Title: Low activation materials of transport packaging sets

Authors: V.N. Petrovskij; V.I. Polskij

Addresses: National Research Nuclear University 'MEPhI', Kashirskoe shosse 31, 115409, Moscow, Russia ' National Research Nuclear University 'MEPhI', Kashirskoe shosse 31, 115409, Moscow, Russia

Abstract: One of the tools for ensuring nuclear safety during the transportation of spent nuclear fuel is the creation of a high-strength transport container that effectively absorbs radioactive radiation from fission products. This raises the problem of creating appropriate structural materials. In this regard, it seems very promising to use a metal absorbing coating on high-strength corrosion-resistant steel, which is well mastered by the industry. However, ensuring the effectiveness of such a coating is possible only at a high concentration of neutron-absorbing elements in the cladding layer. One way to reduce the induced radioactivity of packaging sets is to use low-activated ferritic-martensitic steels such as EP450 (12Kh13M2BFR), EP823 (16Kh12SMVFBR) and 16Kh12V2FTaR. These steels have shown a high level of serviceability as structural materials for fuel element cladding and RBN fuel assemblies (BN-600, BN-350, BOR-60, etc.). Currently, a promising direction is the laser coating on the surface of transport packaging complexes. This paper explores the method of protection transport packaging sets against neutron radiation by laser surfacing of metallic powder.

Keywords: transportation of spent nuclear fuel; nuclear safety; high-strength transport container; metal absorbing coating; laser surfacing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNGEE.2021.116301

International Journal of Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology, 2021 Vol.5 No.1, pp.65 - 74

Received: 25 May 2021
Accepted: 25 May 2021
Published online: 16 Jul 2021 *

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