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Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in Deep Horizontal Drillholes

Author

Listed:
  • Richard A. Muller

    (Deep Isolation Inc., 2120 University Ave., Suite 623, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • Stefan Finsterle

    (Finsterle GeoConsulting, 315 Vassar Ave., Kensington, CA 94708, USA)

  • John Grimsich

    (Deep Isolation Inc., 2120 University Ave., Suite 623, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • Rod Baltzer

    (Deep Isolation Inc., 2120 University Ave., Suite 623, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • Elizabeth A. Muller

    (Deep Isolation Inc., 2120 University Ave., Suite 623, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • James W. Rector

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

  • Joe Payer

    (Corrosion Engineering, University of Akron, Whitby Hall 211, Akron, OH 44325, USA)

  • John Apps

    (Geochemistry Consultant, 3389 Angelo St., Lafayette, CA 94549, USA)

Abstract

Spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste can be disposed in deep horizontal drillholes in sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous rocks. Horizontal drillhole disposal has safety, operational and economic benefits: the repository is deep in the brine-saturated zone far below aquifers in a reducing environment of formations that can be shown to have been isolated from the surface for exceedingly long times; its depth provides safety against inadvertent intrusion, earthquakes and near-surface perturbations; it can be placed close to the reactors and interim storage facilities, minimizing transportation; disposal costs per ton of waste can be kept substantially lower than for mined repositories by its smaller size, reduced infrastructure needs and staged implementation; and, if desired, the waste could be retrieved using “fishing” technology. In the proposed disposal concept, corrosion-resistant canisters containing unmodified fuel assemblies from commercial reactors would be placed end-to-end in up to 50 cm diameter horizontal drillholes, a configuration that reduces mechanical stresses and keeps the temperatures below the boiling point of the brine. Other high-level wastes, such as capsules containing 137 Cs and 90 Sr, can be disposed in small-diameter horizontal drillholes. We provide an overview of this novel disposal concept and its technology, discuss some of its safety aspects and compare it to mined repositories and the deep vertical borehole disposal concept.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard A. Muller & Stefan Finsterle & John Grimsich & Rod Baltzer & Elizabeth A. Muller & James W. Rector & Joe Payer & John Apps, 2019. "Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in Deep Horizontal Drillholes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-28, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:11:p:2052-:d:235233
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rechard, Rob P. & Liu, Hui-Hai & Tsang, Yvonne W. & Finsterle, Stefan, 2014. "Site characterization of the Yucca Mountain disposal system for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 32-52.
    2. Bates, E.A. & Driscoll, M.J. & Lester, R.K. & Arnold, B.W., 2014. "Can deep boreholes solve America׳s nuclear waste problem?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 186-189.
    3. Rechard, Rob P. & Freeze, Geoff A. & Perry, Frank V., 2014. "Hazards and scenarios examined for the Yucca Mountain disposal system for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 74-95.
    4. 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.
    5. Joe H. Payer & Stefan Finsterle & John A. Apps & Richard A. Muller, 2019. "Corrosion Performance of Engineered Barrier System in Deep Horizontal Drillholes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stefan Finsterle & Richard A. Muller & John Grimsich & Ethan A. Bates & John Midgley, 2021. "Post-Closure Safety Analysis of Nuclear Waste Disposal in Deep Vertical Boreholes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-24, October.
    2. Dirk Mallants & Karl Travis & Neil Chapman & Patrick V. Brady & Hefin Griffiths, 2020. "The State of the Science and Technology in Deep Borehole Disposal of Nuclear Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-7, February.
    3. Stefan Finsterle & Cal Cooper & Richard A. Muller & John Grimsich & John Apps, 2020. "Sealing of a Deep Horizontal Borehole Repository for Nuclear Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-29, December.
    4. Hosam M. Saleh & Amal I. Hassan, 2023. "Radioactivity: Sustainable Materials and Innovative Techniques," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-6, March.
    5. Michael I. Ojovan & Hans J. Steinmetz, 2022. "Approaches to Disposal of Nuclear Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-23, October.
    6. Joe H. Payer & Stefan Finsterle & John A. Apps & Richard A. Muller, 2019. "Corrosion Performance of Engineered Barrier System in Deep Horizontal Drillholes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.

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