Industrial aspects of spent fuel storage

As part of its programme for expanding the reprocessing facilities at the La Hague plant, Cogema has entrusted the Societe generale pour les techniques nouvelles with the task of constructing the new installations required for the storage and reprocessing of spent fuel from French and foreign PWR and BWR plants. The main industrial aspects of the design and operation of the following reception and storage facilities are described: the NPH facility (Nouvelles Piscines de La Hague) which has been in operation since February 1981, the T0 facility (dry unloading) and the storage ponds C,D and E. Also described are the techniques used for reprocessing spent fuel transport casks in the NPH facility (reception, preparation for unloading, decontamination after removal from the pond), the auxiliary functions of the facility (water treatment, control of the installations), and some of the special devices that have been installed. The T0 facility now under construction is described; each facility will be used for the dry unloading of transport casks as of 1985. Finally, the salient characteristics are given of the four storage ponds, each of which can accommodate 2000 t of spent initial uranium fuel. A number of prototypes are used in the installations making up the reception and storage facilities. The most important of these are described: spent fuel transfer equipment, heat exchangers, handling equipment, etc. Facility construction costs are then compared. In conclusion, the experience gained at La Hague in the reception and treatment of LWR spent fuel transport casks is described and an explanation is given of how this experience is reflected in the design of the facilities for future UP2-800 and UP3 plants. (author)