The Belgian Supercontainer concept - corrosion issues

The Supercontainer design is the preferred option for the underground disposal of high level nuclear waste in Belgium. It consists of a carbon steel overpack surrounded by a thick concrete buffer. In this high alkaline environment and under normal conditions (without the ingress of aggressive species), the carbon steel overpack will be protected by a passive oxide film, which is believed to result in very low uniform corrosion rates. This paper describes the status of current knowledge of the corrosion behaviour of the carbon steel overpack together with the remaining uncertainties and future key issues from a corrosion point of view.