Waste isolation safety assessment program

Conference · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5627332

Brandstetter, A.; Harwell, M. A.

Associated with commercial nuclear power production in the United States is the generation of potentially hazardous radioactive wastes. The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program, is seeking to develop nuclear waste isolation systems in geologic formations that will preclude contact with the biosphere of waste radionuclides in concentrations which are sufficient to cause deleterious impact on humans or their environments. Comprehensive analyses of specific isolation systems are needed to assess the expectations of meeting that objective. The Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program (WISAP) has been established at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (operated by Battelle Memorial Institute) for developing the capability of making those analyses. Among the analyses required for isolation system evaluation is the detailed assessment of the post-closure performance of nuclear waste repositories in geologic formations. This assessment is essential, since it is concerned with aspects of the nuclear power program which previously have not been addressed. Specifically, the nature of the isolation systems (e.g., involving breach scenarios and transport through the geosphere), and the time-scales necessary for isolation, dictate the development, demonstration and application of novel assessment capabilities. The assessment methodology needs to be thorough, flexible, objective, and scientifically defensible. Further, the data utilized must be accurate, documented, reproducible, and based on sound scientific principles.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 5627332
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-7243; IAEA-SM-243/35; CONF-790711-4
• 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
BATTELLE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES