Proceedings of the Seminar on Eurochemic Experience June 9-11, 1983, Mol, Belgium W. Drtnt E. Delande (editors^ April, 1984 SEMINAR ON EUROCHEMIC EXPERIENCE June 9-11, 19*3, Mol, Belgium Honorary Committee P. Huet, Counsel of State, Paris, France. L.A. Nojd, Chairman of Eurochemic's Board of Liquidators. R. Rometsch, President of NAGRA, Baden, Switzerland. H.K. Shapar, Director-general of NEA, Paris, France. Y. Sousselier, Chairman of Eurochemic's Technical Committee. Organizing Committee E. Detilieux (president), Eurochemic, Mol, Belgium. W. Drent (secretary), Eurochemic, Mol, Belgium. H. Eschrich, Eurochemic, Mol, Belgium. R. Grolade, USSI, Bagneux, France. R. Kroebel, KfK, Karlsruhe, Germany (FR). F. Marcus, Ris«£ Establishment, Roskilde, Denmark. 0. Martinet le, Eurochemic, Mol, Belgium. F. Rolandi, ENEA, Rome, Italy. P. Strohl, NEA, Paris, France. Organized by the European Company for the Chemical Processing of Irradiated Fuels (Eurochem i c ) under the patronage of the OECP Nuclear Energy Agency TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Opening Remarks E. Det i Ileux Introductory Remarks H.K. Shapar First Session: HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE EUROCHEMIC COMPANY Introduct i on Y. SousseI i er Eurochemic, origine et principales étapes P. Huet 1 L'expérience d'Eurochemic en ce qui concerne les aspects institutionnels de la coopération internationale en matière scientifique et technique P. Strohl 9 Eurochemic and the Law of the Host Country 0. von Busekist 15 The United States - Eurochemic Assistance Programme E.M. Shank 29 Construction and Startup of the Reprocessing Plant T. Barendregt 37 Survey on Research and Development, Safety and Safeguards R. Rometsch 45 Operation of the Plant and the Period after Shutdown E. Det i Ileux 53 Second Session: TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE OF EUROCHEMIC R&D Achievements at Eurochemic H. Eschrich 67 Eurochemic Plant Operation Experience B. Gustafs&on and L. Geens 83 Eurochemic Experience in Process Control and Safeguards Ana Iyses R. Berg and H. Bokelund 95 Safeguards Experience Gained at Eurochemic E. Van der Stijl 103 Decontamination, Decommissioning and Waste Management at Eurochem i c W. Hild 107 Development Work on Waste Conditioning J. van Geel 121 Health and Safety Aspects of Reprocessing at Eurochemic A. Osipenco 129 Third Session: PANEL ON APPLICATION OF EUROCHEMIC EXPERIENCE Int roduct i or. F. Marcus 139 Future Developments for Fuel Reprocessing and Radioactive Waste Management R. Kroebel 141 Influence of Eurochemic Experience on the Japanese and French Reprocessing Plants M. Lung 147 Application of Eurochemic Experience at EMEA S. Cao lr.Q The Evolution of National Policy in the Federal Republic of Germany on Fuel Cycle and Radwaste Management W. Schüller 16.J Application of Eurochemic Experience at Urenco J. Asyee In1- Spent Fuel Transportation - More Than 20 Years of Experience H. Keese 173 Use of Eurochemic Experience in a Conventional Electric Power Stat i on J. Klitgaard 1/9 What the Staff of a Licensing Authority Could Have Gained From Peing Employed By Eurochem c W. Hun=inger lsl Application of Experience Gained at. Eurochemic in Critical ity Control, Shielding and Nuclear Safety H. Zünd 183 Eurochemic and the Belgian Nuclear Programme P. Dejonghe 1^7 Conclusions of the Third Session F. Marcus 191 Fourth Session: CONCLUSIONS Eurochemic et la coopération internationale dans It ret ra i tement Y . Sousselier 193 Impressions of a Senior Member of the Board S. Ter.jesen 199 Eurochemic: A Challenge or a Lost, Opportunity ? W. Heinz and R.P. Rand! 203 L'avenir du retraitement en Belgique M. Frerotte 209 CLOSING Conclusive Remarks F. Knoops 215 Address of Thanks E. IV t iI I eux 219 CI os i ng Remarks L.A. No.jd 223 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS ! 1ST OF AIM HOR.- INTRODUCTION Does a family gathering need an introduction ? The editors of these proceedings discussed it on various occasions, the one being a long time member of the Eurochemic family, the other only having become a member when the family was already splitt i ng up. Of course, the members of the Eurochemic family and the people having attended the Seminar on Eurochemic Experience do not need any further introduction. They know Eurochemic served as the home base for many a nuclear chemist, physicist, business man throughout Europe. But for the new­ comers, and for those who maybe wi I I serve the new Company, we thought it useful to stress once again that Eurochemic is not only a technical achievement, but also a unique social achievement, giving birth to lifelong friendships and business ties all over the world. So we decided to render the papers as they were presented, without cutting the small talk. In that way, we hope every reader will be convinced of the fact that Eurochemic has been worth its money. Wi!lem DRENT Els DELANDE OPENING REMARKS by Emile Detilieux, Manager of Eurochemic Thanks to the collaboration of many of you, this review of the