A generalized definition for waste form durability.
When evaluating waste form performance, the term ''durability'' often appears in casual discourse, but in the technical literature, the focus is often on waste form ''degradation'' in terms of mass lost per unit area per unit time. Waste form degradation plays a key role in developing models of the long-term performance in a repository environment, but other factors also influence waste form performance. These include waste form geometry; density, porosity, and cracking; the presence of cladding; in-package chemistry feedback; etc. The paper proposes a formal definition of waste form ''durability'' which accounts for these effects. Examples from simple systems as well as from complex models used in the Total System Performance Assessment of Yucca Mountain are provided. The application of ''durability'' in the selection of bounding models is also discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 801640
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/RAE/CP-108046; TRN: US0205569
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ANS 5th Topical Meeting on Spent Nuclear Fuel and Fissile Material, Charleston, SC (US), 09/17/2002--09/20/2002; Other Information: PBD: 26 Jun 2002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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