Patent Publication Number: US-11024436-B2

Title: Waste capsule system and construction

Description:
PRIORITY NOTICE 
     The present patent application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/936,245 filed on Mar. 26, 2018, and claims priority to said U.S. non-provisional patent application under 35 U.S.C. § 120. The above-identified patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth below. 
     The present patent application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/191,390 filed on Nov. 14, 2018, and claims priority to said U.S. non-provisional patent application under 35 U.S.C. § 120. The above-identified patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth below. 
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS 
     The present application is related to U.S. utility Pat. No. 10,427,191 by the same inventor related to the disposal of nuclear waste in deep underground formations. The disclosure of U.S. utility Pat. No. 10,427,191 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the design and construction of a waste capsule for the disposal of radioactive nuclear waste material (and/or other waste material); and more particularly, the invention relates to: (a) physical designs and methods of construction of the waste capsule using granitic materials; (b) incorporation of the radioactive waste material (and/or other waste material) into the formed granitic waste capsule; (c) treating of a body of the waste capsule such that a homogenous granitic material is seamlessly formed throughout walls and the body of the given waste capsule; and/or (d) disposal of the given waste capsule in a deep underground geological repository. 
     COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent application may contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. 
     Certain marks referenced herein may be common law or registered trademarks of third parties affiliated or unaffiliated with the applicant or the assignee. Use of these marks is by way of example and should not be construed as descriptive or to limit the scope of this invention to material associated only with such marks. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Today (circa 2020) there are various quantities of high-level nuclear waste (HLW) products accumulating across the world (Earth). Among the most dangerous waste may be radioactive plutonium. Plutonium has a half-life of can stretch to as long as 24,000 years and must be disposed of very carefully and for a very long time. Radioactive plutonium also has serious war making potential. For example, the United States (U.S.) may have about 34 tons of weapons grade plutonium (WGP) and this material needs to be stored effectively or disposed of. The volumetric equivalent of this material is actually quite small since plutonium is very dense with a density of about 19.8 grams per cubic centimeter (gm/cc). 
     Currently there are no means contemplated for the disposal (not just mere storage) of plutonium or weapons grade plutonium (WGP), anywhere. 
     Many existing storage practices for WGP and/or HLW are dangerous, prone to accidents, and open to the possibility of pilferage/theft of the extremely dangerous radioactive material. 
     In some instances, methods and systems have been theorized and discussed to provide a disposal system in deep rock formations into which a wellbore is implemented. This wellbore is then melted to form a seal to keep the waste buried. There are many problems associated with this type of well bore melted-seals. In most cases this type of technology has a single point of failure. This single point is the wellbore melt itself. If the wellbore melt fails, the whole system is at risk. 
     In addition, controllably melting the native rock material in real-world wellbores which actually form part of an “infinite” rock matrix which extends in all directions, is almost physically and technologically impossible, because, at least in part, that rock matrix behaves like an infinite heat sink. Operationally, the rock melt operation is complex with needs for controllers at the surface, for downhole heater cables with high density electric currents flowing, for measurement systems and devices. Such operations are costly in the field. 
     Recent international investigations (e.g., from South Korea), both by empirical studies and laboratory data, may have additionally raised some serious questions about the efficacy and efficiency of the current in-situ rock welding methods implemented in waste disposal methods in sealed wellbore systems. These investigators have indicated that in a real-world situation, the process may be complicated by several factors including and not limited to, in-situ rock fluids, contaminants due to drilling operations, formation pressures, granite recrystallization problems, and other potential drawbacks. Most of these parameters are non-controllable in the typical downhole environment of deep wellbore disposal systems and operations. This complex scenario additionally indicates the need for a new approach to waste capsulation involving rock welding. 
     Finally, the calculations based on surface computed analytical tools may not translate accurately enough to field conditions thousands of feet below the surface. To solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides methods to utilize a specially designed waste capsule (or waste container) that would allow for safe and economic disposal of the plutonium (and/or similar radioactive substances and/or other waste materials) into deep geological repositories. 
     There is a long felt, but currently unmet, need for safe methods that would allow disposal of such waste (e.g., HLW and/or WGP) to proceed. Prior methods do not dispose of the weapons grade plutonium (WGP); rather, these prior methods just store the weapons grade waste on the surface of the Earth. 
     It may be desired that radioactive materials be sequestered at a considerable enough distance below the surface of the Earth to maintain the highest level of safety as possible. 
     A need, therefore, exists for a new method and system to safely dispose of weapons grade plutonium (WGP) and/or other high-level nuclear waste (HLW) in physical systems which are safe and then depositing these specially designed systems (e.g., waste capsules) in a method that is designed to meet the requirements of public acceptance along with regulatory guidelines. 
     Today (2020), no attempt has been made to design or construct a rock-based waste capsule apparatus or device that conceptually resembles the way in which a natural granite rock formation would behave, if that rock formation material had a naturally formed internal cavity for receiving/containing waste material. This novel rock-based waste capsule proposed herein, may mimic a natural geode. Geodes are the nearest natural counterpart of the inventive concept discussed herein. Geodes are spherical to subspherical rock structures with an internal cavity lined with mineral materials. Geodes have a durable outer wall that is more resistant to weathering than the surrounding bedrock. This allows the geode to survive intact for a very long time when the surrounding bedrock weathers away. The physical size of the inventive waste capsules under discussion in this application are generally much larger than typical geodes found in nature. 
     It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, embodiments of the present invention may describe and define methods and systems for rock-based waste capsules that would permit the disposal of plutonium and/or weapons grade material (WGP) wastes and/or high level waste (HLW) in deep geological formations (repositories). 
     The present invention may relate to designing systems and methods to utilize a container (waste capsule), substantially constructed of a rock material(s) (e.g., granite) which may be at least substantially, identical in properties, both physically and chemically, to at least some natural rock material(s) (e.g., granite). Today, most scientists agree, that radioactive (and/or other) dangerous waste materials should be sequestered deep in the Earth&#39;s crust, preferably in igneous or granitic rock formations. 
     In some embodiments, waste disposal systems contemplated herein, may comprise a granitic waste capsule, substantially a cylindrical or prismatic rectangular form, of integral design, constructed from a single block of native granite. Native granite being described herein as granite rock usually cut or quarried from a geologic site which has been formed or created by natural processes or actions over millions of years. 
     In general, granite is a light-colored igneous rock formed from the slow crystallization of liquid magma in the Earth. Grains of granite may be large enough to be visible with the unaided eye. Granite is composed mainly of quartz and feldspar with minor amounts of mica, amphiboles, and other minerals. The granite porosity and permeability may vary depending on the location, depth of burial, and the external and internal stresses imposed on the rock which may cause fractures in the rock matrix. The granite in its block form may be machined into the preferred shapes/forms utilized in this invention (such as, but not limited to cylinders closed on at least one end and/or rectangular prisms closed at least on one end). 
     In some embodiments, an inventive method contemplated herein, may be expressed as a sequence of one or more of the following steps: (a) forming (e.g., via machining) a waste capsule apparatus from a granite block with a disposed internal cavity; (b) forming a cap for the above formed waste capsule; (c) installing (loading) the given waste material into the internal cavity of the formed waste capsule; (d) installing insulation material above (with) the waste material within the internal cavity of the given waste capsule; (e) installing the formed capsule cap to seal up the internal cavity (with the waste material and/or with the insulating material); (f) installing/implementing a rock welding system to waste capsule with cap (which may include a cooling system in some embodiments); (g) rock welding the cap to the waste capsule, using the rock welding system; (h) cooling the waste capsule that was previously rocked welded; (i) removing the rock welding system from the waste capsule; and/or (j) disposing of the seal waste capsule in a deep geological repository; combinations thereof; and/or the like. In some embodiments, one or more of these steps may be omitted and/or repeated. 
     The novel teachings of this patent application provide systems and methods which may be easily scaled today to an industrial level similar to an assembly line operation in which the granite melted waste capsules may be produced in large quantities, of several thousand waste capsules (or more) based on need (demand). Each such waste capsule may behave as a separate and individual “minute repository” with its own quantum of waste (WGP and/or HLW) disposed inside the waste capsule internal cavity. 
     Compared to the prior technologies in which a single wellbore is rock-welded at some specific depth to form a continuous horizontal rock layer enclosing the waste there-below in the wellbore, the contemplated inventive described herein are far superior operationally, economically, and with respect to safety. With respect to the prior technologies, forming a rockweld in a deep wellbore requires the transmission of high density electric current for many days or weeks in a steel wellbore and directing such generated resistive heat flux radially into an essentially infinite heat-absorbing rock medium; and as such, it is difficult to effectively concentrate the heat flux at a specific point in an underground formation rock matrix. 
     Further, with respect to the prior technologies, such single-weld operations are dangerous because of the potential for electrical short circuits in a metal wellbore which can literally melt the steel casing. The prior technologies require costly amounts of surface personnel; detailed continuous controlling of the applied electrical current; and above all, provides a significant “single source of failure” at the connecting (intervening) wellbore to the surface of the Earth. Any failure in this single wellbore element ruins the whole disposal process with all the tons of waste material disposed below the weld point thus becoming unprotected and allowing migration and leaching away from the disposal site. There is no redundancy in the prior technologies systems of formation rock-welding which uses a single wellbore for disposal and also for communication with the surface of the Earth. 
     This novel assembly line approach taught herein can provide for cost optimization in a controlled environment, can provide redundancy safely by utilizing many assembly lines or “trains” of operation and safely can be effectively maintained with respect to worker safety and the storage of waste capsules and waste material. The process can effectively utilize existing robotic assembly methods and control systems thus limiting human safety issues and problems and decreasing costs while maximizing throughput of capsules. 
     The implementation of this novel technology including the ability to utilize robotics can precisely perform the mundane and repetitive operations needed to construct the granitic waste capsules and to implement the disposal processes. 
     It is an objective of the present invention to dispose of any contemplated waste (such as, but not limited to, WGP and/or HLW) within at least one deep geological repository (formation). 
     It is another objective of the present invention to dispose of radioactive materials at a considerable enough distance below the surface of the Earth to maintain the highest level of safety as possible. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method for efficiently rock welding a given waste capsule in a manner that allows for large scale implementation of thousands of such waste capsules in an assembly line type operation or the like. 
     It is yet another objective of the present invention to utilize electric resistive heater systems, electromagnetic driven heater systems (Gyrotron or the like), combinations thereof, and/or the like in the rock welding processes. 
     These and other advantages and features of the present invention are described herein with specificity so as to make the present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art, both with respect to how to practice the present invention and how to make the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention. Figures may not be to scale. 
         FIG. 1A  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule (with walls, cap, and internal cavity) as contemplated herein.  FIG. 1A  may also include a sectional line, line B-B. 
         FIG. 1B  may depict a transverse-width cross section along sectional line, line B-B from  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 1B  may depict the transverse-width cross section of the waste capsule of  FIG. 1A  when the waste capsule is at least substantially shaped as a right cylinder from its exterior. 
         FIG. 1C  may depict the transverse-width cross section of the waste capsule of  FIG. 1A  when the waste capsule is at least substantially shaped as a rectangular prism from its exterior. 
         FIG. 1D  may depict a perspective view of a (quarried) granite block (e.g., in rectangular prism form). 
         FIG. 1E  may depict how various granitic waste capsules may be formed (machined) from a larger block of granite. 
         FIG. 2  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule fitted with (an electric resistive) rock welding system. 
         FIG. 3  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule being exposed to pressure loads at a top and/or at a bottom of the given waste capsule. 
         FIG. 4A  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule fitted with (an electric resistive) rock welding system and with a cooling system. 
         FIG. 4B  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule fitted with (an electromagnetic (MMW) driven) rock welding system and with a cooling system. 
         FIG. 5A  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a sealed and seamless (granitic) waste capsule after undergoing rock welding operations. 
         FIG. 5B  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a predetermined quantity of granitic segments (modules) (e.g., cylinders or rectangular prisms) that may be welded together in end-to-end fashion to form an elongated, longer, and larger overall granitic waste capsule. 
         FIG. 5C  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of an elongated, longer, and larger overall granitic waste capsule, constructed by rock melting several segments (modules) together end to end (e.g., as in  FIG. 5B ), and into which waste (such as, but not limited to, WGP and/or HLW) has been loaded. 
         FIG. 5D  may depict an overall (fixed/static) length dimension of a given waste capsule. 
         FIG. 5E  may depict an outside diameter dimension (or outside width dimension in the case of rectangular prism waste capsules) and/or wall thickness for a given granitic waste capsule. 
         FIG. 5F  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a given waste capsule that may further comprise an exterior/outer protective sheath that may substantially surround the granitic material. 
         FIG. 6  may depict a predetermined quantity of waste capsules (with waste) located within a given wellbore, wherein that section of wellbore may be located in a given deep geological repository (formation rock). 
         FIG. 7  may illustrate a flow chart of a method for forming and using granitic waste capsules for the disposal of dangerous waste, such as, but not limited to, WGP and/or HLW. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERAL SCHEDULE 
     
         
           8  granite block  8   
           9  waste capsule  9   
           9   a  segment  9   a    
           9   b  linear (vertical) length  9   b    
           9   c  outer diameter (or width)  9   c    
           9   d  wall thickness  9   d    
           9   e  outer protective sheath  9   e    
           9   f  junction  9   f    
           10  wall  10   
           10   a  height  10   a    
           10   b  length  10   b    
           10   c  width  10   c    
           11  cavity  11   
           12  cap  12   
           12   a  insert  12   a  (of cap  12 ) 
           13  waste material  13   
           14  insulation material  14   
           15  heater system elements  15   
           15   a  cooling system  15   a    
           16   a  (electric resistive) heater power and controller  16   a    
           16   b  (electric) heater cable  16   b    
           17   a  MMW power control  17   a    
           17   b  MMW connectors  17   b    
           17   c  MMW heat element  17   c    
           18  confining pressure  18   
           19  representative isotherm lines  19   
           20  melted and re-solidified rock region  20   
           20   a  demarcation zone/line  20   a    
           21  wellbore  21   
           22  wellbore casing  22   
           23  wellbore cement  23   
           24  capsule separator  24   
           25  formation rock  25   
           700  method of rock welding and disposing waste capsule  700   
           701  step of determining and analyzing operational parameters  701   
           702  step of forming waste capsule from block granite  702   
           703  step of constructing and fitting cap  703   
           704  step of installing waste in cavity of capsule  704   
           705  step of introducing insulation material in capsule cavity  705   
           706  step of installing heater system on capsule  706   
           707  step of installing cooling system on capsule  707   
           708  step of applying external axial pressure to capsule  708   
           709  step of activating and running heater system  709   
           710  step of rock welding capsule  710   
           711  step of cooling capsule  711   
           712  step of removing heater and cooling  712   
           713  step of disposing welded capsules in disposal wellbore system  713   
           714  step of sealing wellbore  714   
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In this patent application, “waste,” “waste products,” “waste material,” or the like, may refer to: plutonium, weapons grade plutonium (WGP), weapons grade components, high level nuclear waste (HLW), radioactive material, radioactive product, radioactive waste, combinations thereof, and/or the like. 
     In this patent application, the terms “capsule” and/or “container” (e.g., as in “waste capsule” or “waste container”) may refer to a device (apparatus) which may contain, receive, house, store, and/or hold a given predetermined amount of the waste product. In some embodiments, such “capsules” and/or “containers” may comprise an internal and/or an integral “cavity” for the containing, receiving, housing, storing, and/or holding of the given pre-determined amount of the waste product. 
     In this patent application, “formation rock” and/or “repository” may be used interchangeably; and may refer to a rock structure within a deep geological formation (e.g., thousands of feet below the terrestrial surface) that may be hosting (housing) one or more wellbores and/or human-made caverns. These repository formations may be between 10,000 feet and 25,000 feet below the surface of the Earth, plus or minus 1,000 feet. 
     In this patent application, the terms “well” and “wellbore” may be used interchangeably and may refer to cylindrical drilled out elements implemented in design and/or installation processes of some embodiments of the present invention. The term “wellbore packer,” “packer,” “wellbore seal,” may be used interchangeably to mean a sealing device or system to seal the internal bore of a given wellbore. 
     In this patent application, the terms “single well” or “common well” may refer to a wellbore that may be shared. 
     In this patent application, “vertical wellbores” need not be geometrically perfectly vertical (parallel) with respect to the Earth&#39;s gravitational field; but rather may be substantially (mostly) vertical (e.g., more vertical than horizontal with respect to Earth&#39;s terrestrial surface). 
     In this patent application, the terms “rock welding,” “rock weld,” and/or “rockmelting” may describe a process in which rock material(s) may be heated to its melting point (e.g., in the same manner in which a typical metal may be heated to its melting point) and subsequently allowing the melted rock material to coalesce, forming a substantially homogenous medium throughout the welded rock material. The granitic material(s) described in this patent application may have melting points of approximately 700 degrees Celsius to 830 degrees Celsius depending on a given confining pressure. 
     The heat energy needed for rock welding may be generated by various sources and/or devices. Principally, electric resistive heaters were the norm in the past and may still be used. Today (2020) an additional heater type is available. It is a heater powered by a Gyrotron. Gyrotrons are devices that are sources of powerful electromagnetic waves (beams) and these intense beams in the millimeter-wave (MMW) range of the electromagnetic spectrum may be utilized to rapidly heat and melt even dense, crystalline, and/or opaque materials. 
     By using the Gyrotron system, non-contact or close contact superficial heating to relatively high temperatures are possible. Temperatures above the melting points of igneous rocks like granite are readily possible with Gyrotron based heating systems. This type of system may be utilized for the type of granite rock heating operation illustrated and implemented in this patent application in some embodiments. 
     In recent studies, experimental empirical work using gyrotrons at 28 GHz (gigahertz) with up to 5 kW (kilowatts) of power in 50 mm (millimeter) spot sizes have been shown to rapidly heat and melt crystalline rock materials as high as 3,000 degrees Celsius in a matter of minutes. However, it should be noted in the granite melt systems embodied in this application, these extremely high temperatures may not be required. 
     Today (2020), commercially available now are Gyrotron sources of intense millimeter-wave (MMW) power in the frequency range of 30 to 300 GHz, in nominal power increments from 10 kW to 2 MW (megawatts). With these energy (heat) sources it is possible to directly deposit energy into targeted materials to rapidly heat to high temperatures that melt hard rock materials. In some embodiments, significant granite melting can be achieved in less than 15 minutes of heating time. 
     The MMW electromagnetic frequency range is ideally suited for applications in granite melting because the operating wavelengths are long enough to propagate through optically dense materials that would impede other infrared radiation. A 28 GHz Gyrotron with up to a 5 kW diverging beam may be launched from a waveguide with as small as a 20 mm internal diameter and may be used for melting several rock types including granite. 
     In this patent application, Gyrotron based heaters (or the like) may be referred to as MilliMeter Wave (MMW) heaters. 
     In this patent application, “heat elements,” “heater elements,” “heating elements,” or the like, may be electric resistive type heating elements, MMW heating elements, combinations thereof, and/or the like. 
     In the following discussion that addresses a number of embodiments and applications of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part thereof, where depictions are made, by way of illustration, of specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 1A  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule  9  (with walls  10 , cap  12 , and internal cavity  11 ).  FIG. 1A  may also include a sectional line, line B-B. across a transverse width (or diameter) of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, waste capsule  9  may be substantially constructed from one or more rocks, such as, but not limited to granite. In some embodiments, waste capsule  9  may be substantially cylindrical in exterior shape (see e.g.,  FIG. 1B ) or substantially shaped as rectangular prism in exterior shape (see e.g.,  FIG. 1C ). Internally, waste capsule  9  may comprise a void volumetric region designed herein as cavity  11 . In some embodiments, cavity  11  may be an elongate member of a fixed length and with a fixed diameter, i.e., an inner diameter of waste capsule  9 . Cavity  11  may be configured to receive contemplated amounts of waste materials, such as, but not limited to, WGP, HLW, combinations thereof, derivatives thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, sides of cavity  11  may be bound by wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, a bottom of cavity  11  may be bound by wall  10 . In some embodiments, a base (bottom) of waste capsule  9  and wall(s)  10  may be formed seamlessly from a single block of granite by coring, cutting, machining operations to the given single block of granite, see e.g.,  FIG. 1D  and  FIG. 1E . In some embodiments, a top of cavity  11  may be bound by cap  12 . In some embodiments, cap  12  may be (firmly/snugly) attached to a top of wall(s)  10  and cavity  11 , thereby sealing cavity  11 . In some embodiments, cap  12  may be rock welded to a top of wall(s)  10  and/or a top of cavity  11 , thereby sealing cavity  11 . In some embodiments, cap  12  may have an insert  12   a  configured to fit inside of an upper portion of cavity  11 . In some embodiments, a cross-sectional diameter of cavity  11  may be fixed and static. In some embodiments, a cross-sectional diameter of cavity  11  may be selected from a range of five (5) inches to nine (9) inches, plus or minus one (1) inch. In some embodiments, wall(s)  10  and/or cap  12  may be formed (constructed) from one or more rocks, such as, but not limited to granite. In some embodiments, an outer width or an outer diameter of cap  12  may be substantially the same as an outer width or an outer diameter of side wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, waste capsule  9  may comprise wall(s)  10 , cavity  11 , and cap  12 . 
       FIG. 1B  may depict a transverse-width cross section of waste capsule  9  along sectional line, line B-B from  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 1B  may depict the transverse-width cross section of waste capsule  9  when waste capsule  9  may be at least substantially shaped as a right cylinder from its exterior. Note, cap  12  is omitted in  FIG. 1B . 
       FIG. 1C  may depict a transverse-width cross section of waste capsule  9  when waste capsule  9  may be at least substantially shaped as a rectangular prism from its exterior. Note, cavity  11  may still be substantially cylindrical in shape when wall(s)  10  and base/bottom may be exteriorly shaped as a rectangular prism. 
       FIG. 1D  may depict a perspective view of a granite block  8  (e.g., in rectangular prism form). In some embodiments, granite block  8  may be substantially as quarried and/or substantially as prepared for use in industry. In some embodiments, granite block  8  may be substantially commercial grate. In some embodiments, granite block  8  may have a height  10   a , a length  10   b , and a width  10   c . For a given granite block  8 , height  10   a , length  10   b , and width  10   c  may be fixed. In some embodiments, one or more waste capsule(s)  9  may be formed (e.g., machined, cored, cut, grinded, abrasion blasted, polished, combinations thereof, and/or the like) from a given granite block  8  (see e.g.,  FIG. 1E ). 
       FIG. 1E  may depict how various granitic waste capsules  9  may be formed (machined) from granite block  8 . Substantially cylindrical exteriorly shaped waste capsules  9  and/or substantially rectangular prism exteriorly shaped waste capsules  9  may be formed from a given granite block  8 . Various cylindrical core barrels and/or cutting saws may be used to cut and shape the general exterior shapes of waste capsules  9  in this phase of the operations. Cavities  11  may also be substantially formed in this stage. 
