Spent HIFAR fuel elements behaviour under extended dry storage

Abstract

Previously unpublished observations of the behaviour of HIFAR spent fuel under extended dry storage conditions are reported. The two fuel elements EC802 (Mark III type) were irradiated in 1966 first examined in hot cells in 1967 and again examined in hot cells in 1983 following 16 years of stage 11 years of which were in the ANSTO engineered dry storage facility. The elements showed negligible deterioration over this extended dry storage period lending considerable confidence to the viability of dry storage technologies for the long term storage of spent aluminium clad research reactor fuels.