RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN FRANCE - IAEA

Best ENSAM 3rd July 2008 - Page 1

- 1 -French-Slovak summer school decommissioning of NPP - Kocovce - 6th to 11 sept 09

Bernard ROTTNERTechnical DirectorOnet Technologies

[email protected]+33 4 91 29 18 72

RADIOACTIVE WASTEIN FRANCE

RADIOACTIVE WASTERADIOACTIVE WASTEIN FRANCEIN FRANCE

36 BOULEVARD DE L’OCEAN �� CS 20280 • 13258 MARSEILLE CEDEX 09 • FRANCETEL. + 33 (0)4 91 29 18 10 �� FAX + 33 (0)4 91 29 18 15

FRENCH-SLOVAK SUMMER SCHOOL DECOMMISSIONING OF NPPKOCOVCE - 6th TO 11th SEPT 09



1. General

2. Very Low Level Waste

3. Low Level Waste

4. Geological disposal

5. Measurement and conditioning processes

ContentContent



• Law

• Nuclear facilities: INB and ICPE

• Others: NORM…

• Waste zoning and free release

• Comparison to European practices

• Different waste categories

• ANDRA

• Dismantling and waste inventory

1 - General1 - General



• The French law (environment code article L541-1), defines waste as discarded matter or residual matter due to be discarded.

“Est un déchet au sens du présent chapitre tout résidu d'un processus de production, de transformation ou d'utilisation, toute substance, matériau, produit ou plus généralement

tout bien meuble abandonné ou que son détenteur destine à l'abandon.”

• Ultimate waste is waste that cannot be recycled nor treated to reduce its toxicity

“Est ultime au sens du présent chapitre un déchet, résultant ou non du traitement d'un déchet, qui n'est plus susceptible d'être traité dans les conditions techniques et économiques du moment, notamment par extraction de la part valorisable ou par

réduction de son caractère polluant ou dangereux.”

What is a RadWaste?What is a RadWaste?



• Protection of health and environment when managing radwaste and dismantling

• Definition of a geological repository

• Strategy for:

– Tritiated waste– LLW-SL (graphite, residues of U ore)– Sealed sources– Re-enforced NORM’s– Mining residues

• No final disposal of foreign radwaste

• National program for radwaste– New version every 3 years (first end 2006)– Inventory– Need for repositories and interim storage facilities– Minimization of quantities and toxicity

• The operator of a nuclear facilitiy shall fund for the costs of waste and dismantling

Law 2006-739:Management of radioactive waste and matter

Law 2006-739:Management of radioactive waste and matter



• Order (arrêté), 31th of December 99

• All waste coming from a « contaminating area » is radwaste, whatever the

level of activity

• All waste coming from a « non contaminating area » is conventional waste

Non contaminating area

Pipe with radioactive effluent

Contaminatingarea

Area without added radioactivity

Case of INB: major nuclear installation (NPP…) / Installation Nucléaire de BaseCase of INB: major nuclear installation

(NPP…) / Installation Nucléaire de Base



Operational waste zoning

• Non contaminating area becomes contaminating

• The equipment containing radioactivity is dismantled

• The premises are cleaned

• And then they are classified as areas without added radioactivity

Waste zoning (zonage déchets):A method to limit the production of radwaste

Waste zoning (zonage déchets):A method to limit the production of radwaste



• ICPE (Installation Classée pour la Protection de l’Environnement): small nuclear facility

• NORM: natural occurring radioactive materials

• Hospitals

• …

• Environment code article L542-1-1: a radioactive substance is defined as requiring radioprotection controls:

– Dose impact study

– The threshold is 1 mSv per year

– But it is required to show that the dose shall be far below

Our experience: radioactive alarm at the entrance of a conventional wastes

dump or of a steel works

Others casesOthers cases



• In principle, release (but not free release) of radwaste is possible

– Dose impact study– Identified reuse of the material– Traceability– Appropriate only for large amounts of material– Few (or no) examples for the moment

• For instance (virtual example): use of radioactive steel for manufacturing new cars

Decontaminated scraps

Conventionalscraps

Dose to workers Dose to workers Dose to the driver, passengers…

Is free releasepossible in France?

