Authors: Leduc, D.¹; England, J.²; Rothermel, R.²

Source: Packaging, Transport, Storage and Security of Radioactive Material, Volume 20, Number 2, 2009 , pp. 82-87(6)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

Abstract:

Cylindrical fuel casks often have impact limiters surrounding the ends of the cask shaft in a typical 'dumbbell' arrangement. The primary purpose of these impact limiters is to absorb energy to reduce loads on the cask structure during impacts associated with a severe accident. Impact limiters are also credited in many packages with protecting closure seals and reducing peak temperatures during fire events. For this credit to be taken in safety analyses, the impact limiter attachment system must be shown to retain the impact limiter following normal conditions of transport (NCT) and hypothetical accident conditions (HAC) impacts. Large casks are often certified by analysis only because of the cost associated with testing. Therefore, some cask impact limiter attachment systems have not been tested in real impacts. A recent structural analysis of the T-3 spent fuel containment cask found problems with the design of the impact limiter attachment system. Assumptions in the original safety analysis for packaging (SARP) concerning the loading in the attachment bolts were found to be inaccurate in certain drop orientations. This paper documents the lessons learned and their applicability to impact limiter attachment system designs.

Keywords: IMPACT; LIMITER; FUEL; CASK

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/174651009X443097

Affiliations: 1: Savannah River National Laboratory, Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Aiken, SC 29808, USA;, Email: dan.leduc@srnl.doe.gov 2: Savannah River National Laboratory, Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Aiken, SC 29808, USA

Publication date: 2009-06-01

More about this publication?

• The archive of Packaging, Transport, Storage and Security of Radioactive Material has a previous title, International Journal of Radioactive Materials Transport, going back to 1990. View issues of International Journal of Radioactive Materials Transport.
• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• Terms & Conditions
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• By this author: Leduc, D. ;  England, J. ;  Rothermel, R.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers