DOE s Atlas Railcar Design Project

Transcription

1 Office of Nuclear Energy DOE s Atlas Railcar Design Project Patrick R. Schwab, PhD 33 nd Spent Fuel Management Seminar Institute for Nuclear Materials Management January 2018

2 Legal Disclaimer This is a technical presentation that does not take into account the contractual limitations under the Standard Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High-Level Radioactive Waste (Standard Contract) (10 CFR Part 961). Under the provisions of the Standard Contract, DOE does not consider spent nuclear fuel in multiassembly canisters to be an acceptable waste form, absent a mutually agreed to contract amendment. To the extent discussions or recommendations in this presentation conflict with the provisions of the Standard Contract, the Standard Contract provisions prevail. 2

3 Contents The Need for New Railcars AAR Standard S-2043 Atlas Railcar Design Project Schedule Atlas Preliminary Design Comparison to the Navy M-290 Path Forward Summary 3

4 The Need for New Railcars DOE and DoD have settlement agreements in place with three railroad companies agreeing to use railcars that comply with Association of American Railroads (AAR) Standard S The use of railcars compliant with S-2043 will increase safety by reducing the risk of derailment. The U.S. Navy is using S-2043-compliant railcars for its SNF, and DOE plans to do the same. New railcars compliant with S-2043 will be needed regardless of the destination, i.e., development of new railcars is destination-independent. 4

5 AAR Standard S-2043 S-2043 is the most comprehensive railcar standard published by AAR: Thorough analysis during the design phase Extensive testing phase Analytical results from design phase must match testing results S-2043 contains many performance requirements that are more restrictive than the performance requirements for ordinary railcars: Structural analysis using finite-element-analysis, 100 percent non-destructive weld inspections, Real-time safety system monitoring and train crew notification, Etc. 5

6 Atlas Railcar Design Project Schedule Contract signed in August

7 Atlas Railcar Design Project Schedule Phases 1 and 2 overlapped. 7

8 Atlas Railcar Design Project Schedule Phase 2 is not finished yet, but Phase 3 has already begun. 8

9 Atlas Railcar Design Project Schedule Phases 3 and 4 will overlap, too. 9

10 Atlas Railcar Preliminary Design The Atlas railcar has 12 axles. The Phase 2 Final Report and all drawings will soon be completed. 10

11 Navy s M-290 Cask and Railcar The M-290 railcar is designed to carry a single cargo: the M-290 cask. It has special features designed specifically for this cask. 11

12 Spent Fuel Transportation Casks (1 of 2) 12

13 Spent Fuel Transportation Casks (2 of 2) 13

14 Atlas Preliminary Design: Attachment Points 14

15 Comparison of the Atlas and M-290 Railcars The Atlas and M-290 railcars have the same wheels, axles, trucks, bolsters, brakes, etc. Everything below the steel structure is identical. Atlas has a very different steel structure under the deck to support the different load distribution. Atlas has a different deck, with attachment points for a wide variety of casks. The Atlas deck is 1 ¼ inches lower than the M-290 deck (unloaded). 15

16 Atlas Preliminary Design: Heaviest Load Fully Loaded HI-STAR 190XL Cask with Impact Limiters (420,769 lbs.) End Stop (22,000 lbs.) End Stop (22,000 lbs.) Cradle (15,000 lbs.) Total Load: Approximately 480,000 lbs. Center of Gravity: inches above the top of the rail 16

17 Path Forward More procurements will be necessary to finish the Atlas Railcar Design Project Follow-on contract to perform the testing of Phases 4 and 5 and to obtain more AAR approvals DOE is planning to use the Navy s design for the escort railcar 17

18 Summary New railcars compliant with AAR Standard S-2043 will be needed regardless of the destination. DOE is making steady progress on development of cask and buffer railcars. Finished the Conceptual Design and nearly finished the Preliminary Design. Started the Prototype Fabrication Phase. Scheduled to start Single-car Testing Phase in March Future work includes: Extensive Single-car and Multiple-car Testing. Cooperate with U.S. Navy to obtain an Escort Car. AAR approval of the cask and buffer railcars and of the full consist. 18