Qualification of a double porosity reactive transport model for MX-80 bentonite in deep geological repositories for nuclear wastes

Currently, the deep geological repository approach for spent nuclear fuel is regarded as the most dependable and secure method for permanently disposing of this kind of waste. Among its key safety components is an engineered barrier made from compacted bentonite, which isolates the encapsulated waste from the surrounding host rock. As a result, understanding how bentonites react to varying compositions of groundwater is crucial. This is where numerical modelling becomes essential.

It is generally approved by the scientific community to idealise bentonite as a material structured under a double porosity system composed of the macro and microstructure. In this context, this paper illustrates the capabilities of a double-porosity reactive transport model for bentonites fully implemented in the multiphysics COMSOL platform. For this purpose, different experimental tests were simulated based on the evaluation of diffusive ion transport, mineral dissolution and cation exchange processes in MX-80 bentonite, obtaining very satisfactory results.