• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.283-293
• /
• 2015

The buffer is a key component of the engineered barrier system in a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository. The present study reviewed the requirements and functional criteria of the buffer reported in literature, and also based on the results, proposed an approach to establish a buffer concept which is applicable to an HLW repository in Korea. The hydraulic conductivity, radionuclide-retarding capacity (equilibrium distribution coefficient and diffusion coefficient), swelling pressure, thermal conductivity, mechanical properties, organic carbon content, and illitization rate were considered as major technical parameters for the functional criteria of the buffer. Domestic bentonite (Ca-bentonite) and, as an alternative, MX-80 (Na-bentonite) were proposed for the buffer of an HLW repository in Korea. The technical specifications for those proposed bentonites were set to parameter values that conservatively satisfy Korea's functional criteria for the Ca-bentonite and Swedish criteria for the Na-bentonite. The thickness of the buffer was determined by evaluating the means of shear behavior, radionuclide release, and heat conduction, which resulted in the proper buffer thickness of 0.25 to 0.5 m. However, the final thickness of the buffer should be determined by considering coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical evaluation and economics and engineering aspects as well.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.173-179
• /
• 2010

In a HLW repository, the buffer is exposed to an elevated temperature due to a radioactive decay and geochemical conditions for a long time and such a hydrothermal condition may cause a significant loss of its barrier function. This study carried out hydrothermal tests with a domestic smectite clay to investigate the changes in the expandibility, layer charge, and cation exchange capacity of the smectite. When the temperature and potassium concentration in solution was increased for the hydrothermal treatments, the expandibility decreased, the layer charge negatively increased, and the CEC also decreased.

• Explosives and Blasting
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.31-54
• /
• 2017

In the countries operating nuclear reactors, the development of high-level radioactive waste(HLW) disposal technique is considered as an urgent and important issue for sustainable utilization of nuclear energy. In Korea, in which a low and intermediate radioactive waste repository is already operating, the construction of an underground research laboratory for in situ validation studies became a matter of interest with increasing concerns on the management of HLW. In order to construct and to operate an underground HLW repository safely in deep underground, the stability of rock mass should be guaranteed. As an important factor on rock stability, excavation damaged zone (EDZ) has been studied in many underground research laboratories in foreign countries. For accurate evaluation of the characteristics and effects of EDZ under disposal condition, it is required to use reliable investigation method based on the analysis of previous studies in similar conditions. In this study, status of foreign underground research laboratories in other countries, approaches for investigation the characteristics, size, and effect of EDZ, and major findings from the researches were surveyed and reported. This will help the accomplishment of domestic researches for developing HLW management techniques in underground research laboratory.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.73-100
• /
• 2008

For the purpose of evaluating dose rate to individual due to long-term release of nuclides from the HLW repository, a biosphere assessment model and the implemented code, ACBIO, based on BIOMASS methodology have been developed by utilizing AMBER, a general compartment modeling tool. To show its practicability and usability as well as to see the sensitivity of compartment scheme or parametric variation to concentration and activity in compartments as well as annual flux between compartments at their peak values, some calculations are made and investigated: For each case when changing the structure of compartments and GBIs as well as varying selected input Kd values, all of which seem very important among others, dose rate per nuclide release rate is separately calculated and analyzed. From the maximum dose rates (Bq/y), flux-to-dose conversion factors (Sv/Bq) for each nuclide were derived, which are to be used for converting the nuclide release rate appearing from the geosphere through various GBIs to dose rate (Sv/y) for individual in critical group. It has been also observed that compartment scheme, identification of possible exposure group and GBIs could be all highly sensitive to the final consequences in biosphere modeling.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.281-294
• /
• 2012

The current status of the computer codes for the analysis of coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical behavior occurred in a high-level waste repository was investigated. Based on the reported results on the comparison between the predictions using the computer codes and the experimental data from the in-situ tests, the reliability of the existing computer codes was analyzed. The presented codes simulated considerably well the coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical behavior in the near-field rock of the repository without buffer, but the predictions for the engineered barrier system of the repository located at saturated hard rock were not satisfactory. To apply the current thermal-hydrological-mechanical models to the assessment of the performance of engineered barrier system, a major improvement on the mathematical models which analyze the distribution of water content and total pressure in the buffer is required.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.19-26
• /
• 2021

The high-level radioactive waste (HLW) produced from nuclear power plants is disposed in a rock-mass at a depth of hundreds meters below the ground level. Since HLW is very dangerous to human being, it must be disposed of safely by the engineered barrier system (EBS). The EBS consists of a disposal canister, backfill material, buffer material, and so on. When the components of EBS are installed, gaps inevitably exist not only between the rock-mass and buffer material but also between the canister and buffer material. The gap can reduce water-retarding capacity and heat release efficiency of the buffer material, so it is necessary to investigate properties of gap-filling materials and to analyze gap spacing effect. Furthermore, there has been few researches considering domestic disposal system compared to overseas researches. In this reason, this research derived the peak temperature of the bentonite buffer material considering domestic disposal system based on the numerical analysis. The gap between the canister and buffer material had a minor effect on the peak temperature of the bentonite buffer material, but there was 40% difference of the peak temperature of the bentonite buffer material because of the gap existence between the buffer material and rock mass.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.28-53
• /
• 2024

In general, high-level radioactive waste (HLW) generated as a result of nuclear power generation should be disposed within the country. Determination of the disposal site and host rock for HLW deep geological repository is an important issue not only scientifically but also politically, economically, and socially. Considered host rock types worldwide for geological disposal include crystalline rocks, sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, and salt dome. However, South Korea consists of various rock types except salt dome. This paper not only analyzed the geological and rock mechanical characteristics on a nationwide scale with the preliminary results on various rock type studies for the disposal host rock, but also reviewed the characteristics and possibility of various rock types as a host rock through deep drilling surveys. Based on the nationwide screening for host rock types resulted from literature review, rock distributions, and detailed case studies, Jurassic granites and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (Jinju and Jindong formations) were derived as a possible candidate host rock types for the geological disposal. However, since the analyzed data for candidate rock types from this study is not enough, it is suggested that the disposal rock type should be carefully determined from additional and detailed analysis on disposal depth, regional characteristics, multidisciplinary investigations, etc.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.228-243
• /
• 2023

Bentonite is widely recognized and utilized as a buffer material in high-level radioactive waste repositories, mainly due to its favorable characteristics such as swelling capability and low permeability. Bentonite buffers play an important role in ensuring the safe disposal of radioactive waste by providing a low permeability barrier and effectively preventing the migration of radionuclides into the surrounding rock. However, the long-term performance of bentonite buffers still remains a subject of ongoing research, and one of the main concerns is the erosion of the buffer induced by swelling and groundwater flow. The erosion of the bentonite buffer can significantly impact repository safety by compromising the integrity of buffer and leading to the formation of colloids that may facilitate the transport of radionuclides through groundwater, consequently elevating the risk of radionuclide migration. Therefore, it is very important to numerically quantify the erosion of bentonite buffer to evaluate the long-term performance of bentonite buffer, which is crucial for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal. In this technical note, Two-region model is introduced, a proposed model to simulate the erosion behavior of bentonite based on a dynamic bentonite diffusion model, and quantitative evaluation is conducted for the bentonite buffer erosion with this model.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.197-207
• /
• 2006

The engineering performance of a high level waste repository is significantly dependent upon the T-H-M behavior in the engineered barrier system. An engineering-scale test facility (KENTEX) was set up to validate the T-H-M behaviors in the buffer of a reference disposal system developed in the 2002. The validation tests started on May 31, 2005 and is now in progress. The KENTEX facility and validation test programme are introduced, and pre-operation calculations are also presented to give information on the sensitive location of sensors and operational conditions. This test will provide information (e.g., large-scale apparatus, sensors, monitoring system etc.) needed for 'in-situ' tests, make the validation of a T-H-M model for the T-H-M performance assessment of the reference disposal system, and demonstrate the engineering feasibility of fabricating and emplacing the buffer of a repository.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.219-230
• /
• 2017

This study was conducted to predict and evaluate the uncertainty of safety after closure of the second phase surface disposal facility of the Gyeongju intermediate and low level repository in Korea. In this study, four scenarios are developed considering both intact and degraded states of multi-layered covers and disposal containers; also, the fluid flow by a rainfall into the disposal facility is simulated. The rainfall conditions are implemented based on the monthly average data of the past 30 years (1985~2014); the simulation period is 300 years, the management period regulated by institutional provisions. As a result of the evaluation of the basic scenario, in which the integrity of both of the containers and the covers is maintained, it was confirmed that penetration of rainfall does not completely saturate the inside of the disposal facility. It is revealed that the multiple cover layers and concrete containers effectively play the role of barrier against the permeation of rainfall.