Study of the Accident Environment During Sea Transport of Nuclear Material: Analysis of An Engine-Room Fire on a Purpose-Built Ship

Abstract

The programme goal was to show that the IAEA safe transport regulations adequately cover the thermal effects of an engine-room fire on plutonium transport packages stowed aboard a purpose-built ship. The packages are stored in transport containers located in a cargo hold of the ship. For this study, it was assumed that the packages in No 5 Hold, adjacent to an engine-room, could be subject to heating due to a fire in the engine-room. The No 5 hold and the engine-room are separated by a water-filled bulkhead. This study addressed the heat transfer from an engine-room fire that could heat and evaporate water out of the water-filled bulkhead and the resulting temperature conditions around the packages and inside the packages near their elastomeric seals.