Spent fuel pool

Spent fuel pools (SFP) are storage pools (or "ponds" in the United Kingdom) for <a href="/facts/Spent_fuel/jWDWvJ6d">spent fuel</a> from <a href="/facts/Nuclear_reactor/8xqjIbge">nuclear reactors</a>. They are typically 40 or more feet (12 m) deep, with the bottom 14 feet (4.3 m) equipped with storage racks designed to hold fuel assemblies removed from reactors. A reactor's local pool is specially designed for the reactor in which the fuel was used and is situated at the reactor site. Such pools are used for short-term cooling of the fuel rods. This allows short-lived isotopes to decay and thus reduces the <a href="/facts/Ionizing_radiation/vw0d9GaT">ionizing radiation</a> and <a href="/facts/Decay_heat/DWHm414J">decay heat</a> emanating from the rods. The water cools the fuel and provides <a href="/facts/Radiological_protection/5LaNNgXe">radiological protection</a> from its <a href="/facts/Radiation/RwMocyeq">radiation</a>.
Pools also exist on sites remote from reactors, for longer-term storage such as the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI), located at the <a href="/facts/Morris_Operation/IAX0u4uP">Morris Operation</a>, or as a production buffer for 10 to 20 years before being sent for <a href="/facts/Nuclear_reprocessing/aTMUoYaW">reprocessing</a> or <a href="/facts/Dry_cask_storage/aPRH4xmz">dry cask storage</a>.
While only about 20 feet (about 6 m) of water is needed to keep radiation levels below acceptable levels, the extra depth provides a safety margin and allows fuel assemblies to be manipulated without special shielding to protect the operators.

Spent fuel pool open-in-new

Spent fuel pool