Re: Dispersal of Spent Fuel -Reply

[schoenho@via.at]

At 07:33 28.08.1996 -0500, you wrote:
>The scenario was part of a security exercise.
>
>=======================================================================
>John Harvey                            | McMaster University
>Senior Health Physicist                | NRB-110
>(905) 525-9140 ext 24226               | 1280 Main St. W.
>harveyj@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca         | Hamilton, Ont Canada L8S 4K1
>
>On Tue, 27 Aug 1996, Charles Willis wrote:
>
>> John Harvey asked "what happens to a spent MTR fuel element when
exploded."  I do not
>> believe that data have been generated to answer that question, largely
because there has
>> been no concern about the explosion of a MTR fuel element.  Accidental
out-of-core criticality
>> is possible, of course, but the fuel element would not explode.   If a
fuel element is overheated,
>> by whatever mechanism, some of its radioactive material can be released.
It the mechanism
>> were accidental criticality, however, the available evidence indicates
that the direct radiation
>> would be the dominant radiological hazard.  I wonder what scenario gives
rise to the question.
=========================================================================

John,

I cannot think of any scenario, where a fuel element outside the reactor
could get accidentally critical. The only way, how it could explode would be
in an accident involving large amounts of gasoline, large amounts of
chemical explosives or similar.

I have been recently on Mururoa to check the radioactive contamination
originating from early atmospheric nuclear and safety tests. Similar tests
have been performed by the British in Maralinga (Australia) and the US
(Marshall Islands). If you check literature, which might be available - I am
not sure - you might find an answer to your question - but only if you
consider non-nuclear explosion.

Franz Schoenhofer
Federal Institute for Food Control and Research
Vienna- AUSTRIA
Schoenhofer
Habichergasse 31/7
A-1160 WIEN
AUSTRIA/EUROPE
Tel./Fax:	+43-1-4955308
Tel.:		+43-664-3380333
e-mail:		schoenho@via.at