Expected environments in high-level nuclear waste and spent fuel repositories in salt
The purpose of this report is to describe the expected environments associated with high-level waste (HLW) and spent fuel (SF) repositories in salt formations. These environments include the thermal, fluid, pressure, brine chemistry, and radiation fields predicted for the repository conceptual designs. In this study, it is assumed that the repository will be a room and pillar mine in a rock-salt formation, with the disposal horizon located approx. 2000 ft (610 m) below the surface of the earth. Canistered waste packages containing HLW in a solid matrix or SF elements are emplaced in vertical holes in the floor of the rooms. The emplacement holes are backfilled with crushed salt or other material and sealed at some later time. Sensitivity studies are presented to show the effect of changing the areal heat load, the canister heat load, the barrier material and thickness, ventilation of the storage room, and adding a second row to the emplacement configuration. The calculated thermal environment is used as input for brine migration calculations. The vapor and gas pressure will gradually attain the lithostatic pressure in a sealed repository. In the unlikely event that an emplacement hole will become sealed in relatively early years, the vapor space pressure was calculated for three scenarios (i.e., no hole closure - no backfill, no hole closure - backfill, and hole closure - no backfill). It was assumed that the gas in the system consisted of air and water vapor in equilibrium with brine. A computer code (REPRESS) was developed assuming that these changes occur slowly (equilibrium conditions). The brine chemical environment is outlined in terms of brine chemistry, corrosion, and compositions. The nuclear radiation environment emphasized in this report is the stored energy that can be released as a result of radiation damage or crystal dislocations within crystal lattices.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5211660
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-7201; TRN: 80-015160
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BRINES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FLUID MECHANICS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
SALT DEPOSITS
RADIATION EFFECTS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
BACKFILLING
CHEMISTRY
CLOSURES
CONTAINERS
CORROSION
DIAGRAMS
HEAT FLUX
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
M CODES
R CODES
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THEORETICAL DATA
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
TIME DEPENDENCE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPUTER CODES
DATA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MECHANICS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
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510500 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)