Expected environments for a defense high-level waste repository in salt

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6628140· OSTI ID:6628140

Rickertsen, L. D.; Claiborne, H. C.

Expected environments for a defense high-level waste (DHLW) repository in salt have been predicted analogously to previous analyses for spent fuel (SF) and reprocessed commercial high-level wastes (CHLW). Environments predicted include near-field and far-field temperatures, fluid, pressure, and nuclear radiation fields. Some sensitivity studies have also been performed. The main results of the calculations reported here include the following: (1) rock temperatures, canister wall temperatures, and waste temperatures do not exceed 86, 94, and 101/sup 0/C, respectively; (2) the maximum brine inflow rate to an emplacement hole is 0.015 L/yr, occurring in the first 30 yr after emplacement. The total accumulation of brine migrating to the emplacement hole after 1000 yr is < 0.5 L; (3) gas pressures encountered by the waste package do not exceed 0.36 MPa prior to mine closure. After this time, it is conceivable that stress on the canister could approach the lithostatic rock stresses; (4) maximum dose rates in the salt are < 1400 rads/h.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6628140
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-7597
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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Terrestrial-- Site Resource &amp; Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BRINES
CONTAINERS
DIFFUSION
DOSES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INCLUSIONS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MEDIUM PRESSURE
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
POLLUTANTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
SALT DEPOSITS
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES