Safe storage for nuclear energy waste

High-level nuclear waste can be permanently disposed of in subsurface geological formations, first by storing it in a container and then placing that container into a geological host rock. Low-permeability clay, such as compacted bentonite, is filled between the waste container and the host rock underground. With a three-year award from the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, Virginia Tech researchers will seek to gain deeper insight and knowledge into the permeability of the clay barriers used in nuclear waste repositories. Cheng Chen, assistant professor of mining and minerals engineering, is the principal investigator on the research project, “The role of temperature on non-Darcian flows in engineered clay barriers.” Chen is joined by Rui Qiao, professor of mechanical engineering and co-principal investigator, who brings additional expertise that includes nanoscale fluid and ion transport.