Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

4.4
4.1.2 Predisposal System for the Reprocessing Cycle
A simplified diagram of the predisposal waste management system for the reprocessing
cycle is shown in Figure 4 .1.2.(a) In this cycle, wastes requiring disposal are produced
at the fuel reprocessing plant (FRP) and at the mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plant
(MOX-FFP). These wastes are assumed to be treated and packaged at the site where they are
produced, either the FRP or MOX-FFP. They are then shipped to interim storage if a disposal
facility is not available; finally, they are shipped to a disposal facility.
The operations and facilities required for the predisposal system for management of the
high-level waste are shown in Table 4.1.2. As in the case of spent fuel, four of the alter-
natives to mined geologic disposal can utilize the same treatment and interim storage pro-
cesses as the mined geologic disposal option. Three of the alternatives, however, require
ocean transport to the final disposal site. In the two cases where high-level waste is dis-
posed of as a liquid, the only predisposal system facilities required for high-level waste
are the interim storage facilities consisting of double-walled below-grade tanks. For the
transmutation alternative, interim storage is assumed to be required for the liquid high-
level waste in double-walled below-grade tanks prior to the partitioning processing. This
storage requirement and the target recycle requirements are thus exceptions to the sequence
of operations shown in Figure 4.1.2. For space disposal, as in the once-through cycle, the
high-level waste solution is converted to a solid "cermet" matrix contained in special
spherical capsules. Interim storage would be similar to that of spent fuel, but because of
the shape of the container, it would have its own unique design requirement.
Various TRU waste materials must also be disposed of in all of the disposal concepts.
Although it may be possiblp to dispose of some of these materials after treatment in the
same facility used for disposal of the high-level waste, it is assumed here that these mate-
rials are always sent to a mined geologic repository regardless of the disposal option
selected for high-level waste. The operations and facilities considered for the predisposal
system for these waste materials are shown in Table 4.1.3.
WASTES FROM WASTE TREATMENT
FRP AND - AND SHIPMENT STORAGE
MOX FFP
PACKAGING
I NTER I M SHIPMENT
STO DISPOSAL
FIGURE 4.1.2. Predisposal Waste Management System for Fuel Reprocessing Plant and MOX-
Fuel Fabrication Plant Wastes in the Fuel Reprocessing Cycle
(a) For a description of the fuel cycle prior to waste generation at the FRP and the
MOX-FFP, see Figure 3.2.2.