Abstract
The production of nuclear energy will result in high-level radioactive waste (HLRW), which brings potential environmental dangers. Selecting a proper disposal repository is a crucial step in the development of nuclear energy. This paper introduces firstly the hydrogeological conditions of the Beishan area in China. Next, a regional groundwater model is constructed using a multiphase flow simulator to analyze the groundwater flow pattern in the Beishan area. Model calibration shows that the simulated and observed hydraulic heads match well, and the simulated regional groundwater flow pattern is similar to the surface flow pattern from the channel network, indicating that the groundwater flow is mainly dependent on the topography. In addition, the simulated groundwater storage over the period from 2003 to 2014 is similar to the trend derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite-derived results. Last, the established model is used to evaluate the influences of the extreme climate and regional faults on the groundwater flow pattern. It shows that they do not have a significant influence on the regional groundwater flow patterns. This study will provide a preliminary reference for the regional groundwater flow assessment in the site of the HLRW in China.
Highlights
Nuclear energy is considered as an additional dependable and clean energy source all over the world [1]
High-level radioactive waste (HLRW), which are the highly radioactive materials produced as a byproduct of the reactions that occur inside nuclear reactors, will probably bring potential dangers
The results suggest the south boundary is not sensitive for the groundwater flow pattern in the Beishan area
Summary
Nuclear energy is considered as an additional dependable and clean energy source all over the world [1]. After some detailed tests and numerical studies, Forsmark in Sweden was considered as the final repository for short-lived radioactive waste in 2009 This method provides an optional method for safety assessment of regional groundwater flow in the regions with special topographic or climate conditions. The Beishan area was selected as the most prospective site for a disposal repository of HLRW in 1993 [11], with the tectonically stable rock and arid climate.
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