Heat transfer analysis of the high-level waste canister

Technical Report · Wed Nov 02 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6941709· OSTI ID:6941709

Bell, J. M.; Nienberg, J. W.; Seidman, M. H.; Fink, L. C.

This report documents the results of a preliminary, two-month study to determine the design constraints imposed by heat transfer considerations on canisters containing solidified, high-level nuclear waste. The waste is derived from the reprocessing of light water reactor fuel for uranium recycle at 160 days after reactor discharge. The study was conducted for Rockwell Hanford Operations in support of their high-level Waste Canister Envelope study. Candidate solidified waste forms considered in this study are in-can melted borosilicate glass and stabilized calcine. Each canister is assumed to be ten feet long, filled with waste to a height of eight feet, and fabricated of 304L stainless steel. Air- and water-cooled interim storage of the canister at the Fuels Reprocessing Plant (FRP) are considered prior to ultimate storage in deep geologic media at Federal repositories. Candidate repository media are salt, shale and basalt. Canister design constraints arise because of the need to maintain the waste forms, canisters, and geologic media below certain critical temperatures. Design constraints, in terms of the maximum allowable canister diameter and heat load, are presented for interim storage at the FRP and for ultimate storage at the repositories. For interim storage, these constraints are presented parametrically in terms of: the time since reprocessing (i.e., the waste age) at which the canister is filled and enters interim storage; the type of cooling used during interim storage; the temperature constraints that may be imposed; and whether or not the canister is overpacked. For geologic storage it is assumed that the canister is overpacked and enters geologic storage ten years after reprocessing. Preliminary conclusions, and recommendations for future analyses, are presented.

• Research Organization: TRW Defense and Space Systems Group, Redondo Beach, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-77-C-06-1030
• OSTI ID: 6941709
• Report Number(s): RHO-C-9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
BASALT
CASKS
CONTAINERS
DESIGN
ENERGY TRANSFER
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GLASS
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
IGNEOUS ROCKS
MANAGEMENT
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
SALT DEPOSITS
SHALES
STORAGE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES