Estimates of relative areas for the disposal in bedded salt of LWR wastes from alternative fuel cycles

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5235357

Lincoln, R C; Larson, D W; Sisson, C E

The relative mine-level areas (land use requirements) which would be required for the disposal of light-water reactor (LWR) radioactive wastes in a hypothetical bedded-salt formation have been estimated. Five waste types from alternative fuel cycles have been considered. The relative thermal response of each of five different site conditions to each waste type has been determined. The fuel cycles considered are the once-through (no recycle), the uranium-only recycle, and the uranium and plutonium recycle. The waste types which were considered include (1) unreprocessed spent reactor fuel, (2) solidified waste derived from reprocessing uranium oxide fuel, (3) plutonium recovered from reprocessing spent reactor fuel and doped with 1.5% of the accompanying waste from reprocessing uranium oxide fuel, (4) waste derived from reprocessing mixed uranium/plutonium oxide fuel in the third recycle, and (5) unreprocessed spent fuel after three recycles of mixed uranium/plutonium oxide fuels. The relative waste-disposal areas were determined from a calculated value of maximum thermal energy (MTE) content of the geologic formations. Results are presented for each geologic site condition in terms of area ratios. Disposal area requirements for each waste type are expressed as ratios relative to the smallest area requirement (for waste type No. 2 above). For the reference geologic site condition, the estimated mine-level disposal area ratios are 4.9 for waste type No. 1, 4.3 for No. 3, 2.6 for No. 4, and 11 for No. 5.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 5235357
• Report Number(s): SAND-77-1816
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
BWR TYPE REACTORS
ENERGY TRANSFER
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HEAT TRANSFER
MANAGEMENT
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
REACTORS
SALT DEPOSITS
SITE SELECTION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS