Estimates of cumulative releases of radionuclides to the water table from a repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Expected cumulative releases of radioactivity to the water table under a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, are estimated for a period of 10,000 years after closure of the repository using a simple mathematical model, a ground-water travel time distribution based on a hydrologic model of the site`s unsaturated zone, and measured sorption ratios of the radionuclide species in Yucca Mountain water chemistry. Only non-sorbing species, C-14, I-129 and Tc-99, are released to the water table in the 10,000-year period from a repository containing 70,000 MTU of spent fuel; the cumulative release is estimated to be about one ten-millionth of the release limit allowed in the applicable standard governing long-term containment of nuclear wastes in a geologic repository. 3 refs., 7 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 60373
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--86-2178C; CONF-860911--31-Summ.; ON: DE88002422
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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