A review of near-field mass transfer in geologic disposal systems

In this report we summarize the analyses of the time-dependent mass transfer of radionuclides from a waste solid into surrounding porous or fractured media that have been developed at the University of California, Berkeley. For each analysis we describe the conceptual model, we present the governing equations and the resulting analytic solutions, and we illustrate the results. Designers of geologic disposal systems for solid waste must predict the long-term time-dependent rate of dissolution of toxic contaminants in ground water, to provide the source term for predicting the later transport of these contaminants to the environment. Mass-transfer analysis is being used to predict rates of dissolution and release of radioactive constituents in future repositories for high-level radioactive waste, and it has been applied to predict the life of a copper container for high-level radioactive waste. Mechanistic analysis of mass-transfer is based on well-established theory of diffusive-convective transport. Its application requires experimental measurement of well-defined parameters such as porosity, solubility, diffusion coefficient, and pore velocity. Our first analysis assumed a waste solid in direct contact with porous rock. Subsequently we analyzed the more realistic situations of backfill between the waste and rock, rock with discrete fractures as well as pores, and the effects of waste constituents of high solubility. Those dealing with specifically with mass transfer in the near field are presented here. In order to have a consistent set of notation within this review, some of the notation here is different than in the reports cited. 71 refs., 47 figs., 7 tabs