Basic Research Needs for Geosciences - Energetics Meetings and ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

APPENDIX 1: TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVES RESOURCE DOCUMENTfrequency and location. Technical issues associated with monitoring include instrumentation,data acquisition system, data management (storage, retrieval, dissemination), and datainterpretation.3. Reversibility and retrievabilityWhile geologic disposal of radioactive waste is based on the principle that waste will only beemplaced in a repository when there is high confidence in the ultimate long-term safety withoutrelying on actions following the closure of the repository, most repository development programsinclude the possibility of post-closure activities for security and monitoring purposes (NuclearEnergy Agency 2001). Reversibility denotes the possibility of reversing one or a series of stepsin repository planning or development at any stage of the program. Retrievability denotes thepossibility of reversing the action of waste emplacement. This flexibility is needed to be able torespond to new technical information regarding the site or repository design, new technologicaladvances regarding waste treatment and waste management, and changes in the societal,political, and regulatory environment. The ability to retrieve nuclear waste depends on therepository design and its interaction with the natural system. Design concepts that hinder orpromote waste retrievability need to be examined, and related criteria for the geologic systemand repository design need to be developed. In addition, techniques and equipment need to bedeveloped for the mining of waste at potentially high temperature and radiation levels.4. Natural analogsThe study of natural analogs is a potentially powerful method to understand the long-termbehavior of natural and engineered systems (IAEA 1989; Murphy 2000; DOE 2004). Naturalanalogs exhibit materials or processes that resemble those expected in a geologic repository.They can be used to develop or test methodologies and models, or (more directly) to analyze thelong-term behavior of an approximate system, which is not feasible by active testing. Amethodology needs to be developed for selecting and analyzing natural analogs, and to assesstheir representativeness for a specific waste disposal site.5. ModelingLong-term repository performance is largely assessed through the use of numerical models(Bredehoeft 2003). There are many scientific and technological challenges for development,calibration, validation, use, and uncertainty of numerical models (Oreskes et al. 1994; Lemons1996). These challenges lead to a variety of research needs, including the development ofapproaches and tools to:• Accurately simulate highly nonlinear, coupled processes at multiple spatial and temporalscales• Identify the most appropriate model structure suitable for the prediction needs, given limitedcharacterization and calibration data, and identify opportunities for additionalcharacterization and calibration data collection to enhance the predictive model structure• Infer process-relevant, scale-dependent, and model-related parameters• Resolve inherent inconsistencies in scale and data type between characterization data, modelparameters, and prediction variables• Characterize aleatory uncertainty and quantify and reduce epistemic uncertainty• Propagate aleatory and epistemic uncertainty through prediction modelsAppendix 1 • 42Basic Research Needs for Geosciences: Facilitating 21 st Century Energy Systems
APPENDIX 1: TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVES RESOURCE DOCUMENT• Incorporate low-probability, high-impact events into performance assessment analyses• Incorporate alternative conceptual models into uncertainty assessments• Develop appropriate model abstractions• Perform comprehensive simulations on the system levelMathematical and computational challenges are also associated with these modeling needs (seeDOE 2006c for more detailed discussions).6. Geological criteria for site selectionIn siting repositories, it is important to select a hydrological and geochemical environment thatensures low solubility and high retardation of radionuclides. The needed repository capacity isclosely coupled with the waste inventory, future use of spent fuel with advanced fuel cycles, andthe national energy policy on reprocessing and recycling. Both options should be considered: thepotential siting of additional repositories in different geological media, and the potentialexpansion of capacity of existing sites with different design configuration optimized with thenatural surrounding. There is a need to develop criteria and to identify site characterization needsand approaches for future geologic repositories based on previous experiences and newdevelopments.NUCLEAR WASTE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND—ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONThe U.S. has had a longstanding and ongoing technical and policy discussion on the importanceof geologic disposal to nuclear waste management. To place the technical aspects of geologicdisposal in the proper context, it is useful to review the history of the technical and policydiscussions. This is discussed in some detail below. Much of this discussion is taken directlyfrom Office of Technology Assessment (1985). The reader is also referred to Cotton (2006) for amore recent, thorough review of this subject.High-level radioactive waste was first produced in the United States on a large scale in thewartime effort of the early 1940’s to produce plutonium for atomic weapons. Spent fuel fromdefense reactors was routinely reprocessed to recover uranium and plutonium, and liquid highlevelwaste from reprocessing was stored in storage tanks at federal facilities—first at Hanford,Washington, and later at Savannah River, South Carolina, and Idaho Falls, Idaho. It was assumedthat disposal could take place later, possibly at these same sites.In 1954 the Atomic Energy Act opened the nuclear power industry to private enterprise, and thefirst contract for a commercial reactor was issued two years later. Unlike defense reactors,commercial reactors were designed primarily to produce electricity. Spent fuel discharged fromcommercial reactors was stored in water-filled basins at reactor sites, pending development of acommercial reprocessing facility.The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) first addressed the problem of waste disposal in 1955when it asked the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) how to structure research to establish ascientific basis for the waste management program. Under the assumption that the waste to bedisposed of would be dissolved at relatively low concentrations in liquid, NAS stated in its 1957report (National Research Council 1957) that disposal was technologically feasible and thatstable salt formations appeared to be the most promising repository medium. Such formationswould theoretically prevent transport of liquid and would become self-sealing in the event ofBasic Research Needs for Geosciences: Facilitating 21 st Century Energy Systems Appendix 1 • 43
Page 6 and 7:
TABLE OF CONTENTSBasic Science Chal
Page 9 and 10:
TABLE OF CONTENTSTechnology Impacts
Page 13 and 14:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYpurpose of linking
Page 15 and 16:
INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONWorldwide e
Page 17 and 18:
INTRODUCTIONway into the rock forma
Page 19 and 20:
PANEL REPORTSMULTIPHASE FLUID TRANS
Page 21:
PANEL REPORT: MULTIPHASE FLUID TRAN
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
PANEL REPORT: CHEMICAL MIGRATION PR
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
Page 46 and 47:
Page 48 and 49:
PANEL REPORT: SUBSURFACE CHARACTERI
Page 50 and 51:
Page 52:
Page 56 and 57:
Page 58 and 59:
Page 60 and 61:
Page 62 and 63:
Page 64 and 65:
PANEL REPORT: MODELING AND SIMULATI
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
66 Basic Research Needs for Geoscie
Page 82 and 83:
GRAND CHALLENGE: COMPUTATIONAL THER
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
GRAND CHALLENGE:INTEGRATED CHARACTE
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
GRAND CHALLENGE: SIMULATION OF MULT
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
106 Basic Research Needs for Geosci
Page 122 and 123:
PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION:MINERAL
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION:NANOPAR
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION:DYNAMIC
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION: TRANSP
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION:FLUID-I
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION:BIOGEOC
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
154 Basic Research Needs for Geosci
Page 170 and 171:
CROSSCUTTING ISSUE:THE MICROSOPIC B
Page 172 and 173:
CROSSCUTTING ISSUE:THE MICROSOPIC B
Page 174 and 175:
CROSSCUTTING ISSUE:HIGHLY REACTIVE
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
CROSSCUTTING ISSUE:THERMODYNAMICS O
Page 182 and 183:
CROSSCUTTING ISSUE:THERMODYNAMICS O
Page 184 and 185:
REFERENCESBenner, S.G., Hansel, C.M
Page 186 and 187:
REFERENCESChen, J., Hubbard, S., Pe
Page 188 and 189:
REFERENCESEnnis-King, J., Preston,
Page 190 and 191:
REFERENCESHolman, H.-Y., Perry, D.L
Page 192 and 193:
REFERENCESLi, L., and Tchelepi, H.A
Page 194 and 195: REFERENCESNeal, A.L., Techkarnjanar
Page 196 and 197: REFERENCESReeves, P.C., and Celia,
Page 198 and 199: REFERENCESSteefel, C.I., DePaolo, D
Page 200 and 201: REFERENCESZachara, J.M., Ainsworth,
Page 202 and 203: AppendicesBasic Research Needs for
Page 204 and 205: APPENDIX 1: TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVES
Page 258 and 259: APPENDIX 2: WORKSHOP PROGRAMThursda
Page 260 and 261: Basic Research Needs for Geoscience
Page 286: APPENDIX 4: ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATI
show all

Basic Research Needs for Geosciences - Energetics Meetings and ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?