NUCE 428
Radioactive Waste Control
Spring 2000
Prof. Arthur T. Motta Prof.
Barry E. Scheetz
231 Sackett Bldg. 107
Materials Research Lab.
865-0036 865-3539
atm2@psu.edu se6@psu.edu
Textbook
(for reference): R.L.Murray, “Understanding Radioactive Waste”
Class
Notes
This
course provides an introduction to the technical issues regarding the disposal
of high-level and low-level radioactive waste, as a basis for understanding and
discussing the environmental and societal impact of the problem. The topics
covered range from a basic introduction to the nuclear fuel cycle, a historical
perspective on radioactive waste, and basics of biological effects of ionizing
radiation, to the alternatives considered for waste disposal, with heavy
emphasis on geologic disposal.
The
focus of the course is interdisciplinary, combining nuclear engineering,
geochemistry, chemical engineering, civil engineering and risk assessment, to
correctly address the relevant technical issues. The course will include two
group projects and class presentations and discussions on environmental aspects
of radioactive waste disposal. In previous years, project topics included the environmental
risks of energy technologies, options for disposition of excess weapons
plutonium and the scientific basis for maximum radiation exposure levels. Each
student will also present a topic of his/her choice this semester
This
course is part of the Environmental minor in the College, and can serve as a
technical elective for undergraduate students or as an introductory course for
graduate students who will perform work in environmental aspects of waste. No
pre-requisites are required, beyond basic Physics and Chemistry.
Topics:
1.
Introduction/Basics
of Nuclear Power/Nuclear Fuel Cycle
2.
Radioactive
Wastes: Definition and
Classification/Sources/Activity/Volume
3.
Biological
Effects of Ionizing Radiation
4.
Disposal
Options for High Level Wastes/Geologic Disposal/Waste Forms
5.
Radionuclide
Release from Waste Repositories
6.
Radionuclide
Migration in Geologic Media
7.
Natural
Analogues/Oklo
8.
Low
Level Waste Disposal/The Pennsylvania Case
9.
Mill
Tailings/Transport of Waste
10.
Options
of Choice in the US and in Other Countries
11.
Pu
issues: Reprocessing, Actinide Burning,
Mixed-Oxide Fuel
12.
Risk
Assessment and Performance Assessment of Waste Repositories
13.
Radioactive
Waste and the Future of Nuclear Power
Grading
for this course will have the following distribution:
Midterm
Exam 20%
Final
Exam 25%
Class
Project 20%
Class
Presentation 10%
Homework
10%
Quizzes 10%
Class
Participation 5%
Attendance
to class is mandatory; if you need to be absent, you need to notify the
instructors by email prior to class.
Books
text:
R. L. Murray, “Understanding Radioactive Waste,” Third Ed., Battelle Press,
1989.
1.
D.
F. Lau, “Radioactivity and Nuclear Waste Disposal,” John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,
1987.
2.
R.
E. Berlin and C. C. Stanton, “Radioactive Waste Management,” John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 1989.
3.
M.
Benedict, T. H. Pigford, H. W. Levi, “Nuclear Chemical Engineering,”
McGraw-Hill, 1981.
4.
B.
L. Cohen, “Before It’s Too Late,” Plenum Press, NY and London, 1983, “The
Nuclear Energy Option,” Plenum, 1990.
5.
Y.
S. Tang and J. H. Saling, “Radioactive Waste Management,” Hemisphere, 1990.
6.
R.
Roy, “Radioactive Waste Disposal,” Pergamon Press, 1982.
7.
W.
Lutze and R. C. Ewing eds., “Radioactive Waste Forms for the Future,” North
Holland, 1988.
8.
J.
R. Lamarsh, “Introduction to Nuclear Engineering,” Addison Wesley, 1977.
9.
J.
H. Fremlin, “Power Production What are the Risks?” 2nd. Ed., Adam
Hilger and Bristol, New York, 1989.
10.
L.
J. Carter, “Nuclear Imperatives and Public Trust,” Resources for the Future,
Washington 1987.
11.
F.
C. Shapiro, “RadWaste,” Random House, 1981.
12.
V.
M. Oversby, “Nuclear Waste Materials,” Ch. 12 in Nuclear Materials, B.R.T.
Frost, ed., Vol 10B, “Nuclear Materials” in Materials Science & Technology
Series, R. W. Cahn, P. Haasen and E. Kramer, eds. VCH, 1994, pp. 391-442.
13.
The
Geologic Disposal of Nuclear Waste, N. A. Chapman and I. G. McKinley, Wiley,
1982.
14.
The
Scientific and Regulatory Basis for Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste,
D.Savage, ed., Wiley, 1995.
·
MRS
Symposia on Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management I-XXI.
·
Radioactive
Waste Conference Series – R. G. Post, ed.
·
Journal of Nuclear Materials 192 (1992) volume dedicated to Rad. Waste Management.
·
Radioactive
Waste Management and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Harwood Publishers, journal
dedicated to rad waste.
·
Health
Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation, BEIRV, NRC, 1990
General
Articles/428
Reader – Engineering Library
·
Materials
for Nuclear Waste Disposal, MRS Bulletin, 12/1994.
·
N.
Tsoulfanidis and R. G. Cochran, “Radioactive Waste Management,” Nucl. Tech.
Vol. 13, (1991) 263-304.
·
R.
L. Murray, “Radioactive Waste Storage and Disposal,” Proc. IEEE 74 (1986)
552-579.
·
The
Status of Near-Field Modeling. Proc.
Tech Workshop, Cadarache, France,
11-13, May 1993.
OECD, 1993.
·
A.
C. Lasaga, "Rate Laws of Chemical Reactions" in “Kinetics of
Geochemical Processes,” Reviews in Mineralogy, vol 8, 1981, A. C. Lasaga,
R. J. Kirkpatrick, eds. Mineralogical Society of American. pp. 1-67.
·
B.
Jensen, “Migration Phenomena of Radionuclides into the Geosphere,” Harwood,
Brussels and Luxembourg, 1982.
·
D.
G. Brookins, “Geochemical Aspects of Radioactive Waste Disposal,”
Springer-Verlag, New York, 1984.