ML20125D565
| ML20125D565 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/24/1984 |
| From: | Cunningham R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Krick R TRANSPORTATION, DEPT. OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20125D188 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-85-3 NUDOCS 8506120405 | |
| Download: ML20125D565 (2) | |
Text
-
~~~~~~
-s
?
h_
-.n :..
.4 DISTRIBUTION d 2 41934 RECunningham RGPage CEMacDonald JRCook./
FCUF R/F NMSS R/F Robert L. Krick, Acting Director FC Central File Research and Development DMausshardt Federal Railroad Administration Elise - Davis Working File 400 7th Street, S.W.
JPartlow, IE Washington, D.C.
20590 RMBernero, RES RBurnett, SG
Dear Mr.' Kriek:
The themal protection perfomance standards for pressure tank car tanks, and '
their relationship to spent fuel casks, was the subject of a recent meeting among representatives of the Federal Railroad Administration ~ (FRA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
At the meeting, FRA requested NRC participation in structuring a proposed FRA research and development effort entitled, " Safety Detemination for Spent Nuclear Fuel Casks Transported by Rail." The objective of this study would be to determine spent fuel cask failure in conditions similar to test criteria applied to tank cars, probably using a modified HNPF cask for the test.
There are several problems with the proposal:
the HNPF cask is obsolete and therefore not indicative of the performance of either existing casks or the new generation casks that would be used in shipments under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act; the candidate HNPF cask has already been subjected to four simulated torch fire tests and one simulated pool fire test, and the cummulative effects of these abusive tests is not known; and, finally, since the cask will not explode, as a tank car might, new cask perfortnance (or failure) criteria wo'uld have to be developed for the proposed study.
As explained at the meeting, NRC is presently conducting the final phase of its Hodal Study. The study will include a comparison of the accident forces associated with hundreds of actual severe accident cases with the hypothetical accident conditions in our regulations.
The contractor will detemine the consequences and probability of occurrence (risks) for those accidents, if any, which are not found to be encompassed by If the determined risks for an accident are significant,
' our standards.
additional study, including full-scale testing and evaluation, may be warranted to support reexamination of the design criteria.
s We believe the best course of action at the present time is to factor FRA's The thermal protection perfomance standards into the Modal Study analysis.
results of the analysis should 1.ndicate whether FRA's standards, simulated by accident conditions indicate a significant risk not bounded by NRC's present If a significant risk is indicated, a precise study perfomance criteria.
could be designed to assess package performance under such conditions, perhaps If the risk posed is employing semi-scale versions of newer generation casks.
found not significant, additional cask testing may be unnecessary.
pg 8506120405 850201 m......................
580Jn003_a eon
. - - - - - - - - - ~ ~. - - - -
i u
s 4
tp[
[
JM 4$84
-(-[-
"~
Mr. Robert L. Krick By proceeding with the Modal Study analysis. first, FRA, DDT and NRC would be provided with the inforwation needed to determine if a testing program is needed, and if it is, how to effectively structure the program.
We would be. pleased to discuss these matters further with you if you wish.
Sincerely, Original Signed by Richard E. Cunningham Richard E. Cunningham, Director Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety,,ESS cc:
Ms. Orth Mr. Dugoff Mr. Santman Mr. Rawi Mr. Chu Mr. Hannon e
I FC,,,
g,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
~*.f.w.t.t...:....FC,TC,,h!,[d,e,,
f,C,U,F,,,,,, 4,,,, FC_,oM,11,,,,,,,,unn1ng9,m
.. a anc w ves CanacDon pray.
,,,