Corrosion of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Glass in Anoxic Clay Disposal Environment – Technical Note

If water contacts the nuclear material due to container failure by corrosion, corrosion (i.e., traditional dissolution) of SNF and/or HLW glass will occur potentially resulting in radionuclide release to the geosphere. Studies, generally independent of each other, have been conducted on corrosion of containers, corrosion of SNF and HLW glass, and radionuclide transport in the geological disposal setting.

The output of these efforts is abstracted into integrated system performance assessments (PAs) in order to analyze the safety associated with generic deep geologic disposal systems of SNF and/or HLW glass (together also called HLW). This technical note considers the application of laboratory experimental test results from multiple research programs in the United States, Canada, Japan, and the European community on corrosion of SNF and/or HLW glass and mass transport in the clay/bentonite medium of a repository system.