Spent-fuel storage equipment

As a part of a comprehensive program of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and “Shelter” facility transforming into an ecologically safe system, construction of the repository for spent nuclear fuel (ISF) for the disposal of nuclear waste by the method of dry storage was provided.

To solve the problem in 2000 “Sumy NPO” PJSC together with “Framatome”, France, designed a set of equipment, namely canisters, each of which was supposed to put the cartridges with spent fuel assemblies from the subsequent installation of the canister into the concrete module. In addition, it provides for the manufacture of sleeves for additional absorbers.

Acceptance (interdepartmental) test of cartridges was successfully conducted in 2002. The Commission approved the document and recommended them to the serial production.

In 2005, under a contract with the Chernobyl nuclear power plant 4 cover transportation gears for 9 spent fuel assemblies transporting within the territory of the Chernobyl NPP were produced.

Currently Sumy NPO has resumed work in new ISF-2 project and successfully produces and supplies the Chernobyl embedded elements and safety doors with automatic controls.

The Company manufactured transport and packaging container TUK-123, designed for transportation and storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel.

This product is unique because it uses a new technology which allows both transport and store fuel in a small mobile containers without the construction of additional concrete bunkers that were used for this purpose before.

ТUК-123 includes:
• packaging set for storage of spent nuclear fuel (UKH-123) on the basis of metal-concrete container for storing spent fuel at the site of BN-350 reactor and long-term storage site;
• energy absorption container (EAC), designed to ensure the reduction of the mechanical loads acting on UKH in an emergency during transportation to a level that ensures the safety and integrity of radiation-protective properties UKH.

The main feature of container is the use of superhard superheavy concrete, specially designed to protect the environment from radiation in construction. The wall of the container comprises two individual cavities filled with two different concrete structures.

Concrete aggregate with the above characteristics between the outer shell and the power nozzle and the application of its three-layer rigid reinforcement using provides improvement of fracture toughness and strength of the concrete filler to the level of steel (the effect of lateral reinforcement).