Thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical responses in the single heater test at the ESF

Conference · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:611843

Lin, W; Blair, S; Buettner, M ^[1]

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1. and others

The Single Heater Test (SHT) is conducted in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) to study the thermal-mechanical responses of the rock mass. A set of boreholes were drilled in the test region for conducting a scoping test of the coupled thermal-mechanical- hydrological-chemical (TMHC) processes. The holes for the TMHC tests include electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), neutron logging/temperature, hydrological, and optical multiple point borehole extensometers. A 4-kW heater was installed in the heater hole, and was energized on August 26, 1996. Some observed movements of the water around the heater are associated with a possible dry-out region near the heater. The water that has been moved is more dilute than the in situ ground water, except for the concentration of Ca. This indicates that fractures are the major water pathways, and the displaced water may have reached an equilibrium with carbonate minerals on the fracture surfaces. No mechanical-hydrological coupling has been observed. The tests are on-going, and more data will be collected and analyzed.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 611843
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--125611; CONF-970617--; ON: DE98050760
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
GROUND WATER
HEATERS
HYDROLOGY
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TOMOGRAPHY
YUCCA MOUNTAIN