Low-level Nuclear Waste Disposal Research Articles

Nuclear Power in Taiwan: A Clash of Views

The article addresses the issue of nuclear energy in Taiwan, which became particularly relevant after the 2016 elections, when the winning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), led by President Tsai Ing-wen, announced the rejection of the use of nuclear energy by 2025. By 2020, adopted against the backdrop of thousands of protests after the Fukushima-1 accident, this course gained many supporters and opponents and became the subject of a political struggle between the currently ruling DPP and its rival Kuomintang. The paper analyzes the reasoning by the parties, describes the opposing organizational structures and their relations with political forces. Three main general issues are in the focus of debates: security, ecology and economics. In security matters, opponents of nuclear energy in Taiwan use the Chernobyl accident and Fukushima-1 as an example, talking about the danger of nuclear energy per se, the inability to control it and ensure an appropriate level of safety of nuclear facilities. Supporters argue that the safety systems of nuclear power plants in Taiwan are superior to those at Fukushima-1, and the company itself is constantly upgrading them. In the ecology sector, the most acute issue is low-level nuclear waste disposal, and the opponents pay much attention to reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. In the area of economic matters, there is a lack of reserve capacity in Taiwan, and the parties emphasize the relatively high cost of alternative environmentally friendly energy sources. Anti-nuclear activists talk about the high costs of building and operating nuclear power plants, arguing that in the long run, nuclear power plants lose out to renewable energy sources both economically and technologically, considering atomic power as an outdated industry.

Influence of Hyper-Alkaline pH Leachate on Mineral and Porosity Evolution in the Chemically Disturbed Zone Developed in the Near-Field Host Rock for a Nuclear Waste Repository

This paper evaluates the effect of hyper-alkaline (NaOH/KOH) leachate on the mineralogy and porosity of a generic quartzo-feldspathic host rock for intermediate- and low-level nuclear waste disposal following permeation of the cementitious repository barrier by groundwater. The analysis is made with reference to expected fluid compositions that may develop by contact of groundwater with the cementitious barrier to form a chemically disturbed zone (CDZ) in the adjacent host rock, as informed by relevant natural analogue sites. Theoretical analysis and numerical modelling is used to explore the influence of different host rock mineral assemblages on changes in pore fluid chemistry, multiple mineral dissolution and precipitation reactions and matrix porosity within the CDZ under these conditions. The numerical modelling accounts for kinetic and surface area effects on the mineral transformation and porosity development for periods of up to 10,000 years travel time from the repository and ambient temperature of \(20\,^{\circ }\hbox {C}\). The analysis shows that dissolution of quartz, feldspar and muscovite in the host rock, by the hyper-alkaline waste leachate, will create relatively high concentrations of dissolved Si and Al in the pore fluid, which migrates as chemical fronts within the CDZ. Precipitation of secondary mineral phases is predicted to occur under these conditions. The increase in matrix porosity that arises from dissolution of primary aluminosilicate minerals is compensated by a reduction in porosity due to precipitation of the secondary phases, but with a net overall increase in matrix porosity. These coupled physical and geochemical processes are most important for contaminant transport in the near-field zone of the CDZ and are eventually buffered by the host rock within 70 m of the repository for the 10,000 year travel time scenario. The predicted changes in matrix porosity may contribute to increased transport of radionuclides in the host rock, in the absence of attenuation by other mechanisms in the CDZ.

Biotic, temporal and spatial variability of tritium concentrations in transpirate samples collected in the vicinity of a near-surface low-level nuclear waste disposal site and nearby research reactor

The results of a 21 month sampling program measuring tritium in tree transpirate with respect to local sources are reported. The aim was to assess the potential of tree transpirate to indicate the presence of sub-surface seepage plumes.Transpirate gathered from trees near low-level nuclear waste disposal trenches contained activity concentrations of 3H that were significantly higher (up to ∼700 Bq L−1) than local background levels (0–10 Bq L−1). The effects of the waste source declined rapidly with distance to be at background levels within 10s of metres. A research reactor 1.6 km south of the site contributed significant (p < 0.01) local fallout 3H but its influence did not reach as far as the disposal trenches.The elevated 3H levels in transpirate were, however, substantially lower than groundwater concentrations measured across the site (ranging from 0 to 91% with a median of 2%). Temporal patterns of tree transpirate 3H, together with local meteorological observations, indicate that soil water within the active root zones comprised a mixture of seepage and rainfall infiltration. The degree of mixing was variable given that the soil water activity concentrations were heterogeneous at a scale equivalent to the effective rooting volume of the trees. In addition, water taken up by roots was not well mixed within the trees. Based on correlation modelling, net rainfall less evaporation (a surrogate for infiltration) over a period of from 2 to 3 weeks prior to sampling seems to be the optimum predictor of transpirate 3H variability for any sampled tree at this site.The results demonstrate successful use of 3H in transpirate from trees to indicate the presence and general extent of sub-surface contamination at a low-level nuclear waste site.

Some principles of service life calculation of reinforcements and in situ corrosion monitoring by sensors in the radioactive waste containers of El Cabril disposal (Spain)

Reinforced concrete is the most usual material used in engineered barriers in low-level nuclear waste disposal facilities. The record of modern concrete is no longer than about 100 years. During this time, it has been noticed that the material gives a good performance in many environments, however several chemical aggressive species in water, soil or the atmosphere may react with the cement mineralogical phases and perturb its integrity. El Cabril repository has a design life objective of longer than 300 years and therefore, these structures should maintain their main characteristics during this target service life. The potential aggressive conditions that the cement-based materials can suffer have been identified to be: carbonation, water permeation (leaching) and reinforcement corrosion. More unlikely may be the biological attack. Chlorides are not in the environment but they are inside the drums as part of analytical wastes. Vaults and containers are made of a very similar concrete composition while the mortar is specifically designed to be pumpable, with low hydration heat, low shrinkage and of low permeability. In this paper results of concrete characteristics are given as well as the monitoring of the behaviour of reinforcement corrosion parameters from 1995 on the same environmental conditions of the actual waste. This monitoring has been made in a buried structure with embedded sensors. The effect of temperature is commented.

Clastic dykes in over-consolidated tills: evidence for subglacial hydrofracturing at Killiney Bay, eastern Ireland

A swarm of vertical gravel-filled dykes up to 6 m high and several decimetres wide, cut through an over-consolidated till at Killiney Bay. The dykes are rooted in a gravel layer and many display plumes of clastic debris ejected into the overlying sediments — `burst-out structures'. Such features have not previously been described. These clastic dykes are interpreted as the infillings of hydrofractures which formed when water pressures in the basal gravel layer exceeded the overburden pressure and tensile shear strength of the capping till. The burst-out structures extend up to 7 m from the tops of the dykes and provide strong evidence for forceful upward flow. Evidence suggests that the hydrofractures formed subglacially, probably during a minor re-advance. Their presence in Late Devensian (26–13 ka BP) tills with an Irish Sea provenance (`Irish Sea till') may have important implications for the subglacial hydrology of the last Irish Sea ice sheet. These hydrofractures cannot form in unconsolidated glacimarine sediment and their presence precludes a glacimarine origin for these deposits. They greatly affect the geotechnical properties of Irish Sea tills, in particular providing very permeable routes through otherwise impermeable layers, with important consequences in situations elsewhere in the Irish Sea basin, where they have been used as aquicludes in landfill and low-level nuclear waste disposal sites.

Carbonate induced dissolution of uranium containing precipitates under cement leachate conditions.

The effects of carbonate on uranium (VI) solubility under aerobic and cementitious conditions have been investigated. The information is of relevance to low level nuclear waste disposal. Aqueous NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2 and a cement leachate solution were added to uranyl nitrate solution. Afterwards, increasing amounts of ammonium carbonate were added to re-dissolve the precipitates. The precipitates were characterised by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) measurements and modelling studies. The model calculations were performed using the MINTEQA2 speciation code, with an expanded database incorporating uranium stability constants taken from the HATCHES database. The measured and predicted amounts of CO3(2-) needed to dissolve the precipitates were compared. The knowledge gained from the 'pure' systems was used to rationalise the precipitation and re-dissolution behaviour observed in the leachate system. The lack of uranium solubility at low carbonate levels brought into question literature formation constants for UO2(OH)3- and UO2(OH)4(2-). An approximate log K value of 26.8 for K2U2O7 formation was estimated from the KOH results at pH 12. Generally, uranium solubilities are expected to be insignificant at low level nuclear waste sites because anaerobic conditions should persist. However, this study has demonstrated that solubility in leachate could rise at high pH and high carbonate levels, if aerobic conditions were to develop. Soluble U(VI) species would be formed. The novel part of the study has been to reproduce the effects and to correlate enhanced solubilities with model predictions. Consequently, the study has re-emphasised the need for appropriate environmental monitoring of such sites.

