Overview of European concepts for high-level waste and spent fuel disposal with special reference waste container corrosion

This paper provides a brief overview of current repository and engineered barrier system (EBS) designs in selected high-level waste (HLW) and spent fuel (SF) disposal concepts from European countries, with special reference to key metallic waste containers and corrosion processes. The paper discusses assessments of copper, iron and steel container corrosion behaviour under the environmental conditions expected, given likely repository host rocks and groundwaters, and comments on the significance of corrosion processes, the choice of waste container materials, and areas of research. Most of the HLW and/or SF disposal programmes in European countries are pursuing disposal options in which the primary waste container is designed, in conjunction with the surrounding EBS materials, to provide complete containment of the waste for at least the period when temperatures in the disposal system are significantly raised by radioactive decay.