2nd Petrus-OPERA PhD and Early-Stage Researchers Conference 2016
Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal
Date: 27th June at 09.00 – 1st July at 15.00, 2016
Location: Delft University of Technology – The Netherlands
Recordings
available here:
Prize winners
The following prizes were awarded:
Best presentation: Biagio Zaffora (CERN)
Best poster: Anne-Laure Fauchille (University of Poitiers)
What are PETRUS and OPERA?
What is Petrus?
PETRUS III is a project granted by European Commission within the Euratom program (7th Framework Program), whose objective is to promote Education and Training (E&T) in geological disposal of radioactive waste.
Since 2005 “PETRUS” initiative coordinates universities, radioactive waste management organisations, training providers and research institutes efforts to develop cooperative approach to E&T in the geological disposal. PETRUS proposes an innovative strategy to ensure the continuation, renewal and improvement of the professional skills by sharing resources from both academia and industries. The Consortium includes twenty one (21) representatives from twelve (12) different countries all over Europe.
The main objectives of the current project are:
What is OPERA?
OPERA is the third Research Programme for the Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste (OnderzoeksProgramma Eindberging Radioactief Afval, or OPERA) in the Netherlands. The programme started in 2011 and will run for 5 years. The results of the project will be an evaluation of the existing safety and feasibility studies (the Safety Case) in the Netherlands and a roadmap for future research.
About the PETRUS-OPERA 2016 conference:
Following from the successful inaugural PhD conference in radioactive waste management and disposal held in Nancy, France in 2015, the 2nd conference in this series was held in Delft, the Netherlands.
This unique event brought together PhD students and early-stage researchers, alongside professionals and academics in the topic of radioactive waste management and geological disposal. The conference was designed to be simultaneously a research school and a conference.
Programme and presentations
Monday 27th June
Introduction
Representative from OPERA/PETRUS/organising committee
Origin of radioactive waste, classification, solutions.
Lecturer: Denis Bykov, TU Delft
Principles of radioactive waste disposal
Lecturer: Monika Skrzeczkowska, IAEA
Waste management, storage and disposal programme
Lecturer: Ewoud Verhoef, COVRA
How to develop a source term for disposal of waste (waste families, inventory)
Lecturer: Erika Neeft, COVRA
----------- Lunch -----------
PhD/early stage researcher presentations:
Thermal Treatment of UK Magnox Sludge: Sean Barlow
Dismantling of the graphite pile of Latina NPP: characterization and handling/removal equipment for single brick or multi-bricks: Giuseppe Canzone
Good practices in free release of materials: Evelina Ionescu
Radiological characterization of radioactive waste produced in particle accelerators: Biagio Zaffora
Multi-scale investigation of fracture apertures in clay rock subjected to desiccation: Anne-Laure Fauchille
Thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted MX80 bentonite at 150°C: Panagiotis Stratos
Tuesday 28th June
Field trip
Storage facilities at COVRA (Central Organisation for Radioactive Waste) in Vlissingen, the Netherlands
The underground research laboratory HADES at SCK•CEN in Mol, Belgium
Wednesday 29th June
Short-term behaviour
Underground disposal: design, construction and mechanical behaviour
Lecturer: Phil Vardon, TU Delft
Cementitious materials for repositories
Lecturer: Rob Wiegers, IBR Consult BV
Microbes , barrier functions and nuclear safety cases
Lecturer: Karsten Pedersen, Microbial Analytics Sweden AB
Why does heat matter in radioactive waste disposal?
Lecturer: Alex Bond, Quintessa and DECOVALEX
--- Extended lunch and poster session ---
Visits to the Delft nuclear reactor
------- Networking Dinner ------
Thursday 30th June
Long-term behaviour
--- Lunch and poster session ---
Numerical study of bentonite confined hydration: Giulia Ghiadistri
Modelling the excavation damaged zone using a hydro-mechanical double-scale model: Bram van den Eijnden
Time-dependent mechanical and transport behaviors of Callovo-Oxfordian argillite: Zaobao Liu
Transient boundary conditions in the frame of high level radioactive waste disposal at deep geological repository: Abhishek Rawat
Friday 1st July
Safety
Natural analogues
Lecturer: Ulrich Noseck, GRS
Ethical and social aspects
Lecturer: Anne Bergmans, University of Antwerp
Role and purpose of the Safety Case
Lecturer: Lucy Bailey, RWM
Modelling to underpin the Safety Case
Lecturer: Sarah Watson, Quintessa
Confidence building in the presence of uncertainties
Lecturer: Klaus-Jurgen Rohlig, TU Claustal
Prizes for best poster / presentation
Wrap-up discussion
----------- Lunch -----------
End of the event
Field Trips
Research reactor at the Reactor Institute Delft
The Reactor Institute Delft operates the Hoger Onderwijs Reactor (HOR), a 2 MW pool-type research reactor. The reactor is used as a source of neutrons and positrons for research purposes, including those within the OPERA research programme. The reactor also provides neutrons to a variety of facilities for radioisotope production and neutron activation analysis.
HADES underground laboratory
Deep beneath the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) in Mol is a thick layer of clay: the Boom clay. In the search for a solution to the disposal of high-level radioactive waste, SCK•CEN constructed a laboratory 225 metres below the ground. Appropriately this was given the name HADES, the god of the underworld. HADES stands for High Activity Disposal Experimental Site. Via the economic partnership EIG EURIDICE together with NIRAS [the Belgian agency for radioactive waste and enriched fissile materials], SCK•CEN undertakes research in HADES into the feasibility of storing high-level radioactive waste in the deep layers of clay.
COVRA – treatment and storage facility
In order to be able to treat radioactive waste, COVRA has established a treatment and storage facility in the province of Zeeland, at the docks in Vlissingen-Oost in the municipality of Borsele. The total amount of radioactive waste produced over the next hundred years can easily be stored at the COVRA site, which covers an area of about 20 hectares.
Proceeding download available here :
Gallery
Contact Form
For any requirement you may have, please contact Phil Vardon or Denis Bykov, Event coordinators:
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