Spent Fuel Assembly Source Term Sensitivity Parameters: SAND92-2113C TTC-1225

Barrett, P. R.; Foadian, H.; Rashid, Y. R.; Seager, K. D.; Gianoulakis, S. E.; ,

Spent Fuel Assembly Source Term Sensitivity Parameters: SAND92-2113C TTC-1225

by P. R. Barrett, ANATEC Research Corp, San Diego, United States,
H. Foadian, ANATEC Research Corp, San Diego, United States,
Y. R. Rashid, ANATEC Research Corp, San Diego, United States,
K. D. Seager, ANATEC Research Corp, San Diego, United States,
S. E. Gianoulakis, ANATEC Research Corp, San Diego, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

Containment of cask contents by a transport cask in a function of the cask body, one or more closure lids, and various bolting, hardware, and seals associated with the cavity closure and other containment penetrations. In addition, characteristics of cask contents that impede the ability of radionuclides to move from an origin to the external environment also provide containment. In essence, multiple release barriers exist in series in transport casks, and the magnitude of the releasable activity in the cask is considerably lower than the total activity of its contents. A source term approach accounts for the magnitude of the releasable activity available in the cask by assessing the degree of barrier resistance to release provided by material characteristics and inherent barriers that impede the release of radioactive contents. Standardized methodologies for defining the spent-fuel transport packages with specified regulations have recently been developed. An essential part of applying the source term methodology involves characterizing the response of the spent fuel under regulatory conditions of transport. Thermal and structural models of the cask and fuel are analyzed and used to predict fuel rod failure probabilities. Input to these analyses and failure evaluations cover a wide range of geometrical and material properties. An important issue in the development of these models is the sensitivity of the radioactive source term generated during transport to individual parameters such as temperature and fluence level. This paper provides a summary of sensitivity analyses concentrating on the structural response and failure predictions of the spent fuel assemblies.

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