Radioactive waste storage in the arid zone

Abstract

By the turn of the century, nuclear power may generate more than one‐half of the electric energy, and about one‐third of the total energy consumed in the United States [Thompson, 1971; Chapman et al., 1972]. By 2020, the total quantity of high‐level radioactive wastes (HLW) generated as a byproduct of nuclear fuel reprocessing for such power generation may total about 900,000 m3 as liquid or 70,000 m3 as solid [Gera and Jacobs, 1972]; the radioactivity of long‐lived nuclides in the HLW will total about 8.7×1010 Ci [Gera and Jacobs, 1972]. (High‐level wastes are defined as wastes containing at least 1 Ci of radioactivity per liter of liquid, or 70 Ci/kg of solid [American Institute of Chemical Engineering, ANSI Standard N5.8‐1967]. Wastes from chemical processing of irradiated nuclear fuels typically contain several hundred to several thousand curies per gallon [Fox, 1969].)

Verifying a Computational Method for Predicting Extreme Ground Motion

“…This fault region has been suggested as the location of the United States of America's highlevel nuclear waste repository, although at the time of this writing (early 2011), the nation's plans for the repository are on hold. We refer the reader to a number of reports including Winograd (1974), Bechtel SAIC Company (2004, 2005, and Hanks et al (1999Hanks et al ( , 2006 for detailed information about extreme ground motions and the Yucca Mountain project. Andrews et al (2007) numerically simulated dynamic earthquake rupture to calculate peak ground velocities at Yucca Mountain.…”

Storage of low-level radioactive wastes in the ground; hydrogeologic and hydrochemical factors

“…However, not all the outlined information is likely to be needed at all sites. For example, in the arid or semi-arid zones, data types 1 and 3 may strongly indicate the '** absence of any net flux of water in the unsaturated zone below a depth of a few feet (Winograd, 1974) and, hence, the probable suitability of the site for storage of solidified wastes, at least in the short term, say i^ss than 100 years. Should some liquid wastes also be placed in ihe sane trench, data of the type listed In items 1, 9, 10 and 11 might permit an estimate of the volume of liquid waste that the unsaturated zone might accept before flow reaches the water table.…”

“…Should some liquid wastes also be placed in ihe sane trench, data of the type listed In items 1, 9, 10 and 11 might permit an estimate of the volume of liquid waste that the unsaturated zone might accept before flow reaches the water table. Even in sub-humid terrane, the presence of interbedded fine and well-sorted coarse-grained sediments within the unsaturated zone might, when coupled with a moderate depth to water table (say 30 feet or 9 m), preclude natural recharge during all but the wettest of years (Winograd, 1974). As another example, field measurements of hydraulic conductivity and dispersivity at a storage site excavated in a thick aquitard, say a 60-foot (18 m) thick glacial till, is impractical, as might be the attempt to measure the three-dimensional distribution of heads.…”

Isolation of uranium mill tailings and their component radionuclides from the biosphere; some earth science perspectives

“…Even if the climate of a future pluvial time should approach subhumid conditions, a major rise in the water table would appear to be unlikely at such sites provided there is moderate to high relief, relatively permeable rocks occur within the unsaturated zone, and regional aquifers with topographically low outlets underlie the sites (Winograd, 1974). It has been suggested that burial of high level radioactive wastes in such thick unsaturated zones be evaluated (Winograd, 1974).…”