2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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Encapsulation A conditioning process in which radioactive waste is physically enclosed in a non-radioactive material that prevents radionuclides from moving. [The most commonly used encapsulants are types of cement. Others include polymers.] Engineering disturbed zone A region surrounding the engineered part of a “geological disposal facility” that has been affected by construction of the facility. [For example through stress or fracturing.] Enriched uranium Uranium in which the mass content of the iso<strong>to</strong>pe uranium-235 is above the level in natural uranium ores (0.72% by mass). Exotic fuel Term used by the UK for any type of nuclear fuel that is not from a commercial nuclear power reac<strong>to</strong>r. [Mainly fuels from research reac<strong>to</strong>rs and nuclear powered submarines.] Far-field The “geosphere” beyond the “near-field”. [i.e. the rocks and subsoil undisturbed by the presence of the geological disposal facility.] Fundamental research Original, explora<strong>to</strong>ry investigation involving experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily <strong>to</strong> acquire new knowledge and understanding of phenomena and observable facts without necessarily having any immediate application or use in view. Geological disposal Generally, emplacement in the Earth’s crust with no intent <strong>to</strong> retrieve. Used specifically in the MRWS programme <strong>to</strong> mean “disposal” of radioactive waste in an underground facility, where the geology (rock structure) provides a barrier against escape of radioactivity and where the depth, taken in the particular geological context, substantially protects the waste from disturbances arising at the surface. Geological disposal concept Geological disposal facility (GDF) Geological disposal facility design Geological reposi<strong>to</strong>ry Any variant of geological disposal, including the use of a “mined reposi<strong>to</strong>ry”, “deep boreholes” and more than one “geological disposal facility”. Any facility used for geological disposal. [Includes mined reposi<strong>to</strong>ries, natural caverns, disused manmade caverns or mines, and deep boreholes.] The detailed drawings and specifications that will allow construction of a “geological disposal facility”. [Includes nuclear, civil, mechanical, electrical. Materials, chemical, geotechnical and geological engineering aspects.] See “Mined reposi<strong>to</strong>ry”. CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 136 of 151
Geosphere Solid portion of the earth consisting of the crust and part of the upper mantle. [Often used in the geological disposal context <strong>to</strong> mean rocks, subsoil and the water and organisms in them]. Hex tails Uranium hexafluoride residue from the production of enriched uranium. [Hex tails are depleted in uranium-235 <strong>to</strong> levels well below the 0.72 wt% of natural uranium, usually about 0.2 wt%. Uranium hexafluoride is a stable solid at room temperature and pressure but sublimes <strong>to</strong> a vapour at 56.5 o C. It reacts vigorously with water or water vapour.] Higher activity waste (HAW) High level waste (HLW) His<strong>to</strong>ric waste, his<strong>to</strong>rical waste Radioactive waste with activity above the thresholds for low level waste (LLW), i.e. above 4 GBq/<strong>to</strong>nne alpha activity or above 12 GBq/<strong>to</strong>nne beta gamma activity. [It is usually also taken <strong>to</strong> include LLW unsuitable for nearsurface disposal.] Radioactive waste in which the temperature may rise significantly as a result of its radioactive content, so that this fac<strong>to</strong>r has <strong>to</strong> be taken in<strong>to</strong> account in the design of waste s<strong>to</strong>rage or disposal facilities. [In practice the term is only used in the UK for the nitric acid solutions arising from reprocessing spent fuels and for the vitrified form of the solutes in these solutions.] See “legacy waste”. Host community A community in which a geological disposal facility may be built. [It is a community in a small geographically well-defined area, such as <strong>to</strong>wn or village, and includes the population of that area and the owners of the land.] Hot cell A heavily shielded containment in which manipulations of highly radioactive materials can be carried out using remote handling techniques. Immobilisation A conditioning process in which radioactive waste is chemically incorporated in<strong>to</strong> a non-radioactive material so that radionuclides cannot move. [“Vitrification” and incorporation in ceramics are types of immobilisation processes.] Interim s<strong>to</strong>rage S<strong>to</strong>rage of radioactive waste prior <strong>to</strong> implementing a final management step, such as “geological disposal”. Intermediate level waste (ILW) Radioactive waste exceeding the upper activity boundaries for “low level waste” (i.e. over 4 GBq/<strong>to</strong>nne alpha activity or 12 GBq/<strong>to</strong>nne beta gamma activity) but for which its heat output need not be taken in<strong>to</strong> account in the design of s<strong>to</strong>rage or disposal facilities. CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 137 of 151
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Committee on Radioactive Waste Mana
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Finland ...........................
