Deep Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste

cover.jpg......Page 1
Preface......Page 2
Acronyms......Page 3
Background and objectives......Page 9
Content, format and presentation......Page 11
Radioactive waste management in context......Page 14
References......Page 15
Radioactive waste......Page 16
Waste classification......Page 17
Origins of radioactive waste......Page 18
Nuclear fuel cycle......Page 19
Reactor operation......Page 20
Reprocessing......Page 25
Reactor decommissioning......Page 26
Industry......Page 29
Research......Page 30
Conditioning of radioactive wastes......Page 31
Incineration......Page 32
Vitrification......Page 33
Process qualification/product quality......Page 34
Volumes of waste......Page 35
Types of data recorded......Page 36
Dose rates......Page 37
Radiolytic gas production......Page 38
Production statistics......Page 39
Radionuclides occurring in the nuclear fuel cycle......Page 40
Simplifying the number of waste types......Page 42
Material priorities......Page 43
Assumptions......Page 44
Errors......Page 45
Acknowledgements......Page 46
References......Page 47
Historical evolution of geological disposal concepts......Page 49
Definitions and comparison with near-surface disposal......Page 53
Development of geological disposal concepts......Page 55
Roles of the geosphere in disposal options......Page 61
Physical stability......Page 62
Hydrogeology......Page 63
Geochemistry......Page 64
Introduction......Page 65
Sea dumping and sub-seabed disposal......Page 66
Technically impractical options; partitioning and transmutation, space disposal and icesheet disposal......Page 67
Partitioning and Transmutation......Page 68
Space disposal......Page 69
Non-options; long-term surface storage......Page 70
Introduction......Page 72
Utilising existing underground facilities......Page 73
Extended storage options (CARE)......Page 74
Deep boreholes......Page 75
Rock melting......Page 76
Alternative concepts: fitting the management option to future boundary conditions......Page 78
References......Page 80
Introduction......Page 85
Sophisticated/advocacy led......Page 87
Pragmatic/technically led......Page 90
Centralised/geologically led......Page 91
Conclusions to be drawn......Page 92
Lessons to be learned (see Table 4.2)......Page 93
Site characterisation......Page 95
Sedimentary environments......Page 96
Hydrogeology......Page 104
The regional hydrogeological model......Page 105
More local hydrogeological model(s)......Page 107
Lithology and structure......Page 109
Hydrogeochemistry......Page 114
Any geological environment......Page 116
References......Page 117
Introduction: general framework of the design process......Page 120
Identification of design requirements/constraints......Page 123
Major components of the disposal system and safety functions......Page 125
A structured approach for concept development......Page 128
Detailed design/specifications of subsystems......Page 131
Near-field processes and design issues......Page 132
Design approach and methodologies......Page 135
Interaction with PA/SA......Page 139
Demonstration and QA......Page 141
Repository management......Page 142
Future perspectives......Page 145
References......Page 149
Introduction......Page 152
The role of SA and the safety case in decision-making......Page 153
SA tasks......Page 156
System description......Page 157
Identification of scenarios and cases for analysis......Page 158
Consequence analysis......Page 163
Timescales for evaluation......Page 166
Constructing and presenting a safety case......Page 168
References......Page 175
Legal and regulatory framework; organisational structures......Page 177
The need for a clear policy and strategy......Page 180
Activities in development of a geological repository......Page 181
Concept development......Page 182
Repository design......Page 183
Construction......Page 184
Monitoring......Page 185
The staging process......Page 187
Attributes of adaptive staging......Page 188
The decision-making process......Page 189
Overview......Page 190
Status of geological disposal projects in selected countries......Page 191
International repositories......Page 194
Cost estimates......Page 195
Financing......Page 197
Conclusions......Page 199
References......Page 200
Drivers for research and development......Page 202
Organisation of R&D......Page 203
Introduction......Page 204
Inventory......Page 205
Waste form dissolution......Page 207
Organic degradation products......Page 208
Conventional R&D......Page 209
Corrosion......Page 210
Buffer and backfill materials......Page 211
Container fabrication......Page 212
Geochemistry and groundwater flow......Page 213
Gas transport and two-phase flow......Page 214
Biosphere......Page 215
Landscape change......Page 216
Underground rock laboratories......Page 217
URLs in sediments......Page 220
General......Page 222
Corrosion......Page 223
Cement......Page 224
Clay materials......Page 225
Glass corrosion......Page 226
Radionuclide migration......Page 227
Model and database development......Page 228
Conclusions......Page 229
References......Page 230
Introduction - why build confidence?......Page 235
The unholy alliance of radiation and waste - radioactive waste......Page 236
The Swiss programme......Page 238
The Japanese programme......Page 244
Finland......Page 247
Sweden......Page 249
France......Page 250
United Kingdom......Page 252
Comparisons between communication styles in Finland, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom......Page 253
Lessons for the future......Page 254
What is the way forward?......Page 255
References......Page 256
Current trends in repository programmes......Page 258
Waste characterisation......Page 260
Operational safety......Page 261
Knowledge management......Page 263
Alternative designs and optimisation processes......Page 265
Materials technology......Page 266
Long-term testing of novel (and existing) materials......Page 267
Future SA code development......Page 268
Implications for environmental protection: disposal of other wastes......Page 269
Conclusions......Page 270
References......Page 271
Index......Page 273