Sensitivity of Spent Fuel Temperatures to Variable Canister Backfills

Technical Report · Mon Aug 30 04:00:00 EDT 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2228490· OSTI ID:2228490

Grant, Christopher L. ^[1]; Campbell, Charlton F. ^[1]; Richmond, David J. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

This report describes thermal modeling done to understand the effects of a hypothetical loss of backfill to a spent fuel storage canister. A NAC MAGNASTOR system was analyzed using STAR-CCM+ and COBRA-SFS at various heat loads, helium pressures, and air environments. When helium was lost later in life the results showed no safety impact to the thermal performance of the cask system and fuel cladding. However, there were other results of interest from this study. The potential to detect helium leaks using external temperature measurement was considered and found to be a potential area for future technology development. The other major result of interest was the significant change in flow velocities with an air environment. This data will be useful in understanding the potential impacts of a breached canister.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition. Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 2228490
• Report Number(s): PNNL--31875
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS