Alteration of Spent Fuel Matrix under Unsaturated Water Conditions

Abstract

Drip tests which simulate the unsaturated conditions expected in the potential repository at Yucca Mountain are in progress to evaluate the long-term performance of spent fuel. This paper examines the corrosion behavior of the spent fuel matrix under conditions in which water is introduced at a rate of 1.5 mL every 7 days. Our recent results suggest a rapid reaction rate of the spent fuel matrix, the formation of alteration products that are similar to the sequence found in ore deposits in uranium mines, and the presence of colloidal species in the leachate. These results are compared to results from two models developed for a potential repository in an unsaturated zone

Meeting Name

6th Annual International Conference on High Level Radioactive Waste Management (1995: Apr. 30-May 5, Las Vegas, NV)

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Colloids; Corrosion; Geological Repositories; Materials Testing; Saturation (Materials Composition); Uranium Dioxide; Spent Fuel Matrix; Unsaturated Water Conditions; Yucca Mountain Repository; Spent Fuels

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Apr 1995

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