Ford Nuclear Reactor Phoenix Memorial Laboratory MICHIGAN CLEAR [ V Third Year, No. 10 North Campus Spring, 1990 2301 Bonisteel Boulevard Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2100 The Nuclear Reactor Laboratory analysis Quarterly Review is published and to determine accurate values of the bulk compositions distributed to University of Michigan faculty of catalysts. and staff members to inform them of the Geology unique research capabilities of the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory and of the types of Antonio Arrihas, a doctoral candidate research in progress. Research projects started within the preceding quarter are under the direction of Professor William Kelly, is utilizing neutron activation listed first. A feature article that provides in-depth information about one analysis to measure rare earth elements particular and other technique or program follows. Updated trace elements in volcanic rocks. The samples descriptions of the remaining Nuclear have been collected from the Radalquilar gold alumite Reactor Laboratory programs complete the district in the Quarterly Review. Cabo de Gaba volcanic field, Spain. The title of Mr. Arrihas’ Ph.D. thesis is “Geology and Geochemistry of the Radalquilar Deposits. Medical School - Internal Medicine Biomechnaics and Sports Medicine Two doctoral candidates, Carl Jepsen and Jeff Bonadio, are graduate NEUTRON ACTIVATION conducting ANALYSIS projects for Professor Steven Goldstein Chemical Engineering utilizing neutron activation analysis. Activation analysis of bone and bone cell cultures is being conducted to measure Three graduate students, K. calcium content. Initial experiments are Balakrishnan, H. Howard, and T. Thornton, working for Professor Johannes attempting to correlate neutron activation W. analysis measured calcium with ash Schwank, are utilizing neutron activation 1 weight density. If the correlations are to optimally utilize the cask, fuel elements successful, they will proceed to must be cut to an overall length that only measurement of calcium in bone cell slightly exceeds the active fuel length. cultures. The cultures will be from normal bone cells and from cells affected by Fuel Cutting osteogenesis imperfecta. Stainless steel baskets designed to COBALT-60 IRRADIATION SOURCE hold fuel elements within the currently licensed shipping cask are typically School of Dentistry designed to hold elements between 25 and 26 inches long and roughly 3.5 inches Mr. Ronald Katz is using various square. Each basket holds 12 elements. chemicals and enzymes in attempts to The baskets are stacked two high restore biological activity to radiation providing a maximum capacity within the damaged crushed bone and tooth cask of 24 elements. The Ford Nuclear particles. Mr. Katz is conducting his Reactor utilizes aluminum-clad, plate-type research for Professor James K. Avery. fuel elements with 28 inch fuel plates that The cobalt-60 irradiator is used to provide contain 24 inches of active fuel. Plates radiation doses up to three million rads. must be cut to within 1/2 inch of active fuel The objective of the research is to develop at each end. An adequate barrier still techniques that can be used by tissue remains to insure that no fission products banks. are released. Figure 1 Ford Nuclear Reactor Fuel Cutting Introduction Spent fuel cutting and shipment has become an increasingly important issue as research reactors with high enrichment uranium (HEU) cores convert to low enrichment uranium (LEU) fuel as one element in the worldwide effort to minimize the possibility of HEU diversion for use in nuclear weapons. Following use in the core and a minimum ninety-day cooling time, research reactor fuel elements are disposed of by shipment to Savannah Fuel is cut with a band saw in a River National Laboratory or Idaho shielded room called a hot cave. The National Engineering Laboratory. One particulars of cutting are illustrated in lead shipping cask is currently licensed by Figure 1. A skeleton-like element holder is the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: suspended in the reactor pool by stainless Battelle Memorial Institute BMI-1. In order steel cable (1). An element is placed 2 within the holder (2), and the two are as six months may be needed to prepare a transferred via a waterlock to a hot cave Quality Assurance Plan and have it (3). The rig is manipulated with approved. The facility must be approved mechanical hands into an air clamp and by the Nuclear Materials Safeguards and band saw system. Two cuts are made on Security (NMSS) division of the NRC as an each element. The skeleton rig is fully authorized user of the cask selected. Prior inserted into the cutter, clamped, and the to selecting a cask, consideration must be top handling bail of the element is cut off given to facility crane capacity and space (4). The skeleton nature of the cutting rig and clearance for handling. The BMI-1 enables the element to be clamped and cut cask requires a minimum 15-ton