Asse staff complete work area in front of emplacement chamber 7

Drilling for installing a stand pipe for the preventer

Staff of the Asse-GmbH set up the drilling device in front of emplacement chamber 7 and drilled a four-metre-deep hole into the sealing dam using a ten-centimetre-thick drilling device. The hole separates the waste from the residual mine. The so-called stand pipe was concreted into the borehole. The stand pipe is a massive steel pipe the preventer is fastened to later on..

Following encasing in concrete, it was hydraulic pressure tested whether the stand pipe is tight. This is vital, as later on, when the emplacement chamber will be drilled into, there must be no uncontrollable release of radioactive substances.

Measuring devices for radiation protection control

Parallel to this, the Asse staff equipped the two measurement containers where the debris will be examined in the scope of the radiation protection control. Furthermore the staff installed important supply units for pressurised air or fire fighting.

The BfS Repository Surveillance unit and external experts need to approve all devices and safety-related equipment. Only after this has been done, may the Asse staff start drilling into emplacement chamber 7.