2nd US-German Workshop on Salt Repository Research, Design, and Operation held in Peine (Germany)
On November 09 and 10, 2011, the "2nd US-German Workshop on Salt Repository Research, Design and Operation" took place in Peine (Germany). This workshop had been managed DBE TECHNOLOGY GmbH together with Projektträger Karlsruhe (PTKA-WTE, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology), and Sandia National Laboratories (US).
Now that the Yucca mountain project for the final disposal of high level radioactive waste in tuff formations has been discontinued, investigations to identify other suitable host rocks and sites are to be carried out in the USA. There, salt formations have been used for the final disposal of transuranium waste from military installations (WIPP, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, New Mexico) since 1999. Due to the positive experience gained at this site, studies have been initiated to analyse if other salt formations are suitable for the final disposal of radioactive waste. In Germany, repository research in salt formations has been carried out for more than 40 years.
Based on the results of the first US-German Workshop, which was held in the USA in May 2010, the objective of the second workshop was to intensify the cooperation between Germany and the USA in the field of repository research in salt formations, to coordinate a potential research program which meets mutual interests, and to increase the collective efforts for the benefits of the respective programs.
During the workshop, the current status of repository research in salt formations in Germany and the USA was outlined. In 5 sessions, safety analyses, sealing concepts for repositories in salt, strategies for the backfilling of mine openings, deformation and healing of rock salt, and natural analogues for the final disposal in salt were presented and discussed.
DBE TECHNOLOGY GmbH reported on the following issues:
- Sealing concepts for repositories in salt
- Strategies for the backfilling of mine openings