Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation - spent-fuel-characterization program - October-December revised quarterly report

Technical Report · Sat Feb 14 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6155292

Cash, R J

The Waste Form Assessment task is evaluating the relative in-repository performance of five waste forms, especially their ability to retard the release of radionuclides. In order to reduce these basic waste form variations to a series of well-defined cases, a matrix was developed incorporating all significant variables. Construction of this matrix produced a total of 13 combinations of system variables. These 13 combinations are under evaluation for prebreach and post-breach performance relative to criteria for support aginst lithostatic pressure, long-term stability for radionuclide retention, minimization of cladding degradation, breach of the canister by possible gas pressurization, heat transfer, and criticality. Performance of each of the 13 waste form/stabilizer combinations for four temperature ranges is also being evaluated. Spent fuel characterization and degradation studies initiated this quarter have identified surface area, surface structure, grain boundary conditions, fission product positions, fuel phases, and valence states as important fuel characteristics which might significantly influence the dissolution and leaching rates of radionuclides. An analysis of prepressurization gas and fission gas release from spent fuel during geologic disposal was completed. Based on a typical proposed canister and repository design, even under worst case, highly improbable release scenarios, gas pressurization presents no harmful effects to the waste form, package or repository. Fuel assembly structural and fracture mechanics analyses of spent fuel under disposal cycle dynamic loading conditions were completed. Results show negligible damage to spent fuel assemblies because the resulting stresses are low under normal expected transportation and disposal cycle conditions.

• Research Organization: Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC14-76FF02170
• OSTI ID: 6155292
• Report Number(s): HEDL-6922; ON: DE81026500
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050900 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CASKS
CONTAINERS
FILLERS
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FUEL ELEMENTS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MANAGEMENT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PACKAGING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPENT FUEL CASKS
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
STABILITY
STORAGE
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TESTING
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT