Integrated QFD–TRIZ Approach for the Design of a Storage System for Unirradiated Nuclear Fuel Rods

Existing methods for storing and handling unirradiated nuclear fuel are primarily designed for facility-level applications or for transporting unirradiated fuel components and assemblies. In contrast, this study proposes a structured conceptual design approach for a compact storage system tailored to research institutes and laboratory settings, where operational workflows are typically discontinuous. The research employs Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) to develop a storage system for unirradiated fuel rods maintained in a controlled helium atmosphere. The proposed design addresses multiple functional and technical requirements, including mechanical protection, stable positioning, controlled handling, maintenance of the helium atmosphere, and leak-tightness. QFD was initially used to identify, organize, and prioritize these functional requirements, translating them into technical characteristics. The House of Quality framework established the relationship between requirements and technical characteristics, highlighting key design parameters and their interactions. Subsequently, TRIZ was applied to address technical contradictions identified through QFD, such as conflicts between structural strength and vessel mass, handling accessibility and storage efficiency, damping and structural stiffness, internal support modularity and leak-tightness. This methodology improves the traceability of design decisions and provides a systematic approach to developing efficient storage solutions for unirradiated nuclear fuel rods in research environments.