scholarly journals Preliminary modelling of radionuclide migration in the argillaceous sediments of the Sumer Formation (Northwestern Bulgaria)

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 13-18
Author(s):  
Dimitar Antonov ◽  
Madlena Tsvetkova ◽  
Doncho Karastanev
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Radionuclide Migration ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Disposal Facility ◽  
Deep Geological Disposal ◽  
High Level ◽  
Host Rocks ◽  
Selection Of

In Bulgaria, from the preliminary analyses performed for site selection of deep geological disposal of high-level waste (HLW) and spent fuel (SF), it was concluded that the most promising host rocks are the argillaceous sediments of the Sumer Formation (Lower Cretaceous), situated in the Western Fore-Balkan Mts. The present paper aims to compare the transport of three major radionuclides from a hypothetical radioactive waste disposal facility, which incorporates an engineering barrier of bentonite into the argillaceous (marl) medium. The simulations were performed by using HYDRUS-1D computer programme. The results are used for a preliminary estimation of argillaceous sediments as a host rock for geological disposal of HLW.

Design Options for the UK’s ILW Geological Disposal Facility

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Hicks ◽  
Matt White ◽  
Tamara Baldwin ◽  
Neil Chapman ◽  
Fiona Neall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Consultation ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Geological Environment ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Disposal Facility ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level ◽  
Design Options

Over the last few years, a major national programme of public consultation has been under way in the UK resulting, in 2006, in the announcement by government of geological disposal as the most appropriate solution for the long-term management of the UK’s long-lived and higher-activity radioactive waste and the launch, in 2008, of an implementation programme. The approach being pursued is to solicit volunteer communities to host a geological disposal facility, which may contain not only intermediate-level waste (ILW) and some low-level waste (LLW), but also high-level waste (HLW), any spent fuel (SF) declared as waste, and potentially other materials that may be declared as waste. These wastes have different physical, chemical, thermal and radiological characteristics, and different concepts will be required to accommodate their disposal, potentially in a single facility. The volunteer approach means that the geological environment that might eventually emerge as the preferred location is not known at the outset. Indeed, the siting process may require evaluation of several different geological environments because the UK has rich geological variability for such a small landmass. Consequently, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which is charged with designing, developing and implementing a geological disposal facility, has investigated facility designs that could be appropriate for a wide range of host rocks and geological environments. This paper presents the results of a project carried out on behalf of the NDA to collate and report information on concepts for the geological disposal of ILW/LLW; a separate project carried out a parallel evaluation of options for disposing of HLW and SF. Initially, the range of geological disposal facility design options available worldwide for the disposal of ILW/LLW was evaluated. Nine disposal concepts were identified and reviewed that would cater for any geological environment likely to arise in the UK. These concepts have different engineering and operational aspects. The appropriateness of each option for implementation in five different generic geological environments was assessed using expert judgement, with input from the NDA, consultants and the UK regulatory agencies. The paper presents a set of generic designs derived from the study and discusses the key issues that would need to be addressed should any of these designs be considered for implementation in specific geological environments in the UK. The findings of this work are intended to provide a resource to support comparisons of alternative disposal concepts and the identification of designs suitable for the disposal of UK ILW/LLW in different geological environments.

Implementation of a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) in the UK by the NDA Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD): The Potential for Interaction Between the Co-Located ILW/LLW and HLW/SF Components of a GDF

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Towler ◽  
Tim Hicks ◽  
Sarah Watson ◽  
Simon Norris
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
White Paper ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Disposal Facility ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Host Rocks ◽  
System Designs

