Monitoring of waste packages

Magnox and Sellafield are both responsible for decommissioning nuclear sites which requires the disposal of radioactive wastes. These wastes will ultimately be disposed of in a Geological Disposal Facility, which is yet to be built. In the meantime, the waste is stored safely in what is commonly referred to as interim storage. This involves taking the wastes and storing or immobilizing them in containers. The waste and its container are referred to as a waste package. These waste packages may require interim storage for up to 100 years.

The buildings where the waste packages are stored are known as Interim Storage Facilities (ISF). These are purpose built enclosures with a range of designs and layouts. Waste packages are stacked and accessed via an overhead crane with varying levels of access around each stack.

A variety of container types are employed in waste packaging, and each has its particular constraints. It is therefore necessary to monitor the physical condition of the waste packages and the waste throughout the duration of their interim storage. This provides information regarding the integrity of the waste packages prior to their removal from the ISF.

Both Magnox and Sellafield’s current monitoring arrangements are deemed suitable under current best practice. Both organisations are however keen to explore novel technologies and innovations that will:

  • Indicate the condition of the waste package in the latter stages of its period of interim storage
  • Indicate the condition of the waste within the waste package
  • Reduce operator dose through remote means of monitoring
  • Enable the monitoring of aspects of waste package ageing that have been forecast, for which economic and practicable means for doing so have yet to be identified

Accurately predicting the behaviour of waste and a waste package over a 100 year timeframe is obviously challenging. Some deterioration is to be expected, however techniques which offer some early indications of degradation or change would greatly increase regulator confidence. Such techniques may in future become routine depending on the ease of use, suitability of information provided and package ageing.

Find out more

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The closing date for applications is Wednesday 6th October 2021 at 12 noon.

FIS360
National Nuclear Laboratory

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