The Integrated Project NF-PRO: Recent Advances in European Research on the Near-Field System

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Sneyers ◽  
Bernd Grambow ◽  
Pedro Herna´n ◽  
Hans-Joachim Alheid ◽  
Jean-Franc¸ois Aranyossy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Commission ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Framework Programme ◽  
European Research ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Field System ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
Integrated Project ◽  
High Level ◽  
Sixth Framework Programme

The Integrated Project NF-PRO (Sixth Framework Programme by the European Commission) investigates key-processes in the near-field of a geological repository for the disposal of high-level vitrified waste and spent fuel. The paper discusses the project scope and content and gives a summary overview of advances made by NF-PRO.

scholarly journals Reactive transport calculations to evaluate sulphide fluxes in the near-field of a SF/HLW repository

2019 ◽  
Vol 98 ◽  
pp. 10005
Author(s):  
Marek Pękala ◽  
Paul Wersin ◽  
Veerle Cloet ◽  
Nikitas Diomidis
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Transport ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Opalinus Clay ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Waste Containment ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
High Level ◽  
Reducing Bacteria ◽  
Hlw Repository

Radioactive waste is planned to be disposed in a deep geological repository in the Opalinus Clay (OPA) rock formation in Switzerland. Cu coating of the steel disposal canister is considered as potential a measure to ensure complete waste containment of spent nuclear fuel (SF) and vitrified high-level waste (HLW) or a period of 100,000 years. Sulphide is a potential corroding agent to Cu under reducing redox conditions. Background dissolved sulphide concentrations in pristine OPA are low, likely controlled by equilibrium with pyrite. At such concentrations, sulphide-assisted corrosion of Cu would be negligible. However, the possibility exists that sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) might thrive at discrete locations of the repository’s near-field. The activity of SRB might then lead to significantly higher dissolved sulphide concentrations. The objective of this work is to employ reactive transport calculations to evaluate sulphide fluxes in the near-field of the SF/HLW repository in the OPA. Cu canister corrosion due to sulphide fluxes is also simplistically evaluated.

Assessment of Redox Conditions in the Near Field of Nuclear Waste Repositories: Application to the Swiss high-level and intermediate level waste disposal concept

2003 ◽  
Vol 807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Wersin ◽  
Lawrence H. Johnson ◽  
Bernhard Schwyn
Keyword(s):  
Solid Phase ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Redox Conditions ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Redox Potentials ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
High Level ◽  
Waste Repositories

ABSTRACTRedox conditions were assessed for a spent fuel and high-level waste (SF/HLW) and an intermediate-level waste (ILW) repository. For both cases our analysis indicates permanently reducing conditions after a relatively short oxic period. The canister-bentonite near field in the HLW case displays a high redox buffering capacity because of expected high activity of dissolved and surface-bound Fe(II). This is contrary to the cementitious near field in the ILW case where concentrations of dissolved reduced species are low and redox reactions occur primarily via solid phase transformation processes.For the bentonite-canister near field, redox potentials of about -100 to -300 mV (SHE) are estimated, which is supported by recent kinetic data on U, Tc and Se interaction with reduced iron systems. For the cementitious near field, redox potentials of about -200 to -800 mV are estimated, which reflects the large uncertainties related to this alkaline environment.

Encouraging industry participation in the EU's Sixth Framework Programme: Issues, barriers and potential solutions

10.5912/jcb90 ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wills Hughes-Wilson
Keyword(s):  
European Commission ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Framework Programme ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
The People ◽  
Seventh Framework Programme ◽  
The Future ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
Sixth Framework Programme

There is around 100m annually in the Sixth Framework Programme earmarked exclusively for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the life sciences field. That is 15 per cent of the total amount available. But most of it has yet to be allocated. Why are biopharmaceutical SMEs not applying and how can they get access to this money?The Emerging Biopharmaceutical Enterprises (EBE) group teamed up with representatives of the European Commission for the 'Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health' Thematic Priority to help companies understand how they can benefit from the Programme and give them an opportunity to add their ideas to it. Attendees came from 60 biopharmaceutical companies, and the programme was structured to allow companies to ask questions, but also put forward ideas to be included in upcoming Calls for the Sixth Framework Programme, as well as suggestions for improving the Seventh Framework Programme to improve industry participation. The event also gave them the chance to ask the Commission representatives specific questions on the administrative aspects of the Programme. The event was organised in conjunction with the Scientific Officers responsible for the different areas in the Programme; and the external experts who advise the Commission on the content of the future calls and the overall strategy for priority areas and activities of research were also invited. This meeting was designed to be as relaxed and open as possible and put the companies directly in contact with the people who implement the Framework Programme. The input from this session based on the feedback of the attendees has been formally forwarded to the Commission and the Thematic Priority Advisory Group.This paper discusses the aims and focus of the Sixth Framework Programme. It provides an overview of the discussion between the EBE and the representatives from the European Commission for the 'Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health' Thematic Priority and summarises the key problems and solutions arising therein.

