Title: Numerical simulation of a temporary repository of radioactive material

Authors: E. De La Cruz-Sánchez; J. Klapp; E. Mayoral-Villa; R. González-Galán; A.M. Gómez-Torres; C.E. Alvarado-Rodríguez

Addresses: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera México-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de México, Mexico ' Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera México-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de México, Mexico ' Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera México-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de México, Mexico ' Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera México-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de México, Mexico ' Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera México-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de México, Mexico ' División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta S/N, Guanajuato, Mexico; ABACUS-Centro de Matemática Aplicada y Cómputo de Alto Rendimiento, Departamento de Matemáticas, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados CINVESTAV-IPN, Ocoyoacac, Estado de México, 52740, Mexico

Abstract: A bidimensional numerical simulation model for the analysis of dispersion of contaminants through a saturated porous medium using finite element method (FEM) was applied to study the transport of radioisotopes in a temporary nuclear repository. The 2D model used considers Darcy's law for calculating the velocity field, and then to solve the mass transport equation. Taking into account radionuclide decay the transport of long lived U-series daughters such as 238-U, 234-U, and 230-Th is evaluated. The model is validated using experimental data reported in the literature obtaining good agreement between the numerical results and the available experimental data. The radionuclide flow is highly irregular and it is influenced by failures in the area and its interactions in the fluid-solid matrix. The most important result of this work is the development of a validated model to describe the migration of radionuclides in saturated porous media with some fractures.

Keywords: radioisotope transport; numerical simulation; radioactive waste repository; saturated porous media.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2018.092604

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2018 Vol.12 No.1, pp.92 - 109

Received: 22 Feb 2017
Accepted: 27 Mar 2018

Published online: 25 Jun 2018 *

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