The important role and performance of engineered barriers in a UK geological disposal facility for higher activity radioactive waste

Marsh, Ashley I.; Williams, Laurence G.; Lawrence, James

doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2021.103736

Cited by 17 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Bentonite is rich in a swelling mineral, typically montmorillonite, which is a key component with a notable swelling ability [61,62]. Montmorillonite, belonging to the smectite mineral group, acts as an ion exchanger.…”

Section: Effect Of Bentonite Dry Density and Microbial Activity On Be...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Upon contact with the groundwater, bentonite will expand and undergo mechanical pressure until it attains the intended full compaction density of 2 kg/m 3 and a relatively low water content of approximately 26%, leading to the sealing of the repository [6]. In this way, the buffer materials will allow an effective sealing of any potential radiation leakage pathways and maintain the mechanical integrity of the canister, thereby enhancing the safety of the DGR [61,65]. Consequently, bentonite has emerged as the preferred choice for the final setup of the disposal due to its advantageous mechanical support, ensuring stability for canisters.…”

Section: Effect Of Bentonite Dry Density and Microbial Activity On Be...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, bentonite has emerged as the preferred choice for the final setup of the disposal due to its advantageous mechanical support, ensuring stability for canisters. Additionally, its low permeability mitigates groundwater infiltration, whilst its high ion exchange capacity aids in the retention and retardation of radionuclides in case of a system breach [61,66,67]. Furthermore, its high plasticity and swelling capacity facilitate the self-sealing of canister cracks, whilst its good thermal conductivity and optimal properties for compaction enhance its suitability for repository applications [4,68,69].…”

Section: Effect Of Bentonite Dry Density and Microbial Activity On Be...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Insights into the Impact of Physicochemical and Microbiological Parameters on the Safety Performance of Deep Geological Repositories

Morales-Hidalgo,

Povedano-Priego,

Martinez-Moreno

et al. 2024

Microorganisms

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Currently, the production of radioactive waste from nuclear industries is increasing, leading to the development of reliable containment strategies. The deep geological repository (DGR) concept has emerged as a suitable storage solution, involving the underground emplacement of nuclear waste within stable geological formations. Bentonite clay, known for its exceptional properties, serves as a critical artificial barrier in the DGR system. Recent studies have suggested the stability of bentonite within DGR relevant conditions, indicating its potential to enhance the long-term safety performance of the repository. On the other hand, due to its high resistance to corrosion, copper is one of the most studied reference materials for canisters. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the influence of nuclear waste conditions on the characteristics and properties of DGR engineered barriers. This paper outlines how evolving physico-chemical parameters (e.g., temperature, radiation) in a nuclear repository may impact these barriers over the lifespan of a repository and emphasizes the significance of understanding the impact of microbial processes, especially in the event of radionuclide leakage (e.g., U, Se) or canister corrosion. Therefore, this review aims to address the long-term safety of future DGRs, which is critical given the complexity of such future systems.

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Section: Effect Of Bentonite Dry Density and Microbial Activity On Be...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effect Of Bentonite Dry Density and Microbial Activity On Be...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effect Of Bentonite Dry Density and Microbial Activity On Be...mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Insights into the Impact of Physicochemical and Microbiological Parameters on the Safety Performance of Deep Geological Repositories

Morales-Hidalgo,

Povedano-Priego,

Martinez-Moreno

et al. 2024

Microorganisms

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show abstract

“…Development of nuclear energy usage produces a large amount of radioactive waste, especially the highlevel radioactive wastes (Marsh et al 2021;Ortiz et al 2002). How to safely dispose these wastes has been becoming an international critical issue.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gas diffusion property of compacted GMZ bentonite with consideration of saturation and gas pressure

Ye,

Ji,

et al. 2024

Preprint

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During the long-term operation of a deep geological repository, hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide, etc. could be generated and accumulated in bentonite around canisters, threatening integrity and safety of engineering barrier systems. In this work, self-designed test apparatuses were developed. Gas diffusion tests were conducted on GMZ bentonite specimens under both rigid and flexible boundary conditions with consideration of initial saturations and gas pressures. After experienced the gas diffusion tests, the specimens were cut and submitted for the mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests. Results revealed that gas diffusion coefficient was obviously influenced by the initial saturations and gas pressures. As gas pressure increased from 1 to 4 MPa, a decrease of 55.3% ~ 58.8% and 17.7% ~ 73.4% in the diffusion coefficient were recorded for the specimens tested under rigid and flexible boundary, respectively. Compared to the rigid boundary conditions, the effective pore volume for gas molecule diffusion was further compressed under flexible boundary, resulting in a relatively poor pore connectivity and a lower gas diffusion coefficient. Meanwhile, the diffusion coefficient decreased with increasing initial saturations for the flexible boundary specimens, while an opposite trend was recorded for the rigid boundary ones. Explanations to this observation could be that under the rigid boundary conditions, specimens with higher initial saturations have larger diameter macro-pores, facilitating the gas diffusion.

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“…Radioactive waste is generated the most when dismantling a nuclear power plant, and is 10 to 200 times larger than that generated during power plant operation [ 3 ]. Marsh et al [ 4 ] investigated canister characteristics for the engineering barriers of geological disposal facilities to dispose of highly radioactive waste, to research the importance of the role and performance of the barrier lifespan. Pérot et al [ 5 ] performed the characterization and quantification of radioactive waste using non-destructive measurement techniques, high-energy photon imaging (radiography, tomography) and digital auto-radiography.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination and Verification of GISSMO Fracture Properties of Bolts Used in Radioactive Waste Transport Containers

Lim

Hong

2022

Materials

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Transport containers for radioactive materials should withstand drop tests according to the regulations. In order to prevent a loss or dispersal of the internal radioactive materials in the drop tests, a tightening of the lid of the transport container should be maintained. The opening of the lid, due to the drop impact, might cause the dispersion of internal contents or a loss of shielding performance. Thus, it is crucial to predict damage to the fastening bolt and its fracture. In this study, the damage parameters of the fastening bolt were acquired, and its fracture was predicted using the generalized incremental stress state-dependent damage model (GISSMO), a phenomenological damage model. Since the dedicated transport container is large and heavy, various jigs that can simulate the fall of the container were designed, and the accuracy of fracture prediction was verified. Digital image correlation (DIC) was introduced for the accurate measurement of the displacement, and load–displacement data for tensile, shear, and combined loads were successfully acquired. Finally, the load–displacement curve of the finite element analysis (FEA) with GISSMO until the point of the bolt fracture was compared with the curve obtained from the experiment, where a good agreement was observed.

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The important role and performance of engineered barriers in a UK geological disposal facility for higher activity radioactive waste

Cited by 17 publications

References 38 publications

Insights into the Impact of Physicochemical and Microbiological Parameters on the Safety Performance of Deep Geological Repositories

Insights into the Impact of Physicochemical and Microbiological Parameters on the Safety Performance of Deep Geological Repositories

Gas diffusion property of compacted GMZ bentonite with consideration of saturation and gas pressure

Determination and Verification of GISSMO Fracture Properties of Bolts Used in Radioactive Waste Transport Containers

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