R. B. POPE, Consultant, USA

Abstract: This chapter addresses both the packaging and the transport of the key radioactive materials associated with the fuel cycle. It focuses on the safety principles associated with these transport activities, the regulations that result from the worldwide application of these safety principles, and the security requirements and guidance that are also applied to these shipments. It then summarizes transport packaging and operational experience associated with the various elements of the fuel cycle, and discusses current technologies and future trends.

Key words: packaging, package, transport operations, transport safety, transport security.

18.3 Introduction

It has been stated that the transport of radioactive material provides ‘the lifeblood of the nuclear fuel cycle’ (Malesys, 2011). The basis for this statement is that, by connecting all its various phases, transport allows the nuclear fuel cycle to function (Fig. 19.1). This figure, and this chapter, both focus on the uranium — based fuel cycle. However, it is possible to have a similar thorium-based fuel cycle, and the packaging and transport issues addressed herein would apply equally well to such a cycle.

Figure 19.1 combines two typical variations of the uranium-based fuel cycle: (a) the closed fuel cycle, where spent fuel (SF) is reprocessed providing uranium and plutonium for producing new fuel; and (b) the open fuel cycle (or the once — through fuel cycle) where SF is treated as waste and is not reprocessed. It is noted that SF is also sometimes called spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and, for the open fuel cycle, SF is sometimes called irradiated nuclear fuel (INF). The closed fuel cycle depicted and used in this chapter is based upon recycling of uranium oxide fuel, resulting in the production of mixed oxide (MOX) fuels utilizing recycled plutonium and depleted uranium as the feedstock for the MOX fuel, which would then be utilized in light-water reactors (LWRs).

Each circle in Fig. 19.1 represents an activity at a facility in the fuel cycle, while each arrow represents the transport of one or more types of radioactive material between two activities. The numbers in small boxes (e. g. 19.5.1) represent the section in this chapter where the packaging and transport associated with the carriage of that material (e. g. for 19.5.1 the material is uranium ore) is discussed.

In some cases, multiple transport operations are possible from a given facility. For example, with the power generation activity, two arrows show fresh fuel arriving (either fresh uranium fuel or fresh MOX fuel), and there are three arrows emanating from the activity representing, respectively, the transport of SF from the power reactor to (a) a reprocessing facility, (b) a SF and HLW disposal facility and (c) a SF storage facility.

For SF being transported from the power generation facility (nuclear power plant), one arrow depicts shipment directly from the power plant to SF disposal. In some cases (e. g. for many power plants in the US), spent fuel is stored on site (either in reactor pools or dry storage facilities) for considerable time, and ultimately — when a SF disposal facility becomes available — will be transported directly from the power plant to the disposal facility. Similarly, for HLW generated at the reprocessing facility, one arrow depicts shipment directly from the reprocessing facility to the HLW disposal facility. This is possible in the event that the HLW is stored on site at the processing facility until an HLW disposal facility becomes available, at which time the HLW will be transported directly from the processing facility to the disposal facility. Of course, in both cases, transport of the SF and HLW from the power generation and reprocessing facilities to an interim storage facility is also possible.

In addition to the transport arrows shown in Fig. 19.1, each of the activities represented by the circles may generate low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and/ or intermediate-level radioactive waste (ILW), which will need to be packaged for transport and then shipped to appropriate waste disposal facilities. Also, at the end of life of any of the facilities, their decontamination and decommissioning will lead to additional transport of radioactive wastes (some of which may be very large components) for disposal. These are not depicted in Fig. 19.1 but they are discussed in sections 19.5.9 and 19.5.10, respectively.

The following addresses both the safety and security aspects of the packaging and transport of the key radioactive materials associated with the fuel cycle as just discussed. It also summarizes transport packaging experience, operations and current technologies, and discusses future trends — all associated with the fuel cycle.