TESTING OF FLOW THROUGH STRESS CORROSION CRACKS
One aspect of licensing the high-level nuclear waste repository to be located at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is the determination of the inclusion of the effects of features, events, and processes (FEPs) on the performance of the repository. Among the FEPs evaluated are the advection of solids and liquids through stress corrosion cracks in waste packages and drip shields. The presence of one or more cracks or other small openings of sufficient size in a waste package or drip shield may provide a pathway for the advective flow of water (e.g., thin films or droplets) or solid material through a waste package or drip shield. The resulting flux may affect drip shield performance and/or subsequent dripping onto or into the waste packages. The objective of this set of tests involved the detection/non-detection of advective water flow through stress cracks similar to those that may occur in the drip shield or waste package. If sufficient flow volume was present then attempts were made to quantify the volume of water flow through a stress crack. Literature was reviewed to identify previous studies and models that may be relevant to the current study of flow through stress corrosion cracks in a drip shield or waste package. Although no studies could be found that were directly applicable to our current problem, studies were identified that investigated portions of the overall problem. The papers that were reviewed were organized into the following categories: (1) maximum static head in a crack; (2) liquid impingement on surfaces [1]; (3) leakage through stress cracks [2]; and (4) dripping from cracks and fractures [3]. Because of the unique configuration and processes associated with the current problem of flow through stress corrosion cracks in drip shields and waste packages, experimental studies are needed to better understand whether flow can occur in stress cracks from impinging water droplets.
- Research Organization:
- Yucca Mountain Project, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- NA
- OSTI ID:
- 884933
- Report Number(s):
- NA; MOL.20051109.0485, DC#46203; TRN: US0603720
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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