Posted: May 22nd, 2023

Safeguard designs for geological repositories of nuclear spent fuel

Safeguard designs for geological repositories of nuclear spent fuel have their primary objective to ensure high safety standards for nuclear wastes storage (Kollar 43). The theoretic background for these safeguard designs is based on the fact that properly chosen host-rocks are capable of absorbing radiation and dissipating heat (Okko 5). Besides, an efficient approach to choosing the rock types and depth of bedding will allow an engineer to avoid the problem of radionuclides interaction with the waters. The essential security solutions for a geological repository of nuclear spent fuel include the following: highly trained security force monitoring the perimeter of the storage. “high-quality fenced perimeter”, “bi-static microwave intrusion detection system”, “floodlights and infrared lighting system”, and “Intrusion reporting to a Central Alarm Station” (Kollar 38). Since geological repositories of nuclear spent fuel are built deep underground, there is no technical safeguard requirements need to protect them from human invaders in the same way as above-ground areas storing nuclear agents (Kollar 39). This feature of geological repositories is among their major competitive advantage over other solutions.