Is free releasepossible in France?



• European Commission recommendations RP89, RP113

– Nuclide specific thresholds

• Specific values adopted by individual countries

• Values specific to projects

Values from RP89(for metallic wastes)

Studsvik facilityin Sweden

Radwaste in EuropeRadwaste in Europe



VL Vie longueLL Long life

VC Vie courteSL Short life

THA Très haute activitéVHLW Very high level waste

HA Haute activitéHLW High level waste

MA Moyenne activitéILW Intermediate level waste

FA Faible activitéLLW Low level waste

FTA Très faible activitéVLLW Very low level waste

Different categories of radwaste:Glossary

Different categories of radwaste:Glossary



Activity

Half life

30 y

TFA = VLLW

CSTFA

650 000 m3

(*)

FA VL = LLW, LL

FA/MA VC = LLW/ILW, SL

CSM + CSA

1 500 000 m3 (*)

MA/HA VL = ILW/HLW, LL

HA VC = HLW, SL

Deep geological repository (project)

THA = VHLW

C wastes

Burned fuel,

vitrified fission

products

Deposit for radiferouswastes (project)

Conventional wastes

80 000 m3 (*) 6 330 m3 (*)

B wastes

(*) Estimated volumes from the first nuclear research in France (before the 1st war) to the end of life of each existing nuclear installation (including dismantling)

Different categories of wastesDifferent final repositories

Different categories of wastesDifferent final repositories



Temporary storage for C waste

CSA, CSM, CSTFA

Laboratory for deep geological disposal

Main locationsconcerning radwaste in France

Main locationsconcerning radwaste in France



• Created in 1979 as a department of CEA

• Manages the final deposits for the radwaste

• Became independent in 1991 (Law 91-1381)

ASN(Nuclear Safety Authority) / DRIRE

CSTFA

Waste producers

CSA CSM

Deep geological laboratory

Radiferous waste final repository (project)

ANDRA

ANDRAANDRA



• 9 reactors under dismantling

– 6 GCR: Chinon�� 3 - St-Laurent�� 2 and Bugey�� 1)

– 1 heavy water reactor, 70MWe (Brennilis)

– First REP, 305 MWe (Chooz)

– SFR SuperPhenix: first GEN IV reactor in the world under dismantling

• Dismantling waste

– 800 000 tons conventional

– 105 000 tons VLLW

– 41 000 tons LLW/ILW-SL

– 500 tons ILW-LL

– 18 000 tons graphite (LLW-LL)

– 5 500 tons sodium: 70 000 tons VLLW after solidification

GEN I reactors dismantlingGEN I reactors dismantling



Data published by ASN, 2005

EdF CEA (civil) AREVA Military

ILW-LL 54 509 5 000 1 000 2 000 0 62 509

LLW-LL 87 431 2 500 0 0 5 100 95 031

ILW/LLW-SL 1 196 880 260 000 24 000 55 000 25 500 1 561 380

VLLW 515 991 220 000 120 000 71 000 68 000 994 991

Forecasted

volumes in

2020 (m3)

Forecasted dismantling waste after 2020 (m3)

Total after

dimantling

(m3)

Forecasted waste inventoryForecasted waste inventory



• Description of the repository

• Inventory of regulatory references and main specifications

• Radiological criterion : IRAS

• Possibility not to carry out measurements

• Specifications

• Containers

• Specifications

• Container

2 - CSTFA: VLLW repository“Centre de Stockage des TFA”

2 - CSTFA: VLLW repository“Centre de Stockage des TFA”

• Case study:steam generator



Principle

Disposal of wastewithin a cell

Drawing and picture reproduced from ANDRA internet site

Clay

Waste

Clay

Well for survey

Sand

Geomembranesand drains

Top soil

CSTFA:For VLLW

CSTFA:For VLLW



• Decree 2002-540: classification of dangerous wastes

• Law 76-663: ICPE (classified installation for environmental protection)

• Decree 2006-1454 (replaces decree 53-578): nomenclature of ICPE’s

• F.SP.ATFA.02.526: general specification

• SUR.SP.AMES.02.016: physical and chemical specifications

• SUR.SP.AMES.02.007: radiological specifications

• F.SP.ATFA.02.510: packaging specification

CSTFA:Main regulations and specifications

CSTFA:Main regulations and specifications



Definition of a number named « IRAS »

• Mean value of IRAS for a set of VLLW packages less than 1

• IRAS for each package less than 10

• Possibility to avoid any measurement if it can be demonstrated that IRAS < 0.5

• Particularities for some nuclides

∑=i

Ci

iAm

IRAS10

CSTFA:Radiological acceptance criteria

CSTFA:Radiological acceptance criteria



1) Control

Potential contamination

10 cm

2) DecontaminationResidual activity < 57 Bq/cm2

3) DismantlingNo measurement

VLLW

Residual activity, wall thickness, concrete density

(2,3) => IRAS < 0.5

LLW

Demonstration for IRAS < 0.5Example: wall to dismantle

Demonstration for IRAS < 0.5Example: wall to dismantle



• Not accepted waste

– explosive, pyrophoric or easily flammable wastes

– Wastes with infectious risk (from hospitals)

– Organic liquids

– putrescible wastes, carcasses

– friable asbestos (which may emit fibres into the atmosphere)

– Wastes containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)

– Wastes containing gases (neon light bulbs)

– Not treated and not conditioned powdery wastes

– Radioactive sources

• Accepted with restrictions

– Not friable asbestos

– Fermentable wastes (wood, paper, …)

– Toxic chemicals (ANDRA specific list)

– Chelatants

CSTFA:General acceptance criteria

CSTFA:General acceptance criteria



• Avoid any dispersion of contamination during transport and handling

– Open packages possible only if there is no risk of dispersion

• Guaranty the integrity of the package during transport and handling

• Compatibility with handling means available at CSTFA

– General maximum mass and size criteria: 12 tons and 20 feet ISO container

– Maximum mass per type of package

• Stability of the final storage cell

– Resistance to piling

– Filling with sand (wastes without not fixed contamination)

– Injection of mortar (wastes with not fixed contamination)

CSTFA: General packaging specification

CSTFA: General packaging specification



• Big-bag (flexible plastic containers, 1 or 2 m3)– Not dangerous wastes

– Concrete rubble

– Sludge and soil

• Metallic container, with full or wire mesh walls 1.35, 2.7, 6 m3

– Metallic scraps

• ISO 20’– Metallic scraps without not fixed contamination

– Sludge and soil

• (Concrete) blocks

– Without any package

– Or in plastic packing

• Drums– Ion exchange resins

– Glass

– Powdery waste

– Sludge and soil

CSTFA:Packages

CSTFA:Packages



• Characteristics

– 110 tons each

– Height: 14 m

– Primary diameter: 2.4 m

– Secondary diameter: 3.2 m

• Initially LLW

Bq/SG TFA class IRAS

60Co 3E11 1 257

63Ni 3E11 3 3

137Cs 4E9 1 4

90Sr 3E9 3 0

241Pu 9E10 3 1

alpha 1E10 1 11

Total 7E11 275

Case study for a VLLW:PWR steam generators (1)

Case study for a VLLW:PWR steam generators (1)



• Decontamination

– Necessary FD: about 300

– Primary part: 1500 tubes, 15 m long each, 1100 m2

• Secondary waste: ion exchange resins (4 m3)

• Decontaminated SG: VLLW, one piece (“monobloc”)

Initial SG: LLW, 110 tons

Decontaminated SG: VLLW

IER: LLW, 4 tons

Case study for a VLLW:PWR steam generators (2: decontamination)

Case study for a VLLW:PWR steam generators (2: decontamination)



• Mass and size of each SG as “monobloc” require a derogation

– 110 tons per SG versus 12 tons max

– Too large for a 20 feet ISO container

• Only steel �� no problem with chemical nature

• 4 SGs as a set of packages

– Average IRAS shall be less than 1

– But IRAS for 1 SG may exceed 1

• Measurement of IRAS

– Characterisation of primary tubes based on statistical sampling

– External gamma spectrometry

• No possible dispersion

– Plugging

– External decontamination

Case study for a VLLW:PWR steam generators (3: acceptance of

decontaminated SG as VLLW)

Case study for a VLLW:PWR steam generators (3: acceptance of

decontaminated SG as VLLW)



• Description of the repository

• Inventory of regulatory references and main specifications

• Definitions

• Radiological criterion

• Specifications

• Containers

• Case study : pressure vessel

3 - CSA: LLW repository“Centre de Stockage de l’Aube”

3 - CSA: LLW repository“Centre de Stockage de l’Aube”



• 3 barriers

– Primary packaging of the waste

– Concrete bunkers 24 x 21 x 8 m

– Geological feature of the site: no seismic risk, clay

• Operational phase: reception of waste

– From 1992

– End 2008: 220.000 m3 received

– When a cell is full of wastes, it is filled up with concrete

• 300 years observation phase

– The cells are covered with soil

– Monitoring of drain water

– Monitoring of the environment

CSM under Observation phase

Pictures from ANDRA’s website

Disposal of drumsinto a cell

CSA:For LLW and ILW-SL

CSA:For LLW and ILW-SL



• Decrees 2007-1557 and 63-1228: INB (nuclear installation)

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.001: general specification

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.002: radiological specifications

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.004: long lasting concrete containers

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.005: metallic containers with a confining internal casing

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.006: confining matrix in metallic containers

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.007: compactable metallic drums

• ACO.SP.ASRE.99.008: metallic containers to be injected with mortar

• SUR.SP.AMES.06.002: radioactive sources

CSA: Main regulations and specifications

CSA: Main regulations and specifications



• Heterogeneous or homogeneous wastes

– Heterogeneous: metallic scraps, glass, plastics, rubbles, compacted drums, filters…

– Homogeneous: soil, sludge, concentrates, ashes and dust, ion exchange resins…

• « Coating » threshold

– if the activity is above this threshold, it shall be demonstrated that the waste package is able to retain the radionuclides

– Not far from ILW / LLW limit

• Maximum accepted activity

– Nuclide dependent

– Expressed as mass activity (Bq/g)

• 2 types of final storage cells:

– Cells filled with concrete

– Cells filled with gravel

CSA:Definitions

CSA:Definitions



• Coating threshold and acceptance limits

• External contact dose rate less than 2 mSv/h

• Specific limits for tritium, thorium and radium

Bq/g Coating Acceptance3H 7.4E3 2E5

14C 3.7E3 9.2E4

60Co 3.7E3 1.3E8

90Sr 3.7E3 6E6

137Cs 3.7E3 3.3E5

239Pu (Σα) 185 3.7E3

• Less than 0,1 g/L of fissile isotopes (or uranium with enrichment lower than 1 %)

• Activity distribution with limited heterogeneity

– less than 4 times the acceptance limit in each 200 L sample

CSA:Radiological acceptance criteria

CSA:Radiological acceptance criteria



Example:200 L drum

Concrete, 2000 kg/m3, 1.3E8 Bq/g 60Co

75 Sv/h(should be < 0.002 ! )

�

Biological shield (concrete, lead or steel)

But :

– Few waste in each drum– Limitation due to the maximum mass

allowed for a drum (750 kg)

CSA: Acceptance limits and external dose rate

CSA: Acceptance limits and external dose rate



Not accepted waste• Explosive, pyrophoric, easily flammable wastes, or liable to have a strong

exothermal reaction with the components of the package• Waste presenting risk of contagion• Liquids• Putrescible waste, carcasses• Friable asbestos (which may emit fibers into the atmosphere)

Accepted with restrictions• Wet wastes, like rags or cotton pieces• Wood and waste which increase volume in contact with water• Powdery waste• Greases, paint sludge• Spray containers, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs• Material which may react to produce gases (Al, Mg…)• Material which may react with the matrix (mortar)• Radioactive sources• Non friable asbestos• Toxic chemicals (ANDRA specific list), chelatants

CSA: Physical and chemical restrictions

CSA: Physical and chemical restrictions



• The waste shall be immobilized in a solid block,

• Mass limit, dependant on the type of container

• Resistance to fire (30 min, 800°C)

• Resistance to a drop (1.2 m), not required if IP2 container

• Maximum tritium degassing rate: 2Bq/g/day

• Traceability

• Specific requirements for the envelop and the block of immobilzed

waste, depending on the type of package:

– long lasting concrete containers

– metallic containers with a confining internal casing

– confining matrix in metallic containers

– compactable metallic drums

– metallic containers to be injected with mortar

CSA: General requirements

CSA: General requirements



• Cylindrical casks (C1)

– external diameter: 1.4 m

– external height: 1.3 m

– typical thickness: 0.15 m

– Possibility to insert lead shields up to 5 cm

• Cubic casks (CBFK)

– external dimension: 1.7 m

– typical thickness: 0.1

• Interesting to use for:

– Homogeneous waste above the coating threshold

– Irradiating waste (homogeneous or heterogeneous)

CSA: Long lasting concrete container

CSA: Long lasting concrete container



Homo Heter

Cell to be filled with Gravel Gravel

Solidified block of wastes Yes Yes

No free liquid Yes Yes

Chemical compatibility with the mortar Yes Yes

Maximum mass per type of package Yes Yes

Resistance to fire Yes Yes

Resistance to drop Yes Yes

Tritium degassing (if > 100 Bq/g) Yes Yes

Compliant with ADR (2mSv/h, 4Bq/cm2 β,…) Yes Yes

Confinement capability of the enveloppe Yes Yes

Confinement capability of the internal casing If relevant If relevant

Confinement capability of the matrix If relevant If relevant

Compressive strength Yes Yes

Homogeneity of the block of wastes Yes No

Water exudation Yes No

Porosity, permeability TBM No

No residual vacuum No Yes

Resistance to irradiation (if > 0.5Gy/h) Yes Yes

Thermal cycles

Filling height Yes Yes

Resistance to load (piling containers) No No

Requirement or test

Only container

Long lasting concrete

container

CSA:Long lasting concrete container

CSA:Long lasting concrete container



• Mainly for waste above the coating threshold

• Drums and bins

Metalliccontainer

Block of waste

Internal casing (usually mortaror concrete)

Homo Heter

Cell to be filled with Concrete Concrete









Confinement capability of the enveloppe No No

Confinement capability of the internal casing Yes Yes

Confinement capability of the matrix No No


Homogeneity of the block of wastes Yes Yes

Water exudation Yes Yes




Thermal cycles


Resistance to load (piling containers) Yes Yes

Only casing material

Requirement or test Metallic, internal casing

CSA: metallic containers with a confining internal casing

CSA: metallic containers with a confining internal casing



• Homogeneous waste, or heterogeneous under the coating threshold

• Typical container:200 L drum

Homo Heter










Confinement capability of the enveloppe No No

Confinement capability of the internal casing No No

Confinement capability of the matrix


Homogeneity of the block of wastes Yes Yes





Thermal cycles



If > coating threshold


Requirement or testConfining matrix

CSA:Confining matrix in a metallic container

CSA:Confining matrix in a metallic container



200 L drum• Compacted• Immobilized in 450 L drums• The 450 L drums are disposed in

cells filled with concrete

Only for compactable waste• Restrictions on powdery waste

• No liquid exudation under compaction (less than 1 % of water)

• No massive pieces

• Some rubble and small metallic pieces are allowed, with restrictions

• No spray containers, even if empty

• No asbestos, Be, or others materials that may be toxic when inhaled

• No radioactive sources

Heter

Cell to be filled with Concrete

Solidified block of wastes No

No free liquid Yes

Chemical compatibility with the mortar Yes

Maximum mass per type of package Yes

Resistance to fire Yes

Resistance to drop Yes

Tritium degassing (if > 100 Bq/g) Yes

Compliant with ADR (2mSv/h, 4Bq/cm2 β,…) Yes

Confinement capability of the enveloppe No

Confinement capability of the internal casing No

Confinement capability of the matrix No

Compressive strength No

Homogeneity of the block of wastes No

Water exudation No

Porosity, permeability No

No residual vacuum No

Resistance to irradiation (if > 0.5Gy/h) No

Thermal cycles No

Filling height No

Resistance to load (piling containers) No

To be

compactedRequirement or test

Drums to be compactedon the CSA site

Drums to be compactedon the CSA site



Heterogeneous, non compactable waste or solidified homogeneous waste

Waste

Wire mesh rack

Free space to be filled up with mortar

Bins to be injectedwith mortar on the CSA site




Homo Heter


Solidified block of waste Yes Yes



Maximum mass per type of container Yes Yes





Confinement capability of the envelop No No

Confinement capability of the internal casing No No

Confinement capability of the matrix


Homogeneity of the block of waste Yes Yes





Thermal cycles





Requirement or testConfining matrix





• Identification of the radionuclides that may be present– Half live > 6 months or emitting gases (about 160 identified nuclides)– Specific to the installation where the waste is produced– Calculation and computation codes may be used– Natural radioactivity is not to be taken into account, if not artificially concentrated

• Quantification of all identified nuclides with activity over a declaration threshold (between 1E-4 and 10 Bq/g)– Usually: calculated and/or measured fingerprint

• Assessment of mass activity– For some packaging (bins to be injected, drums to be compacted), a default

mass is to be used

• Activity assessment for a defined date– Current date for beta activity– After 300 years decay for alpha activity

• Methods– External gamma (neutron) measurement– Sampling– In-situ measurement

Activity assessmentActivity assessment



• Characteristics

– 150 tons + internals, 37 tons

– Height: 10 m

– External diameter: 3.6 m

– Thickness: 95 to 485 mm

• A part of the internals is ILW-LL

– Internals in and around the core

– Extraction of the internals

– Separation of ILW-LL part

– LLW part replaced into the vessel

Case study for a LLW:PWR pressurised vessel (1)

Case study for a LLW:PWR pressurised vessel (1)



Metallic container with a confining internal casing

Upper internals

Metallic container

Confining casing

Shield

Immobilization matrix

Vessel

Lower internals

Case study for a LLW:PWR pressurised vessel (2: type of container)

Case study for a LLW:PWR pressurised vessel (2: type of container)



• Drop test!– From 30 cm on a non deformable surface…

– One solution: numeric model

• Transport– 450 tons max �� low density matrix for immobilization

– External diameter max: 4.5 m

– Contact dose rate < 2 mSv/h�� shield

• Maximum accepted activity– Limited by 63Ni, not 60Co

– High mass �� high activity accepted

– Limit: heterogeneity criterion

• Compressive strength of the immobilization matrix

– 8MPa �� optimisation with low density

• Fire resistance– Mineral matrix (mortar)

• No void– Special care during immobilization

– Backup solution in case of failure

Case study for a LLW:PWR pressurised vessel (3: requirements)

Case study for a LLW:PWR pressurised vessel (3: requirements)



• History

• Geological repository

• Transmutation

4 – Geological disposal4 – Geological disposal



• « Bataille law » (Law 91-1381) defines 3 research axis:

– Deep geological disposal

– Sub-surface interim storage

– Transmutation

• Laboratory at Bure (Meuse/Haute Marne) for research on deep geological disposal

• After 15 years research (till 2006), the results are (law 2006-739):

– Deep geological disposal to be operational in 2025

– This disposal shall be reversible

– Research on partitioning and transmutation shall be continued, together with research on generation IV reactors

• ANDRA published a report, « dossier 2005 », describing the deep geological repository concept

–– http://www.andra.fr/publication/produit/D05A_266.pdfhttp://www.andra.fr/publication/produit/D05A_266.pdf

B and C waste: History

B and C waste: History



– 500 m underground in a clay layer

– 3 barriers: package, structure, clay

– Limitation of mechanical stress on the existing clay layer

– Heat transfer

– Hydrogen production

– Up to several 100,000 years, without human presence C package

Deep geological disposalDeep geological disposal



Pictures reproduced from dossier 2005 (ANDRA)

Deep geological disposalDeep geological disposal



• Feasibility has been demonstrated: partitioning and transmutation of minor actinides

– Specific targets (moderated) or homogeneous mode

– Fast neutrons (generation IV reactor) preferred, or ADS

– Too much 252Cf production in PWR

• For long life fission products (135Cs, 99Tc, 129I), feasibility has not been demonstrated

– partitioning 135Cs from 137Cs, 133Cs!

– Poor transmutation efficiency

Partitioning / transmutationPartitioning / transmutation



• Non destructive measurements: Gamma and neutron

• Specific measurement method

• Specific conditioning processes

5 – Measurement and conditioning processes5 – Measurement and conditioning processes



• Sometimes only global gamma counting (equivalent to dose rate measurement)

• Spectrometric measurement

External gamma/neutron measurementExternal gamma/neutron measurement



Detector (Ge, NaI...)

4 successive acquisitions

1 m

1 m III

1,000 kg of metallic

scrap contaminated

with 137Cs

Calibration for homogeneous case (mass and activity distributions)

4 spectrums �� sum

Activity

Gamma measurementof non homogeneous waste packages




• Maximum possible under-estimation factor: 3E13

Detector (1st position)Detector (3rd position)

• Maximum possible over-estimation factor: 6.5

• But these situations are very unlikely

• Therefore, one should give a more reasonable estimation of the uncertainty, and justify this uncertainty

• Measure pieces as small as reasonably possible





Mean efficiency (1.5)

0

0,05

0,1

0,15

0,2

0,25

0,3

0,35

0,4

0,45

0,6to0,8

1,2to1,4

1,8to 2

2,4to2,6

Relative sensitivity

Prob

abilit

y

Uncertainty(95 % confidence)





Gamma measurement: 60keV, X rays (around 100keV), 129keV, 208keV, 375keV,

413keV…

Spontaneous fissions neutron counting (coincidence)

Plutonium isotopic composition

MGA or IGA

240Pu mass equivalent

Mass and activity of each Puisotope

Gamma/neutron measurementof plutonium contaminated waste

Gamma/neutron measurementof plutonium contaminated waste



Incineration

– Volume and mass reduction (factor around 30)

– CENTRACO facility in France (SOCODEI)

– STUDSVIK in Sweden and USA (IER)

- …

Metal melting

– Volume reduction (factor 10)

– Decontamination, recycling

– CENTRACO in France (SOCODEI)

– STUDSVIK in Sweden (IER)

– SIEMPELKAMP in Germany

– …

Pictures reproduced from

SOCODEI internet site

Particular conditioning processesParticular conditioning processes



Vitrification

– Volume and mass reduction (factor 3)

– AREVA in France (HLW)

– AMEC in USA (GEOMELT process)

– SOGEDEC in France (project, LLW)

Cementation/solidification

– Widely used for homogeneous waste: sludge, soils, ashes, dusts…

– Volume increase: 2 to 5 factor !

Solidification of IER

– MERCURE: mobile facility operated by SOCODEI

Particular conditioning processesParticular conditioning processes



• Decontamination consists in displacing the radioactivity, not in making it disappear

– Decontamination does not always result in an optimization of the waste…:

Decontamination

Steel sheet 1 m x 1 m, 5 mm thick , contamination depth: - 1 µm, 137Cs, - 1 kBq/cm2

LLW (40kg)

Decontaminated sheet, 10 Bq/cm2 résiduels(DF=100)

VLLW (40 kg)

Contamination (1 µm layer)

HLW (8 g, 10 MBq)

Decontamination �� decategorisationDecontamination �� decategorisation



• Decontamination• Compaction• Segmentation• Temporary storage• Conditioning

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Thank you for your attention!!Thank you for your attention!!

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RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN FRANCE - IAEA