adventure of Euro­ chemic can be made: the creation of the company, the design and construction of the facilities, the operation, and finally the shutdown of the plant. This seminar takes place 25 years after the start of the work on the Eurochemic project. Indeed, the research and study office created in the frame of the European Nuclear Energy Agency ordered its first offices in the laboratories of the SCKICEN in April 1958. But the seminar also takes place on a turning point in the history of this adven­ ture Eurochemic. On the one side, the programme still carried out on an interna­ tional basis comes towards an end. But on the other hand, recent decisions taken in Belgium let us hope that the plant will be reopened. It is in this perspective that I wish all of you an interesting seminar. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS by Howard K. Shapar, Director-general of NEA ƒ( is my pleasure to be here with you today and take part in the Seminar on Euro- chemic Experience. To me, this meeting has also the flavour of an anniversary, because we are celebrating the quarter of a century of a unique international co­ operation in one of the most challenging areas of nuclear technology. Set up in 1959, the Company is indeed a major example of successful technical co­ operation in the nuclear field. In the 25 year record, the international cooperation is a significant achievement in which the Agency takes pride and satisfaction. The NEA, which celebrated its own anniversary earlier this year, attaches particu­ lar importance to Eurochemic, its oldest joint undertaking and one of the three ma­ jor projects originally set up, the other two being of course the Halden reactor project and the Dragon gas-cooled reactor project. All three were created when Europe recognized the importance of nuclear energy and the clear advantage of cooperating in the development work and the expense. Euro­ chemic was the only joint undertaking which did not concern the reactors. But the member countries required the technology of reprocessing, training experts and gaining experience in building and operating a reprocessing plant. The Company has also made significant progress in the technology of reprocessing, and now Eurochemic is engaged in the management of radioactive waste and has therefore the same pioneering role as it had at the start in a sector which is as important in the development of nuclear energy as reprocessing. We therefore granted our sponsorship for this seminar devoted to the analysis of the experiences of international cooperation on both technical and legal points of view. The successive steps in the life of Eurochemic demonstrate how, throughout the years, the Company has given particular attention to the evolving needs of its par­ ticipants in the field of reprocessing, and has oriented its successive programmes of work to keep abreast of development. In the two and a half decades of its ex­ perience, Eurochemic has provided its participants with experience on technique of reprocessing and waste management techniques well suited to their rrquirrmrn^s. Several generations of scientists were able to gather their experience through Euro- chemtc and to collaborate with many other scientists. We are happy to see here to­ day so many former members of the Eurochemic team. But 1 feel sure that meaning­ ful experience is still to be gained. I would like tc thank the Belgian authorities once again for the active support they have always given to each of our joint undertakings. International cooperation is an essential element, and I hope that Eurochemic, under whatever form its re­ birth takes place, will pursue its useful work for many years to come. I wish you a most interesting seminar. First Session HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE EUROCHEMIC COMPANY Chairman Yves Sousselier Chairman of Eurochemic's Technical Committee Speakers Pierre Huet Conseiller d'Etat, Paris, France Pierre Strohl Directeur général adjoint de l'AEN Otto von Busekist Secretary of the Board of Eurochemic Ear I Shank Former American adviser to Eurochemic Teun Barendregt Former technical director of Eurochemic's reprocessing plant Rudolf Rometsch Former general manager of Eurochemic Emile DetiIleux Manager of Eurochemic Introduction Y. Sousselier Un après-midi de 1956, mon patron m'appelait dans son bureau et m'a dit: Il y a Goldschmidt qui m'envoie demain à une réunion à l'OCDE, sur la construction d'une usine de retraitement. Ni Goldschmidt ni moi nous croyons que cela se fera jamais. Cela n'a vraiment aucun intérêt, mais enfin, il faut qu'on y soit repré­ senté. Je n 'ai pas de temps à perdre, est-ce que vous pouvez y aller ? Et j'étais à cette réunion. Cela a été ma première rencontre avec un certain nombre de personnes que je suis heureux de retrouver ici. Cela a été aussi le début d'une aventure assez extraordinaire, que nous allons revivre au cours de ces deux jours, et spécialement au cours de cette première session, et je m'en réjouis avec vous.