Improving the safety and reliability of geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste via geothermal energy co-production

通过地热能联产提高高活度放射性废物地质处置的安全性和可靠性

• 批准号: 2385828
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2385828
• 关键词: Improving; safety; reliability; geological; disposal

According to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Higher Activity Waste (HAW) includes HighLevel Waste (HLW), Intermediate Level Waste and some Low Level Waste that is unsuitable fordisposal in the Low Level Waste Repository. HLW from re-processing typically occurs in liquid formand is converted into a solid product via a process called 'vitrification' prior to long-term storage anddisposal. Storage is via canisters placed into an air-cooled store until a suitable disposal routebecomes available. A facility would store vitrified HLW for at least 50 years before disposal. The UKGovernment's policy for long-term management of HAW is geological disposal, which involvesplacing waste deep underground in a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). A GDF includes multipleengineered barriers, several hundred metres underground, constructed in a suitable geologicalenvironment to ensure that the radioactivity in the waste is sufficiently isolated and contained thatit will not cause harm to people and the environment for many hundreds of thousands of years.There is currently no GDF operating in the UK, but the Government is currently developing a siteselection process to find a volunteer host community with suitable geology. The Welsh Governmenthas also decided to adopt a policy of geological disposal for the long-term management of HAW andcontinues to support the policy of voluntary engagement. Scottish Government policy is that thelong-term management of HAW should be in retrievable near-surface facilities close to the origin ofthe waste.The temperature of HLW can rise significantly because of its radioactivity. This poses technicalchallenges when designing a GDF, due to the impact that the released thermal energy could have onthe physical and chemical stability of both natural and engineered barriers, with potentialconsequences for the GDF's long-term safety and reliability. If the original structure of the rock isaltered, for example, it may change a groundwater movement pattern and the transport pathwayfor radionuclides to the environment. Also, waste glass could undergo devitrification.This project aims to investigate the potential benefits of controlling the temperature field in a GDFvia bespoke, closed-loop geothermal energy recovery systems, where the HAW would act as a hightemperature anthropogenic geothermal source. Geothermal engineering design concepts will bedeveloped and evaluated for potential GDF application taking account of depth, layout, geologicalcharacteristics at the site, the radioactivity inventory and the anticipated temperature fielddevelopment over time. Their impact on the long-term integrity of GDFs will be assessed, as will theamounts of recoverable energy for heat and/or power generation or for use to maintain stablerepository conditions, taking account of safety, operational and environmental constraints.The project provides an ideal opportunity for a highly motivated geoscientist, physical scientist, orengineer to develop solutions to important problems affecting energy and the environment. Thestudentship will benefit from the doctoral training opportunities of the Graduate School of thecollege of science and Engineering in Glasgow University. The work will be conducted in the Schoolof Engineering in Glasgow, in collaboration with the Scottish Universities Environmental ResearchCentre in East Kilbride.

根据核退役管理局的说法，高放射性废物(HAW)包括高放射性废物(HLW)、中级废物和一些不适合在低水平废物储存库中处置的低水平废物。后处理产生的高放废物通常以液体的形式出现，在长期储存和处置之前，通过一种称为玻璃化的过程转化为固体产品。储存是通过放置在风冷仓库中的罐子进行的，直到有合适的处置路线可用。在处置之前，一个设施将玻璃化的高放废物储存至少50年。英国政府对HAW的长期管理政策是地质处置，这涉及到将废物深埋在地质处置设施(GDF)的地下。GDF包括在地下数百米处建造的多个工程屏障，在合适的地质环境中建造，以确保废物中的放射性被充分隔离和控制，不会对人类和环境造成数十万年的伤害。目前GDF在英国还没有运营，但政府目前正在制定选址程序，以寻找具有合适地质条件的志愿者收容社区。威尔士政府还决定对HAW的长期管理采取地质处置政策，并继续支持自愿参与的政策。苏格兰政府的政策是，HAW的长期管理应在靠近废物来源的可回收近地表设施中进行。HLW的温度可能会因为其放射性而显著上升。这给设计GDF带来了技术挑战，因为释放的热能可能会对天然和工程屏障的物理和化学稳定性产生影响，从而对GDF的长期安全和可靠性产生潜在影响。例如，如果岩石的原始结构发生改变，可能会改变地下水的运动模式和放射性核素向环境的运输路径。这个项目旨在研究通过定制的闭环式地热能量回收系统控制GDF中的温度场的潜在好处，其中HAW将作为高温人为地热源。将开发和评估地热工程设计概念，以用于潜在的GDF应用，考虑到深度、布局、现场的地质特征、放射性库存和随着时间的推移预期的温度场发展。将评估它们对GDF长期完整性的影响，以及可用于加热和/或发电或用于维持稳定储藏条件的可回收能量的数量，同时考虑到安全、操作和环境限制。该项目为积极进取的地球科学家、物理学家或工程师提供了一个理想的机会，以制定解决影响能源和环境的重要问题的方案。该奖学金将受益于格拉斯哥大学理工学院研究生院的博士培训机会。这项工作将在格拉斯哥的工程学院与东基尔布莱德的苏格兰大学环境研究中心合作进行。