The Use of Computer Impact Analysis in Licensing a Container for the Transport of Fresh Nuclear Fuel

This paper describes the licensing of a container for the transport of fresh nuclear fuel. The package was classified as an Industrial Package (Fissile) in accordance with the IAEA Regulations for the Transport of Radioactive Materials [IAEA 1990). Hence, it was necessary, among other things, to demonstrate that criticality safety criteria are satisfied under postulated impact conditions, i.e. the 9m drop test and the 1m punch test. The unusual step taken in this project was to use computer impact analysis, supplemented with small component testing, as the means of demonstrating to the Competent Authority that the impact criteria could be satisfied. The UK Competent Authority is the Department of Transport (DOT). The New Module Container (NMC), see Figure 1, was designed for the transportation of fresh fuel prior to the introduction of regulatory impact requirements. The aim of the project was to obtain a licence for the NMC by a finite element (FE) analysis route using LS-DYNA3D [OASYS Ltd 1994].