Preliminary Criticality Safety Analysis for the Preclosure Period of the Potential Yucca Mountain Repository

Conference · Sun Jun 07 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:7151266

Sandoval, R. P. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Nuclear critically safety is a basic requirement and consideration in the design and operation of nuclear facilities that contain fissile materials. The potential Yucca Mountain repository will dispose of spent nuclear fuel, vitrified high-level waste (HLW), and a small quantity of other radioactive waste. Spent nuclear fuel, which comes from commercial nuclear power plants, contains significant quantities of fissile materials; the potential for criticality must be considered. The vitrified HLW will be received in canisters and packaged in containers for disposal. Because vitrified HLW contains negligible quantities of fissile material, vitrified HLW is not a concern with respect to criticality. Other radioactive wastes include site-generated waste such as contaminated high-efficiency particulate air filters, decontamination solutions, and swipe and cleanup materials. There is no criticality potential associated with site-generated waste, because the amounts of fissile material in such waste are insignificant. The purpose of this preliminary study is to assess the criticality safety of various spent fuel configurations and container designs under consideration for the potential Yucca Mountain repository for normal operating and accident conditions. This study addresses criticality safety for the preclosure period only.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 7151266
• Report Number(s): CONF-920606-; CODEN: TANSA
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 65; Conference: American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting , Boston, MA (United States), 7-12 Jun 1992; ISSN 0003-018X
• Publisher: American Nuclear Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
42 ENGINEERING
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
CRITICALITY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
BURNUP
BWR TYPE REACTORS
COMPARTMENTS
CONCRETES
EMPLACEMENT
ENRICHED URANIUM
MODERATORS
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
NEUTRON REFLECTORS
PACKAGING
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SAFETY
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
SPENT FUELS
STEELS
TRANSPORT
VITRIFICATION
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
BUILDING MATERIALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MOUNTAINS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
POWER REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
URANIUM
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Nuclear Facilities
Operations
Fissile Materials
Vitrified High-Level Waste (HLW)
Preliminary Study
Criticality Safety Assessment
Spent Fuel Configurations
Container Designs
052000* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
420203 - Engineering- Handling Equipment & Procedures