Concept for Operation of the Belgian Geological Disposal Facility for Category B and C Wastes - 19247
- ONDRAF/NIRAS (Belgium)
- BGE Technology GmbH (Germany)
For more than 40 years, ONDRAF/NIRAS (the federal agency responsible for managing radioactive waste and enriched fissile materials in Belgium) has been studying the concept of a geological disposal facility (GDF) in poorly indurated clays as an option for the long-term management of both category B waste (low-level and intermediate-level long-lived waste - LILW-LL) and category C waste (high-level waste - HLW and spent fuel). In the absence of a policy decision, the proposed Belgian reference option for disposal of such waste is a GDF in poorly indurated clays, located at a depth of between 200 m and 600 m. Within the framework of the first Safety and Feasibility Case (SFC-1) undertaken by ONDRAF/NIRAS, the organization is updating its former GDF layout, which dates back from 2003. The SFC-1 GDF concept is characterized by a central zone in which shafts, joined by a central connecting gallery, provide two surface connections. On opposing sides of the central gallery, four (two on each side) access galleries branch off to connect the disposal areas for B- and C-waste, respectively. Disposal dead end galleries, 400 m long, branch off perpendicular to the access galleries. Both waste areas will be operated during two separate time frames. The current underground layout has been significantly modified from the previous 2003 layout. The modifications are largely based on several R and D studies with regard to the future operations of the GDF carried out by BGE Technology GmbH in support to ONDRAF/NIRAS. This paper focuses on major operational processes such as waste transport and emplacement. In addition, the current conceptual design of the backfilling and closure concept is presented. Optimization studies on the further development of the operational process are also presented. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 27646, 85285-7646 Tempe, AZ (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 23003012
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-21-WM-19247; TRN: US21V1128043345
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2019: 45. Annual Waste Management Conference, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 3-7 Mar 2019; Other Information: Country of input: France; 9 refs.; available online at: https://www.xcdsystem.com/wmsym/2019/index.html
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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