In June 2008 the UK government published a ‘White Paper’ as part of the “Managing Radioactive Waste Safety” (MRWS) programme to provide a framework for managing higher activity radioactive wastes in the long-term through geological disposal. The White Paper identifies that there are benefits to disposing all of the UK’s higher activity wastes (Low and Intermediate Level Waste (LLW and ILW), High Level Waste (HLW), Spent Fuel (SF), Uranium (U) and Plutonium (Pu)) at the same site, and this is currently the preferred option. It also notes that research will be required to support the detailed design and safety assessment in relation to any potentially detrimental interactions between the different modules. Different disposal system designs and associated Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS) will be required for these different waste types, i.e. ILW/LLW and HLW/SF. If declared as waste U would be disposed as ILW and Pu as HLW/SF. The Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) would therefore comprise two co-located modules (respectively for ILW/LLW and HLW/SF). This paper presents an overview of a study undertaken to assess the implications of co-location by identifying the key Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) interactions that might occur during both the operational and post-closure phases, and their consequences for GDF design, performance and safety. The MRWS programme is currently seeking expressions of interest from communities to host a GDF. Therefore, the study was required to consider a wide range of potential GDF host rocks and consistent, conceptual disposal system designs. Two example disposal concepts (i.e. combinations of host rock, GDF design including wasteform and layout, etc.) were carried forward for detailed assessment and a third for qualitative analysis. Dimensional and 1D analyses were used to identify the key interactions, and 3D models were used to investigate selected interactions in more detail. The results of this study show that it is possible for ILW/LLW and HLW/SF modules to be co-located without compromising key safety functions of different barrier components, and this reflects international precedents, e.g. the Andra and Nagra repository designs. There are two key technical issues that need to be managed in designing the geometry of the co-located GDF: (i) the heat flux from the HLW/SF module interacting with the ILW/LLW module, and (ii) the potential for development of an alkaline plume from the ILW/LLW module interacting with the HLW/SF module; particularly within fractured host rocks.

scholarly journals Needs of countries with longer timescale for deep geological repository implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Bálint Nős
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Deep Geological Repository ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
International Consensus ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
Deep Geological Disposal ◽  
High Level

Countries operating nuclear power plants have to deal with the tasks connected to spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste management. There is international consensus that, at this time, deep geological disposal represents the safest and most sustainable option as the end point of the management of high-level waste and spent fuel considered as waste. There are countries with longer timescale for deep geological repository (DGR) implementation, meaning that the planned date of commissioning of their respective DGRs is around 2060. For these countries cooperation, knowledge transfer, participation in RD&D programmes (like EURAD) and adaptation of good international practice could help in implementing their own programmes. In the paper the challenges and needs of a country with longer implementation timescale for DGR will be introduced through the example of Hungary.

Interactions between the co-located intermediate-level waste/low-level waste and high-level waste/spent fuel components of a geological disposal facility

2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 3475-3482 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. W. Hicks ◽  
S. Watson ◽  
S. Norris ◽  
G. Towler ◽  
D. Reedha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Disposal Facility ◽  
Three Dimensional Models ◽  
High Level

AbstractThe 2008 UK government White Paper, published as part of the Managing Radioactive Waste Safety programme, identified benefits to disposing of all of the UK's higher activity wastes at the same site. That is, a single geological disposal facility (GDF) could be constructed that consists of a module for low- and intermediate-level waste, and a module for high-level waste and spent fuel.A safety case for a co-located GDF will have to consider the extent to which evolving thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical and gas (THMCG) conditions in and around one module may affect conditions in the other module, including the extent to which barrier performance and radionuclide migration behaviour could be altered. Several research projects have been undertaken on behalf of Radioactive Waste Management Directorate aimed at understanding and evaluating the THMCG interactions that might occur during the disposal facility operational and post-closure phases.This paper describes research on THMCG interactions between disposal modules based on illustrative GDF designs for different host rock environments. Interactions were evaluated using simple analytical solutions and detailed three-dimensional models. The analyses demonstrated that interactions can be controlled by design constraints.

scholarly journals Towards an “Implementing Geological Disposal Technology Platform” in Europe

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Marjatta Palmu ◽  
Torsten L. Eng
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Current Status ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Technology Platform ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Deep Geological Disposal ◽  
High Level

