Report on THMC Modeling of the Near Field Evolution of a Generic Clay Repository: Model Validation and Demonstration

Liu, H. H.

doi:10.2172/1165202

Cited by 11 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 104 publications

(195 reference statements)

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“…A 100 o C thermal limit is imposed unanimously in all these disposal concepts despite their differences in EBS design concepts. However, the basis for a 100 o C thermal limit is not backed up by rigorous scientific studies (Liu et al, 2013;Jove Colon et al 2012). Reviews of the performance of bentonite backfill at temperatures above 100 o C (e.g., Wersin et al, 2007;Pusch et al, 2010), modeling (Liu et al, 2013;Zheng et al, 2014a), and experimental studies (e.g.…”

Section: Repository Layoutmentioning

confidence: 99%

Used Fuel Disposal in Crystalline Rocks: Status and FY14 Progress.

Wang¹

2014

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Executive SummaryThe U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, Office of Fuel Cycle Technology established the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) in fiscal year 2010 (FY10) to conduct the research and development (R&D) activities related to storage, transportation and disposal of used nuclear fuel and high level nuclear waste. The Mission of the UFDC isTo identify alternatives and conduct scientific research and technology development to enable storage, transportation and disposal of used nuclear fuel and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles.The work package of Crystalline Disposal R&D directly supports the following UFDC objectives: Develop a fundamental understanding of disposal system performance in a range of environments for potential wastes that could arise from future nuclear fuel cycle alternatives through theory, simulation, testing, and experimentation.  Develop a computational modeling capability for the performance of storage and disposal options for a range of fuel cycle alternatives, evolving from generic models to more robust models of performance assessment.The objective of the Crystalline Disposal R&D Work Package is to advance our understanding of long-term disposal of used fuel in crystalline rocks and to develop necessary experimental and computational capabilities to evaluate various disposal concepts in such media.Significant progress has been made in FY14 in both experimental and modeling arenas in evaluation of used fuel disposal in crystalline rocks. The work covers a wide range of research topics identified in the R&D plan. The major accomplishments are summarized below:  A R&D plan was developed for used fuel disposal in crystalline rocks. A total of 31 research topics (9 for system level and 22 for processes level) have been identified. The technical approach to addressing each of these topics is formulated.  A generic reference case for crystalline disposal media has been established. The reference case specifies the emplacement concept, waste inventory, waste form, waste package, backfill/buffer properties, EBS failure scenarios, host rock properties, and biosphere. This is an important step in developing a baseline for total system model development. Three emplacement concepts were specified: waste packages containing 4 PWR assemblies emplaced in boreholes in the floors of horizontal tunnels (for comparison with the KBS-3 concept), a 12-assembly waste package emplaced in tunnels, and a 32-assembly dual purpose canister emplaced in tunnels.  We have developed and applied THMC models to the analysis of coupled EBS processes in bentonite-backfilled repositories. We based this development on the extension of the Used Fuel Disposal in Crystalline Rocks vi 9/26/2014Used Fuel Disposal in Crystalline Rocks 9/26/2014 vii column method for evaluating and parameterizing colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport, using bentonite colloids, Am, and Grimsel Test Site granodiorite FFM as a model system. The method is designed to better interrogate the slowe...

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Section: Repository Layoutmentioning

confidence: 99%

Used Fuel Disposal in Crystalline Rocks: Status and FY14 Progress.

Wang¹

2014

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“…Liu et al (2013) summarized the thermal constraints on EBS bentonite imposed in disposal concepts throughout the world for disposal in argillite and crystalline. A 100 o C thermal limit is imposed unanimously in all these disposal concepts despite their differences in EBS design concepts.…”

Section: Layout For 12 Pwr Waste Packagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Coupled THMC models have also been developed Zheng et al 2014a) to evaluate the impact of chemical processes on mechanical behavior, specifically the effect of illitization, pore-water chemistry changes, and cation exchange on the swelling of EBS bentonite. Liu et al (2013) showed that chemical changes result in a decrease in swelling pressure of 0.2-0.3 MPa (about 20-30% of the swelling capacity) for Kunigel-VI bentonite (JNC 2000). In one extreme case, Kunigel-VI bentonite could loss up to 70% of its swelling capacity, which suggests that MC coupling is important for Kunigel-VI bentonite.…”

