Fabrication Technology for Storage and/or Transport Casks Based on Wide and Long-Time Fabricating Experience

Kobe Steel, Ltd. (KSL) started fabricating TN12 transport casks used for spent fuel transportation in 1978. After that, various types of spent fuel transport casks have been continuously fabricated. Additionally, TN28VT transport casks used for radioactive vitrified waste and another various transport casks for radioactive waste or neutron source had been fabricated since 1994. Concerning dry storage casks, KSL and TN International (TN-I, former TNP) initiated co-developments of materials and casks from 1983. And KSL delivered TN24 dry storage casks to the domestic nuclear power plant in 1995 for the first time in Japan. KSL also has fabricated and delivered TN-68 and TN-40 / TN-40HT dry storage casks to the nuclear power plant in the United States since 2001. At the beginning, KSL had performed not only the basic design but also safety analysis, however the work of safety analysis has been transferred to Transnuclear, Ltd. (TNT) now. Based on design and fabrication technology cultivated in many years of experience, KSL and TNT are advancing the development of new type casks such as TK type cask for the domestic nuclear power plant.