Disposition of ORNL's Spent Nuclear Fuel

Conference · Tue Feb 26 04:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:829649

Turner, D W; DeMonia, B C; Horton, L L

This paper describes the process of retrieving, repackaging, and preparing Oak Ridge spent nuclear fuel (SNF) for off-site disposition. The objective of the Oak Ridge SNF Project is to safely, reliably, and efficiently manage SNF that is stored on the Oak Ridge Reservation until it can be shipped off-site. The project required development of several unique processes and the design and fabrication of special equipment to enable the successful retrieval, transfer, and repackaging of Oak Ridge SNF. SNF was retrieved and transferred to a hot cell for repackaging. After retrieval of SNF packages, the storage positions were decontaminated and stainless steel liners were installed to resolve the vulnerability of water infiltration. Each repackaged SNF canister has been transferred from the hot cell back to dry storage until off-site shipments can be made. Three shipments of aluminum-clad SNF were made to the Savannah River Site (SRS), and five shipments of non-aluminum-clad SNF are planned to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Through the integrated cooperation of several organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC (BJC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and various subcontractors, preparations for the disposition of SNF in Oak Ridge have been performed in a safe and successful manner.

• Research Organization: Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC P.O. Box 4699, Building 7078F, Oak Ridge, TN (US); Department of Energy--Oak Ridge Operations Office P.O. Box 2001, Oak Ridge, TN; Oak Ridge National Lab., Oak Ridge, TN (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• OSTI ID: 829649
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CONTAINERS
CONTRACTORS
DESIGN
DRY STORAGE
FABRICATION
HOT CELLS
IDAHO
LINERS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OAK RIDGE RESERVATION
STAINLESS STEELS
STORAGE
VULNERABILITY
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER INFLUX