Providing consistency and established methodology

The Reference Cases include:

• a cementitious low activity waste form in a reinforced concrete disposal vault

• a concrete vault containing a steel waste tank filled with grout (closed high-level waste tank)

• a spent nuclear fuel basin during operation

Additional cases of grouting and entombment of a nuclear materials processing facility (e.g., canyons) and in-situ grouting of vadose contamination are under development based on requests from Richland.

Each case provides a different set of desired performance characteristics and interfaces between materials and with the environment. Examples of concretes, grout fills, and a cementitious waste form have been identified for the relevant Reference Case configurations.

The CBP has defined a set of reference cases to provide the following functions:

1. common set of system configurations to illustrate the methods and tools developed by the CBP
2. common basis for evaluating methodology for uncertainty characterization
3. common set of cases to develop a complete set of parameter and changes in parameters as a function of time and changing conditions
4. basis for experiments and model validation
5. basis for improving conceptual models and reducing model uncertainties.

Tank Closure Diagram - Click to Enlarge

These reference cases include the following two reference disposal units and a reference storage unit:

(i) a cementitious low activity waste form in a reinforced concrete disposal vault,
(ii) a concrete vault containing a steel high-level waste tank filled with grout (closed high-level waste tank), and
(iii) a spent nuclear fuel basin during operation.

Each case provides a different set of desired performance characteristics and interfaces between materials and with the environment. Examples of concretes, grout fills and a cementitious waste form are identified for the relevant reference case configurations.