A simulation study of the spent nuclear fuel cask condition evaluation using high energy X-ray computed tomography

The dry cask storage time could be much longer (>60 years) for the spent nuclear fuels before final disposition in the United States. The casks have multiple internal components that are designed to provide structural integrity during storage and, in some cases, during transportation. The long-term internal stability of the internals and spent fuel and their cladding is important to maintain the sub-criticality of the fissile materials in the casks. In this study, we propose to develop a high-energy X-ray CT system to examine the integrity of casks and their inner components. With careful system design and advanced image reconstruction techniques, we estimate that a sub-centimeter spatial resolution can be achieved through the simulation study. A complete three-dimension “anatomical” picture of the cask and its inner components can be obtained with a reasonable scanning time.