Radioactive Waste

Disposal

Submitted to :
Dr. Sri Ram Chaurasia
Associate Professor
MMMUT Gorakhpur

Submitted by:
Ravi Prakash Maurya
B.Tech Civil Engineering
MMMUT , Gorakhpur

RADIOACTIVITY
Radioactive decay, also known asnuclear
decayorradioactivity, is the process by which
thenucleusof an unstableatomloses energy by
emitting radiation, includingalpha particles,beta
particles,gamma raysandconversion electrons. A
material that spontaneously emits such radiation is
consideredradioactive.

TYPES OF RADIATIONS
ALPHA
RADIATIO
NS
BETA
RADIATIO
NS
GAMMA
RADIATIO
NS

It is the release of positively charged

helium ion. These have weak penetration
power and are externally harmless but
very dangerous when ingested.
It is the release of electrons from
radioactive nucleus . These also have
weak penetration power and are
externally harmless but very dangerous
when ingested.
These are the high frequency photons or
electromagnetic radiations having high
penetrating power . These radiations are
very short lived as compared to above
two , but has highest damaging power ,
due to its ionisation capability.

Uses of radioactivity
POWER GENERATION
MILITARY USES
MEDICAL USES
INDUSTRIAL
RESEARH WORK
PALENTOLOGY
SECURITY EQUIPMENTS

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Anuclear power plantis a thermalpower stationin
which the heat source is anuclearreactor. As is typical
in all conventional thermalpower stationsthe heat is
used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine
connected to an electric generator which produces
electricity. The primary fuel in these reactors is
URANIUM 235.

Once fuel is fed into the reactor it works for

about 2 to 3 years

WHAT IS RADIOACTIVE WASTE

AMOUNT OF N-WASTE
As of May 2016, 30 countries worldwide are
operating 444 nuclear reactors for electricity
generation.
63 new nuclear plants are under construction in
15 countries.
A typical nuclear power plant in a year generates
20 metric tons of used nuclear fuel.
India generates around four tons of nuclear waste
per Gigawatt (GW) annually, the government
said.
The current installed nuclear power capacity In
our country is around 4,780 MW and is expected
to reach 10,080 MW by 2019.

RADIOACTIVE DECAY
FIRST ORDER
REACTIONS

HALF LIFE OF
ELEMENTS

CLASSIFICATION OF
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
CLASS

VOLUM
E

RCONTENT

SOURCE

HIGH LEVEL
WASTES

3%

95%

SPENT FUEL

INTERMEDI
ATE LEVEL
WASTE

7%

4%

SLUDGE
PRODUCED IN
PLANT

LOW LEVEL
WASTE

90%

1%

DAY TO DAY
OPERATIONS LIKE
COOLING ,
SAMPLINGS,
WASHING.

gh level radioactive was

It typically consists of Pu
238 ,239 , U-236 , Np 237.
Spent fuel is kept in reactor
sites ,under water of about 5
to 6 m height.(holding
depositories or vaults)
It consists of spent fuel ,
produced after 2-3 years.
It helps I decaying
radionuclides with short half
lives and also acts a coolant
for them.
It is then sent for extraction
for Pu -238, and U- 236.
The remaining wastes again
sent to vaults for next 5-6
years or even more

Vault of Cooper nuclear power

plant ,US

The walls and floors of the

pools are about two meters
thick and made of concrete
reinforced with carbon steel.

Robust, heat-resistant and

water-tight liners are
installed

Liquid HLW from

reprocessing must be
solidified. It is vitrified into
borosilicate (Pyrex) glass,
encapsulated into heavy
stainless steel cylinders .
Now all the HLW is ready for
disposal at permanent
disposal sites.
The favored sites are deep
geological formations having
thick rocks and no
possibility of ground water

Permanent disposal site in Yucca

Mountains in Nevada district ,
USA

Low and intermediate level

wastes
These wastes are inn

large volume but low

radioactive content.
These are generated
from day to day
activities of nuclear
plants and from
research labs,
hospitals.
Methods like
filtration and
flocculation is used
to precipitate
radionuclides .
Disposal of this
precipitates is done

Low-Level Waste Disposal in Barnwell,

South Carolina , US

India and its Nwaste

 India has 21 nuclear reactors in

operation in 7 nuclear power plants
while 6 more reactors are under
construction
Our all reactors are controlled by
BHABHA ATOMIC RESEARCH CENTRE,
TROMBAY
Wastes from each power plant is
dumped in each power plant.
India has so far produced about 17000
tons of HLW.
The position of disposal of N waste in
India is not acute but is liable to
become so in future as India still

References
S K Garg (2013), sewage disposal and air
pollution engineering.
http://www.barc.gov.in/pubaware/nw_n3.htm
l
http://nuclearsafety.gc.ca
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_
in_India
http://www.mapsofindia.com/
http://www.aerb.gov.in/

Thank you !