Nuclear fuel storage container opening inspection and metal inner container repacking

Licensing Application Group, Fuels and Materials Department

The contamination accident occurred at Plutonium Fuel Research Facility (PFRF) in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Oarai Research and Development Institute on June 6, 2017. During the work of opening the fuel storage container and checking the properties of the contents, the plastic bag that double-packed the inner container burst. The scattering of the fuels contaminated the work room and exposed the worker. The cause of the plastic bag burst was that the enclosed epoxy resin was decomposed by -rays and the internal pressure increased due to the generated hydrogen gas. The 54 storage containers containing plutonium held at PFRF also at risk of increasing internal pressure. Therefore, an opening inspection was conducted to confirm the contents of the storage container in the hot cell. In addition, the contents of storage containers that may generate gas were stabilized. We are planning to transport the fuel storage containers out to another facility for the decommission of PFRF. The other 9 storage containers include oxide raw material powder: Pu + U in excess of 220 g. In order to decrease to less than 220 g (the limit of transport cask), the metal inner containers in the storage container were taken out and repacked in another storage container. This report describes advance measures such as permit application and the details of about storage container opening inspection and metal inner container repacking.