LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTES DISPOSAL INTO DEEP GEOLOGICCOMPLEXES LOCATED IN SSC RF RIAR SITE

摘要

The Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR) conducts engineering and scientificinvestigations on atomic power energetic, radiation and reactor material science, chemistry andtechnology of transplutonium elements, technology of separate stages of nuclear reactors fuelcycle, and investigations on using achievements of atomic science and technology in other fieldsof national economy. A large scope of the work conducted at RIAR focuses on liquid wasteswith a complicated chemical and radionuclide composition. Due to the large volumes of suchwastes and the necessity to minimize their influence on the biosphere by confining the majority ofthe volume of radioactive wastes to deep-deposited geological formations at RIAR, anexperimental-industrial test ground (EITG) of underground disposal of liquid radioactive wastes(LRW) was created.LRW underground disposal consists of the monitored transport of waste to the interiorstrata of the earth where they are neutralized due to the natural decay of radionuclides andphysicochemical reactions of the waste interacting with holding rocks and water in the strata.Decision of research work and geological survey on the Institute LWR undergrounddisposal problem was taken in 1958. This meant creation of the disposal ground providingremoval to the underground storage of all drainage, washing waters and waters after the overallsdecontamination with possible minimum of radioactive substances on the surface in sludgestorage.It should be noted that during this time period, the LRW research at the RIAR wasunprecedented and was being conducted for the first time. Thus, there was no historical data orexperience relating to the work performance and LRW disposal on an industrial scale into thedeep horizons of the earth’s crust containing highly mineralized waters.For this reason, the need arose to develop new methods of physicochemical andradiochemical investigations, and deep well sampling methods considering the specificcharacteristic and problems connected with underground disposal. Likewise, new ways tomodel and calculate the specific hydrodynemic situation had to be developed in connection withthe prediction of the wastes migration in the strata of the earth, the sanitary disposal estimationmethods, etc. The predictions were to be substantiated.Due to the necessity of solving a large number of problems, several research, projectsand production organizations were invited to provide additional help and support.