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Title: Chemical modeling of backfill composed of quartz sand, lime and an Fe-phase

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/469085· OSTI ID:469085

The area adjacent to the waste package is an important component of the engineered barrier system in a high level radioactive waste repository. The combination of lime, quartz sand, and a phase containing reduced iron is investigated whether it can achieve reduction of oxygen in the waste emplacement drift (thereby reducin corrosion rates) and increase the pH. The simulations conducted to date have examined the following backfill options: Fe metal only, Fe metal and lime, and iron metal/lime/quartz sand in equal volume ratios. Each option was simulated under two environments: limited and unlimited air exchange with the atmosphere. Results suggest that the most important variable during the process of chemical conditioning is the amount of air exchange that occurs in the emplacement drift. The desired chemical conditioing (both oxidation potential and pH) will be far less effective in an emplacement that experiences an unlimited exchange of air with the atmosphere.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
469085
Report Number(s):
UCRL-ID-124631; ON: DE97051933
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Jan 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English