Some thermal analysis aspects of metal encapsulated waste

This paper is to summarize two waste management schemes: (1) packaging for extended storage of LWR spent fuel assemblies, with the capability for simple conversion either to terminal storage if a ''throwaway'' fuel cycle is ultimately adopted or to a form that can be reprocessed and (2) packaging for the terminal storage of solidified high-level wastes when the reprocessing of spent fuel is initiated. Only concepts utilizing metals or metal alloys to encapsulate either spent fuel or solidified high-level waste forms have been considered. Conceptual process flow sheets have been constructed to allow potential advantages and disadvantages of encapsulation alternatives to be identified in comparison with more conventional reference processes. Identification is also made of uncertainties of the analysis due to a lack of fundamental data required to perform evaluations. 3 tables