       FIG. 2  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule  9  fitted with (an electric resistive or equivalent or better) rock welding system. In some embodiments, a different type of rock welding system may be implemented. In some embodiments, this rock welding system may be used to rock weld cap  12  to a top of wall(s)  10  and/or to a top of cavity  11 . In some embodiments, prior to such rock welding, a predetermined amount of waste material  13  may be loaded into a bottom of cavity  11 . In some embodiments, waste material  13  may be selected from one or more of: WGP, HLW, radioactive materials, radioactive products, radioactive waste, waste pellets, waste blocks, fuel pellets, fuel rods, spent fuel assemblies, waste, portions thereof, combinations thereof, derivatives thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, waste material  13  may be dangerous. In some embodiments, waste material  13  may be a waste that is desired to be disposed of. 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, after loading the predetermined amount of waste material  13  into cavity  11 , insulation material  14  may be loaded into cavity  11 . In some embodiments, insulation material  14  may cover over at least some of the  13  within cavity  11 . In some embodiments, insulating material  14  may be inserted above the waste material  13  in cavity  11 . In some embodiments, insulating material  14  may have a melt temperature and/or a burn/combustion temperature that is (significantly) higher than a melt temperature of granite, at a given amount of confining pressure. In some embodiments, this insulating material  14  may be asbestos or some similar minimal heat conducting and heat resistant material. In some embodiments, this insulating material  14  may work by limiting/restricting/slowing vertical heat conduction in cavity  11  of the given waste capsule  9  during the rock welding operation that seals cap  12  to that waste capsule  9 ; and thus, prevents the waste material  13  from melting during that rock welding process by keeping the waste material  13  temperature below the melting point of the waste material  13 . In some embodiments, insulating material  14  may remain inside cavity  11  and may be disposed of along with waste material  13 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, inclusion/use of insulating material  14  above waste material  13  in cavity  11  may be omitted. In some embodiments, waste material  13  may have a melting point significantly higher than that of granite and as such there may be little or no need for inclusion/use of insulating material  14  above waste material  13  in cavity  11 . In some embodiments, depending on the type of waste material  13  and its particular waste form, such as, but not limited to, fuel pellets, fuel rods, spent fuel assemblies, and like, wherein these waste components or parts may also include steels (e.g., with a melting point 1,510 degrees Celsius) and/or zircalloy (e.g., with a melting point 1,850 degrees Celsius), which have melting points far above that of granite. In those cases where the melting point of waste material  13  is significantly higher that of the granite, there may be no or minimal need for insulating material  14 , since the melting point of the granite may be about 830 degrees Celsius (note, significantly higher in this context may mean at least 150 degrees Celsius higher in terms of waste material  13  melt point). 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, cap  12  may be made or machined from the same material granite (or substantially the same) as wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, cap  12  may fit snugly into the top of the cavity  11  and cap  12  insert  12   a  may extend partially into the top of cavity  11 . In some embodiments, cap  12  may cover the top of waste capsule  9 . In the rock welding process, parts/portions of capsule cap  12  may be melted and become homogenous blending seamlessly with at least some upper/top portion of wall(s)  10  of the given waste capsule  9 . Such rock welding of cap  12  to wall(s)  10  may result in waste material  13  being entirely and seamlessly sealed within cavity  11  of that waste capsule  9 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the rock welding system may comprise heater system elements  15 , heater cable(s)  16   b , and at least one heater power and controller  16   a . In some embodiments, the rock welding system (e.g., heater system elements  15 , heater cable(s)  16   b , and at least one heater power and controller  16   a ) may be electrically powered. In some embodiments, heater cable(s)  16   b  may be physically and operatively connected to both heater system elements  15  and to at least one heater power and controller  16   a . In some embodiments, heater cable(s)  16   b  may be configured to transmit/conduct electrical power/energy. In some embodiments, heater system elements  15  may be configured to emit heat upon receiving electrical current from heater cable(s)  16   b . In some embodiments, heater system elements  15  may be attached and/or in physical contact with exterior portions of wall(s)  10  and/or cap  12 . In some embodiments, heater system elements  15  may be (removably in some embodiments) implemented circumferentially on the outside perimeter of waste capsule  9 , at a vertical level that may include and encompass portions of cap  12  and wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, heater system elements  15  may directed and configured to emit sufficient heat to seamlessly weld cap  12  to wall(s)  10 . The broken horizontal lines in  FIG. 2  may indicate portions of heater system elements  15  going around the upper portions of side wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, at least one heater power and controller  16   a  may be a power supply and/or may regulate transmission of electrical power to heater system elements  15  via heater cable(s)  16   b . In some embodiments, at least one heater power and controller  16   a  may comprise a thermostat and/or at least one temperature sensor/probe configured to sense a temperature of one or more of: heater system elements  15 , cap  12 , insert  12   a , wall(s)  10 , cavity  11 , heater cable(s)  16   b , portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the rock welding system (via heater system elements  15 , heater cable(s)  16   b , and at least one heater power and controller  16   a ) may provide the necessary heat to weld cap  12  to the top of wall(s)  10 . 
     In some embodiments, the rock welding system may utilize other than electrical heating means, such as, but not limited to, chemical powered means, such as combustion based systems using gas or fluid based fuels, and/or from general exothermic chemical reactions. In some embodiments, as discussed later, electromagnetic heating using millimeter wave (MMW) systems (such as, but not limited to, Gyrotron based, or the like) may be utilized to generate and direct the heat needed to melt the granite capsule material (wall)  10 . 
     In some embodiments, after the given rock welding operations are completed, the rock welding system may be removed from the given waste capsule  9  (and re-used on another waste capsule  9 ). In some embodiments, after the given rock welding operations are completed, the rock welding system may be disposed of along with the seamless sealed waste capsule  9  within a given wellbore  21 , within a deep geological repository  25 , i.e., the rock welding system (or portions thereof) may be disposed of (i.e., may be disposable). 
       FIG. 3  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule  9  being exposed to pressure loads (e.g., confining pressure  18 ) at a top and/or at a bottom of the given waste capsule  9 , wherein such pressure loads may facilitate the rock welding operations shown in  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, waste capsule  9  (with waste material  13  and/or with insulating material  14 ) may be pre-loaded axially (i.e., at its opposing ends) by a significant vertical pressure (force) (e.g., up to several thousand psi [pounds per square inch]) shown in diagrammatic form by confining pressure  18 . In some embodiments, confining pressure  18  may be imposed by mechanical and/or hydraulic means on the top and bottom of the given waste capsule  9 . It has been demonstrated in practice that pre-loading of the granite wall(s)  10  with cap  12  lowers a melting point of the granite material; and thus, making for more efficient welding of the elements of granitic material of waste capsule  9  which may now occur at a lower temperature. In some embodiments, application of such confining pressure  18  to the given waste capsule  9  may occur before the rock welding operations and/or may occur simultaneously with the rock welding operations. 
       FIG. 4A  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule  9  fitted with (an electric resistive or the like or equivalent or better) rock welding system and with a cooling system  15   a . In some embodiments, a cooling system  15   a  or cooling jacket  15   a , may be optionally implemented circumferentially on lower sections of the given waste capsule  9  to cool and/or maintain such lower sections of the waste capsule  9  and its waste material  13  in cavity  11 , at a temperature below the melting point of the waste material  13  (which is stored inside the cavity  11 ). In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be active (e.g., as in a heat pump or refrigeration) and/or passive (e.g., as in a heat sink). In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be utilize one or more of: solid state cooling circuits, fins, radiators, fans, heat pumps, compressors, heat sinks, fluid circulation system, portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be configured to pull and direct heat away from wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be located below heater system elements  15 , in a vertical direction, with respect to a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be in physical communication with lower sections of wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be (removably in some embodiments) attached to lower sections of wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, when cooling system  15   a  may be utilized, insulating material  14  may be omitted. In some embodiments, when cooling system  15   a  may be utilized, insulating material  14  may still be utilized. In some embodiments, when cooling system  15   a  may be removable and/or reusable. In some embodiments, when cooling system  15   a  may be disposable. 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 4A , in some embodiments, heater power and controller  16   a  may provide, control, and/or regulate the electrical energy via electrical heater cable(s)  16   b  to heater system elements  15 , which may heat upper portions of wall(s)  10  and cap  12  sufficiently for these upper portions of wall(s)  10  to melt together with portions of cap  12 , resulting in a seamless rock weld between cap  12  and the upper portions of wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, the electrically heated heater system elements  15 , in close contact with the upper portions of granite wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 , may distribute the focused directed heat flux efficiently and effectively into the granite materials of upper wall(s)  10  and portions of cap  12 , which then increases in temperature as shown and represented by a dash-dash-dash-dot-dot line temperature isotherms  19  in the  FIG. 4A . The highest temperature isotherm  19  may be closest to the heat source heater system elements  15  and the isotherms  19  decrease in temperature towards the center of the mass of the given waste capsule  9  as shown in  FIG. 4A . In some embodiments, heater system elements  15  may raise the granite temperature above 700 degrees Celsius (or more) to initiate melting of proximate granite. In general, granite melts approximately between 700 degrees Celsius and 830 degrees Celsius depending on the imposed pressures. The directed heat flux from heater system elements  15  may be maintained until the required amount of melting occurs in the top region of the given waste capsule  9  such that cap  12  is seamlessly welded to the upper wall(s)  10 . In some preferred embodiments, the heater system elements  15  may raise the granite temperature to 900 degrees Celsius plus or minus 100 degrees Celsius. 
