Radiochemistry In Nuclear Clean Up - Fundamental Science Underpinning A National Imperative Neil Smart.

Transcription

1 Radiochemistry In Nuclear Clean Up - Fundamental Science Underpinning A National Imperative Neil Smart

2 Contents NDA Strategy issues NDA underpinning R&D Activities Radiochemistry Activities 2

3 About The NDA Safety, security and environmental protection are paramount; NDA is a strategic body that gets work done through contractors currently British Nuclear Group, UKAEA and Westinghouse; We intend to provide better value to the taxpayer; Focus on competition and innovation to drive improvements in contractor performance; Want to bring best available skills to the task and keen to learn from international experience; Open and transparent sensitive to stakeholder views. 3

4 Environmental Assessment of the Draft Strategy Draft Strategy informed by an understanding of the significant environmental effects of different options; Published jointly for parallel consultation; Key issues: Contaminated land; Potential effects of climate change and coastal erosion; Waste management; Transport; Socio-economic impact. Ion exchange studies for effluent treatment Courtesy Nexia Solutions 4

5 Our Aims Priorities for the next 5 years: Create robust, costed and funded plans to clean up sites based on a comprehensive understanding of the liabilities; Demonstrate real progress in cleaning up the higher hazard legacy facilities, especially at Sellafield; Complete competitions for managing and operating most of our sites; Determine a better approach to Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) interim storage; and to Low Level Waste (LLW) disposal; Accelerate the decommissioning timescales for Magnox sites; Define end states and end dates for all sites. 5

6 Decommissioning and Cleaning Up Our Sites Dealing with higher hazard legacy facilities, especially at Sellafield our Number 1 decommissioning and clean up priority; Decommissioning and final site clearance of Magnox stations within 25 years; Through stakeholder consultation, determine site end states and end dates; Accelerate work to understand the extent of contamination on our sites and develop appropriate plans. Storage pond operations Sellafield Courtesy BNG Sellafield Reduce burden on future generations 6

7 Waste Management Ensure targets for reducing liquid high level waste (HLW) are met and material put into passive safety; Review options for interim storage of intermediate level waste (ILW); Press for early decision by Government on long-term management arrangements for HLW and ILW; Reduce volumes of LLW produced: seek new approaches to low level waste (LLW) disposal. Determine best approaches for interim management of HLW and ILW: and disposal of LLW Vitrification Test Facility Courtesy BNG Sellafield 7

8 Commercial Operations and Assets Continue to run Magnox power stations and fuel fabrication facilities efficiently and effectively; Plan to review future of THORP and Sellafield Mox Plant with Government; Evaluate all contract extensions or new business against strict criteria agreed with the Government; Discuss with the Government which non-core assets and operations could be divested; Evaluate longer term options for management AGR spent fuel. Ensure that operational facilities continue to run efficiently until they close 8

9 Management of Nuclear Materials Ensure that nuclear materials are stored safely, securely and without danger to the environment; Discuss with Government what proportions of civil-owned uranic materials and plutonium should be regarded as strategic stock; and what proportions as waste; Discuss and agree with Government whether to sell plutonium to an overseas manufacturer of Mox fuel; Commission R&D to address Pu disposition options. HIP Process - Pu waste treatment Courtesy Nexia Solutions Discuss issues relating to uranic material and plutonium with the Government 9

10 Innovation: Skills, R&D and Good Practice We will promote and reward innovation; We will work with others to establish a: Nuclear Skills Institute National Nuclear Skills Academy; National Research Laboratory; We will also: Continue to maintain workforce radiation exposure data; Establish a national nuclear archive; Ensure appropriate R&D is co-ordinated and funded; and results promulgated; BTC Courtesy Nexia Solutions Focus is on innovation and new approaches to deal with traditional problems 10

11 Research and Development Site License Companies (SLC) are accountable for conducting R&D programmes to deliver the LCBL - innovative improvements. The majority of NDA R&D will be conducted by the SLC as an integral part of LCBL activities. Requirements for identification of these R&D plans are described in the NDA Procedure Lifecycle Baseline requirements U Tc Complex formed in Purex process Courtesy University of Manchester 11

12 Research and Development - NDA Absorbance Plutonium Coordination Courtesy University of Manchester {PuO 2 } 2+ + [BiW 9 O 33 ] 9- coordinated uncoordinated) NDA will establish direct contracts with organisations to support R&D activities when generic to a no. of our sites Output of R&D all activities will be made available to other organisations that are delivering work scope on NDA sites NDA will annually produce an overview of R&D activities supported by the NDA Wavelength (nm) 12

13 Key Areas Pu Environmental consequences Separation Immobilisation Technology options Health effects Pu options Reuse Stakeholder consultation Long term disposal issues 13

14 Key Areas - Plant Washout Characterisation: Physical Radiochemical Residual Solids e.g. HASTs Process Flowsheet POCO / Decontamination Contamination Mechanisms Oxide Dissolution 3 T ingress steels Waste Disposal Environmental Impact HAST Solids Formation Courtesy Nexia Solutions 14

15 Key Issues Contaminated Land Clean up Technology Environmental Impact Climate change Contaminated Land Stakeholder Engagement Activity retention mechanisms Model of radioactive plume of contamination ground water Courtesy Nexia Solutions End Point Leaching: Mechanism Modelling 15

16 Radiochemistry - Opportunities Radioanalytical Hazard management Disposal Health impact Environmental impact Process optioneering Investigative tool 16

17 Conclusions Fundamental understanding of behaviour of radiochemical's fate essential to NDA Mission Availability of skills key issue Availability of facilities key Opportunity for the scientific community from fundamental science to operations 17

18 NDA Websites 18