Germany-based NUKEM Technologies (part of Rosatom) announced it has won a tender launched by Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials ONDRAF/NIRAS to design and supply a plant for the conditioning of intermediate level waste concentrates to be operated at the Belgoprocess site in Dessel.
The contractor is to implement the process as an in-drum mixer with a lost stirrer. NUKEM Technologies will take over the design, delivery, assembly and commissioning of the plant. The project will be implemented in three phases:
Phase 1. Study – Review, optimisation, and finalisation of the concept as well as the basic and detail engineering (including the required risk analyses). The basic study will then be subjected to a peer review.
Phase 2. "Cold run" Construction, testing and optimisation of the plant in a mock-up facility.
Phase 3. "Hot run" Setup of the plant in a hot cell at its final location in the controlled area, followed by checks and tests of the equipment, training of the personnel and commissioning.
The expected project duration is five years. At Belgoprocess in Dessel, nitrate-rich, acidic intermediate level radioactive liquids are stored, partly from previous dismantling activities; more are expected. These liquids have to be previously further concentrated (not in the scope of the tender) and then need to be homogeneously cemented.
