The study on the wood candidates for the impact limiter of a spent fuel cask

Abstract

The nuclear fuel transportation package is meticulously designed to enclose radioactive materials, guaranteeing containment even after undergoing a free-drop impact test and considering potential accident situations to prevent radioactive leakage. The impact limiters attached to the transport cask are engineered to absorb impact energy. Wood, renowned for its strong energy absorption capacity, is often specified as the core material within impact limiters. It is crucial to accurately determine the wood material employed in the impact limiter. This study carried out crushing experiments on various common wood materials to obtain stress versus strain data for the selection of the appropriate wood material. Indicators such as density, crushing strength, and densification strain are utilized to assess the suitability of wood as the filler material of the impact limiter. Paulownia wood is chosen based on density, the appropriate energy absorption value per unit volume, and response acceleration. The dispersity of the strengths of Paulownia wood is taken into account with the weakest-link models. The finite element method is adopted to precisely design and verify the impact limiter. The arrangement of the glulam wood is designed to balance the energy absorption in hypothetical accident conditions. Finally, tests on the application of the impact limiter in the transportation cask were conducted to validate the proper design of the impact limiter. This study can offer reference and data support for the research on wood filler materials.