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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
Josep M. Soler, Urs K. Mäder
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 151 | Number 1 | September 2005 | Pages 128-133
Technical Note | doi.org/10.13182/NSE05-A2535
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Reactive transport calculations simulating the interaction between hyperalkaline solutions derived from the degradation of cement and potential host rocks for repositories for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste have been performed. Two different cases are shown: (a) The example of the planned repository at Wellenberg and (b) the modeling of the GTS-HPF experiment at the Grimsel Test Site. The GIMRT code has been used for the simulations. Mineral reactions are described by kinetic rate laws. The reaction rates for the primary minerals are based on experimentally determined rates published in the literature and geometric considerations combined with measurements regarding mineral surface areas. Relatively fast rates for the secondary minerals have been used, so the results resemble the local equilibrium solution for these minerals. In both cases, the alteration of the rock and the precipitation of secondary phases cause a reduction in the permeability of the system, which would actually be beneficial for the performance of a repository. Mineral surface area controls, to a large extent, the amount of mineral alteration and the change in permeability.