Underground facility area requirements for a radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain
The Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations Project, managed by the US Department of Energy`s Nevada Operations Office, is examining the feasibility of siting a repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain on and adjacent to the Nevada Test Site. Preliminary waste descriptions and preliminary areal power density calculations have been completed, and the Topopah Spring Member has been recommended as the emplacement unit. Using these data, an effort has begun to determine the area needed for the underground facility. This report describes work performed to determine the area needed to emplace waste equivalent to 70,000 metric tons of uranium (MTU) initially loaded in commercial power reactors. The area needed for support functions is also described. The total area of the underground facility depends on the types of waste received, the amount of each type of waste received, the areal power density assumed, and the emplacement configuration chosen (horizontal or vertical emplacement). The areas range from about 1240 acres to about 1520 acres. For vertical emplacement of the reference inventory of spent fuel, 1520 acres are required. A significant finding of this report is the importance of low-heat-producing wastes (defense high-level waste, West Valley high-level waste, cladding hulls, transuranic waste, and spent fuel hardware) when calculating the area required for the underground facility. If other wastes are included and the spent fuel capacity is reduced consistent with a total capacity of 70,000 MTU, the area required will be smaller.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 59759
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--84-1153; ON: DE86003264
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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