Monitoring and predicting stress corrosion cracking of long term spent nuclear fuel storage

In the absence of a long term centralized storage facility, on-site storage of spent nuclear fuel at reactor sites within the United States has increased and will continue to increase until a permanent storage facility is prepared. Dry storage canisters are used to store spent nuclear fuel waste over long periods of time, but are susceptible to mechanical failure via corrosion. Currently, there are no real time sensor systems available on the market to detect corrosion in this unique environment. This paper describes a sacrificial sensor that has been developed to monitor the rate of corrosion. It has been designed to be placed on the surface of the canister. The sacrificial electrodes are placed under residual stress via plastic deformation or heat sensitized and placed under constant tension. This sensor has been able to detect stress corrosion cracking within laboratory environments. Additionally, models have been developed in conjunction with the sensor to predict the integrity of the storage system and provide feedback for preventative maintenance.