Value of Burnup Credit Beyond Actinides

Conference · Sun Nov 16 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:562507

Lancaster, Dale ^[1]; Fuentes, Emilio ^[1]; Kang, Chi ^[1]

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1. TRW Environmental Safety Systems, Inc., Vienna, VA (United States)

DOE has submitted a topical report to the NRC justifying burnup credit based only on actinide isotopes (U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, and Am-241). When this topical report is approved, it will allow a great deal of the commercial spent nuclear fuel to be transported in significantly higher capacity casks. A cost savings estimate for shipping fuel in 32 assembly (burnup credit) casks as opposed to 24 assembly (non-burnup credit) casks was previously presented. Since that time, more detailed calculations have been performed using the methodology presented in the Actinide-Only Burnup Credit Topical Report. Loading curves for derated casks have been generated using actinide-only burnup credit and are presented in this paper. The estimates of cost savings due to burnup credit for shipping fuel utilizing 32, 30, 28, and 24 assembly casks where only the 24 assembly cask does not burnup credit have been created and are discussed.

• Research Organization: TRW Environmental Safety Systems, Inc., Vienna, VA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-91RW00134
• OSTI ID: 562507
• Report Number(s): DOE/RW/00134--M97-009; CONF-971125--; ON: DE97000796
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
Actinide Isotopes
BURNUP
COST ESTIMATION
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
SPENT FUELS
WASTE TRANSPORTATION