Abstract

In a moist oxidizing environment, such as in the proposed geological repository at Yucca Mountain, rapid alteration rates are expected for spent nuclear fuel. Laboratory simulations and studies of natural analogues demonstrate that the dominant alteration products of spent fuel under repository conditions will be uranyl phases. There is an inadequate database concerning the effects of the alteration products on the release of radionuclides, but this information is essential to provide a radionuclide-release estimate. It is likely that many of the radionuclides contained in the spent fuel will be incorporated into the uranyl phases that form during alteration, potentially with a profound impact on the future mobility of radionuclides in the repository. Our objective is to develop a theoretically founded and experimentally verified understanding of the incorporation of radionuclides into uranyl phases under repository conditions. The research will permit a more realistic estimate of the release rates of the radionuclides from the near-field environment.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.