An Introduction to Nuclear Waste Immobilisation

✍ Scribed by M. I. Ojovan, W. E. Lee

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 334
• Edition: 1st ed
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Safety and environmental impact is of uppermost concern when dealing with the movement and storage of nuclear waste. The 20 chapters in 'An Introduction to Nuclear Waste Immobilisation' cover all important aspects of immobilisation, from nuclear decay, to regulations, to new technologies and methods. Significant focus is given to the analysis of the various matrices used in transport: cement, bitumen and glass, with the greatest attention being given to glass. The last chapter concentrates on the performance assessment of each matrix, and on new developments of ceramics and glass composite materials, thermochemical methods and in-situ metal matrix immobilisation. The book thoroughly covers all issues surrounding nuclear waste: from where to locate nuclear waste in the environment, through nuclear waste generation and sources, treatment schemes and technologies, immobilisation technologies and waste forms, disposal and long term behaviour. Particular attention is paid to internationally approved and worldwide-applied approaches and technologies. * Each chapter focuses on a different matrix used in nuclear waste immobilisation: Cement, bitumen, glass and new materials. * Keeps the most important issues surrounding nuclear waste - such as treatment schemes and technologies, and disposal - at the forefront.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Cover......Page 1
An Introduction to Nuclear Waste Immobilisation......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 8
Foreword......Page 14
Preface......Page 16
Acknowledgements......Page 18
1.1. Introduction......Page 20
1.2. Importance of Waste......Page 21
1.3. Radioactive Waste......Page 22
1.4. Recycling......Page 23
1.5. Waste Minimisation......Page 24
1.7. Time Frames......Page 25
Bibliography......Page 26
2.1. Nuclear Decay......Page 28
2.2. Decay Law......Page 29
2.3. Radioactive Equilibrium......Page 30
2.4. Activity......Page 31
2.5. Alpha Decay......Page 32
2.6. Beta Decay......Page 33
2.7. Gamma Decay......Page 34
2.8. Spontaneous Fission......Page 35
2.9. Radionuclide Characteristics......Page 36
Bibliography......Page 40
3.1. Elemental Abundance......Page 42
3.2. Migration and Redistribution......Page 43
3.3. Hazard Potential......Page 46
3.4. Relative Hazard......Page 48
3.5. Real hazard Concept......Page 49
3.6. Form Factors that Diminish the Hazard......Page 50
Bibliography......Page 52
4.2. Biogeochemical Cycle......Page 54
4.3. Heavy Metals......Page 56
4.4. Heavy Metals in Living Species......Page 57
4.5. Lead......Page 58
4.7. Cadmium......Page 59
Bibliography......Page 60
5.2. Primordial Radionuclides......Page 62
5.4. Natural Radionuclides in Igneous Rocks......Page 66
5.5. Natural Radionuclides in Sedimentary Rocks and Soils......Page 67
5.7. Radon Emissions......Page 69
5.8. Natural Radionuclides in the Human Body......Page 70
Bibliography......Page 71
6.1. Radiation is Natural......Page 72
6.2. Dose Units......Page 73
6.3. Biological Consequences of Irradiation......Page 74
6.4. Background Radiation......Page 77
Bibliography......Page 79
7.1. Regulatory Organisations......Page 80
7.2. Protection Philosophies......Page 81
7.4. Exemption Criteria and Levels......Page 82
7.5. Clearance of Materials from Regulatory Control......Page 83
7.6. Double Standards......Page 85
7.8. Control of Radiation Hazards......Page 86
Bibliography......Page 88
8.1. International Consensus......Page 90
8.4. Comments on the Fundamental Principles......Page 91
8.6. Joint Convention......Page 97
Bibliography......Page 98
9.2. Classification Schemes......Page 100
