Laboratory and Modelling Studies of Microbial Activity in the Near Field of a HLW Repository

1985 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M West ◽  
Ian G McKinley ◽  
Helen A Grogan ◽  
Susan C Arme
Keyword(s):  
Recent Literature ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Deep Geological Repository ◽  
Sampling Studies ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
Modelling Studies ◽  
High Level Nuclear Waste ◽  
High Level ◽  
Hlw Repository ◽  
Microbial Effects

Microbial effects are one of the possible perturbations to the expect-ed performance of a deep geological repository which must be examined as part of a comprehensive safety analysis. Recent literature surveys (eg [1, 2] ) and reconnaisance sampling studies [3, 4] have concluded that: a) microbial contamination of a repository is inevitable b) even for high level nuclear waste, conditions in the near-field are insufficiently extreme to ensure complete sterilisation.

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.

Natural and Anthropogenic Analogues for High-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal Repositories: A Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Fayek ◽  
Julie Brown
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Deep Geological Repository ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
Safety Case ◽  
Natural Analogues ◽  
High Level Nuclear Waste ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACT Projects involving deep geological disposal of nuclear waste are unique in that predictive models of long-term safety often involve geological timeframes. This manuscript provides a review of natural and anthropogenic analogues for high-level nuclear waste disposal in a deep geological repository. We also occasionally highlight analogues that have been used for low- and intermediate-level waste. Most studies define natural analogues as either naturally occurring or anthropogenic systems. In this paper, we distinguish between natural analogues and anthropogenic analogues because the latter generally provide non-technical (anecdotal) illustrations of concepts and processes for the safety case, whereas the former can provide technical and quantitative information. In addition, natural analogues can provide information over geological time scales (millions of years) and spatial scales (kilometers), whereas anthropogenic analogues provide information over a much more limited time scale (hundreds or thousands of years). Regardless of the definition, analogue studies provide one of the multiple lines of evidence intended to increase confidence in the safe geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste. They are deemed necessary because they complement the experiments that are carried out over a period of months or years. They also provide a way to validate numerical long-term safety assessment models with information and data covering geological time scales and spatial scales. The first part of this review describes the analogue concept. The second and third parts provide examples of natural and anthropogenic analogues for engineered barrier systems and natural barriers. Part four describes analogues for complex coupled transport processes. Finally, we discuss general and specific areas of future research. A concerted effort should be made to ensure that there is a transfer of data from the complex, natural analogue field studies to simplistic models which, by necessity, are used to evaluate the long-term safety of deep geological repositories. Field analogue studies should be planned to interface with laboratory experiments and, ultimately, with in situ field experiments, when the final repository site is selected. This will involve using natural analogue data in a quantitative way to support the deep geological repository safety case.

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 Transdisciplinary research on the topic of long-term near-field monitoring of a geological repository with a view to building trust

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 271-273
Author(s):  
Johann Arne Othmer ◽  
Karl-Heinz Lux ◽  
Ralf Wolters ◽  
Jörg Feierabend
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Field Monitoring ◽  
Deep Geological Repository ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
Deep Geological Disposal ◽  
Long Term Monitoring ◽  
Term Monitoring

Abstract. Within the framework of disposal of radioactive waste in Germany, the question arises how trust in the safety of a future deep geological repository and therefore the acceptability can be increased. One aspect that could contribute to this is the option of long-term monitoring of a deep geological repository by participation of the civil society. Whether and exactly how long-term monitoring of a deep geological repository leads to more trust, is being researched in the transdisciplinary work package TRUST within the research project TRANSENS in cooperation with members of the civil society. For the transdisciplinary processing of specific repository topics, a group of 16 persons from the civil society were recruited, none of which were stakeholders with respect to the topic of repositories. This group is designated as the Working Group Civil Society (AGBe). With the help of 12 members of the AGBe a first workshop on the topic “Monitoring and trust” was carried out on 13 March 2021, supported by partners of the LUH-IRS, the TUBS-IGG and the ETH-TdLab. This article is concerned with the preparation work, the course itself and the knowledge gained from the workshop. It deals with the preparation work in the form of a website and a report on information of the AGBe suitable for those who have been addressed, which has meant a challenge in view of the complexity of the topic of monitoring of a deep geological repository and prior knowledge of the AGBe. Furthermore, the course of the workshop, which was carried out online due to the coronavirus pandemic, is discussed, in which the 12 members of the AGBe and 10 scientists came together. The workshop began with a brainstorming on the topic of monitoring. This was followed by two specialist lectures, in which information on deep geological disposal and monitoring as well as the possibilities and limits of monitoring and monitoring conceptions was presented. The members of the AGBe were then divided into three groups, in which the central research questions of the workshop were discussed: Does a long-term near-field monitoring contribute to trust in the safety of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste? Which aspects of monitoring conceptions could increase trust in the implementation of near-field monitoring and which do not? After the presentation of the results from the group discussion a common discussion was first carried out in the plenum, in which a picture of the sentiments within the AGBe was finally formulated. Furthermore, the knowledge from the three discussion formats of the workshop is presented in this article. This includes the characterization of information and communication with the civil society as a central aspect in relationship with monitoring and trust. Furthermore, it showed that the AGBe views the long-term monitoring of a repository as a suitable measure for gaining trust. However, which aspects of monitoring conceptions contribute significantly to trust in the safe storage of radioactive waste is less clear after this first workshop and could not be conclusively answered. The results of this workshop with the AGBe reflect a first impression in the discussion on monitoring and trust. As monitoring is a complex topic with many interfaces on repository storage and sealing concepts, repository processes and multiple physical simulations as well as on societal topics, the discussion with the AGBe on the topic of monitoring should be continued during the course of the project. Thereby, it must be taken into consideration if the first positive assesments as well as the first AGBe specific requirements regarding long-term near-field monitoring activities will change with increasing knowledge.

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