System Modeling of Spent Fuel Transfers at EBR-II
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo, MI (United States). Industrial Engineering Dept.
The unloading of spent fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) for interim storage and subsequent processing in the Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) is a multi-stage process, involving complex operations at a minimum of four different facilities at the Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) site. Each stage typically has complicated handling and/or cooling equipment that must be periodically maintained, leading to both planned and unplanned downtime. A program was initiated in October, 1993 to replace the 330 depleted uranium blanket subassemblies (S/As) with stainless steel reflectors. Routine operation of the reactor for fuels performance and materials testing occurred simultaneously in FY 1994 with the blanket unloading. In the summer of 1994, Congress dictated the October 1, 1994 shutdown of EBR-2. Consequently, all blanket S/As and fueled drivers will be removed from the reactor tank and replaced with stainless steel assemblies (which are needed to maintain a precise configuration within the grid so that the under sodium fuel handling equipment can function). A system modeling effort was conducted to determine the means to achieve the objective for the blanket and fuel unloading program, which under the current plan requires complete unloading of the primary tank of all fueled assemblies in 2 1/2 years. A simulation model of the fuel handling system at ANL-W was developed and used to analyze different unloading scenarios; the model has provided valuable information about required resources and modifications to equipment and procedures. This paper reports the results of this modeling effort.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 46605
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/IFR/CP--83257; CONF-941207--32; ON: DE95009910
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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