METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS FOR NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF LID SYSTEMS FOR SNF AND HLW TRANSPORT PACKAGES

Year
2013
Author(s)
Konrad Linnemann - BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
Viktor Ballheimer - BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Berlin, Germany
Jens Sterthaus - BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
Frank Wille - BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
File Attachment
157.pdf407.34 KB
Abstract
The regulatory compliance of the containment system is of essential importance for the design assessment of Type B(U) transport packages. The requirements of the IAEA regulations SSR-6 for accident conditions of transport implies high load on the containment system. The integrity of the containment system has to be ensured under the mechanical and thermal tests. The containment system of German transport packages for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW) usually includes bolted lids with metal gaskets. BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing as the German competent authority for the mechanical and thermal design assessment of approved transport packages has developed the guideline BAM-GGR 012 for the analysis of bolted lid and trunnion systems. According to this guideline the finite element (FE) method is recommended for the calculations. FE analyses provide more accurate and detailed information about loading and deformation of such kind of structures. The results allow the strength assessment of the lid and bolts as well as the evaluation of relative displacements between the lid and the cask body in the area of the gasket groove. This paper discusses aspects concerning FE simulation of lid systems for SNF and HLW transport packages. The work is based on the experiences of BAM within safety assessment procedures. The closure system of a generic cask is modeled to analyze its behavior under the mechanical load complying with IAEA regulatory accident conditions of transport. The issues considered include modeling strategies, analysis techniques and the interpretation of results.