Tractebel Energy Engineering establishes a qualification file for the 400-l drums used by Electrabel for conditioning radioactive waste

Belgatom helps the Dutch nuclear power plant of Borssele define the programme for its ten-yearly overhaul

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Tractebel Energy Engineering has established a qualification file for the 400-l drums used at Electrabel Doel and Tihange power plants for conditioning radioactive waste, such as spent filters, resins, evaporator concentrates and miscellaneous solid waste. For our customer Electrabel, this qualification file was necessary to pursue the on-going conditioning of radioactive waste on its two nuclear sites while obtaining further authorization to transfer the drums to the Belgoprocess site and their property to ONDRAF/NIRAS, the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials.

Since 22.11.91, the date on which the Royal Decree of 16.10.91 legalizing the concept of qualification came into force, the packages for conditioning all nuclear waste produced in Belgium must be qualified by ONDRAF/NIRAS, the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials.

Therefore, Electrabel entrusted Tractebel Energy Engineering in January 2000 with the task to set up a qualification file for the 400-l drums used at its Doel and Tihange power plants for conditioning radioactive waste, such as spent filters, resins, evaporator concentrates and miscellaneous solid waste.

The project included two main parts:

• Studying external corrosion aspects to guarantee the resistance of the 400-l drums during an extended period of interim storage at the Belgoprocess site in Dessel. These studies were performed by CEBELCOR, the Belgian Corrosion Institute that delivered a positive advice;
• Qualifying the 400-l drum as an IP-2 package (type 2 industrial package according to IAEA Transport Regulation), which required to demonstrate the mechanical resistance of the drum following fall and stacking tests. These tests, which were carried out according to specifications developed by Tractebel Energy Engineering, were successfully performed by I.B.E./B.V.I., the Belgian Packaging Institute.

Both here above mentioned demonstration required to define and supervise the manufacturing of non active test drums and to implement several modifications to the 400-l drum, part of them being designed by Tractebel Energy Engineering.

The necessary information and certification reports were synthesized in a qualification file that was handed over to ONDRAF/NIRAS in September 2002. For our customer Electrabel, this qualification file was necessary to pursue the on-going conditioning of radioactive waste on its two nuclear sites while obtaining further authorization to transfer the drums to the Belgoprocess site and their property to ONDRAF/NIRAS.

In a further step of the project, the current qualification file will be upgraded to take into account potential internal corrosion aspects and fully qualify the 400-l drums for an interim storage period of 75 years.

Want to know more ? Requiring specific information ? mailto:radwaste@tractebel.com

BACK TO NEWS,