The Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF) at the Savannah River Site plays a critical role in managing low-level radioactive waste by encapsulating it in saltstone grout, which is stored in engineered disposal units. To ensure the long-term safety and effectiveness of this containment strategy, the facility’s performance is evaluated using advanced computational modeling tools. A key tool in this assessment is PORFLOW®, three-dimensional flow and transport modeling software. PORFLOW® was used to simulate complex groundwater flow and contaminant transport processes over extended periods, including scenarios up to 10,000 years beyond the facility’s closure.
Why PORFLOW?
PORFLOW’s capabilities enable detailed simulations of fluid flow and contaminant transport through both unsaturated (vadose) and saturated zones, making it ideal for evaluating long-term environmental impacts. Its user-defined variables feature allows properties like solubility and partitioning coefficients (Kd values) to change dynamically based on local conditions such as redox potential and pH. This flexibility allows PORFLOW® to accurately model the transition between different chemical environments, a crucial factor in understanding the behavior of key contaminants like Technetium-99 (Tc-99) and Iodine-129 (I-129). As saltstone degrades and changes from reducing to oxidizing conditions, PORFLOW® adjusts material properties without additional coding, providing a high level of accuracy in predictions.
By leveraging PORFLOW’s unique features, the long-term performance assessment of the Saltstone Disposal Facility delivers a comprehensive understanding of the migration and containment of radioactive materials, ensuring that the facility meets regulatory safety standards and protects the environment over the long term. For organizations seeking to evaluate complex flow and transport scenarios in environmental systems, PORFLOW® stands out as a versatile and powerful tool that delivers accuracy and flexibility without the need for extensive custom code development.
Courtesy: Savannah River Remediation LLC
Citation: Authority, W.D., 2009. Performance Assessment for the Saltstone Disposal Facility at the Savannah River Site. Savannah River Remediation LLC, Aiken, SC, SRR-CWDA-2009-00017 Revision 0.
