SRNL’s Packaging and Transportation Expertise Supports Advanced Reactor Fuel Cycles
Savannah River National Laboratory’s (SRNL) packaging and transportation group leverages over 200 years of combined experience in the radioactive material packaging arena to ensure materials are safely contained. With a renewed focus on nuclear energy in the United States, the safe storage and transportation of nuclear material is critical in the new advanced reactor fuel cycles. These sensitive materials present their own set of challenges that must be addressed by a team of technical experts.
SRNL’s packaging and transportation group serves six major functions.
- Packaging Development: The scientific and technological developments taking place at SRNL constantly require new or updated packaging to fit the needs of specific materials. The packaging and transportation group works with the Department of Energy (DOE), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to ensure all guidelines are being met as new products are being developed and provides a safety analysis report (SARP) for each package.
- Regulatory Package Testing: SRNL conducts a multitude of tests to ensure the safety and security of different types of packages. These tests include, but are not limited to:
- Normal conditions of transport
- Hypothetical accident conditions
- Destructive evaluation
- Structural and shielding
- Shock and vibration
- Thermal
- Environmental
Drum drop test. Photo provided by Kurt Eberl, SRNL.
- SRNL performs technical reviews of submittals for the licensing of radioactive material transport packages for the Headquarters Certifying Official (HCO) of the Package Certification Program (PCP). SRNL is one of three national laboratories that perform technical reviews for the PCP HCO.
- Packaging Maintenance and Procurement: Maintaining the integrity of existing containers through ongoing testing, such as leak testing, and providing technical reports on the results ensures materials can be stored and transported safely.
- Packaging Certification and Training: SRNL offers two courses per year to provide training and share technical knowledge with package users, designers, analysts and other specialists across the DOE complex.
- Materials Research: SRNL conducts ongoing research on thermal resistant materials, composites, coatings and other materials used in the creation of specialized packages. Multiple patents have been awarded for customized shipping materials and components.
Drum drop test. Photo provided by Kurt Eberl, SRNL.
Beyond the standard scope of work, SRNL packaging and transportation scientists and engineers are involved in special projects to support the fuel cycle. As the need for material transfers between facilities increases to meet these growing needs, SRNL is well positioned to develop new packages to support their safe transport.
Package 9979 type AF is capable of safely transporting tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel and process materials. TRISO fuel, known for high-temperature resistance and stability, is one of the prevalent advanced reactor fuel types. SRNL was recently contracted to develop a similar package for a company developing micro-modular reactors that would utilize TRISO fuel within the reactor.
Additionally, SRNL is developing a package capable of transporting high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) liquid material. HALEU serves as feedstock for most advanced reactors. SRNL is currently teamed with a private company on a submittal funded by DOE Office of Nuclear Energy to acquire a license to ship HALEU uranyl nitrate solution in the Liqui-Rad Transport Unit.
Package 9979 type AF. Photo provided by SRNL.
SRNL program manager Kurt Eberl said, “We are one of three regulatory review teams for radioactive material packaging shipments under the DOE Packaging Certification Program. Not only is it unique that we’re involved in it, but the unique part is that we do everything. We have a pretty diverse crew, mostly mechanical, but also chemists and other engineers that work together to do analysis, design, testing, and write and review SARPs.”
The packaging and transportation group at SRNL has earned the trust of DOE and numerous other organizations across the commercial nuclear space. The team continues to share their knowledge and provide services to improve the safety of storing and transporting sensitive materials as well as adapt to serve the rapidly changing advanced nuclear energy landscape in our nation.