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Overview of High-Level Nuclear Waste Materials Transportation: Processes, Regulations, Experience and Outlook in the U.S.
Overview of High-Level Nuclear Waste Materials Transportation: Processes, Regulations, Experience and Outlook in the U.S.
Every year, more than 300 million packages of hazardous material are shipped in the
United States (U.S.). Most of the hazardous material shipped – about 97 percent – is
flammable, explosive, corrosive or poisonous. About 1 percent – three million packages –
of the hazardous materials shipped annually contains radioactive material, most of them
from medical and industrial applications. [DOT 1998b]
Spent nuclear fuel comprises a very small fraction of the hazardous materials packages
Screening Analysis of Criticality Features, Events, and Processes for License Application
Screening Analysis of Criticality Features, Events, and Processes for License Application
An Approach for Validating Actinide and Fission Product Burnup Credit Criticality Safety Analyses-Criticality (keff) Predictions
An Approach for Validating Actinide and Fission Product Burnup Credit Criticality Safety Analyses-Criticality (keff) Predictions
Taking credit for the reduced reactivity of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in criticality analyses is referred to as burnup credit (BUC). Criticality safety evaluations require validation of the computational methods with critical experiments that are as similar as possible to the safety analysis models, and for which the keff values are known. This poses a challenge for validation of BUC criticality analyses, as critical experiments with actinide and fission product (FP)
Going the Distance? The Safe Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste in the United States - Summary
Going the Distance? The Safe Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste in the United States - Summary
This new report from the National Research Council’s Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board (NRSB) and the Transportation Research Board reviews the risks and technical and societal concerns for the transport of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the United States. Shipments are expected to increase as the U.S. Department of Energy opens a repository for spent fuel and high-level waste at Yucca Mountain, and the commercial nuclear industry considers constructing a facility in Utah for temporary storage of spent fuel from some of its nuclear waste plants.
Spent Fuel Project Office, Interim Staff Guidance - 8, Revision 1, Burnup Credit in the Criticality Safety Analyses of PWR Spent Fuel in Transport and Storage Casks
Spent Fuel Project Office, Interim Staff Guidance - 8, Revision 1, Burnup Credit in the Criticality Safety Analyses of PWR Spent Fuel in Transport and Storage Casks
Spent Fuel Project Office, Interim Staff Guidance - 8, Revision 1
Transportation System Requirements Document Revision 5
Transportation System Requirements Document Revision 5
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), as amended, authorized the DOE to develop and manage a Federal system for the disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW). The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste (OCRWM) was created to manage acceptance, transportation and disposal of SNF and HLW in a manner that protects public health, safety, and the environment; enhances national and energy security; and merits public confidence.
Public Beliefs, Concerns and Preferences Regarding the Management of Used Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Waste
Public Beliefs, Concerns and Preferences Regarding the Management of Used Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Waste
US policy for management of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high level radioactive wastes (HLRW) is at a crossroads, and the success of new policy directions will depend in part on broad public acceptance and support. In this paper I provide an overview of the evidence concerning the beliefs and concerns of members of the American public regarding UNF and HLNW. I also characterize the evidence on American’s policy preferences for management of these materials.
Evaluation of Measured LWR Spent Fuel Composition Data for Use in Code Validation End-User Manual
Evaluation of Measured LWR Spent Fuel Composition Data for Use in Code Validation End-User Manual
Burnup credit (BUC) is a concept applied in the criticality safety analysis of spent nuclear fuel
in which credit or partial credit is taken for the reduced reactivity worth of the fuel due to both fissile
depletion and the buildup of actinides and fission products that act as net neutron absorbers.
Typically, a two-step process is applied in BUC analysis: first, depletion calculations are performed
to estimate the isotopic content of spent fuel based on its burnup history; second, three-dimensional
Internationalization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Internationalization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Following the proposals for nuclear fuel assurance of International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed El Baradei, former Russian President Vladimir V.
Putin, and U.S. President George W. Bush, joint committees of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (RAS) and the U.S. National Academies (NAS) were formed to address these and other
fuel assurance concepts and their links to nonproliferation goals. The joint committees also
addressed many technology issues relating to the fuel assurance concepts. This report provides
Options for Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste for Countries Developing New Nuclear Power Programmes
Options for Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste for Countries Developing New Nuclear Power Programmes
The IAEA has published guidance on particular elements of radioactive waste and spent fuel management,
such as establishing nuclear technical and regulatory infrastructure, relevant financing schemes, national policy
and strategies, multinational approaches and other aspects linked to building nuclear power plants. The present
publication is intended to provide a concise summary of key issues related to the development of a sound radioactive
waste and spent nuclear fuel management system. It is designed to brief countries with small or newly established
Gap Analysis to Support Extended Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel
Gap Analysis to Support Extended Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel
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<p><span style="font-size: 12.000000pt; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT'">This report fulfills the M1 milestone M11UF041401, “Storage R&D Opportunities Report” under Work Package Number FTPN11UF0414. </span></p>
Assessment of Accident Risk for Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel to Yucca Mountain Using RADTRAN 5.5
Assessment of Accident Risk for Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel to Yucca Mountain Using RADTRAN 5.5
This report evaluates the radiological impacts during postulated accidents associated with the
transportation of spent nuclear fuel to the proposed Yucca Mountain repository, using the
RADTRAN 5.5 computer code developed by Sandia National Laboratories. RADTRAN 5.5 can
be applied to estimate the risks associated both with incident-free transportation of radioactive
materials as well as with accidents that may be assumed to occur during transportation. Incidentfree
transportation risks for transport of spent nuclear fuel to Yucca Mountain were evaluated in
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission Updated Report
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission Updated Report
The main question before the Transportation and Storage Subcommittee was whether the United States should change its approach to storing and transporting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) while one or more disposal facilities are established.
