An Application of Conventional Building Technology in the Storage of LowLevel Solid Reactor Wastes

Abstract

Ontario Hydro has been engaged in the interim storage of low and medium level solid reactor wastes since 1967. Over the past 14 years, engineered inground concrete trenches have provided safe, retrievable storage capacity for the bulk of the waste arising from Ontario Hydro's nuclear generation program. In addition to concrete trenches, inground concrete cylinders (tile holes) and above ground concrete vaults (Quadricells) have been designed and constructed to store disposable ion-exchange columns, spent filters and bulk ion-exchange resins.

In 1978, Ontario Hydro initiated a conceptual design study on the future storage of solid reactor wastes. The objective of the study was to develop a bulk storage concept which would reduce both reactor waste storage costs and storage site land consumption. The study, completed in 1979, recommended a conventional pre-stressed, pre-fabricated, concrete storage building concept as Ontario Hydro's future bulk reactor waste storage facility. This new, low level storage building (LLSB) will be placed in-service by September 1982, reducing bulk storage costs by a factor of three while reducing land consumption by a factor of 10 over present Ontario Hydro trench storage facilities. The storage building complements the capabilities of the other Ontario Hydro storage facility designs.