Company will Present Multiple Papers at the 2019 International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management in Knoxville, Tennessee 

Berkeley, CA – Deep Isolation, a leading innovator in nuclear waste disposal solutions, announces the publication of its paper, “Thermal evolution near heat-generating nuclear waste canisters disposed in horizontal drillholes” in Energies, a peer-reviewed open-access journal of energy-related scientific research, technology development, engineering, and policy and management.  The paper was published February 13, 2019, and was written by hydrogeologist Stefan Finsterle, alongside Deep Isolation colleagues Richard A. Muller, Rod A. Baltzer, Joe Payer, and James W. Rector.

A second paper, “Corrosion performance of engineered barrier system in deep horizontal drillholes,” written by Joe Payer, corrosion and reliability engineer at Deep Isolation and chief scientist emeritus for the National Corrosion Center at the University of Akron, has also been accepted for peer review in Energies on April 11, 2019. Coauthors include Finsterle, Muller, and John Apps.

Deep Isolation will give presentations on thermal issues and waste disposal canister design that draw from these papers at the International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2019) taking place April 14-18, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Two other papers covering drillhole technology and stakeholder engagement will also be discussed at the conference.

 “Deep Isolation is bringing something new to the table. Our technology for horizontal drillhole disposal is sound and our community-based siting approach is groundbreaking,” says Rod Baltzer, Deep Isolation’s COO. “Our disposal solution can be customized for a country’s needs and specific waste inventory.” 

Richard Muller, the Chief Technology Officer, said, “We believe that deep disposal of high-level nuclear waste in horizontal drillholes addresses a multitude of issues that challenged previous approaches while offering a less expensive solution. Even though we are a private company, we believe that transparency and full engagement with the scientific community is essential to assure the safety of the public, and publication of these papers is a key step in that process.”

IHLWRM 2019 is an international forum attended by hundreds of the world’s most reputable scientists, all working on issues surrounding long-term storage and disposal. It attracts an international audience from over 70 countries. This year’s theme centers around consent-based processes with an emphasis on information sharing across multiple generations.

The following four papers will highlight major aspects of Deep Isolation’s solution to the global nuclear waste disposal challenge:

• Nuclear Waste Facility Siting: Learning from Success and Failure; Monday, April 15, 2:20 p.m. 
• Corrosion Resistant Alloy Canisters for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Horizontal Drillholes; Tuesday, April 16, 10:15 a.m. 
• Numerical Evaluation of Thermal Effects from Nuclear Waste Disposed in Horizontal Drillholes; Wednesday, April 17, 9:25 a.m. 
• Deep Isolation: Innovative Technology for the Storage and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Other High-Level Waste; Thursday, April 18, 9:50 a.m. 

High-level waste such as spent nuclear fuel is currently stranded at points of generation in the U.S. and is waiting for permanent disposal. In the U.S., billions of taxpayer dollars have already been spent without yet obtaining a solution for nuclear waste. In addition, over 30 countries play host to a growing inventory of radioactive waste that is also waiting for disposal. Deep Isolation offers a global solution that provides a deep horizontal drillhole repository that could be near or at the point of waste generation, which would reduce the need for long-haul transportation.

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About Deep Isolation 
Berkeley-based Deep Isolation is a leading innovator in nuclear waste disposal solutions. Founded through a passion for environmental stewardship, scientific ingenuity, and American entrepreneurship, Deep Isolation’s world-class team of experts has developed a patented solution using directional drilling to safely secure waste deep underground. For more information, visit www.deepisolation.com or contact info@deepisolation.com.