Thermal and fluid analysis of dry cask storage containers over multiple years of service

摘要

A detailed three-dimensional thermal and fluid analysis of a vertical dry storage cask with a canister containing 32 high-burnup pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel assemblies for a storage of 50 years was carried out using a CFD simulation. The input decay heat value was calculated based on a Westinghouse 17 x 17 PWR fuel assembly using the well validated package ORIGAMI imbedded in SCALE, with a total heat load of 38.44 kW for year 5 and 10.67 kW for year 55. The temperature dependent and anisotropic thermal properties of the fuel assemblies, filling gas within the canister, and air covering the canister were considered in order to preserve accuracy. A peak temperature of 621.4 K occurred in the upper part of the fuel assemblies for at year 5, deceasing to 423.0 K after 50-year service. The simulation results shed light on the temperature and flow environment within the canister for an operational time of 50 years. Published by Elsevier Ltd.