Modeling thermal-hydrological response of the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, to thermal load at a potential repository

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2002 · Journal of Contaminant Hydrology

OSTI ID:838061

Haukwa, C B ^[1]; Wu, Yu-Shu; Bodvarsson, G S

---

1. LBNL Library

This paper presents a numerical study on the response of the unsaturated zone (UZ) system of Yucca Mountain to heat generated from decaying radioactive wastes emplaced at the proposed repository. The modeling study is based on the current thermal-hydrological (TH) mountain-scale model, which uses a locally refined 2D north-south cross section and dual-permeability numerical approach. The model provides a prediction of the mountain-scale TH response under the thermal-load scenario of 1.45 kW/m, while accounting for future climatic changes and the effects of drift ventilation. The TH simulation results show that ventilation of the repository drifts has a large impact on thermal-hydrologic regimes and moisture-flow conditions at the repository. In both cases, with and without ventilation, the TH model predicts dry or reduced liquid saturation near the drifts for over 1,000 years, during which liquid flux through the drifts is reduced to either zero or less than the ambient flux. Without ventilation, the model predicts higher temperatures at the repository, but no major moisture redistribution in the UZ except in the areas very near the heated drifts.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 838061
• Report Number(s): LBNL--49950
• Journal Information: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Journal Name: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology Journal Issue: SI Vol. 62-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CROSS SECTIONS
FORECASTING
MOISTURE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SATURATION
SIMULATION
THERMAL HYDROLOGICAL BEHAVIOR UNSATURATED ZONE FLOW AND TRANSPORT RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL DRIFT VENTILATION THERMAL AND MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION AND LIQUID REFLUX.
VENTILATION
YUCCA MOUNTAIN