Theoretical Studies of Transient Criticality of Irradiated Fuel Elements

Conference · Sun Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 1987 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:7190017

Barbry, F.; Bonhomme, C.; Hague, P.; Mather, D. J.; Shaw, P. M.

The use of transport flasks containing irradiated fuel is a common event, and their movements are strictly regulated by the national competent authority in order that an acceptable level of control of radiation hazards be maintained. Nonetheless it has been considered prudent to quantify the consequences of a particular hypothetical accident involving a transport package. The particular accident examined assumed that recriticality occurs during the refilling of a flask, and for the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) scenario, for which flasks are transported dry, the hypothetical accident occurs as the flask is slowly lowered into a storage pond. An alternative UK scenario assumes that the flask is being refilled, following breach, by a high-pressure hose. Thus, the consequences of such an accident were estimated by developing computer codes, Chateau by the CEA and Sartemp by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). This and other results show that the hypothetical accident in which a transport flask is brought to critical by the reentry of water gives at most a relatively mild event. In view of the considerably unlikely circumstances and conservative aspects introduced, this result shows that such an accident can be safely contained.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 7190017
• Report Number(s): CONF-8711195-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 88-032205
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 55; Conference: American Nuclear Society Winter Meeting, Los Angeles, CA (United States), 15 Nov 1987; ISSN 0003-018X
• Publisher: American Nuclear Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CRITICALITY
SAFETY
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
ACCIDENTS
C CODES
CEA
RADIATION HAZARDS
S CODES
TRANSPORT
WATER
COMPUTER CODES
FRENCH ORGANIZATIONS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA)
UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)
Sartemp
Chateau
420203* - Engineering- Handling Equipment & Procedures