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U.S. Department of Energy
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Water-Steel Canister Interaction and H2 Gas Pressure Buildup in aNuclear Waste Repository

Conference ·
OSTI ID:932683
Corrosion of steel canisters, stored in a repository forspent fuel and high-level waste, leads to hydrogen gas generation in thebackfilled emplacement tunnels, which may significantly affect long-termrepository safety. Previous modeling studies used a constant H2generation rate. However, iron corrosion and H2 generation rates varywith time, depending on factors such as water chemistry, wateravailability, and water contact area. To account for these factors andfeedback mechanisms, we developed a chemistry model related to ironcorrosion, coupled with two-phase (liquid and gas) flow phenomena thatare driven by gas pressure buildup and water consumption. Resultsindicate that if H2 generation rates are dynamically calculated based ona chemistry model, the degree and extent of gas pressure buildup are muchsmaller compared to a simulation in which the coupling between flow andreactive transport mechansism is neglected.
Research Organization:
Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Civilian Radioactive WasteManagement
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
932683
Report Number(s):
LBNL--62246; BnR: 830404000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English