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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)
Evaluation of Codisposal Viability for MOX (FFTF) DOE-Owned Fuel
Evaluation of Codisposal Viability for MOX (FFTF) DOE-Owned Fuel
There are more than 250 forms of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-owned spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Due to the variety of the spent nuclear fuel, the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP) has designated nine representative fuel groups for disposal criticality analyses based on fuel matrix, primary fissile isotope, and enrichment. Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel has been designated as the representative fuel for the mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel group which is a mixture of uranium and plutonium oxides.
SAS2H Analysis of Radiochemical Assay Sam les from H.B. Robinson PWR Reactor
SAS2H Analysis of Radiochemical Assay Sam les from H.B. Robinson PWR Reactor
The purpose of this design analysis is to determine the accuracy of the SAS2H module of SCALE 4.3 in predicting isotopic concentrations of spent fuel assemblies. The objective is to develop a methodology for modeling assemblies similar to those evaluated within this analysis and to establish the consistency of SAS2H predictions. The results of this analysis may then be applied to future depletion calculations using SAS2H in which no measurements are available.
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.
Intact and Degraded Mode Criticality Calculations for the Codisposal of ATR Spent Nuclear Fuel in a Waste Package
Intact and Degraded Mode Criticality Calculations for the Codisposal of ATR Spent Nuclear Fuel in a Waste Package
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
Probabilistic Criticality Consequence Evaluation
Probabilistic Criticality Consequence Evaluation
This analysis is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) Waste Package Development (WPD) department with the objective of providing a comprehensive, conservative estimate of the consequences of the criticality which could possibly occur as the result of commercial spent nuclear fuel emplaced in the underground repository at Yucca Mountain. The consequences of criticality are measured principally in terms of the resulting changes in radionuclide inventory as a function of the power level and duration of the criticality.
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
Criticality Safety and Shielding Evaluations of the Codisposal Canister in the Five-Pack DHLW Waste Package
Criticality Safety and Shielding Evaluations of the Codisposal Canister in the Five-Pack DHLW Waste Package
The objective of this analysis is to characterize a codisposal canister containing MIT or ORR fuel in the Five-Pack Defense High-Level Waste (5-DHLW) Waste Package (WP) to demonstrate concept viability related to use in the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) environment for the postclosure time frame. The purpose of this analysis is to investigate the disposal criticality and shielding issues for the DHLW WP and establish DHLW WP and codisposal canister compatibility with the MGDS, and to provide criticality and shielding evaluations for the preliminary DHLW WP design.
Criticality Calculation for the Most Reactive Degraded Configurations of the FFTF SNF Codisposal WP Containing an Intact Ident-69 Container
Criticality Calculation for the Most Reactive Degraded Configurations of the FFTF SNF Codisposal WP Containing an Intact Ident-69 Container
The objective of this calculation is to perform additional degraded mode criticality evaluations of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) codisposed in a 5-Defense High-Level Waste (5-DHLW) Waste Package (WP). The scope of this calculation is limited to the most reactive degraded configurations of the codisposal WP with an almost intact Ident-69 container (breached and flooded but otherwise non-degraded) containing intact FFTF SNF pins.
Degraded Waste Package Criticality: Summary Report of Evaluations Through 1996
Degraded Waste Package Criticality: Summary Report of Evaluations Through 1996
The purpose of this document is to summarize the degraded waste package disposal criticality evaluations which were performed in fiscal years I995 and I996. These evaluations were described in detail in 4 previous documents (Refs. I through 4). The initial version of this summary has been described in the I996 Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Technical Report (Ref. 5). A topical report planned for 1998 will present the methodology in its final form for approval by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
An Extension of the Validation of SCALE (SAS2H) Isotopic Predictions of PWR Spent Fuel
An Extension of the Validation of SCALE (SAS2H) Isotopic Predictions of PWR Spent Fuel
Isotopic characterization of spent fuel via depletion and decay calculations is necessary for
determination of source terms for subsequent system analyses involving heat transfer, radiation
shielding, isotopic migration, etc. Unlike fresh fuel assumptions typically employed in the criticality
safety analysis of spent fuel configurations, burnup credit applications also rely on depletion and
decay calculations to predict the isotopic composition of spent fuel. These isotopics are used in
Criticality Consequence Calculation Involving Intact PWR MOX SNF in a Degraded 21 PWR Assembly Waste Package
Criticality Consequence Calculation Involving Intact PWR MOX SNF in a Degraded 21 PWR Assembly Waste Package
The purpose of this calculation is to evaluate the transient behavior and consequences of a worst- case criticality event involving intact pressurized water reactor (PWR) mixed-oxide (MOX) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in a degraded basket configuration inside a 21 PWR waste package (WP). This calculation will provide information necessary for demonstrating that the consequences of a worst-case criticality event involving intact PWR MOX SNF are insignificant in their effect on the overall radioisotopic inventory and on the integrity of the repository.
