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Title: Oxyhydroxides on aluminum spent nuclear fuel: formation studies and removal practices to prevent radiolytic gas production

Abstract

Aluminum-clad nuclear fuel has been at the forefront in research and commercial reactors. After being removed from the reactor, the spent nuclear fuel is placed in large-volume water basins (wet storage) that are constantly monitored for water quality to minimize corrosion/deterioration. The water provides both radiation shielding and cooling for the freshly removed fuel. It is highly desired to have a pathway for fuel to be transitioned to dry storage in sealed casks, so that spent nuclear fuel can be safely transported and dispositioned in a permanent repository, and basin capacity can be made available for temporary wet storage of fresher spent fuel. A challenge for safe, road-ready dry storage is the hydrated aluminum oxides (oxyhydroxides) that are prevalent on aluminum spent nuclear fuel that has been stored under water for years. If water is released from the oxyhydroxides during dry storage, it can create corrosion within the storage canister, and hydrogen can be generated through radiolysis of the oxyhydroxides, causing pressurization and flammability risks. The focus of this project is to develop knowledge of the oxyhydroxide growth and production of gases through radiolysis and to apply empirical models for predicting these phenomena. The expertise developed will be used tomore » formulate conditions and parameters for oxyhydroxide removal/dehydration from fuel cladding through vacuum or forced-air gas drying, to prevent problems during permanent dry storage.« less

Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
OSTI Identifier:
1475278
Report Number(s):
SRNL-STI-2018-00546
TRN: US1902613
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-08SR22470
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS

Citation Formats

None, None. Oxyhydroxides on aluminum spent nuclear fuel: formation studies and removal practices to prevent radiolytic gas production. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.2172/1475278.
None, None. Oxyhydroxides on aluminum spent nuclear fuel: formation studies and removal practices to prevent radiolytic gas production. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1475278
None, None. 2018. "Oxyhydroxides on aluminum spent nuclear fuel: formation studies and removal practices to prevent radiolytic gas production". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1475278. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1475278.
@article{osti_1475278,
title = {Oxyhydroxides on aluminum spent nuclear fuel: formation studies and removal practices to prevent radiolytic gas production},
author = {None, None},
abstractNote = {Aluminum-clad nuclear fuel has been at the forefront in research and commercial reactors. After being removed from the reactor, the spent nuclear fuel is placed in large-volume water basins (wet storage) that are constantly monitored for water quality to minimize corrosion/deterioration. The water provides both radiation shielding and cooling for the freshly removed fuel. It is highly desired to have a pathway for fuel to be transitioned to dry storage in sealed casks, so that spent nuclear fuel can be safely transported and dispositioned in a permanent repository, and basin capacity can be made available for temporary wet storage of fresher spent fuel. A challenge for safe, road-ready dry storage is the hydrated aluminum oxides (oxyhydroxides) that are prevalent on aluminum spent nuclear fuel that has been stored under water for years. If water is released from the oxyhydroxides during dry storage, it can create corrosion within the storage canister, and hydrogen can be generated through radiolysis of the oxyhydroxides, causing pressurization and flammability risks. The focus of this project is to develop knowledge of the oxyhydroxide growth and production of gases through radiolysis and to apply empirical models for predicting these phenomena. The expertise developed will be used to formulate conditions and parameters for oxyhydroxide removal/dehydration from fuel cladding through vacuum or forced-air gas drying, to prevent problems during permanent dry storage.},
doi = {10.2172/1475278},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1475278}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Fri Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}