An approach to modelling the impact of 14C release from reactor graphite in a geological disposal facility

Doulgeris, Charalampos, Humphreys, Paul and Rout, Simon (2015) An approach to modelling the impact of 14C release from reactor graphite in a geological disposal facility. Mineralogical Magazine, 79 (6). pp. 1495-1503. ISSN 0026-461X

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Abstract

Carbon-14 (C-14) is a key radionuclide in the assessment of a geological disposal facility (GDF) for radioactive waste. In the UK a significant proportion of the national C-14 inventory is associated with reactor core graphite generated by the decommissioning of the UK’s Magnox and AGR reactors. There are a number of uncertainties associated with the fate and transport of C-14 in a post-closure disposal environment that need to be considered when calculating the radiological impacts of C-14 containing wastes. Some of these uncertainties are associated with the distribution of C-14 containing gaseous species such as 14CH4 and 14CO2 between the groundwater and gaseous release pathways. As part of the C14-BIG programme, a modelling framework has been developed to investigate these uncertainties. This framework consists of a biogeochemical near-field evolution model, incorporating a graphite carbon-14 release model, which interfaces with a geosphere/biosphere model. The model highlights the potential impact of the microbial reduction of 14CO2 to 14CH4, through the oxidation of H2, on C-14 transport. The modelling results could be used to inform the possible segregation of reactor graphite from other gas generating wastes.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA76 Computer software Q Science > QR Microbiology
Schools:	School of Applied Sciences
Related URLs:	Author
Depositing User:	Paul Humphreys
Date Deposited:	23 Jun 2015 10:11
Last Modified:	10 Dec 2016 00:30
URI:	http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/24821

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