FY93 thermal loading systems study
- TRW Environmental Safety Systems, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
The ability to meet the overall performance requirements for the proposed Mined Geologic Disposal System (MGDS) at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, requires the two major subsystems (natural barriers and engineered barriers) to positively contribute to containment and radionuclide migration retardation. In addition to the postclosure performance, the proposed repository must meet certain preclosure requirements of safety, retrievability, operability, and also must take into consideration cost and schedule. The thermal loading strategy chosen for such a repository may significantly affect both the postclosure and preclosure performance of the proposed repository. The FY93 Thermal Loading Systems Study was conducted to start developing the structured, detailed technical basis that will be ultimately required to make a thermal loading decision. Various thermal analyses were done and hydrothermal predictions made to evaluate effects on postclosure performance, operability, monitoring, cost, and worker safety. The results show that sufficient technical justification exists so that a recommendation can be made to narrow the range of thermal loading to between 24 and 100 MTU/acre. To emplace waste below 24 MTU/acre would require more area for the full 63,000 MTU of spent nuclear fuel than exists in the primary area plus the three most likely expansion areas of the Site Characterization Plan Conceptual Design of a Repository (SCP CDR). Compelling evidence was found that, above 100 MTU/acre, the conditions would be {open_quotes}too hot{close_quotes} with most of the thermal goals being violated.
- Research Organization:
- American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY (United States); American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC01-91RW00134
- OSTI ID:
- 60806
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940553--Vol.2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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FY 93 thermal loading systems study final report: Volume 2. Revision 1
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