Management of Commercial High Level and Transuranium Contaminated Radioactive Waste
Management of Commercial High Level and Transuranium Contaminated Radioactive Waste
This report summarizes the results of EPA's review of the AEC
draft environmental statement, "Management of Commercial High-Level
and Transuranium-Contaminated Radioactive Waste" (WASH-1539). The
means by which high-level and long-lived radioactive wastes are
managed constitutes one of the most important questions upon which
the public acceptability of nuclear power, with its social and economic
benefits, will be determined. While the generation of power by
nuclear means offers certain benefits from the environmental viewpoint,
SAS2H Analysis of Radiochemical Assay Samples from Obrigheim PWR Reactor
SAS2H Analysis of Radiochemical Assay Samples from Obrigheim PWR Reactor
The purpose of this design analysis is to determine the accuracy of the SAS2H module of SCALE 4.3 in predicting isotopic concentrations of spent fuel assemblies. The objective is to develop a methodology for modeling assemblies similar to those evaluated within this analysis and to establish the consistency of SAS2H predictions. The results of this analysis may then be applied to future depletion calculations using SAS2H in which no measurements are available.
Criticality Evaluation of Intact and Degraded PWR WPs Containing MOX SNF
Criticality Evaluation of Intact and Degraded PWR WPs Containing MOX SNF
The purpose of this calculation is to perform criticality evaluations for mixed oxide spent nuclear fuel in 12 and 21 pressurized water reactor waste packages for both intact and degraded configurations. The MOX assembly design considered in previous studies on Pu disposition in commercial reactors is based on the Westinghouse 17x17 Vantage 5 assembly (Ref. 7.2). Depletion analyses of four Pu enrichment and burnup(expressed as gigawatt days/metric ton heavy metal; GWd/MTHM)) combinations were performed in Ref. 7.4.
UCF Waste Package Criticality Analysis
UCF Waste Package Criticality Analysis
This analysis is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) Waste Package Development Department (WPDD) to determine the viability of the UCF waste package concept with respect to criticality regulatory requirements in compliance with the goals of the Waste Package Implementation Plan5·1 for conceptual design. These design calculations are performed in sufficient detail to provide a comprehensive comparison base with other design alternatives.
A Stochastic Method for Estimating the Effect of Isotopic Uncertainties in Spent Nuclear Fuel
A Stochastic Method for Estimating the Effect of Isotopic Uncertainties in Spent Nuclear Fuel
This report describes a novel approach developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
(ORNL) for the estimation of the uncertainty in the prediction of the neutron multiplication factor
for spent nuclear fuel. This technique focuses on burnup credit, where credit is taken in criticality
safety analysis for the reduced reactivity of fuel irradiated in and discharged from a reactor.
Validation methods for burnup credit have attempted to separate the uncertainty associated with
Standards & Regulations for the Geologic Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste
Standards & Regulations for the Geologic Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste
This paper draws on my experience as a reviewer of the scientific programs and performance assessments of the geological repository for transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico and the proposed repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. In addition, I have served on numerous committees of the National Research Council that have addressed many aspects of nuclear waste management.
Probability of a PWR Uncanistered Fuel Waste Package Postclosure Criticality
Probability of a PWR Uncanistered Fuel Waste Package Postclosure Criticality
The purpose of this calculation is to estimate the probability of criticality in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) uncanistered fuel waste package during the postclosure phase of the repository as a function of various waste package material, loading, and environmental parameters. Parameterization on the upper subcritical limit that is used to define the threshold for criticality will also be performed. The possibility of waste package misload due to human or equipment error during preclosure is also considered in estimating the postclosure criticality probability.
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.