     At relatively low pressures (e.g., 4,000 psi), the granite melt temperature is about 830 degrees Celsius; whereas, as the pressure increases to 20,000 psi or higher the melt temperature drops to about 700 degrees Celsius. These pressure levels can be routinely implemented by current mechanical or hydraulic pressure loading systems (see e.g.,  FIG. 3  and its discussion above). 
     Current types of electric resistive heaters today (2020) are capable of raising temperatures in excess of 3,000 degrees Celsius if needed. For a specific granite type or sample, specific engineering and scientific methods and procedures can optimally determine the operating conditions of temperature and pressure, a-priori, to allow the most effective rock melting operations to be conducted. These may include experimental work and numerical modelling techniques. These optimal conditions of pressure and temperature are then implemented for the specific granitic waste capsule  9  and its waste material  13  (and insulating material  14  in some embodiments) contents. Under continued heating, the granite materials of upper portions of wall(s)  10  and portions of cap  12 , the granite temperatures may reach its melting point and thus liquefies and “flows” and “welds” the top and bottom elements of the given waste capsule  9  together, such that the interior cavity  11  and its contents therein (e.g., waste material  13  and insulating material  14  in some embodiments) are entirely and seamlessly sealed inside granite rock materials of wall(s)  10  and cap  12 . 
       FIG. 4B  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a (granitic) waste capsule  9  fitted with elements  17   a ,  17   b , and  17   c ) of a millimeter wave (MMW) electromagnetic rock welding system; and in some embodiments, with a cooling system  15   a.    
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 4B , in some embodiments, a MMW heater controller  17   a  may provide, control, and/or regulate the MMW system, via connectors  17   b , to MMW heater system elements  17   c , disposed superficially adjacent to the granite capsule wall  10 . In some embodiments, MMW connectors  17   b  may be configured to carry electrical current. In some embodiments, MMW connectors  17   b  may be one or more wires and/or cables. In some embodiments, MMW connectors  17   b  may provide electrical power between MMW power control  17   a  and MMW heat element(s)  17   c . In some embodiments, MMW connectors  17   b  may operatively connect MMW power control  17   a  to MMW heat element(s)  17   c . In some embodiments, MMW heater system elements  17   c  may heat with the focused energy, the upper portions of wall(s)  10  and cap  12  sufficiently for these upper portions of wall(s)  10  to melt together with portions of cap  12 , resulting in a (substantially seamless) rock weld between cap  12  and the upper portions of wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, the MMW heater system elements  17   c  may be in “close contact” with the upper portions of granite wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 , may distribute and/or direct at least some of the focused directed heat flux efficiently and effectively into the granite materials of upper wall(s)  10  and portions of cap  12 , which then increases in temperature as shown and represented by the dash-dash-dash-dot-dot-lines temperature isotherms  19  in the  FIG. 4B . In the present invention, this “close contact” may be different depending on the size of the MMW waveguide and the power of the gyrotron system (or gyrotron like system) used. In some embodiments, this close contact distance may be measured in millimeters (mm) varying from less than 0.5 to 2.0 times the waveguide diameters. In some embodiments, this close contact distance may be a few millimeters (mm) to about 20 mm plus or minus 2 mm, from an edge of a given MMW heater system element  17   c  to a closest wall  10 /cap  12  granitic material. 
     The highest temperature isotherm  19  may be closest to the heat source heater system elements  17   c  and the isotherms  19  may decrease in temperature towards a center of the mass of the given waste capsule  9  as shown in  FIG. 4B . 
     In some embodiments, the MMW heater elements  17   c  may raise the granite  10  temperature above 700 degrees Celsius (or more) in a matter of minutes, between 2 to 15 minutes, depending on the power level of the heater device  17   a , to initiate melting of the proximate granite. In general, granite melts approximately between 700 degrees Celsius and 830 degrees Celsius depending on the imposed pressures. The directed heat flux from heater system elements  17   c  may be maintained until the required amount of melting occurs in the top region of the given waste capsule  9  such that cap  12  is (substantially seamlessly) welded to the upper wall(s)  10 . In some preferred embodiments, the heater system elements  17   c  may raise the granite temperature to 900 degrees Celsius plus or minus 100 degrees Celsius. 
     Current types of MMW heaters today (2020) are capable of raising temperatures in excess of 3,000 degrees Celsius if needed. For a specific granite type or sample, specific engineering and scientific methods and procedures can optimally determine the operating conditions of temperature and pressure, a-priori, to allow the most effective rock melting operations to be conducted. These may include experimental work and numerical modelling techniques. These optimal conditions of pressure and temperature may then be implemented for the specific granitic waste capsule  9  and its waste material  13  (and insulating material  14  in some embodiments) contents. Under continued heating, the granite materials of upper portions of wall(s)  10  and portions of cap  12 , the granite temperatures may reach its melting point and thus liquefies and “flows” and “welds” the top and bottom elements of the given waste capsule  9  together, such that the interior cavity  11  and its contents therein (e.g., waste material  13  and insulating material  14  in some embodiments) are entirely and (substantially seamlessly) sealed inside granite rock materials of wall(s)  10  and cap  12 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 4B , in some embodiments of the rock welding processes using the MMW systems, the MMW beam device elements  17   c  may be mechanically rotated around a perimeter/circumference of a given stationary granite capsule  9  to circumferentially weld all portions of the upper capsule wall  10  in the directed path of the MMW beam device elements  17   c , by focusing the MMW beam on the precise location on those upper capsule wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, the MMW beam device elements  17   c  may be in fixed positions and the capsule  9  may be rotated on a “turntable” like system to allow the full circumference of the upper capsule wall  10  to be contacted by the directed MMW beam devices  17   c . In embodiment today, the practical rotational applications may be implemented with available and well-known mechanical systems, such as, but not limited to, from industrial machine shops. 
     In some embodiments, a cooling system  15   a  or cooling jacket  15   a , may be optionally implemented circumferentially on lower sections/portions of the given waste capsule  9  to cool and/or maintain such lower sections of the given waste capsule  9  and its waste material  13  in cavity  11 , at a temperature below the melting point of the waste material  13  (which is stored inside the cavity  11 ). In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be active (e.g., as in a heat pump or refrigeration) and/or passive (e.g., as in a heat sink). In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be utilize one or more of: solid state cooling circuits, fins, radiators, fans, heat pumps, compressors, heat sinks, fluid circulation system, portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be configured to pull and direct heat away from wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . See e.g.,  FIG. 4A  and/or  FIG. 4B . 
