Spent fuel sabotage testing: depleted uranium oxide aerosol results

摘要

This paper summarises a multinational, four phase, spent fuel sabotage test programme that quantifies aerosol particles produced when the products of a high energy density device (HEDD) interact with and explosively particulate test rodlets (～20 cm long rods) that contain pellets of either surrogate materials or actual spent fuel. This programme provides source term data that are relevant to plausible sabotage attack scenarios in relation to spent fuel transport and storage casks, and associated risk assessments. Details and significant results are presented from three phase 3 tests performed using depleted UO_2 (DUO_2) pellets plus non-radioactive fission product dopants in surrogate spent fuel test rodlets. Measured aerosol results include: respirable fractions produced; particle size distributions; measurements of volatile fission product species enhanced sorption: enrichment factors onto respirable particles; and status on determination of the spent fuel ratio (SFR), needed for scaling studies. The DUO_2 aerosol particle results are compared directly with similar phase 2 results from cerium oxide ceramic pellet and fission product dopant surrogate test rodlets. A status update is provided on preparations for the final phase 4 tests using rodlets containing actual PWR spent fuel. The source term data and programme design have been tailored to support and guide follow-on computer modelling of aerosol dispersal hazards and radiological consequence assessments. This spent fuel sabotage test programme was performed primarily at Sandia National Laboratories, with support provided by both the US Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This programme is strongly supported and coordinated by US and international programme participants in Germany and France, as part of the International Working Group for Sabotage Concerns of Transport and Storage Casks (WGSTSC).