SPENT FUEL/SURROGATE AEROSOL RATIO TEST PROGRAM AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Year
2003
Author(s)
M. A. Molecke - Sandia National Laboratories
W. Koch - Fraunhofer Institut für Toxikologie und Experimentelle Medizin
O. Nolte - Fraunhofer Institut für Toxikologie und Experimentelle Medizin
G. Pretzsch - Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit
B. Autrusson - Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire
F. Lange - Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit
N. Slater Thompson - U.S. Department of Energy
D. Brochard - Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire
F.I. Young - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Abstract
A multinational test program is in progress to quantify the aerosol particulates produced when a high energy density device, HEDD, impacts surrogate material test rods and actual spent fuel test rods. This program provides data relevant to some sabotage scenarios in relation to spent fuel transport and storage casks, and associated risk assessments. This spent fuel sabotage – aerosol test program is coordinated with the international Working Group for Sabotage Concerns of Transport and Storage Casks, WGSTSC, and supported by both the U.S. Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The WGSTSC has international organization participants from the U.S., Germany, France, and Great Britain. In this paper, we present test program details and results for multiple, preliminary surrogate material (glass samples, cerium oxide sintered ceramic pellets) tests conducted in 2002 and 2003. Advanced plans for upcoming tests with depleted uranium oxide and actual spent fuel test rod segments are also described. We will quantify the spent fuel ratio, SFR, the ratio of the aerosol particles released from HEDD-impacted actual spent fuel to the aerosol particles produced from surrogate materials, measured under closely matched test conditions. In addition, we are measuring the amounts, nuclide content, size distribution of the released aerosol materials, and potential enhancement of volatile fission product nuclides onto specific aerosol particle size fractions. These data are crucial for predicting radiological impacts.