Several European waste management organizations have started the work on creating a technology platform to accelerate the implementation of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in Europe. There is an increasing consensus in the international community [1] about geological disposal as the preferred option for solving the long-term management of spent fuel, high-level waste, and other long-lived radioactive wastes. At the same time, the European citizens [2] have a widespread wish for a solution for high-level radioactive waste disposal. A majority of the European countries with nuclear power have active waste management programmes, but the current status and the main challenges of those programmes vary. The most advanced waste management programmes in Europe (i.e. Sweden, Finland and France) are prepared to start the licensing process of deep geological disposal facilities within the next decade. Despite the differences between the timing and the challenges of the different programmes, there is a joint awareness that cooperation on the scientific, technical, and social challenges related to geological disposal is needed, and the cooperation will be beneficial for the timely and safe implementation of the first geological disposal facilities. Such a demonstration of a viable solution for the management of high-level radioactive waste will enhance stakeholder confidence in Europe. Several decades of research, development and demonstration (RD&D) have been carried out in the field of geological disposal. International opportunities of cooperation and establishing a technology platform were explored in the European Commission co-funded projects like Net.Excel [3] and CARD [4]. According to the CARD project, the majority of the funding for RD&D in waste management comes from the implementing organizations. It is envisaged that a technology platform would enhance European cooperation in this area. The platform intends to constitute a tool for reducing overlapping work, to produce savings in total costs of research and implementation, and to make better use of existing competence and research infrastructures. After the final workshop of the CARD project in 2008, SKB (Sweden) and Posiva (Finland) were committed to lead the preparation work to set-up the Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform (IGD-TP). Other implementers from France, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, and Belgium joined en suite. A Vision Document for the IGD-TP is about to be finalized after a wider consultation was carried out in July 2009. The final Vision Document and the platform are launched during November 2009. Simultaneously, the preparation of the Strategic Research Agenda for the technology platform’s joint work starts.

scholarly journals Towards an 'implementing geological disposal technology platform' in Europe

2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 3439-3444 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Palmu ◽  
T. Eng ◽  
T. M. Beattie
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Current Status ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Technology Platform ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Deep Geological Disposal ◽  
High Level

AbstractSeveral European waste management organizations have started work on creating a technology platform to accelerate the implementation of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in Europe. There is an increasing consensus in the international community about geological disposal as the preferred option for solving the long-term management of spent fuel, high-level waste and other longlived radioactive wastes. At the same time, European citizens have a widespread desire for a permanent solution for high-level radioactive waste disposal. A majority of European countries with nuclear power have active waste-management programmes, but the current status and the main challenges of those programmes vary. The most advanced waste management programmes in Europe (i.e. those in Sweden, Finland and France) are prepared to start the licensing process of deep geological disposal facilities within the next decade. Despite the differences between the timing and the challenges of the different programmes, there is a joint awareness that cooperation on the scientific, technical and social challenges related to geological disposal is needed, and that it is beneficial for the timely and safe implementation of the first geological disposal facilities. Such a demonstration of a viable solution for the management of high-level radioactive waste will enhance stakeholder confidence in Europe. It is envisaged that a technology platform would enhance European cooperation in this area. The platform will provide a tool for reducing overlapping work, to produce savings in total costs of research and implementation, and to make better use of existing competence and research infrastructures. From 2008, SKB (Sweden) and Posiva (Finland) led the preparation work to set up the implementing geological disposal of radioactive waste technology platform (IGD-TP). Since then other implementers from France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Spain and Belgium have joined the project. To date a strategic research agenda for the platform has been prepared and consulted upon, which is now the basis for taking the platform into a deployment phase.

