Problems of spent nuclear fuel transportation

Experience in transportation of spent fuel assemblies from nuclear power plants Novovoronezhskaya, Rajsberg and Bruno Lejshner have been analysed in the paper. Proceeding from the experience in transportation from these nuclear power plants, tasks have been formulated, which have to be solved for ensuring more effective transportation of spent fuels. Data are given on results of testing of new tarnsport packing set as well as of a car which is intended for transportation of spent fuels from nuclear power plants of the CMEA member-states which have WWER-440 reactors. Main directions and results of the finished stages of works dealing with transportation of spent nuclear fuel which have been conducted in the USSR and DDR, are considered in the paper. I n particular, results are stated of works which are going on: investigation in conditions of transportation of nuclear fuel with damaged fuet etements; investigation in the thermal regime of casks in the conditions of ''wet'' and ''dry'' transportation, including investigation of resistivity of fuel assemblies in gas and water wapor media at elevated temperatures; investigation in durability of transport casks; analysis of problems of nuclear safety of packages in normal and accidental conditions of transportation; investigation of danger of explosion of gas mixture in water-filled casks; investigation and analysis of conditions of spent fuet transportation by water transport