High Aspect Ratio Drillhole for Nuclear Waste Isolation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for storing hazardous waste, such as nuclear waste, face challenges in ensuring long-term isolation due to the potential for radioisotope migration through drillholes, as the seals used may not be durable enough to last millions of years, and the geometry of the drillhole can compromise containment, making it difficult to meet regulatory safety standards.

Innovation Solution

A hazardous waste repository is designed with a drillhole that has a high aspect ratio of surface area to cross-sectional area, specifically a substantially vertical drillhole portion, which utilizes advective and diffusive isolation to impede the movement of hazardous components, combined with a storage canister and seal to isolate nuclear waste material, and may include a casing and cement layer for additional security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional drillhole geometry is used for waste storage, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability of containment deteriorates due to compromised isolation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrillhole constructionVSAvoidcontainment isolation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the drillhole by introducing a high aspect ratio vertical portion (length to cross-sectional area ratio) that provides advective and diffusive isolation. This parameter change allows the drillhole to maintain ease of manufacture through standard drilling techniques while achieving improved containment reliability through the optimized geometry that impedes radioactive material migration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If seal duration is extended to millions of years, then reliability of containment is improved, but device complexity increases due to durability requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal durabilityVSAvoidseal structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the isolation function from the seal alone and distributes it across multiple components: the high aspect ratio vertical drillhole portion provides advective and diffusive isolation, while the seal provides additional barrier protection. This extraction reduces seal complexity by assigning primary isolation responsibilities to the geometric design, allowing the seal to focus on its sealing function without needing to provide all isolation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If radioisotope migration is prevented, then harmful factors are reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional isolation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradioisotope migrationVSAvoidisolation system

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses parameter changes in the drillhole geometry (high aspect ratio vertical portion) to naturally impede radioisotope migration through advective and diffusive isolation mechanisms. This approach reduces harmful factors by leveraging physical principles inherent in the geometry rather than adding complex active isolation systems, thereby controlling radioisotope migration while minimizing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design effectively reduces the flow of radioactive materials to the surface, achieving significant isolation and meeting stringent safety requirements, potentially lowering regulatory approval costs and ensuring safety against leaks for millions of years.

Implementation Method 1

an aspect ratio of surface area of the substantially vertical drillhole portion to a cross-sectional area of the substantially vertical drillhole portion that impedes movement of a hazardous component of a nuclear waste material from a first end of the substantially vertical drillhole portion to a second end of the substantially vertical drillhole portion through at least one of advective isolation or diffusive isolation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdvection: Advection

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS20240013945A1Drillhole aspect ratio

Publication Date: 2024.01.11 DEEP ISOLATION INC

AI summary

A hazardous waste repository includes a substantially vertical drillhole portion that extends toward a subterranean rock formation from a terranean surface, the drillhole including an entry at least proximate the terranean surface; and a hazardous material storage drillhole portion formed in or under the subterranean rock formation and coupled to the substantially vertical drillhole portion, the hazardous material storage drillhole portion configured to store one or more hazardous material canisters that encloses nuclear waste. The substantially vertical drillhole portion includes an aspect ratio of surface area of the substantially vertical drillhole portion to a cross-sectional area of the substantially vertical drillhole portion that impedes movement of a hazardous component of a nuclear waste material from a first end of the substantially vertical drillhole portion to a second end of the substantially vertical drillhole portion through at least one of advective isolation or diffusive isolation.