Criticality Safety Issues in the Disposition of BN-350 Spent Fuel

Conference · Sun Jun 04 00:00:00 EDT 2000

OSTI ID:751926

Schaefer, R. W. ^[1]; Klann, R. T. ^[1]; Koltyshev, S. M. ^[2]; Krechetov, S. ^[3]

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1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
2. National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kurchatov (Kazakstan)
3. Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Committee, Almaty (Kazakhastan)

A criticality safety analysis has been performed as part of the BN-350 spent fuel disposition project being conducted jointly by the DOE and Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan regulations are reasonably consistent with those of the DOE. The high enrichment and severe undermoderation of this fast reactor fuel has significant criticality safety consequences. A detailed modeling approach was used that showed some configurations to be safe that otherwise would be rejected. Reasonable requirements for design and operations were needed, and with them, all operations were found to be safe.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); USDOE Reactor Systems, Development and Technology
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 751926
• Report Number(s): ANL/ED/CP-101244
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BN-350 REACTOR
CRITICALITY
Failed Fuel Stabilization Canister (FFSC)
Fast Breeder Reactor
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Plutonium (Pu)
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SPENT FUELS