Architecture and management of a geological repository - Andra

3 – High Level Long-Lived WasteVitrification has been developed in several pilot French facilities operated by the CEA, including thepilot PIVER facility now halted, then implemented industrially in three shops operated by COGEMA:Marcoule Vitrification Shop (AVM), started in 1978, and vitrification shops R7 and T7 at La Hague,started in 1989 and 1992 respectively.Vitrified waste characteristics, particularly their activity and heat rating, depend on several parameters:(i) initial characteristics of solutions of fission products and minor actinides from fuel reprocessed inthese facilities, (ii) varying degrees of concentration of fission products in the glass and (iii) the age ofthe waste.It was therefore decided to make a distinction between several vitrified C waste package groups,respectively (i) the oldest glass productions (§ 3.2.2.1), (ii) current glass productions or those plannedin the short term (§ 3.2.2.2), (iii) provisional glass productions, including UOX/MOX glass and UOXglass with the hypothesis of incorporating a small fraction of plutonium (§ 3.2.2.3).Figure 3.2.15 illustrates the heat rating levels of these various package groups.Thermal Puissance power thermique (watts (Watts per package) par colis)260024002200Verres issus de productions anciennes2000Oldest glass productionVerres UOX/URE (thermique actuelle)1800Currrent glass production1600Verres Glass UOX/URE with higher (thermique heat rating légèrementaccrue)1400Verres UOX/MOX UOX/MOX glass1200Verres UOX UOX glass avec with PuPU100080060040020000 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300Age Age of package du colis (years) (an)Figure 3.2.15Heat ratings of vitrified waste packages3.2.2.1 Glass packages from former productionsThis package group includes (i) glass packages containing solutions of fission products from thereprocessing of fuel from Natural Uranium Graphite Gas reactors (Sicral-type NUGG fuels) and fuelsfrom the Phénix rapid neutron reactor in the PIVER facility, (ii) glass packages containing solutions offission products known as UMo, produced by NUGG fuels recovered previously on the COGEMA LaHague site and now stored and (iii) glass packages produced since 1978 in the COGEMA Marcoulevitrification shop (AVM glasses), containing fission products and actinides produced mainly byreprocessing of NUGG fuels. The majority of packages are of the latter type.These packages differ in their chemical content, depending on the composition of the glass matrixused, their radiological content and subsequently their heat rating, and in container geometry.PIVER packages, produced between 1969 and 1981, are predominantly formed of NUGG glasses. Thevitrified waste is conditioned in stainless steel containers of the same diameter but with differentheights (see Figure 3.2.16).DOSSIER 2005 ARGILE -ARCHITECTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF A GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL SYSTEM91/495