Consolidating BWR Non-Fuel Bearing Components (NFBC)

by Ivan F. Stuart, Nuclear Assurance Corp, Norcross, United States,
Peter A. Aucoin, Nuclear Assurance Corp, Norcross, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

Nuclear Assurance Corporation (NAC), in cooperation the with Empire State Electric Energy Research Corporation (ESEERCO) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), has been developing the design of a BWR fuel consolidation system. The program contemplates developing an engineering design package sufficient to procure a prototype consolidation system, run a cold test of the system with dummy fuel, and finally perform a confirming hot test with irradiated test as a qualification of a commercially viable process. Fuel consolidation is, of course, not new, and has, in fact, been demonstrated by several nuclear service companies including NAC, with varying degrees of compaction (or consolidation) success ratios. This NAC/ESEERCO/EPRI program focused on demonstrating, via proof of principle testing, handling of the non fuel bearing components (NFBC) in a manner that achieves a consolidation or volume reduction which is the subject of this paper. Previous fuel consolidation programs have come up short, mostly in the area of the NFBC handling. The results of this program are believed to be a major step that should restore industry faith in this aspect of fuel consolidation.

Subject Headings: Fuels | Energy storage | Waste storage | Electric power | Waste disposal | Radioactive wastes | Nuclear power

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