Dose Rate Analysis Capability for Actual Spent Fuel Transportation Cask Contents

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2014

OSTI ID:1147712

Radulescu, Georgeta ^[1]; Lefebvre, Robert A ^[1]; Peplow, Douglas E. ^[1]; Williams, Mark L ^[1]; Scaglione, John M ^[1]

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1. ORNL

The approved contents for a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensed spent nuclear fuel casks are typically based on bounding used nuclear fuel (UNF) characteristics. However, the contents of the UNF canisters currently in storage at independent spent fuel storage installations are considerably heterogeneous in terms of fuel assembly burnup, initial enrichment, decay time, cladding integrity, etc. Used Nuclear Fuel Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF ST&DARDS) is an integrated data and analysis system that facilitates automated cask-specific safety analyses based on actual characteristics of the as-loaded UNF. The UNF-ST&DARDS analysis capabilities have been recently expanded to include dose rate analysis of as-loaded transportation packages. Realistic dose rate values based on actual canister contents may be used in place of bounding dose rate values to support development of repackaging operations procedures, evaluation of radiation-related transportation risks, and communication with stakeholders. This paper describes the UNF-ST&DARDS dose rate analysis methodology based on actual UNF canister contents and presents sample dose rate calculation results.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: NE USDOE - Office of Nuclear Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1147712
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English