West Valley Spent Fuel Shipment Project - Lessons Learned
West Valley Spent Fuel Shipment Project - Lessons Learned
On July 17, 2003, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed the movement of 125 commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies from the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). The assemblies were transported by rail in two dual-purpose shipping and storage casks specifically designed for the one shipment to the INEEL and for interim storage.
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission - Updated Report
Transportation and Storage Subcommittee Report to the Full Commission - Updated Report
To organize its investigation of whether changes are needed in the nation’s current approach to storing and eventually transporting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level waste (HLW), the Subcommittee began by asking a series of related questions:
• What role should storage play in an integrated U.S. waste management system and strategy in the future?
Options for Developing Public and Stakeholder Engagement for the Storage and Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High Lievel Waste (HLW) in the United States
Options for Developing Public and Stakeholder Engagement for the Storage and Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High Lievel Waste (HLW) in the United States
This report puts forth a number of options and recommendations for how to engage
stakeholders and other members of the public in the storage and management of spent
nuclear fuel and high level waste in the United States. The options are generated from a
scientific review of existing publications proposing criteria for assessing past efforts to
engage publics and stakeholders in decision-making about risky technologies. A set of
nine principles are derived for evaluating cases of public and stakeholder engagement with
Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Reactivity Depletion Uncertainty
Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Reactivity Depletion Uncertainty
Analytical methods, described in this report, are used to
systematically determine experimental fuel sub-batch
reactivities as a function of burnup. Fuel sub-batch reactivities
are inferred using more than 600 in-core pressurized water
reactor (PWR) flux maps taken during 44 cycles of operation
at the Catawba and McGuire nuclear power plants. The
analytical methods systematically search for fuel sub-batch
reactivities that minimize differences between measured and
computed reaction rates, using Studsvik Scandpower’s
Utilization of the EPRI Depletion Benchmarks for Burnup Credit Validation
Utilization of the EPRI Depletion Benchmarks for Burnup Credit Validation
Pressurized water reactor (PWR) burnup credit validation is
demonstrated using the benchmarks for quantifying fuel reactivity
decrements, published as Benchmarks for Quantifying Fuel Reactivity
Depletion Uncertainty, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
report 1022909. This demonstration uses the depletion module
TRITON (Transport Rigor Implemented with Time-Dependent
Operation for Neutronic Depletion) available in the SCALE 6.1
(Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluations) code
Feasibility of Direct Disposal of Dual-Purpose Canisters-Options for Assuring Criticality Control
Feasibility of Direct Disposal of Dual-Purpose Canisters-Options for Assuring Criticality Control
The concept of direct disposal of dual-purpose canisters (DPCs) has not been previously considered
for the Yucca Mountain geologic repository because of concerns, among other reasons,
about degradation of the reactivity-control material over the relatively long period of the repository
analyses. Aluminum-based neutron absorber materials, typically used in DPCs, are not
expected to have sufficient corrosion resistance necessary to retain their integrity over a 10,000+
Japan's Spent Fuel and Plutonium Management Challenges
Japan's Spent Fuel and Plutonium Management Challenges
Japan’s spent fuel management and fuel cycle programs are now at a critical stage. Its first commercial-scale reprocessing plant, at Rokkasho Village, will soon start full-scale operation.
Disposal and Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel--Finding the Right Balance--A Report to Congress and the Secretary of Energy
Disposal and Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel--Finding the Right Balance--A Report to Congress and the Secretary of Energy
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended, established a statutory basis
for managing the nation’s civilian (or commercially produced) spent nuclear
fuel. The law established a process for siting, developing, licensing, and constructing
an underground repository for the permanent disposal of that waste.
Utilities were given the primary responsibility for storing spent fuel until it is
accepted by the Department of Energy (DOE) for disposal at a repository —
originally expected to begin operating in 1998. Since then, however, the repository
Topical Report on Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Packages
Topical Report on Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Packages
A methodology for performing and applying nuclear criticality safety calculations, for PWR spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packages with actinide-only burnup credit, is described. The changes in the U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, and Am-241 concentration with burnup are used in burnup credit criticality analyses. No credit for fission product neutron absorbers is taken. The methodology consists of five major steps. (1) Validate a computer code system to calculate isotopic concentrations of SNF created during burnup in the reactor core and subsequent decay.
Burn-up Credit Criticality Safety Benchmark - Phase VII, UO2 Fuel: Study of Spent Fuel Compositions for Long-term Disposal
Burn-up Credit Criticality Safety Benchmark - Phase VII, UO2 Fuel: Study of Spent Fuel Compositions for Long-term Disposal
Analysis of Experimental Data for High Burnup PWR Spent Fuel Isotopic Validation--Calvert Cliffs, Takahama, and Three Mile Island Reactors
Analysis of Experimental Data for High Burnup PWR Spent Fuel Isotopic Validation--Calvert Cliffs, Takahama, and Three Mile Island Reactors
This report is part of a report series designed to document benchmark-quality radiochemical isotopic
assay data against which computer code accuracy can be quantified to establish the uncertainty and bias
associated with the code predictions. The experimental data included in the report series were acquired
from domestic and international programs and include spent fuel samples that cover a large burnup range.
The measurements analyzed in the current report, for which experimental data is publicly available,