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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

Some Fundamental Experiments on Apparent Dissolution Rate of Gas Phase in the Groundwater Recovery Processes of the Geological Disposal System - 12146

The apparent dissolution rates of gas phase in the co-presence of solid phase were examined by in-room experiments in this study. The apparent dissolution rate of gas phase q (mol/m{sup 3}.s) was generally defined by q=aK{sub L}(γP{sub g}-c), where a (1/m) is specific surface area of the interface between gas and liquid phases, K{sub L} (m/s) is overall mass transfer coefficient, γ (mol/(Pa.m{sup 3})) is reciprocal number of Henry constant, P{sub g} (Pa) is partial pressure of gas phase, and c (mol/m{sup 3}) is the concentration of gas component in liquid phase. As a model gas, CO{sub 2} gas was used. For evaluating the values of K{sub L}, this study monitored pH or the migration rate of the interface between water/gas phases, using some experiments such as the packed beds and the micro channel consisting of granite chip and rubber sheet including a slit. In the results, the values of K{sub L} were distributed in the range from 5.0x10{sup -6} m/s to 5.0x10{sup -7} m/s. These values were small, in comparison with that (7.8x10{sup -4} m/s) obtained from the bubbling test where gas phase was continually injected into deionized water without solid phase. This means that the solid phase limits the local mixing of water phase near gas-liquid interfaces. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Cigeo, The French Geological Disposal Facility Project: Preliminary Design (APS) Phase - 16038

The Cigeo project has been in the works for 25 years. Numerous studies have been conducted, increasingly associated with the Meuse/Haute-Marne site, with further specific research thanks to direct access to the Callovo-Oxfordian clay formation from the underground laboratory of Bure-Saudron. These studies and research initially aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of the repository. They also helped gain a high level of understanding of phenomena to support design studies and demonstrate safety. Transition to the industrial phase began with the development of a plan for delivering waste to the facility for disposal. The plan introduced sequencing for the various types of waste to be disposed of, and was optimised to determine the size of inspection, transfer and handling facilities. In describing the life of the repository and therefore the vision for its operation, it has become obvious that our generation should not impose choices on future generations. We must provide them with reference technical solutions, with the financial resources to implement them. It is also our duty to begin the construction and initial operating phases. However, because the facility will operate over several generations, we must leave a degree of flexibility so that they may reassess the options that we define and adopt their own solutions, as necessary. They will also benefit from operational experience gathered as facility operations develop. This is the context in which the preliminary design phase is being finalised in preparation for the detailed design phase, with the aim of gradual commissioning during the latter part of the next decade. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Applicability of Wireless Power Transfer for Monitoring Technology of Radioactive Waste Geological Disposal - 16156

To assure the engineered barrier of a high-level radioactive waste repository functions correctly, long-term monitoring inside the backfilled deposition holes and tunnels is planned. Cables are used to power monitoring equipment and send signals however complete isolation will not be possible. Previously developed monitoring systems send information wirelessly and used batteries. Due to the limited battery life, these systems cannot be used for long-term monitoring. In this paper a wireless power transfer method based on magnetic resonant coupling is presented. The necessary transmitter and receiver coils have been developed. The performance of the individual coils has been tested. The performance of the system of transmitter and receiver with both air and bentonite as medium was tested. The results showed that the system with bentonite performed similarly well as the system with air. Wireless power transfer based on magnetic resonant coupling is therefore a feasible method for high-level radioactive waste repository monitoring applications which could in principle work for a period of 100 year or longer. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2020

Criticality Consideration for Geologic Disposal of DOE-Owned Spent Nuclear Fuels - 20255

Decisions must be made relative to packaging spent nuclear fuel (SNF) for storage, transportation, and eventual disposal. This paper evaluates potential criticality-related loading and packaging considerations for Department of Energy (DOE)-owned SNF that could be impacted favorably or unfavorably by disposal uncertainties and proposes approaches to minimize such impacts. Using Al-Based SNF as an example and drawing on analyses performed in support of the Yucca Mountain Repository License Application (LA), this paper explores the role of natural barriers, engineered barriers, and waste form characteristics relative to reducing the potential for postclosure criticality. Several parameters important to postclosure criticality are considered in order to determine which are useful discriminators to support packaging decisions. Using these parameters, a qualitative assessment is performed relative to three options for managing DOE-owned SNFs. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2017

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Geological Challenges in Radioactive Waste Isolation—Fifth Worldwide Review

The overall objective of the Fifth Worldwide Review (WWR-5) is to document the current state-of-the-art of major developments in a number of nations throughout the World pursuing geological disposal programs, and to summarize challenging problems and experience that have been obtained in siting, preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating nuclear waste repositories. The scope of the Review is to address current specific technical issues and challenges in safety case development along with the interplay of technical feasibility, siting, engineering design issues, and operational and post-closure safety. In particular, the chapters included in the report present the following types of information: the current status of the deep geological repository programs for high level nuclear waste and low- and intermediate level nuclear waste in each country, concepts of siting and radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management in different countries (with the emphasis of nuclear waste disposal under different climatic conditions and different geological formations), progress in repository site selection and site characterization, technology development, buffer/backfill materials studies and testing, support activities, programs, and projects, international cooperation, and future plans, as well as regulatory issues and transboundary problems.

