Long-Term Plutonium Storage: Design Concepts
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Fluor Daniel, Inc., Irvine, CA (United States)
An important part of the Department of Energy (DOE) Weapons Complex Reconfiguration (WCR) Program is the development of facilities for long-term storage of plutonium. The WCR design goals are to provide storage for metals, oxides, pits, and fuel-grade plutonium, including material being held as part of the Strategic Reserve and excess material. Major activities associated with plutonium storage are sorting the plutonium inventory, material handling and storage support, shipping and receiving, and surveillance of material in storage for both safety evaluations and safeguards and security. A variety of methods for plutonium storage have been used, both within the DOE weapons complex and by external organizations. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of proposed storage concepts based upon functional criteria. The concepts discussed include floor wells, vertical and horizontal sleeves, warehouse storage on vertical racks, and modular storage units. Issues/factors considered in determining a preferred design include operational efficiency, maintenance and repair, environmental impact, radiation and criticality safety, safeguards and security, heat removal, waste minimization, international inspection requirements, and construction and operational costs.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Fluor Daniel, Inc., Irvine, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10171777
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-94-2390; CONF-940748-62; ON: DE94016287; TRN: 94:015540
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 35. Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM), Naples, FL (United States), 17-20 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CONTAINERS
DESIGN
MATERIALS HANDLING
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Weapons Complex Reconfiguration (WCR) Program
Proposed Storage Concepts
052002
420203
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
HANDLING EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES