RETURN OF SPENT FUEL FROM THE PORTUGUESE RESEARCH REACTOR

摘要

Thirty nine spent MTR fuel assemblies from the Portuguese Research Reactor were recently returned to the US. Prior to the shipment all assemblies were inspected for corrosion and sipped for determination of fission product leakage. Limitations on the floor loading of the reactor building and on the capacity of the crane prevented the placement and loading of the Transnucleaire IU04 transport cask inside the containment building. The transport cask was thus placed outside, under permanent surveillance, in a support structure built around it. A small transfer cask was used to carry individually the assemblies from the storage racks to the transport cask. A forklift was used as a shuttle between the pool and the IU04. A detailed description of the followed procedures is done.