A system optimization model for low-level nuclear waste disposal

The development of waste management systems for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) is becoming an increasingly complex problem in decision-making. The complexity is the result of increasing considerations for the protection of water quality and remedial actions for system failures. The process becomes more complex as the points of regulatory compliance are moving closer to the disposal unit instead of the boundary of disposal site. This trend would result in every disposal unit being regulated as a discharge point, similar to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) is in the process of developing a disposal complex for solid LLW. The complex will be a combination of disposal sites, disposal units, and disposal unit technology. Disposal unit technology includes the waste package (waste form and disposal container) and other engineered barriers added to the trench to prevent or control the transfer of radionuclides from the disposal unit into the environment. The combination of waste inventory and engineered barriers is called a waste facility. The waste facility is viewed as confinement systems and is the focal point in waste confinement studies. A disposal strategy has been developed as a framework for segregation of solid LLW according to the isotope and level of contamination in the waste. The objective of this framework is that different waste can be disposed of differently, according to the performance of the disposal site and disposal technology. A system optimization model has been developed as a portfolio of objective functions to provide insights into the implementation of the waste disposal strategy for the ORR complex. The model is aimed at making best use of the developable disposal capacities while providing for regulatory compliance, support operational continuity of the waste generators, and cost-effectiveness. This model is being designed to function as a strategic planning framework for the development of the specialized model system needed to provide the necessary data for decision making. This optimization model can be extended to the management of chemically hazardous and mixed (radioactive and chemically hazardous) waste.

Nuclear waste repository siting: An alternative approach

Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the US Department of Energy has initiated a highly centralized siting process for two high-level nuclear waste repositories. Concomitantly, the Low Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 requires states to create regional compacts for low-level nuclear waste disposal. This paper evaluates these and other federal nuclear waste facility siting proposals from constitutional choice and social equity perspectives. A satisficing site selection model is proposed which could resolve the likely geopolitical impasses in US federal nuclear waste management.

Geophysical Modeling of a Low-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal Site

ABSTRACTGeophysical measurements can, depending on the techniques employed, be used at low-level nuclear waste disposal sites to map the subsurface stratigraphy, identify interfaces, locate objects and targets, and aid in selecting locations for obtaining sample cores and placing monitoring wells. The geophysical techniques of ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity have been applied in a complementary manner at nuclear waste disposal sites. The data obtained from the field surveys have been integrated in developing geophysical models of these sites.A two-layer electromagnetic geologic model has been developed that allows the prediction of radar attenuation and depth of penetration. Field tests conducted at a lowlevel nuclear waste disposal site show values consistent with the model.

Identification of Possible High Integrity Containers for Low-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal

ABSTRACTIncreased concern by the State of South Carolina over the condition and capacity of the low-level radioactive waste burial site at Barnwell has prompted them to promulgate new regulations on waste burial containers. As of September 30, 1981, ion exchange resin and filter media waste with an activity of 1 μCi/cc or greater and with isotopes with halflives greater than five years disposed at Barnwell shall be solidified or confined in a “high integrity container”. The materials and designs of these containers are required to provide waste isolation from the environment for a period of 300 years and provide the structural integrity specified in 49 CFR 173.398(b). HITTMAN has been active in the design and development of containers suitable for this purpose with this paper detailing the analyses involved. Material selections were limited to stainless steel, fiberglass, and polyethylenes. Structural concerns focused on overpressure requirements, drop-testing requirements, and lifting capabilities. With a lifetime dose of up to 108 rads, the possibilities of radiation damage were considered. Preliminary selection of polyethylene was based on satisfactory resolution of these issues and economic factors.