SPENT FUEL SHIPPING CASK FOR PM-1 AND PM-3A NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS HAZARDS SUMMARY EVALUATION

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4066276· OSTI ID:4066276

Haass, W.P. ed.

The design of the spent fuel shipping cask proposed for use in transporting irradiated cores from both the PM-1 and PM-3A Nuclear Power Plants has been evaluated under normal and accident conditions. Specifically, the following aspects of the design were analyzed and evaluated: (1) The lead shielding provided within the walls of the shipping cask and associated attachments assures that ICC regulations of 200 mr/hr at the surface and 10 mr/hr at one meter distance are satisfied. (2) A rugged crash frame, cask shroud, and shipping pallet combination completely envelopes the cask and insures the structural integrity of the cask under all conditions of transport. (3) The fuel bundles, control rods, and poison plates are securely locked within the core shroud by means of a core handling fixture with suitable safety devices to guarantee no possible change in core geometry. (4) Based on an unirradiated core, adequate poisoning in the form of control rods and poison plates is provided to obtain a K/sub eff/ of less than 0.9 during shipment. (5) As a result of conservative calculations, sufficient heat transfer capability has been provided in the shipping cask to dissipate 2 kw of heat with coolant temperatures less than 192 deg F and cask surface temperatures less than 180 deg F with water coolant present. (6) Under loss of coolant conditions with only air as a heat transfer medium, it is shown that the peak fuel temperature is 732 deg F which is 218 deg F below the temperature at which sound fuel elements would rupture. (7) In the event of the remote accident condition in which 5% of the fuel elements are postulated to break into one foot long sections, it is shown that negligible quantities of activity are released to the surrounding environment. As a result of the foregoing conclusions, the proposed spent fuel shipping cask design is adequate for use in transporting spent cores from both the PM-1 and PM-3A plants to the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant with no undue hazard to the health and safety of operating personnel and the general public. (auth)

• Research Organization: Martin Co. Nuclear Div., Baltimore, MD (US)
• NSA Number: NSA-18-016225
• OSTI ID: 4066276
• Report Number(s): MND-M-1856
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACCIDENTS
AIR
BURNUP
CONTAMINATION
CONTROL
COOLANTS
DENSITY
ENVIRONMENT
FAILURES
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
HEAT TRANSFER
IRRADIATION
LEAD
MOCKUP
NUMERICALS
PERSONNEL
PLATES
PM-1
PM-3A
POPULATIONS
POWER PLANTS
RADIATION DOSES
REACTOR CORE
REMOTE HANDLING
RODS
SAFETY
SHIPS
TEMPERATURE
TRANSPORT
VESSELS