Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminum Clad Spent Fuel In Wet Storage; L. V. Ramanathan et al.- Influence of Neutron Irradiation on Mechanical and Dimensional Stability of Irradiated Stainless Steels and Possible Impact on Spent Fuel Storage; F. A. Garner.- Degradation in Mechanical Properties of Stainless Steels C0.12Cr18Ni10Ti and C0.08Cr16Ni11Mo3—Materials for Hexagonal Ducts of Spent Fuel Assemblies from the BN-350 Fast Reactor; K. K. Kadyrzhanovet al.- List of Authors.- Workshop Photographs.-