Spent Fuel Removal and Transfer for Hanford 324 Building Deactivation

摘要

Beginning in 1985, light water reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) has undergone destructive and non-destructive examination in hot cells at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford 324 Building Radiochemical Engineering Complex. The fuel was initially delivered to the 324 Building for fuel repository and fuel processing studies. The LWR SNF inventory consisted of seven commercial fuel assemblies and 32 loose, intact fuel rods originating from one Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and two Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) facilities. Under DOE direction, the 324 Building is being deactivated and decommissioned by the building's operating contractor, Fluor Hanford. A recently completed phase of this cleanup effort required the SNF inventory to be inspected, reconfigured as required, packaged, and shipped to the Hanford 200 Area Interim Storage Area (ISA), consistent with Hanford site requirements for on-site radioactive material transport and interim dry storage. This paper discusses the unique remote tooling and innovative packaging methodologies developed and recently deployed to successfully remove and store the 324 Building SNF inventory.