External Pressure Testing of Prototype Used Nuclear Fuel Containers

Abstract

The Nuclear Waste Management (NWMO) has proposed the concept of a deep geological repository for the long-term management of Canada’s spent nuclear fuel. A major engineered component in the system is the Used Fuel Container (UFC). The UFC is designed to provide containment and isolation of the used fuel for an extended timeframe. The UFC is designed to withstand the high external pressure loads anticipated in the Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) during future glacial cycles. External pressure testing is used to verify UFC performance against bounding hydrostatic pressure load in the DGR. Pressure testing data will be used to i) verify the performance of the design; ii) validate the finite element simulation models used in design analysis; and iii) enhance the understanding of the physics of the UFC. This paper reports on pressure testing work (experimental setup, testing, and results) carried out in collaboration with C-FER Technologies (Edmonton, Canada) in support of NWMO’s UFC testing goals.