4 research outputs found
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Containment and Analysis Capability Insights Gained from Drop Testing Representative Spent Nuclear Fuel Containers
The National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP), operating from the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), developed the standardized Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) canister. This canister is designed to be loaded with DOE SNF (including other radioactive materials) and then be used during interim storage, during transportation to the nation’s repository, and for final disposal at the repository without having to be reopened. The canister has been fully designed and has completed significant testing that clearly demonstrates that it can safely achieve its intended design goals. During 1999, nine 457-mm diameter test canisters were fabricated at the INEEL to represent the standardized DOE SNF canister design. Various "worst case" internals were incorporated. Seven of the test canisters were 4.57 m long and weighed approximately 2721 kg, while two were 3.00 m long and weighed approximately 1360 kg and 1725 kg. Seven of the test canisters were dropped from 9 m onto an essentially unyielding flat surface and one of the test canisters was dropped from 1 m onto a 15-cm diameter puncture post. The final test canister was dropped from 61 cm onto a 50.8 mm thick vertically oriented steel plate, and then fell over to impact another 50.8 mm thick vertically oriented steel plate. This last test represented a canister dropping onto another larger container such as a repository disposal container or waste package. The 1999 drop testing was performed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The nine test canisters experienced varying degrees of damage to their skirts, lifting rings, and pressure boundary components (heads and main body). However, all of the canisters were shown to have maintained their pressure boundary (through pressure testing). Four heavily damaged canisters were also shown to be leaktight via helium leak testing. Pre- and post-drop finite element (FE) analyses were also performed. The results clearly indicated that accurate predictions of canister responses to the drop tests were achieved. The results achieved for the standardized canister can also be applicable to other well-constructed containers (canisters, casks, cans, vessels, etc.) subjected to similar loads. Properly designed containers can maintain a containment system after being subjected to dynamically induced high strains and FE computer analyses can accurately predict the resulting responses
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Preliminary Drop Testing Results to Validate an Analysis Methodology for Accidental Drop Events of Containers for Radioactive Materials
The National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program, operating from the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), developed the standardized Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) canister. During the development of this canister, more than twenty drop tests were completed, evaluating high strain behavior, puncture resistance, maintenance of containment, and other canister responses. Computer analyses of these drop-test specimens/canisters employed the ABAQUS/Explicit software. A pre-drop analysis was performed for each test specimen to predict the deformed shape and resulting material straining. Typically, a postdrop analysis was also performed to better match actual test specifics (actual impact angle, test specimen material properties, etc.). The purpose for this analysis effort was to determine the capability of current analysis techniques to accurately predict the deformed shape of a standardized DOE SNF canister subjected to a defined drop event, without actually having to perform a drop test for every drop event of interest. Those analytical efforts yielded very accurate predictions for nearly all of the drop tests. However, it was noted, during one small-scale test, that the calculated deformed shape of the test specimen depended on the modeled frictional behavior as it impacted the essentially unyielding flat surface. In order to calculate the correct deformed shape, the modeled frictional behavior had to be changed to an unanticipated value. This paper will report the results of a preliminary investigation that determined the appropriate frictional modeling for a variety of impact angles. That investigation included drop testing performed at the INEEL from September 2000 to January 2001
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Analytical Evaluation of Drop Tests Performed on Nine 18-Inch Diameter Standardized DOE Spent Nuclear Fuel Canisters
During fiscal year 1999, a total of nine 18-inch diameter test canisters were fabricated at the Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to represent the standardized Department of Energy (DOE) Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) canister design. Various "worst case" internal loadings were incorporated. Seven of the test canisters were 15-foot long and weighed approximately 6000 pounds, while two were 10-foot long and weighed 3000 and 3800 pounds. Seven of the test canisters were dropped from thirty feet onto an essentially unyielding flat surface and one of the test canisters was dropped from 40-inches onto a 6-inch diameter puncture post. The final test canister was dropped from 24 inches onto a 2-inch thick vertically oriented steel plate, and then tipped over to impact another 2-inch thick vertically oriented steel plate. This last test was attempting to represent a canister dropping onto another larger container such as a repository disposal container. All drop testing was performed at Sandia National Laboratory (SNL). The nine test canisters experienced varying degrees of damage to their skirts, lifting rings, and pressure boundary components (heads and main body). However, all of the canisters were shown to have maintained their pressure boundary (through pressure testing), and the four worst damaged canisters were also shown to be leaktight (via helium leak testing performed at the INEEL). Pre-drop and post-drop test canister finite element modeling was performed at the INEEL in support of the canister drop test program. All model evaluations were performed using the ABAQUS/Explicit software. The finite element models representing the test canisters accurately (though at times, slightly conservatively) predicted the actual test canister responses during the defined drop events.This paper will discuss highlights of the drop testing program and will give detailed comparisons of analysis versus actual test results
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Recent Progress on the Standardized DOE Spent Nuclear Fuel Canister
The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a set of containers for the handling, interim storage, transportation, and disposal in the national repository of DOE spent nuclear fuel (SNF). This container design, referred to as the standardized DOE SNF canister or standardized canister, was developed by the Department's National Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Program (NSNFP) working in conjunction with the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) and the DOE spent fuel sites. This canister had to have a standardized design yet be capable of accepting virtually all of the DOE SNF, be placed in a variety of storage and transportation systems, and still be acceptable to the repository. Since specific design details regarding the storage, transportation, and repository disposal of DOE SNF were not finalized, the NSNFP recognized the necessity to specify a complete DOE SNF canister design. This allowed other evaluations of canister performance and design to proceed as well as providing standardized canister users adequate information to proceed with their work. This paper is an update of a paper presented to the 1999 American Nuclear Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Pressure Vessels and Piping (PVP) Conference. It discusses recent progress achieved in various areas to enhance acceptance of this canister not only by the DOE complex but also fabricators and regulatory agencies