Value of burnup credit beyond actinides
- TRW Environmental Safety Systems, Inc., Vienna, VA (United States)
The U.S. Department of Energy has submitted a topical report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) justifying burnup credit based only on actinide isotopes ({sup 234}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 236}U, {sup 238}U, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu, {sup 240}Pu, {sup 241}Pu, {sup 242}Pu, and {sup 241}Am). When this topical report is approved, it will allow a great deal of the commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to be transported in significantly higher capacity casks. A cost savings estimate for shipping spent fuel using unspecified casks that can carry 32 assemblies with burnup credit or 24 assemblies in a nonburnup credit version of the cask was previously presented. More detailed calculations have been performed for a specific cask design using the methodology presented in the actinide-only burnup credit topical report, and loading curves that included derated loadings have been generated. Estimates of cost savings resulting from burnup credit for shipping fuel in 32-, 30-, and 28-assembly casks using burnup credit and a 24-assembly cask that does not use burnup credit have been computed. The derating approach that allows optimal use of burnup credit has not been evaluated in terms of practicality of implementation.
- OSTI ID:
- 552487
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-971125-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 98:001695
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 77; Conference: 1997 American Nuclear Society (ANS) winter meeting, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 16-20 Nov 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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