License Application Design Selection Report, REV 01. August 1999 PDF Download

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
In December 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published the ''Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain'' (DOE 1998b). The Viability Assessment described a preliminary design of a potential repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and assessed the probable behavior of that repository design in the Yucca Mountain geologic setting. The report concluded that 'Yucca Mountain remains a promising site for a geologic repository and that work should proceed to support a decision in 2001 on whether to recommend the site to the President for development as a repository'. It also concluded that 'uncertainties remain about key natural processes, the preliminary design, and how the site and design would interact'. Recognizing that the design that was evaluated will be refined before a license application could be submitted, the Viability Aassesment notes that 'DOE is evaluating several design options and alternatives that could reduce existing uncertainty and improve the performance of the repository system'. During the preparation of the Viability Assessment, DOE asked the contractor for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program to study alternative design concepts for a potential geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain. The License Application Design Selection (LADS) project was initiated to conduct that study. The goal of the project was to develop and evaluate a diverse range of conceptual repository designs that work well in concert with the Yucca Mountain site and to recommend an initial design concept for the possible Site Recommendation and License Apllication. This report presents the results of the LADS project. The design process consisted of two phases. In Phase I, a series of basic design concepts (design alternatives) and components (design features) were analyzed for their potential value as elements of a repository design. In Phase II, these enhanced design alternatives were refined, screened for accepatable postclosure performance, and evaluated against a set of criteria addressing four broad aspects of the repository: performance demonstrability; flexibility; construction, operations and maintenance; and cost. Based on this evaluation, a conceptual design was recommended to DOE and could be characterized as a low thermal impact design. Included in the report is more in depth information regarding the basis of the recommendation, performance issues, benefits related to reduced uncertainties, construction/operational benefits, technical and programmatic flexibilty and cost impacts.