FEASIBILITY STUDY OF PROCESS PARAMETERS PROVIDING RW CLASS 2 AND 3 DISPOSAL IN THE PJSC PIMCU’S UNDERGROUND MINES

Countries with nuclear power are searching for new opportunities to address the challenge of radioactive waste (hereinafter — RW) management which is seen as a priority area of their research. In accordance with the classification established by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation №1069 of October 19, 2012, RW Class 2 shall be disposed of in DDF built at a depth of over 100 m, whereas RW Class 3 can be disposed of in near-surface disposal facilities at a depth of up to 100 m. Joint disposal of non-heat-generating Class 2 and 3 RW in mining chambers at great depths assuming certain safety arrangements implemented in the chambers is seen as a promising research area. RW disposal in existing underground excavations provides cost reduction due to the use of existing surface and underground infrastructure facilities. To evaluate the potential of DDF RW siting within already existing underground excavations, research and safety assessments, including the long-term ones, should be performed to check their compliance with the requirements set for RW disposal facilities. 

Keywords: radioactive waste management, radioactive waste, RW containers, waste chambers, underground space, rope-injection rods, RW storage facilities, RW disposal, fractured massif strengthening, rocks, paste backfilling, uranium ores, radon release.

Kuzmin E. V., Mayanov E. P., Igin I. M., Minin A. V., Bamborin M. Yu., Kalakutskii A. V., Morozov A. A., Kamanin A. N., Trofimova Iu. V. Feasibility Study of Process Parameters Providing RW Class 2 and 3 Disposal in the PJSC PIMCU’s Underground Mines. Radioactive Waste, 2022, no. 1 (18), pp. 62—76. DOI: 10.25283/2587- 9707-2022-1-62-76. (In Russian).