In situ gaseous tracer diffusion experiments and predictive modeling at the Greater Confinement Disposal Test. [Augered shaft disposal in alluvium]

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5459163

Olson, M C

The Greater Confinement Disposal Test (GCDT) at the Nevada Test Site is a research project investigating the feasibility of augered shaft disposal of low-level radioactive waste considered unsuitable for shallow land burial. The GCDT contains environmentally mobile and high-specific-activity sources. Research is focused on providing a set of analytically derived hydrogeologic parameters and an empirical database for application in a multiphase, two-dimensional, transient, predictive performance model. Potential contaminant transport processes at the GCDT are identified and their level of significance is detailed. Nonisothermal gaseous diffusion through alluvial sediments is considered the primary waste migration process. Volatile organic tracers are released in the subsurface and their migration is monitored in situ to determine media effective diffusion coefficients, tortuosity, and sorption-corrected porosity terms. The theoretical basis for volatile tracer experiments is presented. Treatment of thermal and liquid flow components is discussed, as is the basis for eliminating several negligible transport processes. Interpretive techniques include correlation, power spectra, and least squares analysis, a graphical analytical solution, and inverse numerical modeling. Model design and application to the GCDT are discussed. GCDT structural, analytical, and computer facilities are detailed. The status of the current research program is reviewed, and temperature and soil moisture profiles are presented along with results of operational tests on the analytical system. 72 refs., 39 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc., Las Vegas, NV (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-84NV10327
• OSTI ID: 5459163
• Report Number(s): DOE/NV/10327-13; ON: DE85015608
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
510301 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Soil-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
CORRELATIONS
DIFFUSION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUID FLOW
GASEOUS DIFFUSION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOISTURE
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
POROUS MATERIALS
QUALITY ASSURANCE
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SOILS
SORPTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES