Design Requirements For Light Water Reactor Spent Fuel Storage Facilities At Nuclear Power Plants

This standard provides design criteria for the process of consolidating light water reactor spent nuclear fuel in either a wet or dry environment. The process utilizes the equipment and systems used to perform consolidation, handle fuel rods and nonfuel-bearing components as well as handle broken fuel rods. This standard also contains requirements for facility or installation interfaces, nuclear safety, structural design, thermal design, accountability, safeguards, decommissioning, and quality assurance. The standard is not concerned with the storage of the spent fuel either before or after the consolidation process.

ANS 57.3-2018 defines the required functions of dry storage facilities for new fuel at light water reactor nuclear power plants. It provides minimum design requirements for safe storage of new nuclear fuel and control components at such plants. The fuel storage facilities covered by this standard are used for receiving, inspecting, and storing fuel containing new and recycled uranium and mixed oxides. The basis of this standard is to ensure that the design of the facility will be performed in an efficient and economical manner to (a) preclude criticality; (b) ensure protection of new fuel assemblies, control components, plant personnel, and the public; and (c) maintain radiation exposures As Low As Reasonably Achievable. Storage of new fuel assemblies in a spent fuel pool is covered in ANS-57.2-1983 (withdrawn).

This Safety Guide has been developed through a series of technical meetings and represents an international consensus on useful design principles. These principles will be effective in maintaining fuel subcritical, removing residual heat, providing radiation protection and containing radioactive materials for the lifetime of the facility.

This Safety Standards Series Guide supersedes Safety Series No. 50-SG-D10 with the same title issued in 1984. The Purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide detailed recommendations for the design of fuel handling and storage systems in nuclear power plants. This publication is intended for use by organizations designing, manufacturing, constructing and operating fuel handling and storage facilities in nuclear power plants, as well as by regulatory bodies.