Fission Battery transportation and siting aspects

摘要

Fission Batteries (FBs) are envisioned to be highly mobile, autonomously operating, and economically competitive small nuclear power reactor systems useable for generating electric power or heat. Such novel systems will face unique challenges pertaining to siting and transportation. This paper presents the findings and recommendations of the 2021 Idaho National Laboratory FB Initiative workshop on the transportation and siting of FBs. Regulatory and technical subject matter experts on the transportation and storage of radioactive materials, licensing of nuclear power plants, innovative sensing technologies, etc., participated in this workshop and shared their professional experiences and perspectives. Based on these conversations, the paper describes the lessons learned from nuclear reactor siting and licensing, as well as from the siting and transportation of radioactive materials such as fresh or spent nuclear fuel. It then explores the applicability of these lessons and practices to FB siting and transportation. In addition, associated regulatory and technological challenges are identified, such as a changing FB source term, criticality safety aspects, neutron activation and embrittlement of structural components, site development, transportation uncertainties, the current regulatory framework, modeling and simulation uncertainties, and limited inspections. Additionally, research and development activities are suggested to address these gaps and challenges, including the development of modeling and simulation tools for FB design, strategies for rapid FB transportation, innovative FB shell materials, procedures for onsite handling of FBs, transportation-accident-proof criticality control mechanisms, self-monitoring and self-testing capabilities, regulatory requirements, and probabilistic risk assessment tools. Carrying out these research initiatives is expected to help accelerate the evolution of FBs and facilitate their design, licensing, and deployment.