The Development of a Mechanistic Basis for Modelling Fuel Dissolution and Container Failures Under Waste Vault Conditions

Abstract

ABSTRACTDue to the long containment periods required for radionuclides in a nuclear waste disposal vault, the justification that a particular containment system is acceptable will be based on relatively short-term experimental data used to support predictive models. To justify this approach, we must possess a sound mechanistic understanding of processes such as fuel dissolution, radionuclide release and container corrosion. Since these processes are driven by oxidants in the vault, it is natural to study them by electrochemical techniques. In this paper, we have reviewed a number of electrochemical methods used in the study of waste vault reactions. More detailed descriptions are given of the development of predictive models for the dissolution of UO2, the crevice corrosion of titanium alloys and the uniform dissolution of copper.