TY - GEN
T1 - The THM boundary conditions control in the design of the large scale in situ PRACLAY heater test
AU - Li, Xiang Ling
AU - Bastiaens, Wim
AU - Weetjens, Eef
AU - Sillen, Xavier
N1 - Score = 3
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - In Belgium, the Boom Clay was selected as a potential host formation for the disposal of the HLW nuclear wastes. In order to demonstrate at large scale the suitability of the Boom Clay as a host rock, in terms of performance of the disposal system, to undergo the thermal load induced by the HLW, a large scale in-situ heater test, called PRACLAYheater test is being designed and will be conducted in the Underground Laboratory HADES, excavated at 223 m depth in the Boom Clay near Mol city. Numerical THM (Thermal-Hydro-Mechanical) scoping calculations revealed that the THM boundary conditions imposed by the repository design influence highly the THM disturbances into the host rock. Consequently, it was decided to perform the PRACLAYin situ heater test under most penalizing THM conditions to build confidence on the performance of the Boom Clay as a host rock.
Based on numerical calculations, this paper presents detailed considerations of the THM boundary conditions impact on the design of the PRACLAYheater test.
It is believed that the outcome of the PRACLAYheater test will be an important milestone for the Belgian repository design.
AB - In Belgium, the Boom Clay was selected as a potential host formation for the disposal of the HLW nuclear wastes. In order to demonstrate at large scale the suitability of the Boom Clay as a host rock, in terms of performance of the disposal system, to undergo the thermal load induced by the HLW, a large scale in-situ heater test, called PRACLAYheater test is being designed and will be conducted in the Underground Laboratory HADES, excavated at 223 m depth in the Boom Clay near Mol city. Numerical THM (Thermal-Hydro-Mechanical) scoping calculations revealed that the THM boundary conditions imposed by the repository design influence highly the THM disturbances into the host rock. Consequently, it was decided to perform the PRACLAYin situ heater test under most penalizing THM conditions to build confidence on the performance of the Boom Clay as a host rock.
Based on numerical calculations, this paper presents detailed considerations of the THM boundary conditions impact on the design of the PRACLAYheater test.
It is believed that the outcome of the PRACLAYheater test will be an important milestone for the Belgian repository design.
KW - large scale in situ test
KW - Praclay heater test
KW - Boom clay
KW - Theromo-Hydro-Mechanical coupling
KW - boundary conditions
KW - impermeable
KW - scoping calculations
KW - HLW repositroy design
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/ezp_127063
UR - http://knowledgecentre.sckcen.be/so2/bibref/9968
M3 - In-proceedings paper
T3 - EUR report
SP - 385
EP - 390
BT - Impact of thermo-hydro-mechanical chemical (THMC) processes on the safety of underground radioactive waste repositories. Proceedings of the European Commission TIMODAZ-THERESA International Conference, Luxembourg, 29 September – 1 October 2009
CY - Brussels, Belgium
T2 - International conference and workshop "Impact of Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) processes on the safety of underground radioactive waste repositories"
Y2 - 29 September 2009 through 1 October 2009
ER -