Wp-cave - a new concept for underground high-level nuclear waste repository

© 1981 Pergamon Press Ltd Published by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved. An almost spherical rock cavern is surrounded at some distance by a fairly thick clay barrier. Nuclear waste canisters are mounted in cylindrical holes traversing large concrete balls. These are stored in the cavern together with similar concrete balls (without canisters) filling up the entire cavern space. The clay barrier prevents ground water circulation for a very long time, enhances ion-exchange, and increases the repository resistance against future tectonic movements and earthquakes. Calculations of heat balance, thermal effects, clay barrier function and costs have been performed. One repository (Fig. 1) accommodates one year's unreprocessed waste from 12 nuclear 1000 MWe reactors assuming 10 years of interim storage. Construction operations are outlined. Various advantages of the concept are emphasized (see list at end of paper)