Management options for Fukushima corium

摘要: Abstract The loss of core cooling for units 1–3 during the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi caused major fuel damage. Although full details are not yet available, melting produced corium within reactor pressure vessels that has, to an unknown degree, melted through into primary containment. present priority is damaged reactors and managing contaminated water, but planning longer term decommissioning has already begun. Management highly will be concern, with main options being recovery reprocessing or packaging direct disposal. latter option may have significant cost advantages, it presents some novel safety challenges both operational post-closure phases. Concerns include criticality management modelling long-term dissolution materials having variable composition. Further R&D required fill knowledge gaps – which most sensitive involve determination extent small “hot particles” been produced.