Simulating Water Ingress During Long-Term Storage of Spent SMR Fuel – Planned R&D Program

Abstract

SMRs have been identified as a carbon-free, safe, and cost-effective power source to meet the growing energy needs of society. A major public concern regarding nuclear energy is centered around waste and storage of spent fuel. Currently stored above ground, the proposed long-term solution for spent fuel and waste is a secure Deep Geological Repository (DGR). With a variety of proposed SMR fuel types, sizes, and compositions, these novel waste forms may require further processing to meet future DGR acceptance criteria, particularly metallic fuels and fuel pins containing a sodium bond. Experiments on water ingress through storage canisters and fuel cladding have not yet been adapted to SMR spent fuels.

This paper outlines the planning stages of a collaborative project with NRCan's CanmetMATERIALS laboratory to create a custom leak test cell that will simulate groundwater ingress into a used fuel storage container, accompanied by a computational model of the expected chemical reactions. This project will support the pathway to commercialization of SMRs in Canada, ensuring several knowledge gaps are addressed in the safe, long-term storage of spent SMR fuel in a DGR. Existing relevant laboratory facilities at CanmetMATERIALS and planned expansion of advanced laboratory capability at UNB-CNER are highlighted.