Corrosion Considerations Related to Carbon Steel Radioactive Waste Packages Exposed to Cementitious Materials

MRS Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (63-64) ◽  
pp. 4193-4199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Kursten ◽  
Frank Druyts ◽  
Nick R. Smart ◽  
Digby D. Macdonald ◽  
Robert Gens
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Uniform Corrosion ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Corrosion Rates ◽  
The Status ◽  
Corrosion Pitting ◽  
High Level ◽  
Passive Oxide Film

ABSTRACTThe Supercontainer is the reference concept for the post-conditioning of vitrified high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel in Belgium. It consists of a prefabricated concrete buffer that completely surrounds a carbon steel overpack. In this highly alkaline environment (pH ∼ 13.6) and under normal conditions (i.e. without the ingress of aggressive species), the carbon steel overpack will be protected by a passive oxide film, which is believed to result in very low uniform corrosion rates.This paper gives an overview of the status of the uniform corrosion, pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking behaviour of carbon steel expected during the waste disposal period.

Review of Passive Corrosion Studies of Carbon Steel in Concrete in the Context of Disposal of HLW and Spent Fuel in Belgium

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kursten ◽  
F. Druyts ◽  
N. R. Smart ◽  
D. D. Macdonald ◽  
R. Gens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Hydrogen Gas ◽  
Experimental Program ◽  
Uniform Corrosion ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Pressure Transducers ◽  
Corrosion Rates ◽  
Gas Measurements ◽  
High Level

The Supercontainer (SC) design is the preferred option for the final disposal of high level nuclear waste and spent fuel in Belgium. The SC consists of a carbon steel overpack surrounded by a very thick concrete buffer, contained within a stainless steel envelope. In this highly alkaline environment of the annulus and under normal conditions (without the ingress of aggressive species), the carbon steel overpack will be protected by a passive oxide film, which is believed to result in very low and almost negligible uniform corrosion rates. This paper discusses the modeling efforts simulating the evolution of various parameters that can potentially influence the corrosion processes (temperature, pH, saturation degree and concentration of aggressive species). The outcome of the Belgian experimental program to study the passive uniform corrosion of carbon steel in concrete is also addressed. Long-term uniform corrosion rates are determined using different independent techniques (hydrogen gas measurements by means of manometric gas cells or pressure transducers, long-term passive current density measurements).

Migration Rates of Brine Inclusions in Single Crystals of Nacl

1981 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
I-Ming Chou
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Temperature Gradients ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Ion Diffusion ◽  
Cold Side ◽  
Migration Rates ◽  
Permanent Storage ◽  
Salt Brine ◽  
Salt Deposits ◽  
High Level

Rock-salt deposits have been considered as a possible medium for the permanent storage of high-level radioactive wastes and spent fuel. Brine inclusions present in natural salt can migrate toward the waste if the temperature and the temperature gradients in the vicinity of the radioactive waste are large enough. This migration is due to the dissolution of salt at the hot side of the salt-brine interface, ion diffusion through the brine droplet, and the precipitation of salt at the cold side of the salt brine interface.

Effect of Thiosulfate on the SCC Behavior of Carbon Steel Welds Exposed to Concrete Pore Water Under Anoxic Conditions

MRS Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (19) ◽  
pp. 1019-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kursten ◽  
S. Caes ◽  
R. Gaggiano
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Water Solution ◽  
Weld Zone ◽  
Constant Strain Rate ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Anoxic Conditions ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACTThe Supercontainer (SC) is the reference concept for the post-conditioning of vitrified high-level nuclear waste and spent fuel in Belgium. It comprises a prefabricated concrete buffer that completely surrounds a carbon steel overpack. Welding is being considered as a final closure technique of the carbon steel overpack in order to ensure its water tightness. Welding is known to induce residual stresses near the weld zone, which may lead to an increased susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). In this study, slow strain rate tests were conducted to study the SCC behavior of plain and welded P355 QL2 grade carbon steel exposed to an artificial concrete pore water solution that is representative of the SC concrete buffer environment. The tests were performed at 140°C, a constant strain rate of 5 × 10-7s-1and at open circuit potential under anoxic conditions. The effect of thiosulfate on the SCC behavior was investigated up to levels of 600 mg/L S2O32-.

European Concepts for Shared Storage and Disposal Facilities for Radioactive Wastes?

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewoud Verhoef ◽  
Hans Code´e ◽  
Vladan Sˇtefula ◽  
Charles McCombie
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Waste Storage ◽  
Geological Conditions ◽  
European Development ◽  
High Level

Geological disposal is an essential component of the long-term management of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Implementation of a suitable deep repository may, however, be difficult or impossible in some (especially small) countries because of challenging geological conditions or restricted siting options, or because of the high costs involved. For these countries, shared regional or international storage and disposal facilities are a necessity. The European Parliament and the EC have both expressed support for concepts that could lead to regional shared facilities being implemented in the EU. The EC, therefore, funded two projects that form the first two steps of a staged process towards the implementation of shared regional or international storage and disposal facilities. In the period 2003 to 2005, the EC funded SAPIERR I, a project devoted to pilot studies on the feasibility of shared regional storage facilities and geological repositories, for use by European countries. The studies showed that shared regional repositories are feasible, but also that, if they are to be implemented, even some decades ahead, efforts must already be increased now. The first step would be to establish a structured framework for the work on regional repositories. This is the goal of SAPIERR II (2006–2008): to develop possible practical implementation strategies and organisational structures. These will enable a formalised, structured European Development Organisation (EDO) to be established in 2008 or afterwards for working on shared EU radioactive waste storage and disposal activities. The EDO can work in parallel with national waste programmes. Participating EU Member States will be able to use the structures developed as, when and if needed for the furtherance of their individual national policies.

