METHOD FOR UNDERGROUND ISOLATION OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: disposal of radioactive wastes containing long-living radionuclides. SUBSTANCE: method involves arrangement of radioactive wastes in underground holes driven in geological formations. Geological formations located in region chosen for underground isolation of radioactive wastes are investigated and qualitative estimates of parameters of physical processes occurring in rock mass are given. Then risk of escape of radioactive wastes from underground works is determined from expression , where r is risk of escape of radionuclides from underground hole, l/year; V_p is speed of underground water corresponding to most probable value, m/year; L is radius of anticipated stable tight geological block, m; R is factor of radionuclide retention on rock mass joint planes, ru; a is Weybull constant. Underground hole for radioactive wastes is driven in rock mass zone where r ≤ 10⁶. EFFECT: improved reliability of burying radioactive wastes. 3 cl