RD&D-Programme 2004 - SKB

Figure 1-4. Interior from the Canister Laboratory.
1.3 Planned facilities
With Clab, SFR and the transportation system, SKB can already manage the radioactive waste
from the nuclear power plants today. The additional facilities that are needed for disposal of the
spent nuclear fuel in a manner that is safe even in a long-term perspective are an encapsulation
plant for encapsulating the fuel in copper canisters and a deep repository where the encapsulated
fuel can be permanently emplaced. A transportation system designed to serve these facilities
is also needed. In addition, repositories are needed for the low- and intermediate-level waste
that arises when the nuclear installations are decommissioned and for other long-lived waste.
Figure 1-5 shows an overview of a fully built-out system for spent nuclear fuel and radioactive
waste.
1.3.1 Encapsulation plant
The work of planning and designing the encapsulation plant has been going on since the end
of the 1980s. Fabrication of the copper canisters is separate from the encapsulation plant. In
the encapsulation plant, the spent nuclear fuel is placed in copper canisters. The facility is
designed for sealing of up to 200 canisters per year.
The encapsulation process begins with lifting of the fuel from the pools in the encapsulation
plant to a radiation-shielded handling cell. There it is dried and placed in the canister. When the
canister is full, a copper lid is welded on. Then the quality of the weld is checked by nondestructive
testing. If the weld is not approved, either it is redone or the fuel assemblies are transferred
to a new canister.
After the filled and sealed canister has been approved, it is examined externally to make sure it
is clean. If the canister should be contaminated with radioactivity, it is washed and re-examined.
When the canister has been approved, it is placed in a transport cask and taken to the deep
repository to be deposited.
24 RD&D-Programme 2004