handling while still being held. Once the bail end is crane. NMSS provides an approved route cut and removed, the element is for shipment and those localities, based on repositioned and clamped for cutting the population density, where escorts are nose cone end by sliding it forward in the required. For an initial route approval, four rig (5). The nose cone is cut and removed. to five months may be required; two weeks The stainless cable remains attached may suffice for areas with established during the entire process. Using the cable, routes. Escorts may be provided by the the element is drawn back up through the trucking company, hired by the facility waterlock into the reactor pool (6). Since directly, or obtained from state or local law the handling bail has been cut off, a enforcement agencies. Ford Nuclear special hooked handling tool that snakes Reactor shipments are escorted from between plates in the element is used to border to border in Michigan and Ohio by remove the element from the holder and to state police because of proximate urban place it back in a storage rack (7). The areas over the entire route in those states. process is repeated for the inventory of elements to be cut. Prearrangement of receipt must be made with the national laboratory. At Fuel Shipment Savannah River, detailed fuel description documents are submitted and approved The basic process for spent fuel prior to shipment. Savannah River shipment is: (1) set a date and schedule provides a description of the content of the the cask, crane, shipper, and other submittals, but four to six months can be assistance needed; (2) obtain approval for involved in review and approval. Particular receipt by the appropriate national problems arise if fuel elements contain laboratory; (3) comply with all federal and materials other than aluminum and state regulations regarding fuel shipment; uranium. (4) provide advance notification of federal and state agencies; (5) complete the Physical requirements for the cask and loading procedure, illustrated in Figure 2; its handling are provided in the Code of (6) brief the driver on routine and Federal Regulations, part 1 OCFR71; emergency procedures; and (7) provide shipping notification requirements are in final shipment notifications as the truck 1 OCFR73. A detailed facility procedure leaves the facility. and checklists are essential to ensure that Prior to considering shipment, the all of these requirements are met. Quality facility must have a U.S. Nuclear assurance documents for the cask, Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved provided by the owner, must be on file at Quality Assurance Plan. The plan can be a the facility. The governors’ offices of the general one that includes fuel shipment or states through which fuel will be a specific plan for fuel shipment. As many transported must be notified. As a practical 3 matter, advance notification, excluding the the cask lid is lifted onto the pool or third specific date (which is safeguards floor of the building (5). Then the information) cask is is provided as soon as raised to the pool floor (6) and lowered possible. Seven days prior to shipment, all onto an aluminum plate state in the end of the agencies and the appropriate NRC pool opposite the reactor (7). The plate regional office must be specifically notified, protects floor tiles. As the cask is about the latter to by letter and telephone. be lowered into the pool, it is wetted with demineralized water in an attempt to seal Figure 2 its pores from pool water. Cut fuel Ford Nuclear Reactor Fuel Shipment elements are loaded into the cask using a special handling tool (8). Once the cask is loaded, the lid is lowered into the pool and put in place (9). The cask and lid are raised out of the pool (10) , and they are rinsed and dried as they emerge from the water (11). Loading the cask back onto the truck is the reverse of the unloading procedure. The water in the cask cavity is drained within the building (12). The cask is checked for contamination, decontanimated if necessary, and sealed as required by regulations. The truck must have four radioactive materials labels and the cask must have two fissile class 3tt Ill (RY Ill) labels in place (15). The truck driver is provided with proper $tS •a. shipping papers and is given specific handling and emergency procedures. His route, including authorized stops for eating, is reviewed. As the truck departs, the following are notified: Savannah River At the Ford Nuclear Reactor, the transportation manager, NRC Regions shipping III cask is positioned adjacent to the and Il, all state agencies, and NMSS in facility on a flatbed trailer (1). After Washington. Within ten days after turnbuckles and tiedown bolts are shipment, shipment forms must be in the removed, the cask is raised off the trailer by mail to Savannah River. a rented crane using the cask handling yoke and inserted into an open elevator shaft within which the elevator has been lowered to the first floor level (2).