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Far-field thermal analysis of a spent-fuel repository in tuff. Topical report RSI-0128

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:59469

Thermal loadings of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 kW/acre were used for thermal analyses of a spent fuel repository at a depth of 800 m in tuff. Three methods of handling the pressure of pore water were considered; the first assumed that pore water does not boil, the second that pore water boiled in the interval 90 to 110{sup 0}C, the third that pore water boiled at a temperature governed by hydrostatic pressure. It was found that hydrostatic boiling did not occur for any thermal loading considered and that boiling in the interval 90 to 110{sup 0}C did not occur for a thermal loading of 25 kW/acre. The most important result was the significant suppression of maximum temperatures because of energy consumed in boiling pore water. The peak temperature suppression ranged from zero at a thermal load of 25 kW/acre to nearly 23% at 150 kW/acre.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); RE/SPEC, Inc., Rapid City, SD (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
59469
Report Number(s):
SAND--81-7209; ON: DE82019876
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English