Enhanced Safety Margins During Wet Transport of Irradiated Fuel by Catalytic Recombination of Radiolysis Hydrogen and Oxygen

BNFL has developed and tested a new method for use in wet transport of irradiated fuel. The method uses a catalyst to recombine the hydrogen and oxygen produced from radiolysis. The catalyst is installed in the nitrogen ullage gas region. It has twin benefits as it eliminates a gas mixture that could, in principle, exceed the safe target levels set to ensure safety during Transport, and it also reduces overall gas pressure. Pure water radiolysis predictions, from experiment and theory, indicate very low levels of hydrogen and oxygen generation. BNFL's historic experience is that in some transport packages it is possible to produce higher levels of hydrogen and oxygen. This drives the need to improve on our existing ullage gas remediation technology. Our studies of the radiolysis science and our flask data suggest it is the interaction of the liquors and material surfaces that is giving rise to the enhanced levels of hydrogen and/or oxygen. This technical paper demonstrates the performance of the recombiner catalyst under normal and extreme conditions of transport. The paper will present experimental data that shows the recombiner catalyst working to manage the hydrogen and oxygen levels.