In situ experiments for the validation of disposal system at KAERI underground research tunnel

초록

In Korea, 21 nuclear power plants are operating and more than 11,000 tons of spent fuels, which are now stored at interim storage at the reactor sites, had been produced. Like many other countries operating nuclear power plants, the safe and reliable management of spent fuel is an urgent national issue for the sustainable utilization of nuclear power. Korea considers deep geological disposal as a most promising ways for the disposal of spent fuel or high-level wastes. From a long term research and development started in 1997, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) suggested a reference disposal system, which was similar to KBS-3 concept developed by SKB, Sweden, in 2006. For the validation of the disposal system, an underground research tunnel was constructed and various in situ tests have been carried out. Major in situ tests are (a) borehole heater test, (b) excavation damaged test, (c) groundwater flow and geochemistry, and (d) migration test. In this study, the status of different in situ tests as well as related laboratory tests and computer simulation will be reported.