Begin from the original form of torture and become immortal

Chapter 1667 Nuclear Waste

In the vast land of America, the nuclear energy industry is like an intricate giant network. It has brought hope for energy but also spawned many thorny problems. The disposal of nuclear waste is one of the most severe challenges.

There are many companies contracted to handle nuclear waste in the United States, but not all of them act responsibly.

After weighing the benefits and costs, it is simply impossible for many companies to build underground facilities to contain nuclear waste according to completely strict standards, which also lays many hidden dangers for the future.

Nuclear waste can be mainly divided into high-level radioactive nuclear waste and medium- and low-level radioactive nuclear waste based on the difference in radioactivity levels.

High-level radioactive nuclear waste mainly comes from the fuel replaced in nuclear reactors, which is called spent fuel in the industry.

Although the uranium content has been greatly reduced after a period of use in the reactor and can no longer maintain efficient nuclear reactions, its radioactivity is still incredibly strong.

This high level of radioactivity means that it poses great potential harm to the surrounding environment and organisms, and even a tiny amount of leakage can cause serious consequences.

Medium and low-level radioactive nuclear waste mainly comes from equipment used in daily life in nuclear power plants, such as working parts that have been irradiated for a long time, and various wastes generated during the production of nuclear fuel.

Compared with high-level nuclear waste, its danger is relatively small, but it should not be taken lightly.

There is a relatively mature and specific process for the treatment of low- and medium-level radioactive nuclear waste.

First, the staff will use professional equipment and technology to compress and solidify the nuclear waste.

Through this step, the volume of nuclear waste can be greatly reduced, which not only facilitates subsequent storage and transportation, but also reduces the risk of leakage to a certain extent.

The compressed and solidified nuclear waste will be carefully placed into special barrels.

These special barrels are not ordinary containers. They are made of special materials and processes. They have extremely strong sealing and radiation resistance, and can effectively prevent radioactive materials from leaking into the external environment.

Once casked, the nuclear waste will be sent to a shallow disposal repository for safe storage.

There are strict standards for the site selection and construction of shallow disposal repositories.

When selecting a site, it is necessary to comprehensively consider multiple factors such as geological structure and hydrological conditions to ensure that the geology of the area where the disposal repository is located is stable and will not be significantly affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

In the repository, nuclear waste is stored quietly.

Over time, radioactive elements will gradually decay and their radioactivity will decrease.

Generally speaking, after decades, the harm of nuclear waste to humans and the environment will gradually decrease to a relatively safe level.

But even so, during the entire processing and storage process, operations must be carried out strictly in accordance with relevant standards and specifications, and no carelessness can be allowed in every link, otherwise it may cause an irreversible disaster.

However, compared with low- and intermediate-level radioactive nuclear waste, the disposal of spent fuel is much more complicated and dangerous.

When the spent fuel is taken out of the reactor, it is like a furnace that has just been extinguished but is still emitting residual heat, with extremely high temperatures and radioactivity.

To reduce radiation hazards, workers must quickly immerse them in a specially designed large pool of water to cool them down.

This cooling process cannot be completed overnight and generally takes 5 to 8 years.

During this long cooling period, workers need to closely monitor the water temperature, water quality and other parameters in the pool. Excessively high water temperature may accelerate the release of radioactive substances in the spent fuel, while changes in water quality may also affect the cooling effect and even trigger other chemical reactions.

Therefore, they must ensure that the cooling effect meets expectations and be fully prepared for subsequent processing work.

After cooling is completed, professional scientific researchers and technicians will conduct a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the spent fuel.

They will use a variety of advanced instruments and analytical methods to determine whether there are any recyclable components in the spent fuel.

For example, it may also contain unreacted uranium-235 and plutonium-239, which are nuclear materials of great value.

If the assessment determines that there are recyclable components, the separation and recycling process will be initiated.

This procedure requires high expertise and sophisticated equipment, as any slight mistake could result in the leakage of radioactive material, with serious consequences.

Although most of the usable nuclear materials have been extracted from the residues remaining after separation and recovery, they still contain a large amount of radioactive substances and must be properly handled.

The residue is carefully placed in special containers that can effectively isolate nuclear radiation.

These containers are designed and manufactured through rigorous testing and verification to withstand extremely high pressures and radiation intensities to ensure that radioactive materials do not leak.

Ultimately, the containers of residue are buried in large warehouses 500 to 1000 meters underground.

Safety is the primary consideration when choosing a burial site.

The chosen location must be extremely stable and able to withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic activity and explosions.

Because the radioactive half-life of nuclear waste ranges from tens of thousands of years to 10 years, this means that the burial site must always remain safe and reliable over such a long period of time, and no situation that could lead to nuclear waste leakage can occur.

However, the disposal of nuclear waste is not only a technical issue, but also a global problem, in which the site selection and cost of the disposal repository are crucial links.

The site selection of a disposal repository requires comprehensive consideration of many factors.

In addition to the stability of the geographical environment and the suitability of the geological structure mentioned above, factors such as local population distribution and ecological environment also need to be considered.

If the location of the disposal repository is inappropriate, it may have a serious impact on the health and lives of surrounding residents and may also damage the local ecological environment.

At the same time, building a disposal repository requires huge investment.

From site selection and exploration, design and construction to subsequent monitoring and maintenance, every link requires a lot of financial support.

The funds that outsourcing companies receive from the U.S. government are often limited. Driven by the pursuit of profits, they are naturally unwilling to spend extra time and money to strictly build underground fortifications according to high standards.

Professor Connors has an indescribable special feeling towards radiation.

This induction was like an invisible guide, allowing him to follow his body's instincts and find a nuclear waste warehouse buried underground on the edge of the city.

(End of this chapter)