ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF DEPLETED URANIUM AS A PROTECTIVE MATERIAL FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT

An analysis of the use of depleted uranium as a protective material for containers for the storage of high-level waste. By its protective properties, it surpasses all known materials used in protection against ionizing radiation. The article analyzes the possibility of improving the container used at the ChNPP for the storage of HLW KTZV0,2. Developed models and calculations carried with the possible addition of depleted uranium to the composite of concrete, as well as the possibility of using, instead of lead, segments of depleted uranium in containers with the addition of an additional protective layer. Calculations have shown that the use of depleted uranium in protective containers for HLW allows reducing the total number of containers. That required for temporary storage of HLW in ChNPP repositories, which makes it possible to optimize the scheme of radioactive waste management at ChNPP during the work on the decommissioning and conversion of the Shelter object on an environmentally safe system. The application of depleted uranium as an impurity to the concrete composite and the use of it as an additional metal protection in containers KTZV-0,2, considered by us, showed that:there is a decrease in the dose rate from 2 to 4 times, depending on the addition of the percentage to the concrete composite; the efficiency of the protective properties of the use of uranium is increased compared with lead in the application of depleted uranium in the form of metal plates. This allows you to increase the activity of VAB in the container to 3.95E + 18 Bq, compared with lead.