An Introduction to Nuclear Waste Immobilisation

Michael I. Ojovan has been Nuclear Engineer of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visiting Professor of Imperial College London, Associate Reader in Materials Science and Waste Immobilisation of the University of Sheffield, UK, and Leading Scientist of Radiochemistry Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University. M. Ojovan is Editorial Board Member of scientific journals: “Materials Degradation” (Nature Partner Journal), “International Journal of Corrosion”, “Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations”, “Journal of Nuclear Materials”, and Associate Editor of journal “Innovations in Corrosion and Materials Science”. He has published 12 monographs including the “Handbook of Advanced Radioactive Waste Conditioning Technologies” by Woodhead and three editions of “An Introduction to Nuclear Waste Immobilisation” by Elsevier – 2005, 2013 and 2019. He has founded and led the IAEA International Predisposal Network (IPN) and the IAEA International Project on Irradiated Graphite Processing (GRAPA). M. Ojovan is known for the connectivity-percolation theory of glass transition, Sheffield model (two-exponential equation) of viscosity of glasses and melts, condensed Rydberg matter, metallic and glass-composite materials for nuclear waste immobilisation, and self-sinking capsules to investigate Earth’ deep interior. Professor William E. Lee FREng is Deputy Chair of the Government advisory Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), and Director of the Centre for Nuclear Engineering at Imperial College London, UK. Professor Lee has been Co-Director of the Institute of Security Science and Technology (ISST), Chair in Ceramic Science and Engineering, and President of the American Ceramic Society. Previous positions at Imperial include Director of the Centre for Nuclear Engineering, Director of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy (with Cambridge and The Open Universities), and Director of the Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics. He is a member of the Government advisory committee The Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB), the Leverhulme Trust Panel of Advisors, the Royal Academy of Engineering International Activities Committee, and the Scientific and Environmental Advisory Board Tokamak Energy Ltd. He was from Jan 2006 to Sept 2010 Head of the Department of Materials. Bill was Deputy Chair of the Government advisory Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) from 2007-2013, has acted as special advisor nuclear to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee (2013) and is an IAEA Technical Expert.

1. Introduction to immobilisation

2. Nuclear decay

3. Contaminants and hazards

4. Heavy metals

5. Naturally occurring radionuclides

6. Background radiation

7. Nuclear waste regulations

8. Principles of nuclear waste management

9. Sources and characteristics of nuclear waste

10. Short-lived waste radionuclides

11. Long-lived waste radionuclides

12. Management and characterisation of radioactive waste

13. Pre-treatment of radioactive wastes

14. Treatment of radioactive wastes

15. Immobilisation of radioactive wastes in cement

16. Immobilisation of radioactive wastes in bitumen

17. Immobilisation of radioactive wastes in glass

18. New immobilising hosts and technologies

19. Nuclear waste disposal

20. Performance assessment