Darlington Re-tube Waste Container (D-RWC)

Ontario Power Generation Internship project:

Project Background:

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) stores refurbished pressure and calandria tubes in the Darlington Re-tube Waste Container (see Figure 1). After refurbishment, the tubes become radioactive and generate an immense amount of heat. OPG stores the waste inside of the D-RWC for roughly 50 years to safely contain the harmful radiation. The challenge was to analyze the temperature and pressure behaviour caused by the heat emitted from the radioactive waste over time.

Figure 1: Cross Section View of the DSO/RWC 
Figure 1: Cross Section View of the DSO/RWC
 
 

Analytical Process:

  • Conducted extensive background research and defined the assumptions, simplifications, and limitations that govern this problem.

  • Developed a one-dimensional cross-section view outlining the conduction and convection heat flow pathway through the containers. (see Figure 2)

Figure 2: Cross-sectional FBD of the RWC/DSO Wall 
Figure 2: Cross-sectional FBD of the RWC/DSO Wall

  • Calculated the conduction and convection heat transfer coefficients throughout the system using a thermal resistance diagram (see Figure 3).

  • Extrapolated the internal temperature and pressure over 50 years 

Figure 3: Thermal Resistance Diagram

  • Wrote a detailed design report outlining the assumptions, limitations, and calculations used to analyze the system. Full calculation report.