Modeling of the Ventilation for Emplacement Drift Re-Entry and Rock Drying

Danko, George; Mousset-Jones, Pierre; ,

Modeling of the Ventilation for Emplacement Drift Re-Entry and Rock Drying

by George Danko, Univ of Nevada, Reno, United States,
Pierre Mousset-Jones, Univ of Nevada, Reno, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

Different ventilation scenarios were analyzed for a hot repository with a 114 kw/Acre heat load, to determine the time required to cool a drift to the point where the temperature of the air leaving the drift is at or below 51.66 ?C (125?F). The results show that it is possible to cool a drift for re-entry within less than three months using a high air flow rate of 94.37 m³s (200,000 cfm) at an inlet dry bulb temperature of 26.11 ?C (79 ?F), assuming worst-case scenarios. The continuous precooling of the drift with an air flow of 1.415 m³s (3,000 cfm) at the same inlet temperature has negligible effect upon drift and air temperatures, assuming dry wall conditions. However, the same precooling results in a significant reduction in the cooling time, to around one week, if a partially wet surface condition is assumed. If the moisture from the partially saturated rock around the drift is removed at a high rate by the ventilating air, assuming 10 percent equivalent wetness and using a continuous precooling air flow rate of 7.08 m³s (15,000 cfm) at an inlet temperature of 26.11 ?C (79 ?F), the drift will remain accessible. It is also found that cooling the air prior to entering the drift to 18.33 ?C (65 ?F) only marginally improves the required cooling time period.

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