Evaluation of Spent Fuel Behavior Under Interim Storage Conditions in Russia

Kadarmetov, I. M.; Bibilashvili, Yu. K.; Medvedev, A. V.; ,

Evaluation of Spent Fuel Behavior Under Interim Storage Conditions in Russia

by I. M. Kadarmetov, All-Union Scientific and Research, Inst of Inorganic Materials, Moscow, Russia,
Yu. K. Bibilashvili, All-Union Scientific and Research, Inst of Inorganic Materials, Moscow, Russia,
A. V. Medvedev, All-Union Scientific and Research, Inst of Inorganic Materials, Moscow, Russia,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

The nuclear power in Russia is based on three types of water cooled power reactors VVER-440, -1000 and RBMK-1000. Two fast sodium cooled reactors-prototypes BN-350 and BN-600 are in commercial operation. The fuel strategy of nuclear power plants assuming the closed fuel cycle for all types of facilities recently underwent significant changes. As before, only spent fuel of NPP with VVER-440 and fast reactor fuel are subject to reprocessing. Based on economic efficiency the solution was taken not to reprocess spent fuel of RBMK. Interim storage of VVER-1000 fuel is under consideration. Changes in the fuel cycle strategy attracted much attention to studying fuel behaviour as applied to conditions of long-term storage in water filled and in future in dry storage facilities. In the paper special attention is paid to the problem of fuel cladding integrity retained during specified period of time as a primary engineered barrier between the environment and radioactive fission products. The extent of a cladding damage in a reactor core is one of the main factors influencing the time to loss of tightness by fuel under storage conditions.

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