An overview of radionuclide behaviour research for the UK geological disposal programme

2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 3373-3380 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Vines ◽  
R. Beard
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Waste Disposal ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Nuclear Decommissioning ◽  
Disposal Facility ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level

AbstractIn the UK, radioactive wastes currently planned for disposal in a geological disposal facility (GDF) are intermediate-level waste, some low-level waste and high-level waste. Disposal of other materials, including spent fuel, separated uranium and separated plutonium are also included in the planning of a GDF, if such materials are classified as wastes in the future. This paper gives an overview of the radionuclide behaviour research studies of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (NDA RWMD). The NDA RWMD's current understanding of the processes that control radionuclide behaviour in groundwater and how the engineered and natural barriers in a GDF would contain radionuclides is presented. Areas requiring further work are also identified.

The Implementing Geological Disposal Technology Platform: Key Challenges in Research and Development in Radioactive Waste Management

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Delay ◽  
Jiri Slovak ◽  
Raymond Kowe
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Added Value ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Technology Platform ◽  
Joint Activities ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level

The Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform (IGD-TP) was launched in November 2009 to tackle the remaining research, development and demonstration (RD&D) challenges with a view to fostering the implementation of geological disposal programmes for high-level and long-lived waste in Europe. The IGD-TP’s Vision is that “by 2025, the first geological disposal facilities for spent fuel, high-level waste and other long-lived radioactive waste will be operating safely in Europe”. Aside from most of European waste management organisations, the IGD-TP now has 110 members covering most of the RD&D actors in the field of implementing geological disposal of radioactive waste in Europe. The IGD-TP Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), that defines shared RD&D priorities with an important cooperative added value, is used as a basis for the Euratom programme. It provides a vehicle to emphasise RD&D and networking activities that are important for establishing safety cases and fostering disposal implementation. As the IGD-TP brings together the national organisations which have a mandate to implement geological disposal and act as science providers, its SRA also ensures a balance between fundamental science, implementation-driven RD&D and technological demonstration. The SRA is in turn supported by a Deployment Plan (DP) for the Joint Activities to be carried out by the Technology Platform with its members and participants. The Joint Activities were derived from the individual SRA Topics and prioritized and assigned a timeline for their implementation. The deployment scheme of the activities is updated on a yearly basis.

Deep Geological Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste

2015 ◽  
pp. 367-399
Author(s):  
Želimir Veinović ◽  
Biljana Kovačević Zelić ◽  
Dubravko Domitrović
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Deep Geological Disposal ◽  
Safety Cases ◽  
High Level

Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SF) and High-Level Waste (HLW) is one of the most important and challenging problems of the modern world. Otherwise a clean, cheap, constant, and secure way to produce electricity, nuclear power plants create large amounts of highly hazardous waste. Repositories—deep Geological Disposal Facilities (GDF)—for these types of waste must prevent radionuclides from reaching the biosphere, for up to 1,000,000 years, migrating from a deep (more than 300m), stable geological environment. At present, there are no operating GDFs for SF and/or HLW, mostly due to the difficult and complex task of preparing safety cases and licensing. The purpose of this chapter is to validate the generic R&D activities in this area and present alternative concepts of Radioactive Waste (RW) management: retrievability, reversibility, regional GDFs, long-term storage, and deep borehole disposal, demonstrating the main engineering tasks in solving the problem of RW management and disposal.

Thermal Analysis of Options for Spent Fuel Disposal in Switzerland

1996 ◽  
Vol 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuo Sasaki ◽  
Kenichi Ando ◽  
Hideki Kaw Amura ◽  
Jürg W. Schneider ◽  
Ian G. McKinley
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Analysis ◽  
Basic Concept ◽  
Crystalline Basement ◽  
Opalinus Clay ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Compacted Bentonite ◽  
High Level ◽  
Host Rocks

ABSTRACTIn parallel to studies of disposal of vitrified high-level waste from reprocessing, projects have been initiated to examine options for direct disposal of spent fuel in Switzerland. The basic concept involves in-tunnel emplacement of encapsulated spent fuel in a deep repository which is backfilled with compacted bentonite. Two possible host rocks are considered - crystalline basement and Opalinus Clay. This paper reports the results of a thermal analysis which was carried out to evaluate constraints on repository layout set by the desire to limit temperatures experienced by the bentonite backfill.

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