30.01.2012 IGD-TP starts its European-wide joint deployment of research, development, and demonstration activities for deep geological disposal of high-level and other long-lived radioactive wastes (Press Releases)
The deployment, on a large scale, of European and international collaborative research, development, and demonstration for deep geological disposal follows from the IGD-TP initiative, a dedicated technology platform launched in 2009. IGD-TPs draft Deployment Plan is now available for public consultation at the website www.igdtp.eu until 13th February 2012.
19.01.2012 Copper canister lid welded – everything went as planned in the matryoshka (Topical at research)
Lid welding tests on the copper canister intended for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel mean good news to Posiva. Posiva has not yet selected the final method for the closure of the final disposal canisters. Instead, the development work is still in progress. Electron beam welding is Posiva's reference method in the licensing.
10.01.2012 Cool results from the red-hot cast testing (Topical at research)
The casting of the insert of one final disposal canister requires almost 20 tonnes of melted iron. The pour point of the melted iron exceeds 1,300 degrees Celsius. For years already, inserts have been cast for development purposes at the Metso foundry in Jyväskylä, and they have been studied carefully through international cooperation. The cast testing of the inserts has reached the required material characteristics.
28.11.2011 ONKALO prepares for test boring of final disposal holes (Press Releases)
The excavation of the underground characterisation facility ONKALO, commenced by Posiva in 2004, will soon be finished. The excavation will continue at a depth of 437 metres on the technical level where ONKALO's ventilation and personnel shafts will be completed during 2012. A second demonstration tunnel is being excavated above the technical level at a depth of 420 metres. The tunnel will be completed at the beginning of 2012. Full-scale test boring of final disposal holes will be launched in the demonstration tunnels in the next few days. For the boring, Posiva has created a project called KapRe, which involves acquisition of the required boring equipment, for example. The equipment has been designed and manufactured by TRB Raise Borers Oy, which is based in Tampere, Finland, and supplied by Sandvik Mining and Construction Finland Oy.
02.11.2011 Researchers process the results of a decade-long final disposal experiment (Topical at research)
A full-scale final disposal experiment has been conducted in Äspö's rock laboratory in Sweden for ten years now. The processing of the first parts of the experiment, managed by SKB, responsible for the final disposal project in Sweden, started in December 2010. After this, many different samples have been taken in Äspö to obtain more information about how the final disposal system designed in Sweden and Finland will function in actual rock conditions.