The CAST project (CArbon-14 Source Term) aims to develop understanding of the generation and release of 14C from radioactive waste materials under conditions relevant to waste packaging and disposal to underground geological disposal facilities. The project will focus on releases from irradiated metals (steels, Zircaloys) and from ion-exchange materials as dissolved and gaseous species. A study to consider the current state of the art knowledge with regards to 14C release from irradiated graphite will also be undertaken, to further our knowledge from existing projects in this area i.e. CARBOWASTE. The scientific understanding obtained from these studies will then be considered in terms of national disposal programmes and impact on safety assessments. The knowledge gained from the whole of CAST will be disseminated within the project partners and to wider stakeholders and organisation, with a specific objective on education and training.
LEI ativities in the Project
By participating in the CAST project of the 7th FP, researchers of the Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI) perform activation modelling of RBMK-1500 reactors’ graphite, identifying the formation mechanisms of C-14, as well as modelling migration of the generated radiocarbon (C-14), identifying its peculiarities in the case of irradiated graphite disposal in a deep geological repository. In addition, LEI researchers also participate in activities for dissemination of the project results.
In 2015, information about radiocarbon inventory in and its releases from the reactor RBMK-1500 irradiated graphite and about handling of radiocarbon in safety analyses in Lithuania was revised. Development of new models for radiocarbon inventory evaluation in and release from the Ignalina NPP graphite has also begun. Researchers of the Laboratory participated in the CAST work package 6 (WP6) meeting in March 2015, in Madrid (the Kingdom of Spain) and at the second general assembly meeting in October in Bucharest (Romania).
In 2016, information about radiocarbon inventory in and its releases from the reactor RBMK-1500 irradiated graphite was collected and updated. In addition, new models for estimation of radiocarbon inventory in Ignalina NPP graphite and migration were developed. After development of release models research of irradiated graphite radiocarbon release in the near field environment was performed, when irradiated graphite was disposed of in a deep geological repository. In March 2016, researchers of the Laboratory participated in the CAST work package 6 (WP6) meeting in Wettingen (Switzerland) and in September – in the workshop in Middelburg (Netherlands), dedicated to the dissemination of the CAST project activities and research results, where a presentation on the irradiated graphite disposal issues was made. In October 2016, the researchers participated at the second general assembly meeting and work packages meeting in Luzern (Switzerland), after that the Grimsel Test site was visited.
Total cost of the Project: 14 730 136,67 EUR (LEI part: 90 260 EUR)
Coordinator: RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT LIMITED, United Kingdom
Project partners:
- REGIA AUTONOMA PENTRU ACTIVITATI NUCLEARE DROBETA TR. SEVERIN RA SUCURSALA CERCETARI NUCLEARE PITESTI, Romania
- NATIONALE GENOSSENSCHAFT FUER DIE LAGERUNG RADIOAKTIVER ABFAELLE, Switzerland
- AGENCE NATIONALE POUR LA GESTION DES DECHETS RADIOACTIFS, France
- COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, France
- NATIONALE INSTELLING VOOR RADIOACTIEF AFVAL EN VERRIJKTE SPLIJSTOFFEN, Belgium
- CENTRALE ORGANISATIE VOOR RADIOACTIEF AFVAL NV, Netherlands
- REGIA AUTONOMA TEHNOLOGII PENTRU ENERGIA NUCLEARA – RATEN, Romania
- GESELLSCHAFT FUR ANLAGEN UND REAKTORSICHERHEIT (GRS) gGmbH, Germany
- PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT, Switzerland
- STUDIECENTRUM VOOR KERNENERGIE/CENTRE D’ETUDE DE L’ENERGIE NUCLÉAIRE, Belgium
- KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIE, Germany
- AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L’ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE, Italy
- RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT FUNDING AND RESEARCH CENTER, Japan
- FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH, Germany
- JRC -JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE- EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Belgium
- UJV REZ, a.s., Czech Republic
- EMPRESA NACIONAL DE RESIDUOS RADIACTIVOS S.A., Spain
- TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY, Finland
- FORTUM POWER AND HEAT OY, Finland
- LIETUVOS ENERGETIKOS INSTITUTAS, Lithuania
- INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF UKRAINE, Ukraine
- ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELS, France
- ALD FRANCE, France
- NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND CONSULTANCY GROUP, Netherlands
- INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA SI INGINERIE NUCLEARA “HORIA HULUBEI” (IFIN-HH), Romania
- RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY AUTHORITY, Czech Republic
- SVENSK KARNBRANSLEHANTERING AKTIEBOLAG, Sweden
- CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS, France
- AMEC FOSTER WHEELER NUCLEAR UK LIMITED, United Kingdom
- CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES ENERGETICAS, MEDIOAMBIENTALES Y TECNOLOGICAS-CIEMAT, Spain
- AREVA NC SA, France
- ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE, France
- MCM MCCOMBIE CHAPMAN MCKINLEY CONSULTING KOLLEKTIVGESELLSCHAFT, Switzerland
- NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING AUTHORITY – NDA, United Kingdom
- MCM ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES LIMITED, United Kingdom
Project Team
| Name, surname | Office | phone. | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
LEI Representative |
|||
| Povilas Poškas | 62-BRK | +37037401891 | Povilas.Poskas@lei.lt |
|
Project Team |
|||
| Ernestas Narkūnas | 54-BRK | +37037401890 | Ernestas.Narkunas@lei.lt |
| Asta Narkūnienė | 64-BRK | +37037401886 | Asta.Narkuniene@lei.lt |
| Dalia Grigaliūnienė | 53-BRK | +37037401992 | Dalia.Grigaliuniene@lei.lt |