Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses for gas and brine migration at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, May 1992

Technical Report · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10190139· OSTI ID:10190139

Helton, J C ^[1]; Bean, J E ^[2]; Butcher, B M ^[3]; Garner, J W; Vaughn, P ^[4]; Schreiber, J D ^[5]; Swift, P N ^[6]

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1. Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
2. New Mexico Engineering Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
3. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
4. Applied Physics, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
5. Science Applications International Corp., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
6. Tech Reps, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques based on Latin hypercube sampling, partial correlation analysis, stepwise regression analysis and examination of scatterplots are used in conjunction with the BRAGFLO model to examine two phase flow (i.e., gas and brine) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), which is being developed by the US Department of Energy as a disposal facility for transuranic waste. The analyses consider either a single waste panel or the entire repository in conjunction with the following cases: (1) fully consolidated shaft, (2) system of shaft seals with panel seals, and (3) single shaft seal without panel seals. The purpose of this analysis is to develop insights on factors that are potentially important in showing compliance with applicable regulations of the US Environmental Protection Agency (i.e., 40 CFR 191, Subpart B; 40 CFR 268). The primary topics investigated are (1) gas production due to corrosion of steel, (2) gas production due to microbial degradation of cellulosics, (3) gas migration into anhydrite marker beds in the Salado Formation, (4) gas migration through a system of shaft seals to overlying strata, and (5) gas migration through a single shaft seal to overlying strata. Important variables identified in the analyses include initial brine saturation of the waste, stoichiometric terms for corrosion of steel and microbial degradation of cellulosics, gas barrier pressure in the anhydrite marker beds, shaft seal permeability, and panel seal permeability.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 10190139
• Report Number(s): SAND-92-2013; ON: DE94001701; TRN: 93:023089
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Aug 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
GASES
TWO-PHASE FLOW
BRINES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SCATTERPLOTS
WIPP
SEALS
COMPLIANCE
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
CORROSION
ANHYDRITE
SATURATION
PERMEABILITY
SANDIA LABORATORIES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
US DOE
BIODEGRADATION
US EPA
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
STEELS
052002
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE