The Deposable of Nuclear Materials #258005

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Categorize different types of nuclear waste and identify the materials requiring deep geological disposal.

• Explain the fundamental safety principles and multi-barrier concept underpinning geological disposal.

• Evaluate the suitability of different geological settings (e.g., clay, granite, salt) for hosting a repository.

• Describe the key engineering components of a repository system, including waste forms, canisters, buffers, and backfills.

• Understand the process of developing a safety case and performing long-term safety assessments.

• Analyze the non-technical challenges of disposal, including regulatory requirements, stakeholder engagement, and policy development.

This course is designed for professionals involved in or interfacing with the nuclear fuel cycle and radioactive waste management:

• Engineers and Geoscientists (civil, geological, nuclear)

• Radioactive Waste Management Specialists

• Project Managers and Consultants in the nuclear sector

• Regulators from national nuclear safety authorities

• Policy Makers and Government Advisors in energy and environment

• Researchers and Academics in related fields

• Environmental Scientists and Advocates

• Pre-assessment
• Live group instruction
• Use of real-world examples, case studies and exercises
• Interactive participation and discussion
• Power point presentation, LCD and flip chart
• Group activities and tests
• Each participant receives a binder containing a copy of the presentation
• slides and handouts
• Post-assessment

Day 1: The Disposal Imperative and Fundamental Concepts

• Morning Session: The Nature of the Challenge

  • Origins and Characteristics of Nuclear Materials: Spent nuclear fuel, HLW, ILW, and the need for geological disposal.

  • The Timeline of Hazard: Understanding half-lives and radiotoxicity over geological timescales.

  • International Principles: The IAEA waste hierarchy and the polluter-pays principle.

• Afternoon Session: The Multi-Barrier Safety Concept

  • Defense-in-Depth for Disposal: The engineered and natural barrier system.

  • Key Processes: Retardation, containment, and isolation.

  • Workshop: Analyze the different barriers and their functions in a hypothetical disposal system.

Day 2: Geological Settings and Site Characterization

• Morning Session: Choosing the Right Rock

  • Suitable Geological Formations: Crystalline rock (granite), clay rock, salt, and tuff.

  • Desired Characteristics: Low permeability, geochemical stability, self-sealing properties.

• Afternoon Session: The Science of Site Characterization

  • Investigation Techniques: Surface-based surveys, borehole drilling, and underground rock laboratories.

  • Building a Site Understanding: Hydrogeology, geochemistry, and tectonic stability.

  • Case Study: Compare and contrast the geological settings of leading repository programs (e.g., Finland’s Olkiluoto, Sweden’s Forsmark, the US’s Yucca Mountain).

Day 3: Engineering the Repository System

• Morning Session: Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS)

  • Waste Form and Canister: Materials designed for long-term durability (copper, steel, ceramics).

  • Buffer and Backfill: The critical role of bentonite clay in sealing and protecting.

• Afternoon Session: Repository Design and Operations

  • Design Concepts: Vertical vs. horizontal emplacement, layout, and closure.

  • Operational Safety: Handling and emplacement processes, remote handling technology.

  • Practical Exercise: Design the basic layout of a repository for a specific waste type.

Day 4: Safety Case and Regulation

• Morning Session: The Safety Case

  • The Heart of the Project: Integrating all evidence and analyses to demonstrate safety.

  • Scenario Development and Safety Assessment: Modeling the long-term evolution of the repository system (1,000 to 1,000,000 years).

  • Addressing Uncertainty and Building Confidence.

• Afternoon Session: The Regulatory and Legal Framework

  • The Role of the Regulator: Licensing stages and safety requirements.

  • International Guidance and National Legislation.

  • Workshop: Review key elements of a regulatory guidance document for post-closure safety.

Day 5: The Human Dimension: Policy, Stakeholders, and the Future

• Morning Session: Beyond Technology: Social and Policy Challenges

  • Stakeholder Engagement and Public Acceptance: Lessons from success and failure.

  • The Retrievability vs. Irreversibility debate.

  • Funding and Institutional Control: Establishing a legacy for future generations.

• Afternoon Session: Capstone and Course Synthesis

  • Final Exercise: Groups are presented with a specific national context and must propose a high-level roadmap for developing a disposal program, addressing technical, regulatory, and social aspects.

  • Presentation and Discussion.

  • Course Recap: The state of the art and future directions (e.g., advanced fuel cycles, transmutation).

  • Final Q&A and Certification.