The HLW Disposal Container: Design, Manufacturing and Qualification - 23201

In the future French geological radioactive waste disposal facility (Cigeo), about 60,000 high-level waste (HLW) primary packages will be disposed of 500 m below ground level in about 900 dedicated cells. The primary packages received from waste producers are to be overpacked to meet Andra's operational and long-term safety requirements. The paper presents the results of 20 years of studies on the disposal containers consisting of a cylindrical shell made of low-carbon unalloyed forged steel. These studies particularly led to qualification tests in normal and accident operation on prototypes. (authors)