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Retrieval and Analysis of Simulated Defense HLW Package Experiments at the WIPP**

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Martin A. Molecke  and
N. Rob Sorensen
Martin A. Molecke
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA
N. Rob Sorensen
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA
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Abstract

In situ waste package performance experiments involving simulated (non-radioactive) defense high-level waste (DHLW) containers have been in progress since late 1984 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility. These experiments involve full-size, simulated DHLW containers of several metals and designs emplaced in the WIPP bedded rock salt. These test containers are surrounded by granular backfill (packing) materials, have in many cases been intentionally injected with brines, and are heavily instrumented. A majority of the test packages also contain nonradioactive DHLW borosilicate glass waste form, either within the container and/or outside of it. The primary purpose of these WIPP simulated DHLW experiments is to evaluate the in situ durability and performance of all waste package engineered barrier materials, and to perform package concept validation testing.

Twelve of the test DHLW containers, emplaced in WIPP test Room B, have been in heated operation since 1985 and had a maximum surface temperature of about 190°C. These containers were recently retrieved, after about 3 years of heated exposure, for detailed posttest laboratory analyses of: general corrosion and metallurgical degradation, waste form and backfill materials alterations, and other rock salt-brine-barrier materials near-field interactions with the “repository” geochemical environment. Test canisters and overpacks made of ASTM Grade-12 titanium showed essentially no visible degradation in either the base metal or welds; cast mild steel A216/WCA over-packs have suffered some uniform corrosion. Significant degradation of the removed instruments and associated test apparatus has been found: pieces of stainless steel (both 304L and 316) apparatus have undergone extensive stress-corrosion cracking failure and non-uniform attack; Inconel 600-sheathed instruments have undergone both extensive uniform and localized (pitting) attack. Granular backfill materials have been significantly compacted by creep closure to about a density of 2 kg/m. Laboratory analyses are still in progress. Further details on these materials results plus instrumentation data and other in situ WIPP waste package test observations are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 127: Symposium BERLIN – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XII , 1988 , 653
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1989

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Footnotes

**

This work was performed by Sandia National Laboratories and supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-76DP00789.

References

REFERENCES

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