Conceptual Waste-Package Designs for Disposal of Nuclear Waste in Tuff

摘要

This report provides conceptual waste package designs for use by the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) project in preparing a repository conceptual design in tuff at the Nevada Test Site. Included are designs for the current reference waste form configurations of Defense High Level Waste - Form 1, which consists of Savannah River Plant wastes immobilized in borosilicate glass, Defense High Level Waste - Form 2, which is a ceramic form of the same Savannah River waste, Spent Fuel - Form 2, which consists of consolidated spent fuel rods from PWR and BWR assemblies, and Commercial High Level Waste, which is a borosilicate glass waste form that results from the immobilization of commercial spent fuel reprocessing wastes. The reference designs are used as a baseline to evaluate design alternatives in the waste form size, the design approach, the emplacement configuration, the design data base uncertainty including overpack material corrosion rate data and waste form leaching data. This broad spectrum of conceptual designs for tuff has been included to provide NNWSI a basis for concept comparison, an indication as to which of several package and repository design approaches are more cost effective, and guidance as to which approaches should be pursued in future design efforts. Based on available data and the analyses performed, all the concepts in this report offer technically viable approaches to the containment of the waste form for at least 1000 years and for adequate isolation of radionuclides thereafter for a repository either below or above the water table. Development programs have been identified which are needed to substantiate design assumptions or to resolve feasibility questions. 91 figures, 98 tables. (ERA citation 08:035307)