9.4. Sources of Waste......Page 103
9.5. Front End and Operational NFC Waste......Page 107
9.6. Back End Open NFC Waste......Page 109
9.7. Back End Closed NFC Waste......Page 110
9.8. Back End NFC Decommissioning Waste......Page 114
9.9. Non-NFC Wastes......Page 115
9.10. Accidental Wastes......Page 119
Bibliography......Page 122
10.2. Tritium......Page 124
10.3. Cobalt-60......Page 127
10.4. Strontium-90......Page 128
10.5. Caesium-137......Page 130
Bibliography......Page 132
11.2. Carbon-14......Page 134
11.3. Technetium-99......Page 136
11.4. Iodine-129......Page 138
11.5. Plutonium......Page 139
11.6. Neptunium-237......Page 141
Bibliography......Page 142
12.2. Predisposal......Page 144
12.3. Disposal......Page 148
12.4. Characterisation......Page 150
Bibliography......Page 152
13.1. Pre-Treatment Definition......Page 154
13.3. Adjustment......Page 155
13.4. Size Reduction......Page 156
13.5. Packaging......Page 158
13.6. Decontamination......Page 159
Bibliography......Page 165
14.1. Treatment Objectives......Page 168
14.2. Treatment of Aqueous Wastes......Page 169
14.3. Treatment of Organic Liquid Wastes......Page 179
14.4. Treatment of Solid Wastes......Page 182
14.5. Treatment of Gaseous and Airborne Effluents......Page 192
14.6. Partitioning and Transmutation......Page 194
Bibliography......Page 195
15.2. Waste-Form Leaching Behaviour......Page 198
15.3. Immobilisation Techniques......Page 200
15.4. Immobilisation in Hydraulic Cements......Page 201
15.5. Hydraulic Cements......Page 202
15.6. Cement Hydration......Page 204
15.7. Hydrated Cement Composition......Page 205
15.8. Cementation of Radioactive Wastes......Page 207
15.9. Modified and Composite Cement Systems......Page 208
15.10. Cementation Technology......Page 212
15.11. Acceptance Criteria......Page 215
Bibliography......Page 218
16.2. Composition and Properties of Bitumen......Page 220
16.3. Bituminous Materials for Waste Immobilisation......Page 222
16.4. Bituminisation Technique......Page 223
16.5. Acceptance Criteria......Page 227
16.6. Bitumen Versus Cement......Page 228
Bibliography......Page 229
17.1. Vitrification......Page 232
17.2. Immobilisation Mechanisms......Page 233
17.3. Retention of Radionuclides......Page 235
17.5. Nuclear Waste Glass Compositions......Page 236
17.6. Borosilicate Glasses......Page 237
17.7. Role of Boron Oxide......Page 241
17.8. Role of Intermediates and Modifiers......Page 243
17.9. Difficult Elements......Page 245
17.10. Phosphate Glasses......Page 246
17.11. Glass Composites......Page 248
17.12. Vitrification Processes......Page 251
17.13. Cold Crucible Melters......Page 257
17.14. Vitrification Technology......Page 260
17.15. Calcination......Page 262
17.16. Radionuclide Volatility......Page 264
17.18. Acceptance Criteria......Page 266
Bibliography......Page 267
18.1. New Approaches......Page 270
18.2. Crystalline Waste-Forms......Page 271
18.3. Polyphase Crystalline Waste-Forms: Synroc......Page 275
18.4. Polyphase Crystalline Waste-Forms: Composites......Page 276
18.5. New Technological Approaches......Page 278
18.6. Metal Matrix Immobilisation......Page 282
Bibliography......Page 284
19.2. Retention Times......Page 288
19.3. Multi-Barrier Concept......Page 289
19.4. Disposal/Storage Options......Page 290
19.5. Role of the EBS......Page 295
19.6. Importance of Geology......Page 296
19.7. Transport of Radionuclides......Page 300
19.8. Disposal/Storage Experience......Page 302
19.9. Acceptance Criteria......Page 304
Bibliography......Page 305
20.2. Safety Requirements......Page 308
20.3. Safety Case Content......Page 310
20.4. Cement Performance......Page 312
20.6. Glass Performance......Page 314
20.7. Radiation Effects......Page 317
20.9. Conclusion......Page 321
Bibliography......Page 323
Index......Page 326