Woodhead Publishing Nuclear Decommissioning: Planning, Execution and International Experience (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy)

Over the course of their operational life, a variety of components in both nuclear power plants and other civilian nuclear facilities will become contaminated by irradiation from the radioactive sources present. Once these power plants or facilities have come to the end of their operational lifetime, the need to decommission and decontaminate them arises. This book critically reviews the decommissioning and decontamination processes and technologies available for rehabilitating sites used for nuclear power generation and civilian nuclear facilities, from fundamental issues and best practices, to procedures and technology, and onto decommissioning and decontamination case studies. Key Features: critically reviews nuclear decommissioning processes and technologies applicable to nuclear power plants and other civilian nuclear facilities; discusses the fundamental planning issues in starting a nuclear decommissioning process; considers the execution phase of nuclear decommissioning projects, including dismantling, decontamination, and radioactive waste management, as well as environmental remediation, site clearance and reuse. Contents: Introduction to nuclear decommissioning: Definitions and history. Part 1 Planning: Fundamental issues in starting a nuclear decommissioning process: Overview of nuclear decommissioning principles and approaches; Nuclear decommissioning policy, infrastructure, strategies and project planning; Financing and economics of nuclear facility decommissioning; Characterisation of radioactive materials in redundant nuclear facilities: Key issues for the decommissioning plan; Managing the transition from operation to decommissioning of a nuclear facility; Nuclear decommissioning project organization, management and human resources; Public engagement and stakeholder consultation in nuclear decommissioning projects; Radiological protection in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities: Safety, regulations and licensing; Nuclear facility design and operation to facilitate decommissioning: lessons learned. Part 2 Execution: Nuclear decommissioning processes and technologies, radioactive waste management, site rehabilitation and cleanup: Safe enclosure and entombment strategies in nuclear decommissioning projects; Dismantling and demolition processes and technologies in nuclear decommissioning projects; Decontamination processes and technologies in nuclear decommissioning projects; Remote operation and robotics technologies in nuclear decommissioning projects; Radioactive waste management in nuclear decommissioning projects; Environmental remediation and restoration technologies in nuclear decommissioning projects; Site clearance and licence termination in nuclear decommissioning projects; Reuse and redevelopment of decommissioned nuclear sites: Strategies and lessons learned. Part 3 International experience: Nuclear decommissioning applications and case studies: Decommissioning of Russian-type water-cooled water-moderated nuclear reactors (WWERs); Decommissioning of gas cooled nuclear reactors (GCRs); Decommissioning of nuclear fuel cycle facilities; Decommissioning of small nuclear facilities: industrial, medical and research facilities; Decommissioning of legacy nuclear waste sites: Dounreay, UK; Decommissioning of legacy nuclear waste sites: Idaho National Laboratory, USA; Information management for nuclear decommissioning projects.