Packaging of High Burnup UO2 and MOX Spent Fuel Considering Temperature Restrictions in the Near Field of a Repository

1997 ◽  
Vol 506 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.F. McGinnes ◽  
J. W. Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Near Field ◽  
Management Program ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Heat Output ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Heat Loading ◽  
High Burnup ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACTThe direct disposal of spent fuel is one of the options considered in the Swiss high level waste management program. One of the important questions, within this program, is the heat generation from high-burnup UO2and MOX spent fuels. Depending on the repository boundary conditions (e.g. ambient temperatures at depth, thermal properties of the host rock etc.), on the maximum temperatures allowed in the near field and on the heat output of the fuel, it may not always be possible to completely fill the conceptual waste canister. The aim of this paper is to address the potential loading of spent fuel into canisters for different possible repository heat loading restrictions

Near field evolution of a spent fuel repository in an argillaceous rock formation and impact on radionuclide migration

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Montoya ◽  
Orlando Silva ◽  
Emilie Coene ◽  
Jorge Molinero ◽  
Renchao Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ion Exchange ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Reactive Transport ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Exchange Reactions ◽  
Radionuclide Migration ◽  
High Level

<p>In August 2015, the German government approved the national programme for the responsible and safe management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste proposed by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Reactor Safety (BMU). The assumption is that about ~ 1 100 storage casks (10 500 tons of heavy metal) in the form of spent fuel assemblies will be generated in nuclear power plants and will have to be disposed. However, a decision on the disposal concept for high-level waste is pending and an appropriate solution has to be developed with a balance in multiple aspects. All potential types of host rocks, clay and salt stones as well as crystalline formations are under consideration. In the decision process, evaluation of the risk of different waste management options and scenarios play an enormous role in the discussion. Coupled physical and chemical processes taking place within the engineered barrier system of a repository for high-level radioactive waste will define the radionuclide mobility/retention and the possible radiological impact. The objective of this work is to assess coupled processes occurring in the near-field of a generic repository for spent nuclear fuel in a high saline clay host rock, integrating complex geochemical processes at centimetre-scale. The scenario considers that radionuclides can be released during a period of thousands of years after full saturation of the bentonite barrier and the thermal phase.</p><p>Transport parameters and the discretization of the system, are implemented in a 2D axisymmetric geometry. The multi-barrier system is emplaced in clay and a solubility limited source term for the selected radionuclides is assumed. Kinetics and chemical equilibria reactions are simulated using parameters obtained from experiments. Additionally, porosity changes due to mineral precipitation/dissolution and feedback on the effective diffusion coefficient are taken into account. Protonation/deprotonation, ion exchange reactions and radionuclide inner-sphere sorption is considered.</p><p>Numerical simulations show, that, when the canister corrosion starts, the redox potential decreases, magnetite precipitates and H<sub>2</sub> is formed. Furthermore, the aqueous concentration of Fe(II) increases due to the presence of magnetite. By considering binding to montmorillonite via ion exchange reactions, the bentonite acts as a sink for Fe(II). Additionally, magnetite forms a chemical barrier offering significant sorption capacity for many radionuclides. Finally, a decrease of porosity in the bentonite/canister interface leads to a further deceleration of radionuclide migration. Due to the complexity of reactive transport processes in saline environments, benchmarking of reactive transport models (RTM) is important also to build confidence in those modelling approaches. Development of RTM benchmark procedures is part of the iCROSS project (Integrity of nuclear waste repository systems - Cross-scale system understanding and analysis) funded by both the Helmholtz Association and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).</p><p> </p>

Integrated Model of Korean Spent Fuel and High Level Waste Disposal Options

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongsoo Hwang ◽  
Ian Miller
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Integrated Model ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Parameter Uncertainties ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
High Level

This paper describes an integrated model developed by the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to simulate options for disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and reprocessing products in South Korea. A companion paper (Hwang and Miller, 2009) describes a systems-level model of Korean options for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management in the 21’st century. The model addresses alternative design concepts for disposal of SNF of different types (CANDU, PWR), high level waste, and fission products arising from a variety of alternative fuel cycle back ends. It uses the GoldSim software to simulate the engineered system, near-field and far-field geosphere, and biosphere, resulting in long-term dose predictions for a variety of receptor groups. The model’s results allow direct comparison of alternative repository design concepts, and identification of key parameter uncertainties and contributors to receptor doses.

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