Role of Environmental Geotechnology in Nuclear Waste Management Dr. C. Gurumoorthy Scientific Officer E Siting & Structural Engineering Division (SSED) Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Government of India Mumbai - 400094 12 April 2016 Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 1
Outline… Energy, Environment & Sustainability Renewable & Non-renewable energy – Environmental impact Nuclear power - Sustainable Green Energy Nuclear Fuel Cycle Understanding Nuclear Chemistry for Nuclear Power Generation Nuclear Waste Categorization and disposal options Environmental Geotechnology Siting Regulations to locate waste disposal systems Engineered Barrier System (EBS) Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) Advancements to assess Radionuclide migration in geoenvironment Challenges ahead – Emergency Planning Implementation Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 2
Energy demand 3 Government of India Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB Safety Research Institute
Energy Consumption The UN forecasts population will grow from 6.7 (2006) to 8.2 Billion (2030). Another 1.5 billion people (~adding 5 new USA’s) who will need electricity…. 4 Government of India Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB Safety Research Institute
Energy Resources Renewable Energy : 5.5% hydro-electric; 10.6% biomass; 2.3% renewables (others) Non-renewable Energy : 21.1% Natural Gas; 32.6% oil; 22.2% coal; 5.7% Nuclear 5 Government of India Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB Safety Research Institute
Environmental Impact - CO 2 Emission 6 Government of India Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB Safety Research Institute
Energy For Sustainable Development 7 Government of India Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB Safety Research Institute
Nuclear Power: Sustainable Green Energy Nuclear Power is a Crucial Stabilizer for World Energy About 440 nuclear power reactors operating in 31 countries generate 364,000 MWe electricity Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 8
Nuclear Power: Sustainable Green Energy Green House Gas (GHG) emissions of Nuclear Power Plants Among the lowest comparable to wind, hydro-electricity and biomass. GHG emissions from Natural gas generation are 15 times greater then nuclear. GHG emissions of coal generation are 30 times greater then nuclear. Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 9
Nuclear Power Station Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 10
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 11
Nuclear Power and Safety The Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 12
The Evolution of Nuclear Power Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 13
Nuclear Waste Storage options Low Level Nuclear Waste Storag Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 14
Environmental Geotechnology and Nuclear Power Generation Geotechnical and environmental aspects of investigations are carried out during site evaluation, verification, confirmation and operational stages The main objective is to ensure the site suitability for locating nuclear power plant and waste disposal systems as per regulatory guidelines to protect man and environment Technological advancements in field and laboratory testing of soil and rock mass and analysis are implemented during the entire life time of the nuclear facilities Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 15
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AERB Safety Research Institute What is Nucleus? 17
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Regulatory Guidelines Various stages of site investigations for locating NSDF (AERB Guide: NRF/SG/RW-4) — conceptual and planning stage — area survey stage — site characterization stage — site confirmation stage — site operation stage monitoring Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 40
Site Characteristics of Indian NSDF Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 41 Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute
Nuclear Waste Among all human endeavors, perhaps the least quantity of waste comes from nuclear power with a closed fuel cycle. It is estimated that the area required to bury the life time waste from a nuclear reactor is the size of a football ground. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 42
Nuclear Waste Management Basic Principles Dilute and Disperse Concentrate and contain Delay and Decay Effective Radiation Protection Decrease TIME of exposure Increase DISTANCE from the source Increase SHIELDING to the source ALARA As Low As Reasonably Achievable Efforts to maintain exposures to radiation as far below the dose limits to safe guard public health Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 43
Nuclear waste classification Based on Radioactivity levels and Quantity Category Type Activity (mCi/l) <10 -6 I Potentially Active Waste (PAW) Liquid 10 -6 ~ 10 -3 II Low Level Waste (LLW) Waste 10 -3 ~ 10 -1 III Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) 10 -1 ~ 10 4 IV High Level Waste (HLW) I Low Level Waste (LLW) <0.2 mGy/hr II Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) 0.2<D<20 mGy/hr *Solid III High Level Waste (HLW) 20< D mGy/hr Waste IV Alpha bearing High Level Waste 20< D mGy/hr (HLW) * Activity of solid wastes is expressed in terms of surface dose D (mGy/hr) Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 44
Sources, Treatment and Disposal options 1.Low-level (90%); 2.Intermediate level (7%) (LLW); 3.High level (3%) (HLW) Low Level Waste (LLW) Contaminated paper, rags, tools, clothing, filters Treatment – compacted with cement in 200litre drum Disposal option - Near Surface Disposal Facility Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) Ion Exchange resins, chemical sludge and metal reactor nuclear fuel cladding. Solidified in concrete Treatment – Solidified in 200litre drum with concrete Disposal option - Near Surface Disposal Facility High Level Waste (HLW) Fission products and Transuranic elements generated in the reactor core. Pu-239,Tc-99,I-129 (with half-life thousands of Years) Treatment – Immobilization and vitrification into steel canister Disposal option – Geological formation at depths around 600m Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 45
Decay of radionuclide components of waste Fission Products: Actinides: e.g.,Cs 1 3 7 , Sr 9 0 , I 1 2 9 , Co 6 0 e.g., U 2 3 8 , Np 2 3 7 , Pu 2 4 4 , Am 2 4 3 Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 46
Environmental Geotechnology - NSDF NSDF are designed and operated as per regulatory safety guidelines They are co-located with Nuclear facilities viz., Nuclear reactor, reprocessing plant, research centers Category Surface dose Disposal option I <2mGy/hr Stone lined earth trenches II 2~20 mGy/hr RC Trenches III 20~500 & > 500 mGy/hr RC trenches & Tile holes IV Alpha wastes >4000Bq/g RC and Tileholes Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 47
Engineered Barriers: Concrete trenches Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 48
Low Level Nuclear Waste Storage Low Level Nuclear Waste Storag Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 49
Low Level Nuclear Waste Storage LLW storage at Nevada, USA Low Level Nuclear Waste Storag Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 50
Near Surface Disposal Facility NSDF, Tokkasho Mura, Japan Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Government of India AERB Safety Research Institute 51
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