HALEU 저장 및 운반의 기술적 과제

HALEU exhibits higher enrichment levels than conventional LEU, resulting in increased radiation dose rates, heat generation, and more stringent criticality safety requirements. These characteristics introduce new technical demands for storage and transportation, including container design, long-term thermal and corrosion management, leak prevention, compliance with international standards, and strengthened physical protection. Furthermore, shifts in logistics across enrichment, deconversion, and fuel fabrication facilities highlight limitations in the safety performance and capacity of existing transportation packages for HALEU in UF6, UO2, metal, or oxide forms. This study reviews the current status of HALEU storage and transportation within the U.S. NRC regulatory framework and international transportation regulations, analyzing key technical issues and licensing trends for major transportation packages. The results indicate that establishing a commercial HALEU supply chain will require a systematic assessment of inter-facility transportation scenarios and the development of new transportation packages that address the inherent constraints of LEU-based designs.