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Transport and Interim Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) in Germany
Frederik Kesting,24.09.2019
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Transport and Interim Storage of SNF in Germany
• Nuclear waste management in Germany
• Extended interim storage
• Design approval of transport packages
• Dual purpose casks currently in use
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Nuclear waste inventory of Germany
• all new SNF is stored in interim storage facilities or in pools at the NPP
• very last use of MOX in spring 2017 (NPP Emsland)
• 7 nuclear power plants still in operation
• until 2018: in total 1123 casks in interim storage, mostly SNF
• in total 286 casks with nuclear waste from reprocessing plants:• 108 casks with vitrified waste from La Hague (F) are stored in interim storage facility Gorleben.
• 5 casks from Sellafield (UK) and 21 casks from Cellafield (UK) with vitrified waste will be transported toGermany soon.
• 152 casks with waste fromLa Hague (F) will be transported to Germany not before 2030.
Source: BfE: “Statusbericht zur Kernenergienutzung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 2018”, urn:nbn:0221-2019081919007, Salzgitter. 08/19
All NPP are going to shut down until 2022!
Since 2005, no reprocessing of SNF!
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Dry interim storage in dual purpose casks
Krümmel
BrokdorfBrunsbüttel
Unterweser
Emsland
Philippsburg
Obrigheim
Neckarwestheim
Gundremmingen
Isar
Grafenrheinfeld
Grohnde
Zwischenlager Nord (ZLN)
Biblis
Ahaus
Gorleben
Central interim storagefacility
On-site interim storage facility
Jülich
BfE: competent authority for licensing
interim storage facilities
BGZ: operator of interim storage facilities
Central interim storage facilities:• licenses valid until 2034 (Gorleben), 2036 (Ahaus),
and 2039 (Lubmin, ZLN)
On-site interim storage facilities:• start of operation: 2002 – 2007• licenses valid for 40 years
1123 casks in interim storage
• 607 in on-site facilities
• 516 in centralized facilities
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Site selection for nuclear waste repository
• individual steps defined by “Site Selection Act” (5th of May 2017)
• storage in geological formation (salt, crystalline rock, or clay)
• project developer: Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE)
• Role of BfE
• to control the search for a site on behalf of the federal government
• to organize the public participation
site selectionconstructionof
waste repositoryemplacement
2031 2050 ???
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Extended interim storage
Expiration of licenses for interim storage: 2034 – 2047
Emplacement of SNF in waste repository: not before 2050
• Extended interim storage and subsequent transportation is unavoidable!
• Applications for extended storage have to fulfill thesame requirements as new applications!
• Periodical safety inspections, including ageing management [2,3]
What questions are arising?
• regulatory aspects: environmental impact assessment, participation of public, engagement by the parliament (German Bundestag)
• all analysis have to be based upon the state of science and technology
• transportation after interim storage / mandatory transport license
Source: In “Zwischenlagerung hoch radioaktiver Abfälle” , Springer 2017: ”Wissenschaftlich-technische und rechtliche Aspekte für Genehmigungsverfahren nach §6 AtG zur Aufbewahrungbestrahlter Kernbrennstoffe über 40 Jahre hinaus”, T. Zeiger, C. Gastl, F. Töpfer, S. Witte, K. Reichel, C. Bunzmann
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Design approval of transport casks
Assessment of• inventory of radionuclides• limitation of the external dose rate• criticality safety
Merging of results / final evaluation
Approval certificate
Assessment of• mechanical/thermal design• leak tightness• quality assurance
Assessment report
Renewal after 3 / 5 / 10 / 10+ years
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Design approval of transport casks
No additional constraints for transport of higher burnup/MOX spent fuel
However, the compliance with safety functions has to be proven in the same way, as for any other transport package!
Recent applications:
• package design approvals for burnups up to 80 GWd/tHM for BWR up to 75 GWd/tHM for PWR
Special issues arising for high burnup fuel assemblies
• Validation of burnup calculation codes
• 80 GWd/tHM for Uranium, PWR + BWR
• 80 GWd/tHM for MOX, PWR
• Structural analysis of fuel rods, NCT
• 3% failure of fuel rods for <50 GWd/tHM
• 100 % failure of fuel rods for ≥ 50 GWd/tHM
• affects confinement and containment
design
approvals
according to
SSR-6
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Research / open questions
The BfE has identified ageing effects as a major field of interest [5,6]
• lack of data for assessing extended interim storage and subsequent transport
As a regulatory agency, it is crucial to actively follow the state of science and technology, f.e.
