Single-Hole in Situ Thermal Probe for Hydrothermal Characterization at Yucca Mountain

by George Danko, Univ of Nevada, Reno, Reno, United States,
Thomas A. Buscheck, Univ of Nevada, Reno, Reno, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: High Level Radioactive Waste Management 1993

Abstract:

The REKA thermal probe method, which uses a single borehole to measure in situ rock thermophysical properties and provides for efficient and low-cost site characterization, is analyzed for its application to hydrothermal system characterization. It is demonstrated throughout the evaluation of several temperature fields obtained for different thermal zones that the REKA method can be applied to simultaneously determine (1) two independent thermophysical properties, i.e., heat conductivity and thermal diffusivity and (2) a set of heat transport parameters, which can be used to characterize the behavior of a hydrothermal system. Based on the direct physical meaning of these transport parameters, the components of the heat transport mechanism in a given time and location of the hydrothermal system can be described. This evaluation can be applied to characterizing and quantifying in situ rock dry-out and condensate shedding at the proposed repository site.

Subject Headings: Thermal properties | Rock properties | Probe instruments | Field tests | Site investigation | Radioactive wastes | Hydrologic properties

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