Impurities in Rock-Salt: Consequences for the Temperature Increases at the Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste

摘要

In part A the thermal properties of halite and the other materials occurring in rock-salt (the 'impurities') are collected. Except for sylvite (the specific heat of this salt is about 70% of the value for halite) all specific heats are larger than the specific heat of halite. The consequences for the temperature increases at the disposal of high-level nuclear waste in rock-salt are discussed for impurity concentrations of 1, 5, 10 and 15%. If the presence and distribution of the impurities are not taken into account, then - under the most unfavorable conditions - extra temperature increases of about 3% per cent impurity may occur. If, however, the geological composition and its geometry for the disposal region are known, the temperature increases can be calculated more accurately: they may or may not differ from those for pure halite. In part B the measurement of the thermal conductivity for four salts (kainite, kieserite, carnallite, and polyhalite) is described.