16 Containments for Transportation and Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Material and Waste

This chapter reflects the 2015 Edition of Section III, Division 3 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (BPV) Code. Division 3 covers all “construction” aspects of the containment of nuclear transportation packagings, including administrative requirements, material selection, material qualification, design, fabrication, examination, inspection, testing, quality assurance, and documentation. The current scope for Division 3 includes the containments for both transportation and storage and the internal support structures for both containments. The chapter first traces the history of the ASME Subgroup NUPACK, and outlines the scope and requirements of Division 3. It then discusses the system of loading classification and the design rules based on these loadings. Division 3 loadings include Design Loadings (Design Pressure, Design Temperature, and Design Mechanical Loadings), Operating Loadings (normal, off-normal, and accident), and Test Loadings (from pressure and leak tests). The chapter also provides a brief review of the ASME stress evaluations and the associated stress acceptance criteria. Code text organization of Division 3 is then considered. The ASME BPV Code Section III, Division 3 is currently divided into three subsections: WA, General Requirements; WB, Class TC Containments; and WC, Class SC Storage Containments. Discussions also include the incorporation of strain-based acceptance criteria, and the current activities in Division 3 such as the development of new subsection WD addressing internal support structures. The chapter concludes with a summary of suggested enhancements for the future in the scope for Division 3.