Hazardous material repository systems and methods
Techniques for storing nuclear waste include placing a plurality of nuclear waste portions into an inner volume of a housing of a nuclear waste canister configured to store the nuclear waste portions in a hazardous waste repository of a directional drillhole formed in a subterranean formation; substantially filling voids within the inner volume and between the plurality of nuclear waste portions with a solid or semi-solid granular material; and sealing the inner volume of the nuclear waste canister to enclose the plurality of nuclear waste portions and the solid or semi-solid granular material.
1. A nuclear waste canister, comprising:
a housing that at least partially defines an inner volume sized to enclose a plurality of nuclear waste portions and configured to store the nuclear waste portions in a hazardous waste repository of a directional drillhole formed in a subterranean formation;
a solid or semi-solid granular material enclosed in the inner volume of the housing that at least substantially fills voids within the inner volume and between the plurality of nuclear waste portions; and
a friction brake mounted to an end of the housing.
2. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the nuclear waste portions comprise a plurality of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods of an SNF assembly.
3. The nuclear waste canister of claim 2 , wherein the inner volume is sized to store a single SNF assembly.
4. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the solid or semi-solid granular material comprises a solid powder.
5. The nuclear waste canister of claim 4 , wherein the solid powder comprises silicon-dioxide.
6. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the solid or semi-solid granular material comprises a neutron-absorbing material.
7. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , further comprising an impact absorber positioned within the inner volume or on an exterior surface of the housing.
8. The nuclear waste canister of claim 7 , wherein the impact absorber comprises a crushable member or spring member.
9. The nuclear waste canister of claim 7 , wherein the impact absorber comprises a corrosion-resistant material.
10. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the friction brake is mounted to the housing with a pivotable or rotatable connection.
11. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the end of the housing comprises a downhole end of the housing.
12. The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the friction brake comprises a surface configured to contact a casing installed in the directional drillhole.
13. A method for storing nuclear waste, comprising:
placing a plurality of nuclear waste portions into an inner volume of a housing of a nuclear waste canister configured to store the nuclear waste portions in a hazardous waste repository of a directional drillhole formed in a subterranean formation, wherein the nuclear waste canister comprises a friction brake mounted to an end of the housing;
substantially filling voids within the inner volume and between the plurality of nuclear waste portions with a solid or semi-solid granular material; and
sealing the inner volume of the nuclear waste canister to enclose the plurality of nuclear waste portions and the solid or semi-solid granular material.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the nuclear waste portions comprise a plurality of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods of an SNF assembly.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inner volume is sized to store a single SNF assembly.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the solid or semi-solid granular material comprises a solid powder.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the solid powder comprises silicon-dioxide.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the solid or semi-solid granular material comprises a neutron-absorbing material.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the nuclear waste canister further comprises an impact absorber positioned within the inner volume or on an exterior surface of the housing.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the impact absorber comprises a crushable member or spring member.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the impact absorber comprises a corrosion-resistant material.
22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the friction brake is mounted to the housing with a pivotable or rotatable connection.
23. The method of claim 13 , wherein the end of the housing comprises a downhole end of the housing.
24. The method of claim 13 , wherein the friction brake comprises a surface configured to contact a casing installed in the directional drillhole.
25. The method of claim 13 , further comprising moving the sealed nuclear waste canister into the hazardous waste repository of the directional drillhole.
26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising mitigating an impact of the sealed nuclear waste canister during a free fall event during movement of the sealed nuclear waste canister through the directional drillhole.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein mitigating the impact of the sealed nuclear waste canister during the free fall event during movement of the sealed nuclear waste canister through the directional drillhole comprises contacting a portion of the directional drillhole or a wellbore fluid with the friction brake during the free fall event.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein contacting the portion of the directional drillhole or the wellbore fluid with the friction brake during the free fall event comprises contacting a casing positioned in the directional drillhole with the friction brake during the free fall event.