     In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be located below heater system elements  15  and/or below heater elements  17   a ,  17   b , and  17   c , in a vertical direction, with respect to a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be in physical communication with lower sections of wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be (removably in some embodiments) attached to lower sections of wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, when cooling system  15   a  may be utilized, insulating material  14  may be omitted. In some embodiments, when cooling system  15   a  may be utilized, insulating material  14  may still be utilized. In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be removable and/or reusable. In some embodiments, cooling system  15   a  may be disposable. See e.g.,  FIG. 4A  and/or  FIG. 4B . 
     In some embodiments, because of the radioactive nature of the high-level waste materials  13  (e.g., HLW and/or WGP) which has to be disposed of, adequate radioactive shielding may be implemented during several phases of the rock welding process discussed above. In some embodiments, radioactive shielding may surround the waste capsule assembly and/or rock welding/cooling systems. In some embodiments, this radioactive shielding which is routine in industrial nuclear practices today may be implemented as part of the rock welding process. 
       FIG. 5A  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a sealed and seamless (granitic) waste capsule  9  after undergoing rock welding operations.  FIG. 5A  may show that cap  12  is now seamless with wall(s)  10  of waste capsule  9 , and with waste material  13  (and in some embodiments, with insulating material  14 ) entirely and completely sealed within this seamless waste capsule  9 . As noted, in some embodiments, during the rock welding operations upper portions of wall(s)  10  and cap  12  may be heated and melted by the rock welding system (e.g., via heater system elements  15 ). In some embodiments, this rock weld process may produce a molten rock phase which is depicted in  FIG. 5A  with reference numeral  20 , denoting “melted and re-solidified rock region  20 .” In some embodiments, this melted and re-solidified rock region  20  may develop in the upper sections/portions of the given waste capsule  9  undergoing rock welding operations. In some embodiments, a demarcation zone/line  20   a  shows a gradual interface between melted and re-solidified rock region  20  and non-melted zones of wall(s)  10 . As melted and re-solidified rock region  20  cools into its re-solidified phase, demarcation zone/line  20   a  may disappear and these upper portions/sections of wall(s)  10  may become homogenous with portions of cap  12 , such that a seamless granite medium now completely enshrouds the inner cavity  11  with the encapsulated waste material  13  (and in some embodiments, with insulating material  14 ) therein. 
       FIG. 5B  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a predetermined quantity of granitic segments  9   a  (modules) (e.g., cylinders or rectangular prisms) that may be welded together in end-to-end fashion to form an elongated, longer, and larger overall granitic waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, each segment  9   a  may be substantially constructed from a rock, such as, but not limited to, granite. In some embodiments, each segment  9   a  may have its own cavity  11 . In some embodiments, each segment  9   a  may be substantially shaped exteriorly as a hollow right cylinder, but without being closed on at least one end. In some embodiments, each segment  9   a  may be substantially shaped exteriorly as a hollow rectangular prism, but without being closed on at least one end. In some embodiments, a given segment  9   a  may be initially open at both opposing ends. In some embodiments, an open end of one segment  9   a  may be rock welded to another and different open end of a different segment  9   a , using the work welding operations discussed above, wherein an initial demarcation between these two segments  9   a  being rocked welded together may be designated by junction  9   f . In this manner a given waste capsule  9  may be constructed from two or more segments  9   a  rock welded together end to end, with at least one junction  9   f . In some embodiments, after welding operations segments  9   a  may be joined together, end to end, in a substantially seamless fashion, with each junction  9   f  being substantially homogeneous with the rock above and below that junction  9   f . In some embodiments, a bottom segment  9   a  of such a constructed waste capsule  9  may be closed at its bottom end by wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, a bottom segment  9   a  of such a constructed waste capsule  9  may be initially open at its top until sealed by cap  12  via rock welding operations. 
     In some embodiments, prior to joining (via rock welding) a segment  9   a  to a lower segment  9   a , that lower segment  9   a  may be loaded with some waste material  13  (and in some embodiments, with insulating material  14 ). Whereas in other embodiments, waste material  13  (and in some embodiments, insulating material  14 ) may be loaded into the plurality of interconnected cavities  11  once all the segments  9   a  have been rock welded together, end to end. 
       FIG. 5C  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of an elongated, longer, and larger overall granitic waste capsule  9 , constructed by rock melting several segments  9   a  (modules) together end to end (e.g., as in  FIG. 5B ), and into which waste material  13  (and in some embodiments, insulating material  14 ) has been loaded. Waste capsule  9  of  FIG. 5C , made from two or more segments  9   a , may have a longer overall cavity  11  than as compared to a waste capsule made from just one segment  9   a . Such a longer overall cavity  11  of waste capsule  9  of  FIG. 5C  may accommodate longer waste materials  13 , such as, but not limited to, spent fuel assemblies, spend fuel rods, nuclear fuel rods, uranium pellets, portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like. 
       FIG. 5D  may depict an overall (fixed/static) length  9   b  dimension of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, waste capsule  9  may be made from one or more segments  9   a . In some embodiments, length  9   b  may be fixed and static from three (3) feet to fifteen (15) feet, plus or minus six (6) inches. 
       FIG. 5E  may depict an outside diameter  9   c  dimension (or outside width dimension in the case of rectangular prism waste capsules) and/or wall thickness  9   d  for a given granitic waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outside diameter  9   c  (cross-section dimension  9   c ) may be fixed and static from six (6) inches to fifteen (15) inches, plus or minus one (1) inch. In some embodiments, wall thickness  9   d  may be fixed and static from one (1) inch to three (3) inches, plus or minus one half (0.5) inch. 
       FIG. 5F  may depict a longitudinal cross-section diagram of a given waste capsule  9  that may further comprise an exterior/outer protective sheath  9   e  that may substantially surround the granitic materials of wall(s)  10 , junction(s)  9   f , and/or cap  12 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be located on an exterior of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may substantially enclose a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may substantially enclose rock and/or granitic materials of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be located substantially exteriorly to rock and/or granitic materials of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be configured to support and/or protect a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be configured to support and/or protect a given waste capsule  9  during transportation of waste capsule  9  from one location to another location. In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be configured to minimize breakage and/or fracturing of rock and/or granitic materials of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may help to prevent breakage/fracturing of rock and/or granitic materials of a given waste capsule  9  when loading/landing waste capsules  9  into wellbore(s)  21  and/or into wellbore casing(s)  22  which may terminate within deep geologic repositories  25  (see e.g.,  FIG. 6 ). In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be configured to absorb at least some forces from external sources, acting as a shock absorber, to waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, outer protective sheath  9   e  may be substantially constructed from one or more: metals, metal alloys, polymers, elastomers, combinations thereof, and/or the like. 
       FIG. 6  may depict a predetermined quantity of waste capsules  9  (with waste material  13 ) located within a given wellbore  21 , wherein that section of wellbore  21  may be located in a given deep geological repository  25  (formation rock  25 ). Note, the portions of the disposal wellbore system shown in  FIG. 6  may be located thousands of feet below the Earth&#39;s surface as that may be the location of the given deep geological repository  25 . Whereas, upper portions of such disposal wellbore systems, with at least one wellbore leading from the upper portions that are at or near the Earth&#39;s surface to the lower portions, may be depicted in FIG. 1 of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15/936,245 and/or 16/191,390; U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15/936,245 and/or 16/191,390 are incorporated by reference herein. Note, the schedules of reference numerals used in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15/936,245 and/or 16/191,390 may differ from the schedule of reference numerals used in this instant patent application. 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, any waste capsule  9  shown in  FIG. 6  may be as of any waste capsule  9  as described and discussed above. In some embodiments, each waste capsule shown in  FIG. 6  may contain at least some quantity/amount of waste material  13  (and in some embodiments, some insulating material  14 ). 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, a given wellbore  21  may be drilled from the Earth&#39;s surface and into a given deep geological repository  25  (e.g., using oilfield drilling equipment, which may be modified). In some embodiments, insides of wellbore  21  may then be lined with wellbore casing(s)  22 . In some embodiments, wellbore casing(s)  22  may be steel pipe(s) and/or the like. Thus, there may be an annular space between wellbore  21  and wellbore casing(s)  22 . In some embodiments, wellbore cement  23  may be pumped into this annular space between wellbore  21  and wellbore casing(s)  22 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, at least one waste capsule  9  or a plurality of waste capsules  9  may be located into the disposal wellbore system until the loaded at least one waste capsule  9  (or the plurality of waste capsules  9 ) at least reaches a depth in the disposal wellbore system, wherein wellbore  21  is surrounded by the given deep geological repository  25 . In some embodiments, the at least one waste capsule  9  or the plurality of waste capsules  9  may be inserted (landed) within wellbore  21 . In some embodiments, the at least one waste capsule  9  or the plurality of waste capsules  9  may be inserted (landed) within wellbore casing  22 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, when two or more waste capsules may be loaded into the given disposal wellbore system, waste capsules  9  that are linearly (axially) adjacent to each other may be linked (connected) to each other via at least one separator  24  (spacer). In some embodiments, use of at least one separator  24  between adjacent waste capsules  9  may provide a predetermined amount of separation between adjacent waste capsules  9 . In some embodiments, this predetermined amount of separation between adjacent waste capsules  9  may minimize degradation of the disposal wellbore system and/or of the waste capsules  9 . In some embodiments, this predetermined amount of separation between adjacent waste capsules  9  may yield desired heat dissipation within the disposal wellbore system and/or with respect to the waste capsules  9 . In some embodiments, when two or more waste capsules may be loaded into the given disposal wellbore system, waste capsules  9  that are linearly (axially) adjacent to each other may be linked (connected) to each other via at least one coupler. In some embodiments, the at least one separator  24  may be a same component as the at least one coupler. In some embodiments, the at least one separator  24  may be a different component from the at least one coupler. 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, the plurality of waste capsules  9  may be connected or coupled sequentially and linearly to form an integral unit quite similar to a “string of pipe” units commonly used in the oil and gas industry. This string of waste capsules  9  may form a “capsule string.” In some embodiments, this capsule string may be “landed” or inserted into wellbore(s)  21  and/or into wellbore casing(s)  22 , which may be at least partially located within the given formation rock  25  (deep geological repository  25 ). In some embodiments, this capsule string system may allow the plurality of waste capsules  9  (and their separators  24  and/or couplings) to form a longer cylindrical unit which may be implemented simultaneously by surface well servicing operations as an integral string or “unit.” This type of operation is very typical of the oilfield industry field processes with respect to pipe. This familiarity and commonality of widespread use allows the subject invention to be implemented herein to be utilized extremely economically today without the need to devise or re-invent a whole new set of expensive and unproved operational techniques. 
       FIG. 7  may illustrate a flow chart of a method  700  for forming and using granitic waste capsules  9  for the disposal of dangerous waste materials  13 , such as, but not limited to, WGP and/or HLW. In some embodiments, method  700  may a method of rock welding to form a seamlessly sealed waste capsule  9  (with waste material  13  and possibly also with insulating material  14 ) and of then disposing of that seamlessly sealed waste capsule  9  within a disposal wellbore system (e.g., with wellbore  21  and possibly with wellbore casing  22 ) that is at least partially located within a given deep geological repository  25 . In some embodiments, method  700  may be a method for waste capsule  9  construction by at least in part rock welding and/or rock melting and subsequent cooling. In some embodiments, method  700  may be a method for disposing of waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, method  700  may comprise at least one step selected from steps of:  701 ,  702 ,  703 ,  704 ,  705 ,  706 ,  707 ,  708 ,  709 ,  710 ,  711 ,  712 ,  713 ,  714 , portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like. Some embodiments of  700  may omit one or more of these steps. Some embodiments of  700  may repeat at least one of these steps. 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  701  may be a step of determining and/or analyzing operational parameters necessary to melt the specific/particular granite rock material(s) of which a given waste capsule  9  may be constructed from. In some embodiments, this step  701  may comprise finite element analysis and/or computer simulation/modeling methods of the heating (rock welding) and/or cooling processes. In some embodiments, inputs into such finite element analysis and/or computer simulation/modeling methods may comprise one or more of: parameters associated with the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; density of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; shape/geometry of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; mass of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; wall thickness of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; length of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; width/diameter of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; water content of the specific/particular type of rock (e.g., granite) to be welded; whether a cooling system  15   a  may be included; parameters of the loaded waste material(s)  13  (e.g., type, amount, mass, locations, packing configuration, density, melt temperature, and/or the like) within a given cavity  11 ; parameters of the loaded insulating material(s)  14  (e.g., type, locations, density, and/or the like) (if any) within a given cavity  11 ; combinations thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the results from such finite element analysis and/or computer simulation/modeling methods may comprise one or more of: electric power output for the rock welding system; target temperature level(s) to reach; heating time(s); cooling time(s); axial (pre-loading) pressure parameters (confining pressure  18 ); combinations thereof, and/or the like. In some embodiments, these results may vary with the dimensional sizes, shapes, geometry, mass, density of the given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, method  700  may not include step  701 . In some embodiments, step  701  may progress/lead into step  702 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  702  may be a step of forming at least one wall(s)  10 , with an internal cavity  11  from a larger source material of rock (e.g., from a given granite block  8 ). In some embodiments, step  702  may be a step of forming at least one segment  9   a , with an internal cavity  11  from a larger source material of rock (e.g., from a given granite block  8 ). In some embodiments, in step  702 , a plurality of segments  9   a  (each with its own internal cavity  11 ) may be formed from a larger source material of rock (e.g., from a given granite block  8 ). In some embodiments, step  702  may involve cleaning, cutting, coring, drilling, machining, grinding, polishing, combinations thereof, and/or the like operations on the given larger source material of rock (e.g., from a given granite block  8 ) to generate the one or more segments  9   a  (each with its own internal cavity  11 ). In some embodiments, in step  702 , a commercially available granite block  8  may be utilized and prepared for coring by cleaning and machining the outside surfaces to allow for ease of coring and cutting. In some embodiments step  702  may be the step of coring an initial inner core in the granite block  8  using a commercially available core barrel device. In some embodiments, this formed inner core (e.g., cavity  11 ) may be from five (5) inches to nine (9) inches in diameter, plus or minus one (1) inch. In some embodiments, this core process may not extend to a bottom of the given granite block  8  but allows a portion of the granite to remain forming a base as in wall  10 , see e.g.,  FIG. 1E . In some embodiments, this inner core material is removed leaving a void space that may be cavity  11  in the granite block  8 , see e.g.,  FIG. 1E . In some embodiments, cavity  11  may have an inside/interior fixed and static diameter of five (5) inches to nine (9) inches in diameter, plus or minus one (1) inch. In some embodiments, step  702  may be an additional step of drilling/cutting an outer core around the inner core, which may generate exterior vertical wall(s)  10  of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, the outer core (e.g., outer diameter  9   c ) may be fixed and static from six inches to 15 inches in diameter. Formation of the outer core (that may form exterior vertical wall(s)  10 ) may entail drilling through the bottom of the given granite block  8 . This process may form a complete lower section/portion of the given waste capsule  9  (or a complete lower section/portion of a given segment  9   a ). Note, in generating some segments  9   a  from a given granite block  8 , both the inner and the outer coring/drilling operations may cut through the bottom of granite block  8 ; i.e., to generate a segment  