21-PWR Waste Package with Absorber Plates Loading Curve Evaluation

Technical Report · Fri Dec 17 04:00:00 EST 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/841280· OSTI ID:841280

Scaglione, J. M. ^[1]

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1. Yucca Mountain Project, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

The objective of this calculation is to evaluate the required minimum burnup as a function of initial pressurized water reactor (PWR) assembly enrichment that would permit loading of spent nuclear fuel into the 21 PWR waste package with absorber plates design as provided in Attachment IV. This calculation is an example of the application of the methodology presented in the ''Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report'' (YMP 2003). The scope of this calculation covers a range of enrichments from 0 through 5.0 weight percent U-235, and a burnup range of 0 through 45 GWd/MTU. Higher burnups were not necessary because 45 GWd/MTU was high enough for the loading curve determination. This activity supports the validation of the use of burnup credit for commercial spent nuclear fuel applications. The intended use of these results will be in establishing PWR waste package configuration loading specifications. Limitations of this evaluation are as follows: (1) The results are based on burnup credit for actinides and selected fission products as proposed in YMP (2003, Table 3-1) and referred to as the ''Principal Isotopes''. Any change to the isotope listing will have a direct impact on the results of this report. (2) The results are based on 1.5 wt% Gd in the Ni-Gd Alloy material and having no tuff inside the waste package. If the Gd loading is reduced or a process to introduce tuff inside the waste package is defined, then this report would need to be reevaluated based on the alternative materials. This calculation is subject to the ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 2004) because it concerns engineered barriers that are included in the ''Q-List'' (BSC 2004k, Appendix A) as items important to safety and waste isolation.

• Research Organization: Yucca Mountain Project, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 841280
• Report Number(s): CAL-DSU-NU-000006-REV-00C; DOC.20041220.0002, DC#42293
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
Alloys
Analysis
BURNUP
Burnup
CONFIGURATION
CRITICALITY
Criticality
Disposal
FISSION PRODUCTS
NUCLEAR FUELS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PLATES
PWR TYPE REACTORS
Pressurized Water Reactors
Principal Isotopes
Quality Assurance
SAFETY
SPECIFICATIONS
TUFF
Uranium Isotopes
Uranium-235
VALIDATION
WASTES