Thermal Cooling Limits of Sbotaged Spent Fuel Pools

Abstract

Submitted to:DOE Project Manager: Nancy Elizondo, elizonna@id.deo.gov Procurement Services Division: psdrept@id.doe.govProject Objective: To develop the understanding and predictive measures of the post "loss of water inventory" hazardous conditions as a result of the natural and/or terrorist acts to the spent fuel pool of a nuclear plant. This includes the thermal cooling limits to the spent fuel assembly (before the onset of the zircaloy ignition and combustion), and the ignition, combustion, and the subsequent propagation of zircaloy fire from one fuel assembly to others. Background:A National Academy of Sciences expert panel issued a public plea in 2005 to increase the security measures to safeguard the spent fuel pools of the nation's nuclear plants. The panel strongly recommended increased research to assess the Maximum-Credible Scenarios (MCS) and to improve the current understanding of the hazardous conditions, as well as the thermal runaway condition of zircaloy ignition and combustion that would follow the loss of spent fuel pool water. This research is critical to improving the security of the nation's nuclear plants as well as the spent fuel infrastructure of the next generation (Generation IV) nuclear units because they all share the common characteristic of having to cope with extended years of spent fuel pool cooling.