9   a  that is initially open at both opposing ends. See e.g.,  FIG. 1A  through  FIG. 1E  and  FIG. 5A . In some embodiments, step  702  may progress/lead into step  703 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  703  may be a step of constructing/forming a given cap  12  of a predetermined material (e.g., a particular/specific type of rock, such as, but not limited to, granite), size, and shape to fit, attach, and/or seal a top of a given open waste capsule  9 , with its cavity  11 . In some embodiments, in step  703 , cap  12  may be cut, machined, shaped, grinded, cleaned, polished, combinations thereof and/or the like to fit the open cavity  11  at a top of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, cap  12  may be made from substantially a same type of material as the given waste capsule  9  that this cap  12  is intended to fit to. In some embodiments, step  703  may progress/lead into step  704 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  704  may be a step of loading/inserting/filling at least some waste material  13  into a given cavity  11  of a given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, step  704  may be a step of loading/inserting/filling at least some waste material  13  into a given cavity  11  of a given segment  9   a . In some embodiments, an amount and/or a type of waste material  13  that may be loaded/inserted/filled into the given cavity  11 , may be predetermined. In some embodiments, the waste material  13  that may be loaded/inserted/filled into the given cavity  11 , may be located towards a bottom of that given cavity  11  (i.e., disposed away from a top opening and/or cap  12 ). Different waste forms of waste material  13 , as described earlier, may be disposed of depending on cavity  11  sizing. In some embodiments, step  704  may progress/lead into step  705 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  705  may be a step of installing and/or placing a prescribed quantity of insulating material  14  above the installed quantity of waste material  13  within the given cavity  11 . In some embodiments, step  705  may progress/lead into step  706 . In some embodiments, step  705  may be omitted, in which case, step  704  may progress into step  706 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  706  may be a step of installing and sealing cap  12  to the top/upper portions of wall(s) of a given waste capsule  9 , that is housing waste material  13  within cavity  11  (in some embodiments, that cavity  11  may also include at least some insulating material  14 ). In some embodiments, step  706  may at least partially entail placing cap  12  onto a top of wall(s)  10  of the given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, step  706  may at least partially entail attaching cap  12  onto a top of wall(s)  10  of the given waste capsule  9  (e.g., with insert  12   a  into a top of cavity  11 ). In some embodiments, step  706  may at least partially entail press/friction fitting cap  12  onto a top of wall(s)  10  of the given waste capsule  9  (e.g., with insert  12   a  into a top of cavity  11 ). In some embodiments, after cap  12  is in physical communication with the upper portions of wall(s)  10 , then the rock welding system may be implemented (removably so in some embodiments), with heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c  directed to emit heat into the upper portions of wall(s)  10  and into portion of fitted cap  12  (see e.g.,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, step  706  may be a step of (removably) installing the external circumferential heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4A , and in  FIG. 4B , to the given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, these external heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c  are (removably) attached to the upper sections/portions of wall(s)  10  and to portions of cap  12  that are proximate where cap  12  mates up against the upper sections/portions of wall(s)  10 . In some embodiments, these heater system elements  15  may have its power/heater cables  16   b  and its power controller  16   a  implemented to control and monitor the heating (rock welding) operations (see e.g.,  FIG. 2  and/or  FIG. 4A ). In some embodiments, these heater system elements  17   c  may have its power/heater connectors  17   b  and its power controller  17   a  implemented to control and monitor the heating (rock welding) operations (see e.g.,  FIG. 4B ). In some embodiments, step  706  may progress/lead into step  707 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  707  may be a step of installing external cooler system  15   a  as illustrated in  FIG. 4A  and/or in  FIG. 4B . In some embodiments, this external cooler system  15   a  may be (removably) attached to the lower sections/portions of wall(s)  10  of the given waste capsule  9  (segment  9   a ). In some embodiments, this cooler apparatus  15   a  may be implemented to control and monitor cooling operations (if any), such that the bottom of the waste capsule  9  and/or the cavity  11  and its contents (e.g., waste material  13 ) remain below the melting temperature of the waste material  13 . In some embodiments, step  707  may progress/lead into step  708 . In some embodiments, step  707  may be omitted, in which case step  706  may progress to step  708  or to step  709 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  708  may be a step of applying an axial pressure (load), such as confining pressure  18 , to opposing ends of a given waste capsule  9  (with cap  12 ), such that the melting point of the granite materials of waste capsule  9  may be lowered. In some embodiments, step  708  may progress/lead into step  709 . In some embodiments, step  708  may be omitted, in which case step  707  (or step  706 ) may progress into step  709 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  709  may be a step of activating and operating the heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c . In some embodiments, step  709  may be a step of activating and then operating the heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c  for a predetermined amount of time. In some embodiments, step  709  may be a step of activating and then operating the heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c  for a computed amount of time as determined in step  701  above. In some embodiments, step  709  may progress/lead into step  710 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  710  may be a step of rock-welding the upper/top portions/section of wall(s)  10  to complimentary portions of cap  12 , resulting in a region of homogeneous rock (granitic) material (e.g., melted and re-solidified rock region  20 ), that forms a completely sealed waste capsule  9 , with its cap  12  being seamlessly welded to wall(s)  10 ; e.g., as illustrated in  FIG. 5A . In some embodiments, step  710  may utilize the rock welding system (e.g., the heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c ). In some embodiments, depending on the type of rock weld system (e.g., electric resistive and/or MMW beam), this process of welding (melting) the rock (granitic) materials (upper/top portions of wall(s)  10  and complimentary portions of cap  12 ) may require up to several hours of continued heating activation as pre-determined in step  701 . In some embodiments, step  710  may progress/lead into step  711 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  711  may be a step of cooling the previously heated waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, step  711  may be a step of cooling the previously heated waste capsule  9  for a predetermined amount of time as determined initially in step  701 . In some embodiments, step  711  may overlap at least in part with step  710 . In some embodiments, step  711  may progress/lead into step  712 . In some embodiments, step  711  may be optional, in which case, step  710  may progress to step  712  or to step  713 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  712  may be a step of removing the rock welding system (e.g., heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c ) and/or of removing any cooling system  15   a  in place, from the given waste capsule  9 . In such embodiments, the rock welding system (e.g., heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c ), the cooling system  15   a , portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like may be reusable for other waste capsules  9 . In some embodiments, step  712  may progress/lead into step  713 . 
     In some embodiments, the rock welding system (e.g., heater system elements  15  and/or  17   c ), the cooling system  15   a , portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like may be left in place on/attached to the given waste capsule  9  and not removed. In such embodiments, the rock welding system (e.g., heater system elements  15 ), the cooling system  15   a , portions thereof, combinations thereof, and/or the like may be one-time use and/or disposable. In some embodiments, step  712  may be omitted and step  711  or step  710  may progress to step  713 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  713  may be a step of disposing of the given at least one (granite) waste capsule  9 , with its internal waste material  13 , in a given wellbore  21  (or in a given wellbore casing  22 ) that is located within a deep geological repository  25  (see e.g.,  FIG. 6 ). In some embodiments, step  713  may be a step of disposing of a plurality of (granite) waste capsules  9 , each with its internal waste material  13 , in a given wellbore  21  (or in a given wellbore casing  22 ) that is located within a deep geological repository  25  (see e.g.,  FIG. 6 ). In some embodiments, step  713  may be a step of disposing of a capsule string of a plurality of (granite) waste capsules  9 , each with its internal waste material  13 , in a given wellbore  21  (or in a given wellbore casing  22 ) that is located within a deep geological repository  25  (see e.g.,  FIG. 6 ). At least some prior steps of method  700  may be repeated to generate a plurality of (granite) waste capsules  9 , each with its internal waste material  13 . In some embodiments, in step  713  outer protective sheath  9   e , as illustrated in  FIG. 5F , may be positioned around a given waste capsule  9  during transportation and/or disposal of the given waste capsule  9 . In some embodiments, step  713  may require that the disposal wellbore system of wellbore(s)  21  (and with wellbore casing(s)  22  in some embodiments) be formed, with at least one some of wellbore(s)  21  being located within the given deep geological repository  25 . In some embodiments, step  713  may progress/lead into step  714 . 
     Continuing discussing  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, step  714  may be a step of sealing the wellbore(s)  21  that may lead to waste capsule(s)  9  located within the given deep repository  25 . In some embodiments, step  714  may utilize various concrete plugs for such sealing operations. Once the relevant wellbore(s)  21  are sealed, the disposed of waste material  13  may be out of reach to harm people and/or the environment. 
     A nuclear waste disposal system and method has been described. The foregoing description of the various exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and disclosure. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.