Selected Concrete Spent Fuel Storage Cask Concepts and the DOE/PSN Cooperative Cask Testing Program

To date, water pools, metal casks, horizontal concrete modules, and modular vaults have been used to store the major quantity of commercial light water reactor spent nuclear fuel. Recently, vertical concrete dry storage casks have received consideration for storage of spent nuclear fuel. This paper reviews the evolution of the development of selected vertical concrete dry storage casks and outlines a cooperative cask testing (heat transfer and shielding) program involving the U.S. Department of Energy and Pacific Sierra Nuclear Associates. Others participating in the cooperative program are Pacific Northwest Laboratory; * Company; and the Electric Power Research Institute.