Abstract
The Austrian Research Centers Seibersdorf (ARCS) operates facilities for treatment of low and intermediate level radioactive waste (Radwaste). ARCS is acting as a centralized facility for such waste. All Radwaste arising in Austria is transferred to ARCS for treatment, conditioning and interim storage. This waste originates from the former operation of a research reactor, the application of radioactive materials in medicine, R&D, industry, IAEA Laboratories at Seibersdorf, and technically enhanced natural radioactive materials as by-product at industrial metallurgical processes and other processes.
There are basically four categories of Radwaste: solid burnable, solid non burnable, liquid burnable and liquid non burnable. In addition there are spent sealed sources and fissile material.
Dependent an the waste category, the relevant treatment technology is applied. In total about 7000 m3 of low and intermediate level radioactive solid wastes arising in Austria were treated in the period from 1976 to 2000.
The aim of treatment and conditioning is risk reduction by the safe enclosure of the Radwaste and the use of barriers to surround and isolate the waste or to transform the waste into an insoluble form. At the same time it is important to reduce the volume of the raw waste by applying appropriate treatment technologies, in order to save volume in the storage facilities and thereby achievings a cost savings.
The following facilities are available at ARCS:
- Water treatment facility
- Incinerator for solid- and liquid burnable Radwaste
- High force compactor
- Cementation equipment
- Interim storage facility
Dependent an the category of waste the relevant treatment process can be applied resulting in different volume reduction factors. Taking into account the volume increase by the cementation process an over all volume reduction factor of about 4 was reached.
Applied conditioning method at ARCS is cementation, where the 200 liter steel drum concept is in use, e.i. conditioned waste is placed in such drums.
All drums with conditioned Radwaste are transferred in dry engineered storage halls for interim storage.
Presently in Austria there is no final repository for radioactive waste.
Originalsprache | Deutsch |
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Titel | Proceedings of the ICEM'01, The 8th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation |
Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 2002 |
Veranstaltung | Proceedings of the ICEM'01, The 8th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation - Dauer: 1 Jan. 2002 → … |
Konferenz
Konferenz | Proceedings of the ICEM'01, The 8th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation |
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Zeitraum | 1/01/02 → … |
Research Field
- Biosensor Technologies