International safeguards for a geological repository for the final disposal of spent light water power reactor fuel

摘要

The possibility of the direct final disposal of spent fuel elements is considered as an alternative to the commercial reprocessing of fuel elements. Final disposal aims at isolating radioactive material from the biosphere and from possibilities of accidental human access without any time limit. The safety concept is designed to ensure the integrity of the repository without requiring human maintenance or monitaring after the final closure of the repository. Final disposal is conceived of as irreversible disposal. Within the framework of the research and development programme "Alternative Waste Management Techniques" the emplacement of spent fuel elements in a salt dome is being studied. Several concepts have been compiled for conditioning 1 for the final disposal canister and emplacement techniques for this direct final disposal of spent fuel elements. One concept which best fulfills the criteria of safety engineering 1 technical feasibility, availability of raw materials, and also approaches to economic efficiency and nuclear materials safeguards 1 wasselected as a reference in each case. Back-up solutions for each component were also determined over and above establishing the reference concepts. A nuclear materials safeguards concept is to be developed by the KFA-TUG on the basis of the reference concept. This safeguards concept for Alternative Waste Management comprises safeguarding the products for final disposal from their arrival atthe geological repository. Individual aspects important for applying international safeguards measures have been selected and compiled in Chap. 2 from the large volume of information required for this concept and from detailed technical problems already known.[...]