Mechanical and thermal analyses of transfer casks and bore hole lock for final storage of spent fuel rod in BSK-3

In the frame of ESDRED (engineering studies and demonstration of repository designs) DBE Technology and GNS enhance the concept of final storage of spent fuel rods in un-shielded canisters (BSK 3) in boreholes of salt formations. The transfer container (TSB) is envisaged as radiological shielding for the transport of BSK 3 within the facility. The authors describe the construction of TFB including the lock at the top and bottom ends of the container and the lock on top of the borehole. The mechanical design of the TFB is performed using the FEM program ANSYS, the compliance with allowed stress limits is demonstrated. The temperature field in the TFB is calculated using ANSYS, the maximum temperatures are 74-76 C at the TFB wall and the lock, respectively.