RD&D-Programme 2004 - SKB

When the cask is filled the lid is fitted and the cask is lifted up from the pool and transferred to a
cooling cell. The water is drained out and a drying system is connected to the cask. After drying
the transport cask is checked to make sure it is dry and the surface is clean. Finally, shock
absorbers are fitted, after which the cask is transported to the encapsulation plant at the deep
repository.
The fuel arrives at the encapsulation plant sorted and dry, which is a prerequisite since there
are no pools in the plant. Four fuel transport casks are received every week. The cask’s shock
absorbers are removed and a bottom adapter is screwed on. The cask is moved by the main
overhead crane either to the holding area for transport casks or to one of the preparation cells
in the handling hall.
In the preparation cell, a ventilation system is connected to ventilate the cask and detect any
damaged fuel. A negative pressure is maintained to prevent airborne activity from being spread
in the plant. Then the outer lid is removed. When the preparations are completed, the cask is
moved by the main overhead crane to a rail-borne carriage.
The carriage is moved to a position directly beneath the handling cell. A ventilation system is
connected and normal air pressure is established in the transport cask. The carriage and cask
are now lifted by hydraulic motors up to the handling cell’s floor passage sleeve. Docking is
concluded with the inflation of a rubber seal.
The floor plug in the handling cell is removed by the overhead crane. The cask’s inner lid is
lifted up, enabling the fuel in the cask to be lifted over to a copper canister or placed in the
handling cell’s buffer store. When the fuel is to be moved to a copper canister, the canister
insert’s steel lid is first removed by a lifting device fitted with magnets, after which the fuel
assemblies can be placed in the canister.
When the canister is filled, the insert’s steel lid is fitted. The subsequent operations – including
lid welding NDT and machining – are similar to those for the encapsulation plant at Clab, see
section 8.1.1.
Conclusions in RD&D 2001 and its review
The review of RD&D 2001 did not give rise to any special viewpoints on the encapsulation
plant co-sited with the deep repository.
Newfound knowledge since RD&D 2001
A possible location of a standalone encapsulation plant in the Forsmark area is between the
operations area for the Forsmark 3 reactor and the operations area for Forsmark 1 and 2. This
location is shown in Figure 8-4.
Programme
The consultation process for a deep repository in Forsmark will also consider the alternative of
an encapsulation plant co-sited there. The environmental consequences of this will be analyzed.
Design of this plant is not planned.
A decision to site the encapsulation plant at Forsmark would have a great impact on SKB’s
main timetable and costs. Certain parts or functions of the planned encapsulation plant at Clab
could be transferred to the standalone plant, but the whole construction layout would have to
be entirely redone. Since the prerequisite for the plant is dry handling of fuel, a thorough study
must be conducted for the operation at Clab, since sorting, verifying measurements and drying
of the fuel must then take place in the existing facility. The feasibility study that has been done
shows that Clab can be used, but a revision may be necessary that takes into account the expansion
of Clab.
100 RD&D-Programme 2004