Description

Water that enters a damaged canister and reaches the cavities between the fuel assemblies and the canister insert is affected by the ionizing radiation emitted by the spent fuel. This causes the excitation, or ionisation of water molecules followed by breaking of their chemical bonds (radiolysis) producing primarily free electrons, OH-radicals and hydrogen atoms.

SKB Number

SKB FEP Number

F10

Main Category

Main category for FEP

Internal process

System Component

System component to which the FEP applies

Fuel/cavity in canister

Handling

Explanation of how the FEP is treated

Intact canister. Neglected. Failed canister. Neglected except for fuel dissolution, see that process (F12).

References

Bibliographic references to obtain more information

SR-Site Fuel and canister process report, TR-10-46, Section(s) 1.6, 2.5.3