Metal waste management and recycling methods in the nuclear power plant decommissioning and dismantling process

Scientific paper - Review paper

• Title (croatian): Gospodarenje otpadnim metalom i metode recikliranja u procesu razgradnje i demontaže nuklearnih elektrana
• Author: Ana Mostečak
• Author: Gordan Bedeković https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1083-5218; MBZ: 205792
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering; (Department of Mining and Geotechnical Engineering)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: TECHNICAL SCIENCES; Mining, Petroleum and Geology Engineering

Abstract (english)

Decommissioning and dismantlement of nuclear power plants (NPP) present the final phase of a nuclear power plant
lifetime and are an essential part of an efective nuclear safety culture. While some countries are implementing nuclear
exit strategies and others are building new nuclear power plants or prolonging their lifetimes, the decommissioning of
facilities is imminent. This paper gives a short overview on decommissioning and dismantling strategies and techniques
as an introduction to the applicability of radioactive metal waste recycling and reuse. General estimations suggest that
the majority of the waste mass resulting from decommissioning and dismantling is radiologically unrestricted material
i.e. exempt waste. The remaining one-third is the radioactive material with different levels of radioactivity. To present
radioactive metal scrap recycling in practice, this paper addresses estimations on metal waste amounts resulting from
decommissioning, the use of melting as a possible recycling method (with regard to secondary waste generated) and
aspects of environmental and health impacts. Additionally, the best practice example of the decommissioning process in
a pressurized water reactor (PWR) with NPP technology is given to provide context for the possible future decommissioning
of NPP Krško. After consideration of the available data on decommissioning waste management, the conclusion
is that while the decision on decommissioning strategies and technologies is not straightforward but unique to each
country, current experiences give important context to the complexity and potential of decommissioning and provide a
basis for future actions.

Abstract (croatian)

Razgradnja i demontaža nuklearnih elektrana predstavljaju završnu fazu životnoga vijeka nuklearnih postrojenja te su
sastavni dio djelotvorne kulture nuklearne sigurnosti. Dok neke zemlje provode izlazne nuklearne strategije, a druge
planiraju izgradnju novih postrojenja ili produljuju životni vijek postojećima, razgradnja postrojenja neizbježna je. U
radu se daje kratak pregled strategija i tehnika razgradnje i demontaže kao uvod u mogućnosti recikliranja i ponovne
upotrebe radioaktivnoga metalnog otpada. Opće procjene upućuju na to da je većina otpada koji proizlazi iz razgradnje
i demontaže radiološki materijal izuzet iz nadzora. Preostala je trećina radioaktivni materijal s različitim rasponom
radioaktivnosti. Kako bi se recikliranje radioaktivnoga otpadnog metala prezentiralo u praksi, članak daje osvrt na
procjenu količine otpadnoga metala koji proizlazi iz procesa razgradnje, korištenje topljenja kao moguće metode recikliranja
(uključujući i sekundarni otpad) i aspekte utjecaja na okoliš i zdravlje. Također, dan je i primjer procesa razgradnje
u tipu nuklearnoga postrojenja s vodenim reaktorom pod pritiskom, kao primjer konteksta buduće razgradnje Nuklearne
elektrane Krško (NEK). Nakon razmatranja dostupnih podataka o gospodarenju otpadom nastalim razgradnjom i
demontažom zaključak je da iako odluka o strategiji i tehnologiji razgradnje nije jednostavna, već jedinstvena za svaku
zemlju, trenutačna iskustva daju važan uvid u kontekst složenosti i potencijala razgradnje te pružaju osnovu za buduće
radnje.

• Keywords (english): nuclear power plants; decommissioning and dismantling; metal recycling; waste management
• Keywords (croatian): nuklearne elektrane; razgradnja i demontaža; recikliranje metala; gospodarenje otpadom
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Review paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Rudarsko-geološko-naftni zbornik
• Numbering: vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 25-33
• p-ISSN: 0353-4529
• e-ISSN: 1849-0409
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17794/rgn.2018.1.4
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:169:973978
• Publication: 2018-01-15
• Document URL: https://hrcak.srce.hr/ojs/index.php/rgn/article/view/5222/pdf
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-10-29 09:27:39