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Geosphere Characterisation ........
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. CoRWM’s remi
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odies would need to</strong
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disseminate and assimilate its resu
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1.3 CoRWM’s Work Programme for 20
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1.11 The R&D requirements for the l
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2. ESTABLISHING R&D REQUIREMENTS Wh
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adioactive waste management facilit
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should mitigate the risks of findin
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there is no unwarranted repetition
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safety case development, the overal
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Table 1. Approximate annual levels
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Figure 1. Structure of UK R&D provi
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NDA R&D for Geological Disposal 3.1
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3.27 The purpose of NNL can be summ
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identified the research required an
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submitted to RCEP
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Box 1. Research Council Funded Univ
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3.62 BGS is conducting three projec
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3.70 In the current FP7 programme (
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3.77 RCEP noted that there was a la
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sectors: land disp
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eyond those that RWMD intends <stro
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Box 2. USDOE 2006 Workshop R&D Issu
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3.111 Fundamental and applied resea
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France 3.122 There are six major gr
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and in concert with Forpro is desig
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• encourage the transfer and pres
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comparison to othe
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4. R&D SKILLS TO SUPPORT THE MRWS P
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Figure 3. UK Nuclear Skills Map Sou
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ensure the availability of a skille
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which is longer than the competitio
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Box 4. Postgraduate University Prov
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4.30 The NDA also operates a gradua
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for NDA to acquire
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Retention of Skills 4.48 It has bee
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5. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR R&D
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purchase of equipment. In addition,
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5.23 The Pacific Northwest National
Page 85 and 86: 5.35 The range of possible function
Page 87 and 88: 5.40 Early in 2009
Page 89 and 90: 6. SOME R&D ISSUES 6.1 R&D carried
Page 91 and 92: interactions, the impact of highly
Page 93 and 94: 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Page 95 and 96: 7.11 CoRWM has found that responsib
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Page 99 and 100: Current and Planned R&D for ILW A.5
Page 101 and 102: wasteform integrity at end of s<str
Page 103 and 104: Magnox Fuel A.20 Magnox fuel consis
Page 105 and 106: capability exists in the UK for doi
Page 107 and 108: purpose-built building. The former
Page 109 and 110: pending a decision on its long-term
Page 111 and 112: through all these. The nature of th
Page 113 and 114: Box 7. Radionuclide Speciation Many
Page 115 and 116: could mix with the bulk hydrogen ga
Page 117 and 118: than that for uranium-235. Likewise
Page 119 and 120: near-field of the part containing t
Page 121 and 122: • Long-term stability and perform
Page 123 and 124: few millimetres to
Page 125 and 126: environment, all with the character
Page 127 and 128: Number Title 2500 Interim S
Page 129 and 130: EPSRC, 2009. Grant
Page 131 and 132: Nuclear Decommissioning Authority,
Page 133 and 134: Skomurski FN, Ewing RC, Rohl AL, Ga
Page 135: Co-location Disposal of “high lev
Page 139 and 140: Packaging Placing waste int
Page 141 and 142: Stillage A metal frame used <strong
Page 143 and 144: BNGSL British Nuclear Group Sellafi
Page 145 and 146: FP Framework Programme (of the Euro
Page 147 and 148: MOX mixed oxide fuel (contains uran
Page 149 and 150: RS Royal Society RSC Royal Society
Page 151: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Leadership in the
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2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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