Customized training courses in radioactive waste disposal
Safe and final disposal of radioactive waste is an ongoing concern for various stakeholders, including the general public. With worldwide several (near-)surface disposal facilities in operation and at the threshold of the first licensed deep geological repositories for spent nuclear fuel, there is a high need for adequate competences in this area.
Offer
Based on more than 40 years of in-house experience in R&D on waste disposal and safety and performance assessment calculations, the SCK CEN Academy offers various training courses related to radioactive waste disposal. A technical visit to the unique underground research infrastructure HADES complements the theoretical classes and exercises. HADES is located 225 m below surface in a plastic clay formation and is managed by the economic partnership EIG EURIDICE together with ONDRAF/NIRAS.
We offer basic theoretical modules complemented by hands-on exercises and a technical visit to the HADES underground research laboratory, as well as advanced training courses dedicated to safety and performance assessment and the latest advancements in reactive transport modeling.
Target audience
Our courses are targeted towards regulators, plant managers, technical support organizations, nuclear waste management organizations, research entities, and all other stakeholders interested in or working in areas related to waste disposal.
-
Available basic science modules
- Conditioning, characterization and long-term stability of radioactive waste
- Characterization of argillaceous formations: from the pore scale to the regional scale
- THM behavior of clay formations and the Engineered Barrier System (EBS)
- Long-term effects in the cementitious EBS
- Radionuclide dispersion in the geosphere
- Uptake and transfer of radionuclides in the biosphere
-
Available modules concerning regulation and safety concepts
- National and international regulations regarding radioactive waste disposal
- Safety principles and strategies
- Disposal concepts of radioactive waste
- Safeguards aspects and monitoring of a repository
- Public participation approaches
-
Available modules concerning safety and performance assessments
- From R&D to safety case development
- Performance, scoping and screening calculations
- Assessing the long-term safety of a surface or geological disposal facility for radioactive waste
- Environmental risk assessment, the ERICA tool and mixture toxicity
-
Advanced training courses related to geochemical and reactive transport modelling
- HYDRUS-1D for water flow and solute transport
- PHREEQC geochemical modelling
- The YANTRA code coupling chemistry & transport at pore scale based onLattice Boltzmann formalism and PHREEQC
- Reactive transport modelling for variably-saturated flow and contaminant transport problems
- Simulating water movement and reactive transport using HP1 and HPx
- The use of saturated/unsaturated flow and contaminant transport codes and pathway-to-man models for use in performance assessment.
Lecturers
Courses are given by top-level SCK CEN scientists and engineers with solid expertise in their research domain. Furthermore, they have followed learning facilitator training sessions and can thus transfer their theoretical knowledge and practical experience to the course participants efficiently and effectively. For some modules, we collaborate with experts from the Belgian Waste Management Organization ONDRAF/NIRAS and the Regulating Authority FANC/AFCN.
View the calendar for the next training course in radioactive waste disposal.