Cradle to Grave Lifecycle Process Analysis for Transuranic Waste Management Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract
Amid World War II, in the late 1930s, nuclear fission was discovered. This revolution gave way to the development of nuclear technologies, including the world’s first atomic bomb; these advancements in nuclear research left behind radioactive waste. Radioactive waste is known as the byproduct of nuclear reactors, fuel processing plants, hospitals, nuclear research facilities, as well as the result from the decommissioning and dismantling of radiation-exposed buildings and materials. This byproduct may be dangerous to workers, the public, and the environment and must, therefore, be handled with utmost safety. Given this, radioactive waste must be processed, stored, and disposed of safely. This study found that radioactive waste management differed broadly by national laboratory. Hence, this study was guided based on not having a physical document devoted to the understanding of the lifecycle of transuranic waste at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Information was gathered through public resources, as well as from on-site documentation. Compilation of data to further understand the radioactive waste management process at the Los Alamos National Laboratory was carried out. Therefore, this study would focus on the transuranic waste lifecycle from planning and generation to its end destination for permanent isolation or disposal. The subsequent arguments guided this study: • Study the Transuranic Waste lifecycle from generation to disposal. • Document the processes and regulations that follow the waste management cycle. • Analyze the current workings to enhance the waste management process.
Subject Area
Mechanical engineering
Recommended Citation
Dominguez, Cesar Enrique, "Cradle to Grave Lifecycle Process Analysis for Transuranic Waste Management Los Alamos National Laboratory" (2019). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI27671385.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI27671385