Aboveground roofed design for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in Maine
- Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States)
The conceptual designs proposed in this report resulted from a study for the Maine Low-level Radioactive Waste Authority to develop conceptual designs for a safe and reliable disposal facility for Maine`s low-level radioactive waste (LLW). Freezing temperatures, heavy rainfall, high groundwater tables, and very complex and shallow glaciated soils found in Maine place severe constraints on the design. The fundamental idea behind the study was to consider Maine`s climatic and geological conditions at the beginning of conceptual design rather than starting with a design for another location and adapting it for Maine`s conditions. The conceptual designs recommended are entirely above ground and consist of an inner vault designed to provide shielding and protection against inadvertent intrusion and an outer building to protect the inner vault from water. The air dry conditions within the outer building should lead to almost indefinite service life for the concrete inner vault and the waste containers. This concept differs sharply from the usual aboveground vault in its reliance on at least two independent, but more or less conventional, roofing systems for primary and secondary protection against leakage of radioisotopes from the facility. Features include disposal of waste in air dry environment, waste loading and visual inspection by remote-controlled overhead cranes, and reliance on engineered soils for tertiary protection against release of radioactive materials.
- Research Organization:
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States). National Low-Level Waste Management Program
- OSTI ID:
- 343719
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-921137-PROC.; ON: DE98050439; TRN: IM9921%%183
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 14. annual DOE low-level radioactive waste management conference, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 18-20 Nov 1992; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1993; Related Information: Is Part Of Fourteenth annual U.S. Department of Energy low-level radioactive waste management conference: Proceedings; PB: 651 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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