A Review of Corrosion Considerations of Container Materials Relevant to Underground Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste in Belgium

2006 ◽  
Vol 932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Kursten ◽  
Frank Druyts
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
General Corrosion ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Boom Clay ◽  
Nuclear Site ◽  
In Situ Experiments ◽  
Underground Disposal ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACTThe underground formation that is currently being considered in Belgium for the permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel is a 30-million-year-old argillaceous sediment (Boom Clay layer). This layer is located in the northeast of Belgium and extending under the Mol-Dessel nuclear site at a depth between 180 and 280 meter.Within the concept for geological disposal (multibarrier system), the metallic container is the primary engineered barrier. Its main goal is to contain the radioactive waste and to prevent the groundwater from coming into contact with the wasteform by acting as a tight barrier. The corrosion resistance of container materials is an important aspect in ensuring the tightness of the metallic container and therefore plays an important role in the safe disposal of HLW. The metallic container has to provide a high integrity, i.e. no through-the-wall corrosion should occur, at least for the duration of the thermal phase (500 years for vitrified HLW and 2000 years for spent fuel).An extensive corrosion evaluation programme, sponsored by the national authorities and the European Commission, was started in Belgium in the mid 1980's. The main objective was to evaluate the long-term corrosion performance of a broad range of candidate container materials. In addition, the influence of several parameters, such as temperature, oxygen content, groundwater composition (chloride, sulphate and thiosulphate), γ-radiation, … were investigated. The experimental approach consisted of in situ experiments (performed in the underground research facility, HADES), electrochemical experiments, immersion experiments and large scale demonstration tests (OPHELIE, PRACLAY). Degradation modes considered included general corrosion, localised corrosion (pitting) and stress corrosion cracking.This paper gives an overview of the more relevant experimental results, gathered over the past 25 years, of the Belgian programme in the field of container corrosion.

Open Site Tests on Corrosion of Carbon Steel:Containers for Radioactive Waste Forms

1999 ◽  
Vol 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Barlnov ◽  
M. I. Ojovan ◽  
N. V. Ojovan ◽  
I. V. Startceva ◽  
G. N. Chujkova
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Open Field ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Corrosion Behaviour ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
Component Part ◽  
Uniform Corrosion ◽  
Waste Forms

AbstractTesting of waste containers under open field conditions is a component part of the research program that is being carried out at SIA “Radon”for more than 20 years to understand the long-term behaviour of radioactive waste forms and waste packages. This paper presents the preliminary results of these ongoing studies. We used a typical NPP operational waste, containing 137Cs, 134Cs, and 60Co as the dominant radioactive constituents. Bituminized and vitrified waste samples with 30–50 wt.% waste loading were prepared. Combined effects of climatic factors on corrosion behaviour of carbon steel containers were estimated using gravimetric and chemical analyses. The observations suggest that uniform corrosion of containers prevails under open field conditions. The upper limits for the lifetime of containers were derived from calculations based on the model of atmospheric steel corrosion. Estimated lifetime values range from 300 to 600 years for carbon steel containers with the wall thickness of 2 mm containing vitrified waste, and from 450 to 500 years for containers with the wall thickness of 2.5 mm that were used for bituminized waste. However, following the most conservative method, pitting corrosion may cause container integrity failure after 60 to 90 years of exposure.

A Computational Model for Estimating the Cost of Spent Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transport

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Johnson ◽  
R. E. Best
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Transportation Cost ◽  
Cost Calculation ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Transport Costs ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Cost

JAI has developed a simple computer program for use in determining a preliminary estimate of costs for transporting spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste by legal weight truck or by rail. The JAI Corporation Spent Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Cost Model © is a Microsoft Excel 2000-based collection of spreadsheets. Both the truck and rail sub-models consist of three spreadsheets, or modules — as follows: • The “Input” spreadsheet accepts the user’s inputs (the user’s configuration of the transportation scenario to be modeled); • The “Cost Calculations” spreadsheet lists cost components and associated calculations; • The “Results” spreadsheet summarized the calculated transportation costs. The program does not calculate costs between two specific points, but rather over a specific distance. The individual inputs required can be entered by the user — or the user can accept the default values built into the program. The input to the program is divided into the following elements: 1. Scenario configuration; 2. Financial assumptions; 3. Capital-related costs; 4. Operating costs; 5. Freight-related costs; 6. Security-related costs. The rail portion of the program also permits the calculation of the cost of heavy haul and barge transport. The cost calculation spreadsheet contains all the algorithms used for calculating each element of cost and summing them — and the results spreadsheet shows the separate cost of capital, operations, freight, security and miscellaneous costs, plus the total cost for the shipment(s). The program offers an easy way for obtaining preliminary estimates of the cost of transporting spent fuel or high-level radioactive waste, and a way to quickly estimate the sensitivity of transport costs to changes in conditions or shipping scenarios.

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