Options for the handling and storage of nuclear vessel spent fuel.
There are many options for the handling and storage of spent nuclear fuel from naval vessels. This paper summarizes the options that are available and explores the issues that are involved. In many cases choices have been made, not on the basis of which is the best engineering solution or the most cost-effective, but based on the political realities involved. For example, currently it seems that the most prevalent solution for spent fuel interim storage is in dual-purpose (transport-storage) casks. These casks are robust and, politically, they offer the visible evidence that the fuel is ''road-ready'' to be moved from the local area where the fuel is being stored in the interim. However, dual-purpose casks are the most expensive of the storage mediums. Drywell storage (storage in below grade or bermed pipes), on the other hand, the least expensive and most flexible storage option, suffers from an image of permanence (not politically acceptable) and from being improperly implemented in the past. Though these issues are easily resolved from a technical perspective, the option is often not seriously considered because of this past history. It wasn't too many years ago that spent fuel pools were the storage medium of choice. The pools were never intended for long term storage. As the ultimate disposal path for spent nuclear fuel (processing, repository) became bogged down, however, fuel remained stored in the pools for much longer than intended. Strategies (re-racking, consolidation) were employed to lengthen the storage life of the pools. In some cases, inadequate attention was paid to the wet storage and significant fuel degradation occurred. Pools were then unloaded into dual-purpose or storage only casks as required. It seems that decisions on spent fuel historically have been short sighted. It is time that the spent fuel situation needs to be evaluated for the long term from a systems perspective. Criteria for the evaluation must consider technical acceptability, safety, flexibility (especially in storage times, fuel condition, and fuel types), active monitoring, costs, security, and, of course, political realities. It is the sense of this author that the political issues may be resolved if a reasoned complete approach is demonstrated.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 793904
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/NT/CP-107458; TRN: US0201101
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: NATO Workshop, Moscow (RU), 04/22/2002--04/24/2002; Other Information: PBD: 18 Apr 2002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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