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Forecast of 241 Am Migration from a System of Deep Horizontal Boreholes

Author

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  • Victor Malkovsky

    (Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Staromonetny Lane, 35, 119017 Moscow, Russia)

  • Sergey Yudintsev

    (Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Staromonetny Lane, 35, 119017 Moscow, Russia)

  • Michael Ojovan

    (Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Staromonetny Lane, 35, 119017 Moscow, Russia
    Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK)

Abstract

Highly radioactive materials classified as high-level nuclear waste (HLW) of atomic power engineering should be disposed of deeply underground in special geological disposal facilities (GDFs), which can be of either shaft or borehole type. The advantages of borehole-type GDFs result from smaller volumes of mining operations, a simpler construction technology, shorter construction time and cost. This allows us to consider them as an alternative to shaft-type GDFs. The parts of the boreholes in which waste containers should be placed can be both vertical and horizontal. Computer simulation of the migration of radionuclides from a group of parallel horizontal boreholes into the biosphere made it possible to conclude that horizontal GDF boreholes have significant advantages over vertical ones. We determined a forecast of 241 Am migration by a method of mathematical modelling of 241 Am release from vitrified HLW disposed of in several horizontal drillholes. The maximum concentrations of americium in the near-surface groundwater above the repository are calculated depending on the number of boreholes, the depth of their location and the distance between them, the permeability of rocks and the time of waste storage prior to disposal. Influence of different conditions on the safety of a GDF of borehole type is estimated. Calculations show that the heat generated by HLW causes a weaker groundwater convection near horizontal boreholes compared to vertical boreholes of the same capacity. In addition to that, at an equal thickness of the rock layer separating the HLW from the surface, the geothermal temperature of the host rocks in the near field of a horizontal borehole will be lower than the average geothermal temperature near a vertical borehole. As a result, the rate of radionuclides leaching from the waste forms by groundwaters will also be lower in the case of horizontal boreholes.

Suggested Citation

  • Victor Malkovsky & Sergey Yudintsev & Michael Ojovan, 2023. "Forecast of 241 Am Migration from a System of Deep Horizontal Boreholes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:15134-:d:1264877
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. A. B. Kersting & D. W. Efurd & D. L. Finnegan & D. J. Rokop & D. K. Smith & J. L. Thompson, 1999. "Migration of plutonium in ground water at the Nevada Test Site," Nature, Nature, vol. 397(6714), pages 56-59, January.
    2. Stefan Finsterle & Richard A. Muller & Rod Baltzer & Joe Payer & James W. Rector, 2019. "Thermal Evolution near Heat-Generating Nuclear Waste Canisters Disposed in Horizontal Drillholes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Guido Bracke & Wolfram Kudla & Tino Rosenzweig, 2019. "Status of Deep Borehole Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste in Germany," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Neil A. Chapman, 2019. "Who Might Be Interested in a Deep Borehole Disposal Facility for Their Radioactive Waste?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-13, April.
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