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International Comparison of a Depletion Calculation Benchmark on Fuel Cycle Issues - Results from Phase 1 on UOx Fuels
International Comparison of a Depletion Calculation Benchmark on Fuel Cycle Issues - Results from Phase 1 on UOx Fuels
Although there are many reactor system benchmarks in the literature, they mostly
concentrate on the reactor system in isolation with only a few considering the fuel cycle.
However, there is currently increased emphasis on the performance of reactor systems
linked to their associated fuel cycle (Generation-IV for example). The published
international benchmark studies which relate to burn-up depletion calculations are
restricted to specific aspects of the fuel cycle:
Cross-Checking of the Operator Data Used for Burn Up Measurements
Cross-Checking of the Operator Data Used for Burn Up Measurements
Taking into account of the loss of reactivity of fuels at the end of their irradiation is known under the
term burnup credit (BUC). It is a question of dimensioning in a less penalizing way the devices of transport,
storage or of processing with respect to the risk of criticality. In the context of nuclear criticality safety a better
realism cannot be obtained at the price of conservatism. As a result the regulator requires measurements make it
possible to validate the adequacy between real fuels and the design assumptions. The sophistication of the
BWR Axial Profile
BWR Axial Profile
Computational Benchmark for Estimated Reactivity Margin from Fission Products and Minor Actinides in BWR Burnup Credit
Computational Benchmark for Estimated Reactivity Margin from Fission Products and Minor Actinides in BWR Burnup Credit
This report proposes and documents a computational benchmark for the estimation of the
additional reactivity margin available in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from fission products and minor
actinides in a burnup-credit storage/transport environment, relative to SNF compositions
containing only the major actinides. The benchmark problem/configuration is a generic burnupcredit
cask designed to hold 68 boiling water reactor (BWR) spent nuclear fuel assemblies. The
purpose of this computational benchmark is to provide a reference configuration for the
Review and Prioritization of Technical Issues Related to Burnup Credit for BWR Fuel
Review and Prioritization of Technical Issues Related to Burnup Credit for BWR Fuel
This report has been prepared to support technical discussion of and planning for future
research supporting implementation of burnup credit for boiling-water reactor (BWR) spent fuel
storage in spent fuel pools and storage and transport cask applications. The review and
discussion in this report are based on knowledge and experience gained from work performed
in the United States and other countries, including experience with burnup credit for
pressurized-water reactor (PWR) spent fuel. Relevant physics and analysis phenomena are
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+
Burnup Credit — Contribution to the Analysis of the Yankee Rowe Radiochemical Assays
Burnup Credit — Contribution to the Analysis of the Yankee Rowe Radiochemical Assays
This report presents a methodology for validation of the isotopic
contents of spent light water reactor fuel for actinide-only burnup
credit with additional high-quality radiochemistry assay (RCA) data
obtained from the Yankee Rowe pressurized water reactor. The
additional Yankee Rowe RCA data were not included in previous
isotopic validation studies for burnup credit due to the difficulty of
accurately modeling the complex Yankee Rowe fuel assembly design
using the SAS2H one-dimensional sequence of the earlier SCALE
Impacts Associated with Transfer of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Spent Fuel Storage Pools to Dry Storage After Five Years of Cooling
Impacts Associated with Transfer of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Spent Fuel Storage Pools to Dry Storage After Five Years of Cooling
In order to decrease the risk of terrorism, it has been suggested that used nuclear fuel should be
moved to dry storage early, after five years cooling in the spent fuel pool. The Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reviewed this issue and issued a white paper stating that it
did not believe such a measure was justified in light of additional security measures implemented
at nuclear plants and the impacts associated with the early movement of used fuel into dry
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.
Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of Commercial Reactor Criticals for Burnup Credit
Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of Commercial Reactor Criticals for Burnup Credit
This paper provides insights into the neutronic similarities between a representative high-capacity rail-transport cask containing typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel assemblies and critical reactor state-points, referred to as commercial reactor critical (CRC) state-points. Forty CRC state-points from five PWRs were analyzed, and the characteristics of CRC state-points that may be applicable for validation of burnup-credit criticality safety calculations for spent fuel transport/storage/disposal systems were identified.
Review of Yucca mountain Disposal Criticality Studies
Review of Yucca mountain Disposal Criticality Studies
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
Review of Results for the OECD/NEA Phase VII Benchmark: Study of Spent Fuel Compositions for Long-Term Disposal
Review of Results for the OECD/NEA Phase VII Benchmark: 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,
Options for Developing Public and Stakeholder Engagement for the Storage and Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High Level 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 Level 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
Spent Nuclear Fuel Discharges from U.S. Reactors 1994
Spent Nuclear Fuel Discharges from U.S. Reactors 1994
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.
Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for Pressurized Water Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel - I: Methodology Overview
Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for Pressurized Water Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel - I: Methodology Overview
A conservative methodology is presented that would allow taking credit for burnup in the criticality safety analysis of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packages. The method is based on the assumption that the isotopic concentration in the SNF and cross sections of each isotope for which credit is taken must be supported by validation experiments. The method allows credit for the changes in the 234U, 235U, 236U, 238U, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, 242Pu, and 241Am concentration with burnup. No credit for fission product neutron absorbers is taken. The methodology consists of five major steps: