2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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• drying Magnox fuel, prior <strong>to</strong> dry s<strong>to</strong>rage • encapsulation of Magnox fuel for geological disposal • drying AGR fuel, prior <strong>to</strong> dry s<strong>to</strong>rage • conditioning and packaging of AGR fuel for geological disposal • conditioning and packaging Sizewell B PWR fuel for geological disposal. 6.6 R&D on some of these <strong>to</strong>pics is in hand but some have yet <strong>to</strong> be addressed. It is anticipated that work on management strategies for “exotic fuels” and for submarine fuel will lead <strong>to</strong> the identification of a number of R&D needs. Key Points on Geological Disposal R&D Radionuclide Migration with Groundwater from a Closed GDF 6.7 If predictions of radionuclide migration with groundwater are <strong>to</strong> be reliable they need <strong>to</strong> be based on a good understanding of the mechanisms involved. This requires, for the key radionuclides, advances in knowledge of: • the physico-chemical forms of the radionuclides • the spatial variability, temporal evolution and reactivity of mineral surfaces • upscaling molecular level models <strong>to</strong> estimate bulk chemical properties and predict transport over hundreds of metres. Gas Generation and Migration in a Closed GDF 6.8 Gas generation and migration are of particular importance <strong>to</strong> geological disposal in the UK because of the high volumes and diverse nature of higher activity wastes, and the volumes of groundwater that could be present in a closed GDF after resaturation. The bulk gases of concern are hydrogen and methane. BGS is the lead researcher in the EU FORGE project and is supported in this by the NDA. This is a good example of working with the international community on an issue of particular relevance <strong>to</strong> the UK. Criticality in a Closed GDF 6.9 Previous UK work on criticality in a closed GDF has focused on ILW, for which the criticality hazard appears <strong>to</strong> be low. The hazard for spent fuel and/or plu<strong>to</strong>nium is higher and requires rigorous assessment for the purposes of safety case development and optimisation of GDF design. The assessment of criticality hazard is demanding, requiring knowledge of wasteform performance, nuclear physics data, fissile material migration in the GDF environment, and neutron transport modelling. In the absence of specific information on the GDF, wasteforms and inven<strong>to</strong>ry, the primary need for research in<strong>to</strong> criticality is <strong>to</strong> preserve and develop UK capability and make the most use of work carried out in countries that have been working on geological disposal of spent fuel for many years. Co-Location of Various Types of Waste in a GDF 6.10 There are several issues on which research is likely <strong>to</strong> be required <strong>to</strong> inform a decision on whether it is preferable <strong>to</strong> have one GDF in which all higher activity waste is co-located or two (or more) GDFs for different types of higher activity wastes. These issues include: the potential for and extent of cement-ben<strong>to</strong>nite CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 90 of 151
interactions, the impact of highly alkaline waters on HLW, the effects of thermally-driven circulation on performance of the ILW disposal system, and the impact of gas generation in the ILW/LLW part of a GDF on groundwater movement in the HLW/spent fuel part. GDF Design 6.11 CoRWM recommended (CoRWM doc. 2550) that there should be an integrated process for GDF design, site assessment and safety case development. Such a process is likely <strong>to</strong> highlight areas of uncertainty in relation <strong>to</strong> design development, detailed design and assessment of design performance throughout the operational life of a GDF. For example, R&D may be required at the concept development stage <strong>to</strong> understand the impact that co-location will have on GDF design. At the detailed design stage the site specific response of the rock mass <strong>to</strong> construction activity will need <strong>to</strong> be unders<strong>to</strong>od and the long-term stability of all underground openings will need <strong>to</strong> be established. Geosphere Characterisation 6.12 Surface-based characterisation will be undertaken during Stage 5 of the MRWS site selection process and underground characterisation during Stage 6. The NDA is carrying out a Geosphere Characterisation project that aims <strong>to</strong> develop and maintain an understanding of the approaches <strong>to</strong> the design and implementation of the investigations (both surface and sub-surface) that will be required and <strong>to</strong> prepare for such work. 6.13 The project has not yet concluded but areas have been identified that, CoRWM considers, would benefit from R&D. For example, R&D may be required <strong>to</strong> define the chemical descriptions and models for the near field, geosphere and biosphere and in the definition of models of site-scale hydrology, hydrogeology and paleohydrogeology. As the project progresses other <strong>to</strong>pics for R&D will be identified. It is unclear, <strong>to</strong> CoRWM, whether R&D needs identified from this project are progressing or are being planned, or whether the skills and resources have been identified <strong>to</strong> undertake the work. Microbiology 6.14 Microbial processes are poorly unders<strong>to</strong>od and may impact on the performance of a GDF. Whilst many aspects of a GDF’s microbial ecology will be site specific, there is a need <strong>to</strong> build capability <strong>to</strong> conduct site specific R&D and it is desirable <strong>to</strong> carry out generic research in advance of site specific studies. It is necessary <strong>to</strong> develop UK capability in techniques for the sampling and characterisation of subsurface microbial communities, which are technically difficult. Generic research areas could include the ecology of high pH, anaerobes and thermophiles and the ecology of radioactive, hydrogen-rich systems. Geosphere Evolution 6.15 Over the lifespan of a GDF there will potentially be significant changes in groundwater chemistry, regional groundwater gradients, rock hydraulic properties, geochemical properties (including mineralogical surfaces for adsorption), mechanical loading, microbial ecology and sea level. To reduce uncertainty in model predictions of physical, chemical and microbiological geosphere evolution there is a need for further research <strong>to</strong> develop fundamental CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 91 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
Page 39 and 40: Box 1. Research Council Funded Univ
Page 41 and 42: 3.62 BGS is conducting three projec
Page 43 and 44: 3.70 In the current FP7 programme (
Page 45 and 46: 3.77 RCEP noted that there was a la
Page 47 and 48: sectors: land disp
Page 49 and 50: eyond those that RWMD intends <stro
Page 51 and 52: Box 2. USDOE 2006 Workshop R&D Issu
Page 53 and 54: 3.111 Fundamental and applied resea
Page 55 and 56: France 3.122 There are six major gr
Page 57 and 58: and in concert with Forpro is desig
Page 59 and 60: • encourage the transfer and pres
Page 61 and 62: comparison to othe
Page 63 and 64: 4. R&D SKILLS TO SUPPORT THE MRWS P
Page 65 and 66: Figure 3. UK Nuclear Skills Map Sou
Page 67 and 68: ensure the availability of a skille
Page 69 and 70: which is longer than the competitio
Page 71 and 72: Box 4. Postgraduate University Prov
Page 73 and 74: 4.30 The NDA also operates a gradua
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Page 77 and 78: Retention of Skills 4.48 It has bee
Page 79 and 80: 5. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR R&D
Page 81 and 82: purchase of equipment. In addition,
Page 83 and 84: 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: 6. SOME R&D ISSUES 6.1 R&D carried
Page 93 and 94: 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Page 95 and 96: 7.11 CoRWM has found that responsib
Page 97 and 98: and Appendix A is only intended <st
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 and 136: Co-location Disposal of “high lev
Page 137 and 138: Geosphere Solid portion of the eart
Page 139 and 140: Packaging Placing waste int
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Stillage A metal frame used <strong
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BNGSL British Nuclear Group Sellafi
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FP Framework Programme (of the Euro
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MOX mixed oxide fuel (contains uran
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RS Royal Society RSC Royal Society
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Leadership in the
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2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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