Solubility limits on radionuclide dissolution at a Yucca Mountain repository

Technical Report · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:59171

Kerrisk, J F

This report examines the effects of solubility in limiting dissolution rates of a number of important radionuclides from spent fuel and high-level waste. Two simple dissolution models were used for calculations that are characteristic of a Yucca Mountain repository. A saturation-limited dissolution model, in which the water flowing through the repository is assumed to be saturated with each waste element, is very conservative in that it overestimates dissolution rates. A diffusion-limited dissolution model, in which element-dissolution rates are limited by diffusion of waste elements into water flowing past the waste, is more realistic, but it is subject to some uncertainty at this time. Dissolution rates of some elements (uranium, plutonium, americium, and tin) are limited by solubility. Dissolution rates of other elements (cesium, technetium, neptunium, strontium, radium, and carbon) are not solubility limited; their release would be limited by dissolution of the bulk waste form. This report also presents calculated radionuclide dissolution rates and concentrations in water leaving the waste form. 18 references, 4 figures, 7 tables.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 59171
• Report Number(s): LA--9995-MS; ON: DE84015084
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMERICIUM
CARBON
CESIUM
DISSOLUTION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GROUND WATER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
NEPTUNIUM
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADIUM
SOLUBILITY
SPENT FUELS
STRONTIUM
TECHNETIUM
TIN
TUFF
URANIUM
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project