Publications

Estimation of dilution, capture, and dose for IAEA reference biospheres

Mariner, Paul M.; Gardner, William P.

The calculation of radionuclide concentrations in a receptor well of a generic reference aquifer is highly dependent on the mixing that occurs in the aquifer and well. This study tests two simple analytical approaches for estimating well concentrations: a Generic Aquifer Transport and Capture (GATC) approach and an adapted IAEA ERB1B model. These approaches are tested against a 3-D generic repository model simulated numerically using PFLOTRAN. Because the PFLOTRAN model in this study simulates a diffusive release to the aquifer and the ERB1B model is designed for advective releases, the ERB1B model had to be adapted to accept a diffusive release. The results show that for this PFLOTRAN simulation the GATC equations accurately predict the initial breakthrough and peak concentration at the well but somewhat overestimate concentrations between these points. The adapted ERB1B model only predicts the peak accurately. Similar studies with broader aquifer domains and different types of advective and diffusive releases to the aquifer are needed to fully test the ranges of these analytical approaches.