Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

The granite melting concept, which was suggested by Gibbʼs group for the closing of a deep borehole, was experimentally checked for KURT granite. The granite melting experiments were performed in two pressure conditions of atmospheric melting with certain inorganic additives and high pressure melting formed by water vaporization. The results of atmospheric tests showed that KURT granite started to melt at a lower temperature of 1,000℃ with NaOH addition and that needle shaped crystals were formed around partially melted crystals. In high pressure tests, vapor pressure was increased by adding water with maximum pressure of about 400 bars. KURT granite was partially melted at 1,000℃ when vapor pressure was low. However, it was not melted at vapor pressures higher than 200 bars. Therefore, it was determined that high pressure with a small amount of water vapor more effectively decreased the melting point of granite. Meanwhile, high temperature and high pressure vapor caused severe corrosion of the reactor wall.

Keywords

심부시추공 처분,시추공 밀봉,화강암 용융,재결정화