Critical Design Challenges of the MOX Fresh Fuel Package (MFFP)

A Report on preliminary design of the Mixed Uranium-Plutonium Oxide (MOX) Fresh Fuel Package (MFFP). Packaging Technology, Inc. (PacTec) is designing the MFFP as part of the Duke, COGEMA, Stone and Webster (DCS) consortium. DCS is tasked with providing the Department of Energy (DOE) with domestic MOX fuel fabrication and reactor irradiation services for the purpose of disposing of surplus weapons usable plutonium. Currently there are no Type B(U)F-85 packages certified for transport of fresh MOX fuel in the Unites States. This paper presents many of the significant design challenges and the resulting solutions found during the preliminary design of the MFFP. The design is constrained by both regulatory and operational issues. Because of the plutonium content, the design must be a Type BF, which among other things requires a full level of containment. Both economics (desire for maximized payload) and operational (conveyance mode restricts size and weight) constraints lead to a highly optimized design. Several interesting solutions have been found and are presented, including puncture resistant impact limiter and a weight efficient closure. Discussion of both analytical and engineering test results are presented with discussion of how the results provide an optimal design which balances licensing risk with operational ease. The paper will conclude with a summary of how the program will proceed based on regulator input, engineering test results, and analytical conclusions.