Radionuclide transport as vapor through unsaturated fractured rock

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6786969

Green, R T

The objective of this study is to identify and examine potential mechanisms of radionuclide transport as vapor at a high-level radioactive waste repository located in unsaturated fractured rock. Transport mechanisms and processes have been investigated near the repository and at larger distances. Transport mechanisms potentially important at larger distances include ordinary diffusion, viscous flow and free convection. Ordinary diffusion includes self and binary diffusion, Knudsen flow and surface diffusion. Pressure flow and slip flow comprise viscous flow. Free convective flow results from a gas density contrast. Transport mechanisms or processes dominant near the repository include ordinary diffusion, viscous flow plus several mechanisms whose driving forces arise from the non-isothermal, radioactive nature of high-level waste. The additional mechanisms include forced diffusion, aerosol transport, thermal diffusion and thermophoresis. Near a repository vapor transport mechanisms and processes can provide a significant means of transport from a failed canister to the geologic medium from which other processes can transport radionuclides to the accessible environment. These issues are believed to be important factors that must be addressed in the assessment of specific engineering designs and site selection of any proposed HLW repository.

• Research Organization: Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6786969
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
510300 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONVECTION
DESIGN
DIFFUSION
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
GASES
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SITE SELECTION
STORAGE
STORAGE FACILITIES
THERMAL DIFFUSION
THERMOPHORESIS
VAPORS
VISCOUS FLOW
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES