Numerical Analysis and Experimental Verification of a Fire Resistant Overpack for Nuclear Waste

P. Geraldini [1], A. Lorenzo [1],
[1] Sogin S. p. A., Rome, Italy
Published in 2016

Confinement systems for nuclear waste are usually designed to perform and ensure safety in view of all the assumed design basis events, including fires. Considering waste typology and radioactivity, the goal of the confinement system design is to protect the content of the steel drums against a two hours fire event. At this aim Sogin has chosen to use Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) shells. Numerical analyses are carried out to evaluate fire performance level of the overpacks in different cases. The study has been performed with COMSOL Multiphysics® software using Heat Transfer Module and Structural Mechanics Module. In order to confirm the numerical results, two prototypes were tested in a certified laboratory in the design cases.