Solid Radioactive Waste Strategy Report.pdf - UK EPR

EPR UK
N° NESH-G/2008/en/0123
REV. A PAGE 181 / 257
11.2.7 Wet Solid Waste Conditioning
The wet solid waste conditioning system serves to condition liquid radioactive waste generated
and stored during operation of the nuclear power plant.
Sludges and concentrates will be pumped from the concentrate tanks into the concentrate
buffer tank for homogenisation, chemical pretreatment/pH-adjustment and mixing with other
waste types.
The function of the liquid waste conditioning is to receive, process and condition liquid and solid
radioactive waste into a form that is suitabe for either long-term storage and/or disposal and is
compliant with the relevant approvals.
The types of waste that will be processed by this system include evaporator concentrates and
sludge and other types of solid waste from the solid waste treatment system including spent
resins and spent filter cartridges.
The conditioning process (drying, cementation, etc.) for the treatment or solidification of the
waste into the final form and the waste package itself will be compliant with the requirements of
of the relevant disposal authorities for example the LLWR and RWMD.
The evaporator concentrates and the sludge as well as the solid waste will be conditioned and
converted into a solid and long-term stable product (e.g. salt block, encapsulated product, etc.).
The spent resins will be treated by dewatering in drums, in a shielded cast iron cask or
solidification. The resulting waste form will be a disposable product which meets the final
disposal regulations.
The spent filters from the water treatment system will be treated by drying or embedding in grout
to form a compliant solidified waste package. The resulting waste form will meet the
requirements for final disposal.
The compliant product is packaged in accordance with the relevant transport and disposal
regulations. The waste package is either directly transportable and disposable, or the filled
waste drum will be inserted into an overpack or be embedded in a disposal container in
concrete or bitumen depending on the transport, intermediate and final storage regulations, and
the radiation dose levels of the product.