The AMB-100 and AMB-200 reactors at the Beloyarsk NPP were shut down in the 1980s. Since then, about 40 types of fuel with different burn-up unloaded from the reactors have been stored in the NPP storage pools (4994 SFAs) and at Mayak PA (2202 SFAs). About 40 % of the SFAs at the Beloyarsk NPP is stored in carbon steel leaky baskets, and most of the SFAs in the baskets have corroded during long-term storage.
In 2007, the Sosny R&D Company won a tender and signed a federal contract with the Federal Atomic Energy Agency to develop a technology for AMB SNF reprocessing, to compare and select a method for handling leaky and non-reprocessable SNF. The health and the storage conditions of the AMB SNF were determined, and possible areas for SNF cutting and loading into canisters and reprocessing capabilities at Mayak PA were analyzed.
In 2008-2010, the Company continued working under the AMB project as a subcontractor of FSUE FCNRS. At that time:
- a brand new technology of AMB SNF handling in the spent fuel cutting facility at the Beloyarsk NPP was developed, and new sections were added to the facility safety analysis report;
- some R&D activities and experiments were performed to create the AMB SNF storage equipment and safety systems;
- the equipment and tools to be used at the experimental facility for the technology try-out and staff training were developed;
- the conceptual design of the equipment to transport the AMB SNF for reprocessing was developed, new sections were added to the procedure for AMB SNF receipt and handling at Mayak PA.
Nuclear & Enviromental Safety, №1, 2010: Management of spent AMB fuel: technology development
Conference on the Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors, Vienna, Austria, 31 May – 4 Jun 2010 : Proposals on AMB SNF Management
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