ZWILAG Zwischenlager Würenlingen AG
Industriestrasse Beznau 1
5303 Würenlingen AG Switzerland
+41 56 297 47 11
    • 1
      Conditioning plant
    • 2
      Storage hall
    • 3
      Storage building for medium-level waste
    • 4
      Hot cell
    • 5
      Reception building
    • 6
      Cask storage hall
    • 7
      Plasma plant

    Typical operation processes

    • 1 – Delivery by rail or road

      Casks holding spent fuel elements from nuclear plants or highly active waste from reprocessing facilities are delivered through the transfer station or directly by road in heavy goods vehicles to the reception building.

    • 2 – Unloading and leak tests

      The casks are unloaded in the reception building and checked for leaks by specialist staff at a specially fitted workstation.

    • 3 – Storage in the cask storage hall

      A transfer vehicle is used to transport the casks to the cask storage hall, where a crane is used to move them to their permanent location. The casks are then connected to a monitoring system and are monitored constantly for leaks.

    Storage of spent fuel elements and highly active waste

    • 1 – Delivery by rail

      Medium-level waste from foreign reprocessing facilities is delivered to the transfer station in large transport casks. A cask usually holds up to 28 heat-sealed steel canisters of vitrified medium-level waste.

    • 2 – Transfer to storage containers

      The steel canisters holding vitrified, medium-level residue from reprocessing facilities are unloaded from the transport casks in the reception building and transferred to storage containers. Everything is done by remote control using state of the art equipment.

    • 3 – Transfer to storage building for medium-level waste

      The full storage containers are taken to the storage building for medium-level waste and stacked in the storage bays. The storage building was constructed to be earthquake-proof and is constantly monitored with the help of various measuring instruments.

    Storage of medium-level waste

    • 1 – Delivery of operational waste

      Low-level operational waste from the Swiss nuclear plants and radioactive medical, industrial and research waste are delivered in raw waste drums. A special 40-foot container is used for these transports.

    • 2 – Melting down and incineration in the plasma plant

      The raw waste drums are melted down together with their content. The organic matter is incinerated and the residue is mixed with liquid glass and poured into steel moulds.

    • 3 – Transfer to 200-litre drums for final storage

      The processed 200-litre drums for final storage prepared in the plasma plant are transferred to containers in the reception building. Each storage container holds 68 drums for final storage.

    • 4 – Transfer to storage building for medium-level waste

      The full storage containers are taken to the storage building for medium-level waste and stacked in the storage bays. The storage building was constructed to be earthquake-proof and is constantly monitored with the help of various measuring instruments.

    Treatment of operational waste in the plasma plant

    • 1 – Delivery of components from nuclear power plants

      Spent components and other goods are collected as waste during maintenance projects in the nuclear power plants. This waste is delivered to the conditioning plant by road.

    • 2 – Treatment and decontamination

      The delivered components are dismantled and completely decontaminated of radioactive materials if possible so that it can be disposed conventionally as inactive waste.

    • 3 – Compaction of residue in cement containers

      The residue from the decontamination process is packed in cement in small cement containers or sent to the plasma plant for further treatment.

    • 4 – Transfer to storage containers

      The cement containers holding the compacted, low-level conditioning waste are transferred to storage containers.

    • 5 – Storage in storage building for medium-level waste

      The full storage containers are taken to the storage building for medium-level waste and stacked in the storage bays. The storage building was constructed to be earthquake-proof and is constantly monitored with the help of various measuring instruments.

    • 6 – Release and conventional disposal

      The waste is tested to make sure that it is free from radioactive materials and is transferred to the normal recycling process as conventional waste. These tests are subject to strict official requirements and are monitored by the authorities.

    Decontamination and component conditioning

  • Transfer station Conditioning plant Storage hall Storage building for medium-level waste Hot cell Reception building Cask storage hall Plasma plant

    Typical operation processes

    • 1 – Delivery by rail or road

      Casks holding spent fuel elements from nuclear plants or highly active waste from reprocessing facilities are delivered through the transfer station or directly by road in heavy goods vehicles to the reception building.
      more information

    • 2 – Unloading and leak tests

      The casks are unloaded in the reception building and checked for leaks by specialist staff at a specially fitted workstation.
      more information

    • 3 – Storage in the cask storage hall

      A transfer vehicle is used to transport the casks to the cask storage hall, where a crane is used to move them to their permanent location. The casks are then connected to a monitoring system and are monitored constantly for leaks.
      more information

    Storage of spent fuel elements and highly active waste

    • 1 – Delivery by rail

      Medium-level waste from foreign reprocessing facilities is delivered to the transfer station in large transport casks. A cask usually holds up to 28 heat-sealed steel canisters of vitrified medium-level waste.
      more information

    • 2 – Transfer to storage containers

      The steel canisters holding vitrified, medium-level residue from reprocessing facilities are unloaded from the transport casks in the reception building and transferred to storage containers. Everything is done by remote control using state of the art equipment.
      more information

    • 3 – Transfer to storage building for medium-level waste

      The full storage containers are taken to the storage building for medium-level waste and stacked in the storage bays. The storage building was constructed to be earthquake-proof and is constantly monitored with the help of various measuring instruments.
      more information

    Storage of medium-level waste

    • 1 – Delivery of operational waste

      Low-level operational waste from the Swiss nuclear plants and radioactive medical, industrial and research waste are delivered in raw waste drums. A special 40-foot container is used for these transports.

    • 2 – Melting down and incineration in the plasma plant

      The raw waste drums are melted down together with their content. The organic matter is incinerated and the residue is mixed with liquid glass and poured into steel moulds.
      more information

    • 3 – Transfer to 200-litre drums for final storage

      The processed 200-litre drums for final storage prepared in the plasma plant are transferred to containers in the reception building. Each storage container holds 68 drums for final storage.
      more information

    • 4 – Transfer to storage building for medium-level waste

      The full storage containers are taken to the storage building for medium-level waste and stacked in the storage bays. The storage building was constructed to be earthquake-proof and is constantly monitored with the help of various measuring instruments.
      more information

    Treatment of operational waste in the plasma plant

    • 1 – Delivery of components from nuclear power plants

      Spent components and other goods are collected as waste during maintenance projects in the nuclear power plants. This waste is delivered to the conditioning plant by road.

    • 2 – Treatment and decontamination

      The delivered components are dismantled and completely decontaminated of radioactive materials if possible so that it can be disposed conventionally as inactive waste.
      more information

    • 3 – Compaction of residue in cement containers

      The residue from the decontamination process is packed in cement in small cement containers or sent to the plasma plant for further treatment.
      more information

    • 4 – Transfer to storage containers

      The cement containers holding the compacted, low-level conditioning waste are transferred to storage containers.
      more information

    • 5 – Storage in storage building for medium-level waste

      The full storage containers are taken to the storage building for medium-level waste and stacked in the storage bays. The storage building was constructed to be earthquake-proof and is constantly monitored with the help of various measuring instruments.
      more information

    • 6 – Release and conventional disposal

      The waste is tested to make sure that it is free from radioactive materials and is transferred to the normal recycling process as conventional waste. These tests are subject to strict official requirements and are monitored by the authorities.
      more information

    Decontamination and component conditioning

Model of the facility

Here you find information about the most important parts of the facility.

The typical operational processes I and II show the storage of casks and containers containing high and medium level waste.

The typical operational processes III and IV show the treatment of low level waste originating from nuclear power plants and waste for which the Confederation is responsible, i.e. radioactive waste from research, health care and industrial applications.