Mathematical Process-Control Model of Radioactive Waste Disposal by Self-Immersion in Geological Rocks

• Published in: Atomic energy (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 129; no. 5; pp. 284 - 289
• Main Authors: Avetisyan, A. R., Arutyunyan, R. V., Bol’shov, L. A., Kondratenko, P. S., Matveev, L. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.03.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Burnout; Energy industry; Geology; Hadrons; Hazardous waste management industry; Heat transfer; Heavy Ions; Immersion; Isotopes; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear industry; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radioactive pollution; Radioactive waste disposal; Radioactive wastes; Radioisotopes; Spent nuclear fuels; Spent reactor fuels; Submerging; Waste disposal; Waste management
• ISSN: 1063-4258; 1573-8205
• DOI: 10.1007/s10512-021-00749-0

A method of deep burial of long-lived radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel by melting of the geological mass due to the residual heat release of radionuclides confined in a container is analyzed. A variant is proposed for regulating the power of heat release by adding relatively short-lived highly active radionuclides inside a capsule, which also accumulate during the burnout of nuclear fuel in reactors and are subject to disposal. An example of a calculation of the time-dependence of the depth of sinking of a capsule with radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel with different compositions of the capsule filling is presented. Calculations show that by adding highly active isotopes it is possible to expand the capabilities of controlling the process of immersion of capsules with radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.