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Smelters as Analogs for a Volcanic Eruption at Yucca Mountain

Journal Article · · Nuclear Technology
OSTI ID:20837903
The distribution of trace radionuclides in secondary metal smelters provides an analog for spent fuel released from packages during a volcanic eruption. The fraction of the inventory of a radionuclide that would be released into the air in a volcanic eruption is called the dust partitioning factor. In consequence analyses of a volcanic eruption at Yucca Mountain, a value of one has been used for this parameter for all elements. This value is too high for the refractory elements. Reducing the dust partitioning factor for refractory elements to a value equal to the fraction of the magma that becomes ash would still yield conservative estimates of how much radioactivity would be released in an eruption.
OSTI ID:
20837903
Journal Information:
Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 148; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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