A Graphic Simulator for the Development of a Spent Fuel Encapsulation Process in a Disposal Canister

The development of a deep geological disposal system for the spent fuel from nuclear power plants in Korea has been carried out since this program was launched in 1997 and a pre-conceptual design of the Korean Reference HLW vertical disposal system (KRS-VI) is being developed. In this study, a graphic simulator for a spent fuel encapsulation process in a disposal canister is developed to review and analyze the process for an optimization and to develop the process equipment. The process equipment for handling high level radioactive materials like spent fuels is operated in a hot cell, due to the high radioactivity. Thus, this equipment should be maintained and repaired optimally by remotely operated maintenance tools. To do this, the design bases like the fuel canisters, the production rate and the functions of the facility are reviewed. Also, the detailed processes from receiving the spent fuel to a shipping of the disposal canister to an underground facility are described. The facilities and parts of the equipment are modeled graphically in three dimensions, and they are assembled as a virtual work cell. The encapsulation processes are simulated in a virtual work cell according to a process scenario. This simulator will be used for analyzing and optimizing the spent fuel encapsulation process and developing the process equipment