• tightness of double-lid system, durability of metal seals (BAM, [3])
• durability of structural components of fuel assemblies / cladding tubes
• Special inventories, like vitrified waste, defects on fuel rods, FA from research reactors, …
More general:
• interplay of temperature (decrease of decay heat), high burnup, cladding, type of FA, …
• build up of fission gases, chemical processes
• validity of computer codes (in relation to higher burnup)
[5] Bundesamt fürkerntechnische Entsorgungssicherheit, Forschungsagenda (Konsultationsfassung), Stand: Oktober 2018
[6] Bundesamt fürkerntechnische Entsorgungssicherheit, Forschungsstrategie (Konsultationsfassung), Stand: Oktober 2018
[7] S. Nagelschmidt et al. „Long-term investigations of metal seals for storage casks of radioctive materials“, PVP ASME 2016, Vancouver, Canada
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Transport casks currently in use – CASTOR® V/19
Source: https://www.gns.de/
GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH, Germany
Up to 19 PWR fuel assemblies
▪ Total thermal output: 39 kW
▪ Total activity: 1900 PBq
▪ Total height: 594 cm
▪ Outer diameter: 244 cm
▪ Empty weight ≈ 108 t
Validity of design approval: 16.11.2017 - 16.11.2022
Standard FA: MOX or U – up to 65 GWd/tHM
Maximum local burnup in quivers up to 120 GWd/tHM
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Transport casks currently in use – CASTOR® V/52
Source: https://www.gns.de/
GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH, Germany
Up to 52 BWR fuel assemblies
▪ Total thermal output: 40 kW
▪ Total activity: 1730 PBq
▪ Total height: 553 cm
▪ Outer diameter: 244 cm
▪ Empty weight ≈ 105 t
Standard FA: MOX – up to 65 GWd/tHM
U – up to 67 GWd/tHM
Maximum number of 8 non-standard fuel assemblies up to 80 GWd/tHM
Maximum local burnup in quivers up to 120 GWd/tHM
Validity of design approval: 01.12.2017 - 01.12.2022
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Transport casks currently in use – TN® 24 E
Maximum burnup of 65 GWd/tHM
Up to 17 MOX-FA
Source: design approval certificate / BfE / TN International
Up to 21 PWR fuel assemblies
▪ Total thermal output: 39 kW
▪ Total activity: 1.28 PBq
▪ Total height: 587 cm
▪ Outer diameter: 252 cm
▪ Weight (loaded) ≈ 138 t
Validity of design approval: 24.07.2018 - 24.07.2023
TN International
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Transport casks currently in use – NCS 45
Source: https://daher-nuclear-technologies.com/ncs-45/
Maximum burnup of 120 GWd/tHM (with limitations on masses)
MOX or uranium with max. 7%-U235
BWR and PWR fuel pins / complete FA▪ Total thermal output: 3 kW ▪ Total activity: 2000 TBq
▪ Total height: 531 cm ▪ Outer diameter: 73 cm▪ Weight (loaded) ≈ 22,7 t
Validity of design approval: 24.07.2018 - 24.07.2023
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Conclusion
• Ongoing search for a deep geological repository • requires extended (40+ years) interim storage of SNF and subsequent transport
• Transport and interim storage high burnup SNF• pursuing a graded approach in licensing
A better understanding of ageing effects was identified as important for the BfE as the CA for granting approval for extended interim storage and transport of SNF.
• follow and develop the state of science and technology
• promote innovative approaches
• critically review current approaches for identifying lacks of knowledge
• scientific exchange while maintaining and developing knowledge
Thank you for your attention!
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Literature / Sources
[1] Bundesamt für kerntechnische Entsorgungssicherheit: “Statusbericht zur Kernenergienutzung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 2018”, urn:nbn:0221-2019081919007, Salzgitter. 08/19
[2]Empfehlung der Entsorgungskommission, revidierte Fassung vom 10.06.2013: „Leitlinien für die trockene Zwischenlagerung bestrahlter Brennelemente und Wärme entwickelnder radioaktiver Abfälle in Behältern“
[3] Empfehlung der Entsorgungskommission vom 13.03.2014: „ESK-Leitlinien zur Durchführung von periodischen Sicherheitsüberprüfungen und zum technischen Alterungsmanagement für Zwischenlager für bestrahlte Brennelemente und Wärme entwickelnde radioaktive Abfälle“
[4] In “Zwischenlagerung hoch radioaktiver Abfälle” , Springer 2017: ”Wissenschaftlich-technische und rechtliche Aspekte fürGenehmigungsverfahren nach §6 AtG zur Aufbewahrung bestrahlter Kernbrennstoffe über 40 Jahre hinaus”, T. Zeiger, C. Gastl, F. Töpfer, S. Witte, K. Reichel, C. Bunzmann
[5] Bundesamt für kerntechnische Entsorgungssicherheit, Forschungsagenda (Konsultationsfassung), Stand: Oktober 2018
[6] Bundesamt für kerntechnische Entsorgungssicherheit, Forschungsstrategie (Konsultationsfassung), Stand: Oktober 2018
[7] S. Nagelschmidt et al. „Long-term investigations of metal seals for storage casks of radioctive materials“, PVP ASME 2016, Vancouver, Canada
https://www.gns.de/ https://www.orano.group/en https://www.daher.com/
https://www.bfe.bund.de/ https://www.bam.de/