FIRE ANALYSIS OF A SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL DRY STORAGE CASK USING THE CAFE-3D FIRE CODE

Three-dimensional coupled finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) fire analyses of a dry storage cask exposed to two different fire configurations are discussed in this paper. The FEA code MSC PATRAN/Thermal was used to model the heat transfer response of the canister inside the storage cask using boundary conditions computed by the Cask Analysis Fire Environment (CAFE-3D) CFD fire code to which it was closely coupled. One simulation modeled the storage cask fully engulfed in a large fire under quiescent wind conditions. The second simulation included wind and positioned the storage cask in an offset position down wind of a large fire. While the storage cask was not fully engulfed in the second simulation, this case was shown to be as severe as the fully engulfing case.