Section: Relevant Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These models include the coupled ThermalHydrological-Mechanical (THM) and Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) models (e.g. Liu et al 2013;Rutqvist et al 2014a) that focus on THMC processes in the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) bentonite and argillite host hock, the large scale hydrogeologic model (Bianchi et al 2014) that investigates the hydraulic connection between an emplacement drift and surrounding hydrogeological units, and Disposal Systems Evaluation Framework (DSEF) models ) that evaluate thermal evolution in the host rock approximated as a thermal conduction process to facilitate the analysis of design options. However, the assumptions and the properties (parameters) used in these models are different, which not only make inter-model comparisons difficult, but also compromise the applicability of the lessons learned from one model to another model.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

Zheng¹,

Colon²,

Bianchi³

et al. 2014

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“…The development of the TOUGH-RBSN model is documented in Liu et al (2013). The goal of this activity is to use the Mont Terri test data to help build confidence in the TOUGH-RBSN model for predicting various facets of fracture development and evolution within the EDZ.…”

Section: Hg-a Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

Report on International Collaboration Involving the FE Heater and HG-A Tests at Mont Terri

Houseworth¹

2013

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SUMMARYNuclear waste programs outside of the US have focused on different host rock types for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Several countries, including France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Japan are exploring the possibility of waste disposal in shale and other clay-rich rock that fall within the general classification of argillaceous rock. This rock type is also of interest for the US program because the US has extensive sedimentary basins containing large deposits of argillaceous rock. LBNL, as part of the DOE-NE Used Fuel Disposition Campaign, is collaborating on some of the underground research laboratory (URL) activities at the Mont Terri URL near Saint-Ursanne, Switzerland. The Mont Terri project, which began in 1995, has developed a URL at a depth of about 300 m in a stiff clay formation called the Opalinus Clay. Our current collaboration efforts include two test modeling activities for the FE heater test and the HG-A leak-off test. This report documents results concerning our current modeling of these field tests. The overall objectives of these activities include an improved understanding of and advanced relevant modeling capabilities for EDZ evolution in clay repositories and the associated coupled processes, and to develop a technical basis for the maximum allowable temperature for a clay repository.The R&D activities documented in this report are part of the work package of natural system evaluation and tool development that directly supports the following Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) objectives: Develop a fundamental understanding of disposal-system performance in a range of environments for potential wastes that could arise from future nuclear-fuel-cycle alternatives through theory, simulation, testing, and experimentation. Develop a computational modeling capability for the performance of storage and disposal options for a range of fuel-cycle alternatives, evolving from generic models to more robust models of performance assessment.Major FY13 accomplishments and plans for future work in FY14 are briefly summarized below. Major FY13 Accomplishments: For the purpose of validating modeling capabilities for thermal-hydro-mechanical (THM) processes, we developed a suite of simulation models for the planned full-scale FE Experiment to be conducted in the Mont Terri URL, including a full three-dimensional model that will be used for direct comparison to experimental data once available. We performed for the first time a THM analysis involving the Barcelona Basic Model (BBM) in a full three-dimensional field setting for modeling the geomechanical behavior of the buffer material and its interaction with the argillaceous host rock. We have simulated a well defined benchmark that will be used for codeto-code verification against modeling results from other international modeling teams. The analysis highlights the complex coupled geomechanical behavior in the buffer and its interaction with the surrounding rock and the importance of a well characterized buffer material in term...

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Report on THMC Modeling of the Near Field Evolution of a Generic Clay Repository: Model Validation and Demonstration

Cited by 11 publications

References 104 publications

Used Fuel Disposal in Crystalline Rocks: Status and FY14 Progress.

Used Fuel Disposal in Crystalline Rocks: Status and FY14 Progress.

Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

Report on International Collaboration Involving the FE Heater and HG-A Tests at Mont Terri

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