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DOE OSTI2016

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Report on Fifth Worldwide Review

The goal of the Fifth Worldwide Review is to document evolution in the state-of-the-art of approaches for nuclear waste disposal in geological formations since the Fourth Worldwide Review that was released in 2006. The last ten years since the previous Worldwide Review has seen major developments in a number of nations throughout the world pursuing geological disposal programs, both in preparing and reviewing safety cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating repositories. The countries that are approaching implementation of geological disposal will increasingly focus on the feasibility of safely constructing and operating their repositories in short- and long terms on the basis existing regulations. The WWR-5 will also address a number of specific technical issues in safety case development along with the interplay among stakeholder concerns, technical feasibility, engineering design issues, and operational and post-closure safety. Preparation and publication of the Fifth Worldwide Review on nuclear waste disposal facilitates assessing the lessons learned and developing future cooperation between the countries. The Report provides scientific and technical experiences on preparing for and developing scientific and technical bases for nuclear waste disposal in deep geologic repositories in terms of requirements, societal expectations and the adequacy of cases for long-term repository safety. The Chapters include potential issues that may arise as repository programs mature, and identify techniques that demonstrate the safety cases and aid in promoting and gaining societal confidence. The report will also be used to exchange experience with other fields of industry and technology, in which concepts similar to the design and safety cases are applied, as well to facilitate the public perception and understanding of the safety of the disposal approaches relative to risks that may increase over long times frames in the absence of a successful implementation of final dispositioning.

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DOE OSTI2019

The corrosion of UK vitrified waste during disposal

The UK's vitrified high-level-waste (HLW) is destined to be disposed of in a deep geological disposal facility (GDF). Contact with groundwater will be the process by which radionuclides are released during 100,000+ years of disposal. Understanding the mechanisms and kinetics of glass dissolution allow models and predictions to be made on the long-term fate of the disposed HLW. Current standard laboratory scale experimental methodologies may be unrepresentative of the geological disposal environment. Aim: Provide insight into the dissolution behaviour of alkali-alumino-borosilicate UK vitrified waste in geological disposal environments. A 'cyclic vapor-static' dissolution methodology is proposed, capturing expected temporal behaviour. This will elucidate dissolution kinetics and mechanisms, optimize the base glass composition, waste loading content and generate significant, pragmatic disposal performance assessment data. Variants of three glasses to be investigated: waste-loaded MW25 and ZnCa MW28, and the ZnCa MW base. Preliminary Results: Suggests drying process decreases the chemical durability of the glass. Addition of ZnCa to UK HLW improves chemical durability. Increased waste-loading improves chemical durability. Banded structure in altered glass possibly attributed to dissolution/reprecipitation of secondary phases). Conclusion - Further Work: Cyclic vapor-static dissolution methodology may elucidate dissolution behaviour expected within a UK GDF. Potential to provide beneficial, pragmatic data for the performance assessment to implement geological disposal. Fundamental mechanisms to be understood.

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DOE OSTI2023

Unsaturated alluvium disposal modelling with improved geological realism

This report describes specific activities in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 associated with the Geologic Disposal Safety Assessment (GDSA) Repository Systems Analysis (RSA) work package funded by the Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Campaign of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition (SFWD). The overall objective of the GDSA RSA work package is to develop generic deep geologic repository concepts and system performance assessment (PA) models in several potential host-rock environments, and to simulate and analyze these generic repository concepts and models using the GDSA Framework toolkit and other tools as needed. The specific GDSA goal addressed in this report is reference case development, simulation, and analysis for the unsaturated alluvium (UZ), one of the four potential host-rocks considered by the GDSA. Further, we aim to exercise the simulation tools and methodologies under development by GDSA for PA modelling.

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DOE OSTI2010

Physico-chemical investigation of clayey/cement-based materials interaction in the context of geological waste disposal: Experimental approach and results

Within the concepts under study for the geological disposal of intermediate-level long-lived waste, cement-based materials are considered as candidate materials. The clayey surrounding rock and the cement-based material being considered differ greatly in their porewater composition. Experiments are conducted on the diffusion of solutes constituting those porewaters in a confined clay/cement composite system using cells. The test temperature was set at 25 {sup o}C and 2, 6 and 12 months. Results supply new information: carbonation is low and not clog the interface. Such absence of carbonation allows for the diffusion of aqueous species and, thus, for the degradation of the cement paste and the illitisation of illite/smectite interstratifications. The cement material is subjected to a decalcification: portlandite dissolution and a CaO/SiO{sub 2} reduction in the calcium silicate hydrate. The sulphate in diffusion induces non-destructive ettringite precipitation in the largest pores. After 12 months, about 800 {mu}m of cement material is concerned by decalcification.

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