Selection of concepts for monitored retrievable storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6632964

The monitored retrievable storage (MRS) concepts considered are: metal cask (stationary and transportable); concrete cask (sealed storage cask); concrete cask-in-trench; field drywell; tunnel drywell; open cycle vault; closed cycle vault; and tunnel rack vault. These concepts were compared primarily upon the relative performance of the storage units on seven criteria which together encompass the key considerations for selecting an MRS concept, namely their ability to satisfy the MRS mission requirements. These criteria were: safety and licensing; environmental impacts; socioeconomic impacts; siting requirements; cost; concept maturity; and flexibility. Evaluations of the candidate concepts indicate that all of the concepts could satisfactorily serve in an MRS facility. However, using the above criteria, the two concepts selected for further design studies are the concrete cask (primary concept), better entitled the sealed storage cask, and the field drywell (alternate concept). It was recognized that the transportable metal storage cask may be used to supplement at-reactor storage until such time as the repository or MRS becomes available. Consequently, a hybrid storage facility may be required (e.g., one using concrete casks or field drywells, with the capability of receiving and storing the transportable cask). Both the concrete cask and the field drywell concepts can easily accommodate the transportable cask. Further design efforts will ensure the compatibility of the MRS designs with the transportable cask.

• Research Organization: USDOE Richland Operations Office, WA
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6632964
• Report Number(s): DOE/RL-84-2; ON: DE84016390
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050900* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
052002 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CASKS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAINERS
COST
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUELS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MONITORED RETRIEVABLE STORAGE
NUCLEAR FUELS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR MATERIALS
SAFETY
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
SPENT FUELS
STORAGE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES