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 The Chemistry of Nuclear Fuel Waste Disposal Author: Donald R. Wiles Price: $36,00 CAN $29.00 US |
| Readership Anyone seriously interested in nuclear waste disposal will find information and easily under-standable explanations of the processes involved, the areas of certainty and of uncertainty, and the bases for statements about risk and safety to human and other life over time. Policy-makers and their advisors will find this book a reliable source of information on the state of knowledge, the necessary assumptions, and the scientific background for the recommendations on which policy decisions and investments will be made. Need About one-fifth of the world’s supply of energy is derived from nuclear fission. While this important source of power avoids the environmental and re-source problems of most other fuels, and although nuclear accident statistics are much less alarming, no other peacetime technology has evoked such public disquiet and impassioned feeling. Central to these fears is the management and disposal of radioactive waste. An expert Canadian panel in 1977 recommended permanent disposal of wastes in deep geological formations, providing a basis for subsequent policies and research. In 1988, the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office (FEARO) appointed a panel to assess pro-posed disposal concepts and to recommend govern-ment policy. The panel in turn appointed a Scientific Review Group to examine the underlying science. Behind these issues lay the question: How well is the chemistry understood? This became the principal concern of Professor Donald Wiles, the senior nuclear chemist of the Scientific Review Group. Subject The Author Dr. Wiles is unique as a radiochemist having been employed by neither the uranium industry nor
any branch of the Government, and thus is able to present a quite fresh view of the problem and its
chemistry. He has retired from full-time duties at Carleton University in Ottawa but is still active
as a teacher, writer and lecturer.
CONTENTS 1- Introduction Electric Power in the World History of Nuclear Power Nuclear Power Reactors in the World What is the Problem? Current Storage of Nuclear Waste Current Scientific Opinion on Disposal Procedural Decisions in Canada Impact Assessment The Radionuclides and Their Behaviour The Canadian Proposal Topics not included in this book 2- Nuclei and Radioactivity The Structure of the Nucleus Neutrons, Protons and Nuclei Nuclear Mass and Size Nuclear Energy and Mass Stable and Unstable Nuclei The Phenomena of Radioactivity In Summary Interaction with Materials: Shielding Radioactive Decay and Half Life Measurement of Radiation Detection Instruments The Measurement of Radioactivity The Measurement of Radiation Dose Normal Background Radiation Doses Human Health Effects 3- Nuclear Reactions & Reactors Nuclear Reactions Neutron Capture Nuclear Fission Some History of Nuclear Fission The Products of Nuclear Fission Multiple Neutron Capture Chain Reactions Nuclear Reactors Reactor Control Nuclear Bombs Spent Fuel 4- The Spent Fuel Construction and Composition Current Inventory and Storage of Fuel Bundles The Fission Products The Activation Products The Actinide Elements Typical Final Composition Chemical Properties of Waste Radionuclides Important Nuclear Reactor Products and Their Chemical Forms Location of the Radionuclides in the Fuel Dissolution of the Fuel Heat Production 5- Proposed Management Methods Pre-treatment Methods Some Unacceptable Proposals Transmutation Transmutation: Technical Background Practical Options for Transmutation Accelerator-induced Transmutation Summary and Conclusions on Nuclear Trans-mutation An Acceptable Proposal Geological Disposal The Multi-barrier System Remaining Ethical Questions Whether or not to continue monitoring What levels of radiation are acceptable? What time span should be considered? 6- Geological Disposal Requirements Seismic History The Multi-barrier concept The Canadian Proposal The Barriers Emplacement Ground Water Container Sheathing The Buffer The Rock Sealing The Results Some Uncertainties 7- The Critical Processes Attack by Ground Water Resaturation Container Corrosion and Failure Corrosion of the Sheathing Radionuclide Escape Chemical Properties of the waste radionuclides Radionuclide Release from the Used Fuel Instant Release Migration through the Engineered Barriers Radionuclide Migration through The Buffer and Backfill Migration into and through the Natural Barriers The Geosphere Migration in Intact Rock – The Waste Exclusion Zone Migration into and Through the Natural Barriers Ground Water Flow Isotope Dilution Dilution and Dispersion in the Biosphere Tracing Radionuclides Through the Barriers The Time Scale The Importance of Half Life Chemical Holdups A Study of Individual Radionuclides Short-lived Radionuclides Elements Likely to be Trapped Within the UO2 Crystal Lattice Radionuclides Likely to Escape the Lattice but Likely to be Trapped by the Buffer Mobile radionuclides A Final Reckoning Some Technically Sensitive Points 8- Forecasting the Impact Precision of the Requirements The Challenge Forecasting Methods Calculations: Probabilistic Calculations Deterministic Calculations Estimation of the Barrier Transit Times Results Accuracy and reliability of the data 9- Final Comments Summary Resaturation Container Corrosion Site Rejection Criteria Caveats Arising From the Assumptions Conclusions 10- The Last Word Proof of Burial’s Not So Easy Appendices Radioactivity Units Conversion Factors The Chemical Elements The Mathematics of Trans-mutation Miscellaneous Calculations The Iodine Dilemma Useful Websites References Glossary Index |