• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.377-381
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• 2013

The study attempted to analyze items presented in Act on safety control of radioactive rays around living environment, which has been recently enacted. The test items have been divided into cosmic rays, cosmic rays, terrestrial radiation, and byproduct, etc., and the selected locations for measurement included an airplane at 8000m in the air, mountainous area at 1000m above sea level, 15m-underground building, construction site, and seashore at 0m altitude. The test showed that, based on cosmic rays, plane at 8000m in the air had 4.91mSv/y of effective dose per year. The mountainous area at 1000m above sea level, which was chosen to measure cosmic rays and terrestrial radiation, was measured 0.35mSv higher than the seashore at 0m in altitude due to the effect of cosmic rays and terrestrial radiation from the greater height above sea level. The construction site, chosen as a location to measure byproduct, showed the highest value among the items with 6.66mSv, which is as 10times high as that of a completed building. The seashore at 0m in altitude had 5.96mSv, and, 15m-underground building, based on terrestrial radiation, was the lowest with 4.91mSv. This suggests that, despite the assumption that terrestrial radiation will have greater effect deeper underground, it did not affect inside the building significantly. This study showed that the items presented in Act on safety control of radioactive rays around living environment were not close to effective dose limit for radiation workers proposed by ICRP. However, they were between 4 and 7 times higher than that for general public. This suggests that there should be continuous research on and attention to Safe Management of Daily Surrounding Radiation Act, which is still at its beginning stage.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2007

This study suggested a new method to stabilize molten salt wastes generated from the pyre-process for the spent fuel treatment. Using conventional sol-gel process, $SiO_2-Al_2O_3-P_2O_5$ (SAP) inorganic material that is reactive to metal chlorides were prepared. In this paper, the reactivity of SAP with the metal chlorides at $650{\sim}850$, the thermal stability of reaction products and their leach-resistance under the PCT-A test method were investigated. Alkali metal chlorides were converted into metal aluminosilicate($LixAlxSi1-_xO_{2-x}$) and metal phosphate($Li_3PO_4\;and\;Cs_2AlP_3O_{10}$) While alkali earth and rare earth chlorides were changed into only metal phosphates ($Sr_5(PO_4)_3Cl\;and\;CePO_4$). The conversion rate was about $96{\sim}99%$ at a salt waste/SAP weight ratio of 0.5 and a weight loss up to $1100^{\circ}C$ measured by thermogravimetric analysis were below 1wt%. The leach rates of Cs and Sr under the PCT-A test condition were about $10^{-2}g/m^2\;day\;and\;10^{-4}g/m^2\;day$. From these results, it could be concluded that SAP can be considered as an effective stabilizer for metal chlorides and the method using SAP will give a chance to reduce the volume of salt wasteform for the final disposal through further researches.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2006

Vol-oxidizer is a device to convert $UO_2$ pellets into $U_3O_8$ powder and to feed a homogeneous powder into a Metal Conversion Reactor in the ACP(Advanced Spent Fuel Conditioning Process). In this paper, we propose a design model of the vol-oxidizer, develop the new vol-oxidizer with a capacity of 20 kg HM/batch in $UO_2$ pellets, and conduct a verification for the device. Design considerations include the internal structure, the capacity, the heating position of the device, and the size. The dimensions of the new vol-oxidizer are decided by the design model. We determine a permeability test of the $U_3O_8$ measuring the temperature distribution, and the volume of $UO_2$ and $U_3O_8$. We manufactured the new vol-oxidizer for a 20 kg HM/batch in $UO_2$ pellets, and then analyzed the characteristics of the $U_3O_8$ powder for the verification. The experimental results show that the permeability of the $U_3O_8$ throughout mesh enhance more than old vol-oxidizer, the oxidation time takes only 8 hours when compared with the 13 hours of the old device, and the average distribution of particle size is $40{\mu}m$. The capacities of new vol-oxidizer for a 20 kg HM/batch in $UO_2$ pellets were agree well with the predictions of design model.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.179-187
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• 2008

After Canada has struggled with a radioactive waste problem over for 20 years, the Canadian government finally found out that its approach by far has been lack of social acceptance, and needed a program such as public and stakeholder engagement (PSE) which involves the public in decision-making process. Therefore, the government made a special law, called Nuclear Fuel Waste Act (NFWA), to search for an appropriate nuclear waste management approach. NFWA laid out three possible approaches which were already prepared in advance by a nuclear expert group, and required Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to be established to report a recommendation as to which of the proposed approaches should be adopted. However, NFWA allowed NWMO to consider additional management approach if the other three were not acceptable enough. Thus, NWMO studied and created a fourth management approach after it had undertaken an comparison of the benefits, risks and costs of each management approach: Adaptive Phased Management. This approach was intended to enable the implementers to accept any technological advancement or changes even in the middle of the implementation of the plan. The Canadian PSE case well shows that technological R&D are deeply connected with social acceptance. Even though the developments and technological advancement are carried out by the scientists and experts, but it is important to collect the public opinion by involving them to the decision-making process in order to achieve objective validity on the R&D programs. Moreover, in an effort to ensure the principles such as fairness, public health and safety, security, and adoptability, NWMO tried to make those abstract ideas more specific and help the public understand the meaning of each concept more in detail. Also, they utilized a variety of communication methods from face-to-face meeting to e-dialogue to encourage people to participate in the program as much as possible. Given the fact that Korea has been also having a hard time in dealing with spent nuclear fuel management, all of these efforts that Canada has made with a PSE program would give good lessons and implications to the Korean case. In conclusion, as a deliberative participation program, PSE could be a possible breakthrough approach for the Korean spent nuclear fuel management.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.124-131
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• 2015

Radiation exposure to humans can be caused by the gamma rays emitted from natural radioactive elements(such as uranium, thorium and potassium and any of their decay products) of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials(NORM) or Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials(TENORM) added consumer products. In this study, assume that activity of radioactive elements is $^{238}U$, $^{235}U$, $^{232}Th$ $1Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$, $^{40}K$ $10Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ and the gamma rays emitted from these natural radioactive elements radioactive equilibrium state. In this study, reflected End-User circumstances and evaluated annual exposure dose for products based on ICRP reference voxel phantoms and ICRP Recommendation 103 using the Monte Carlo Method. The consumer products classified according to the adhere to the skin(bracelet, necklace, belt-wrist, belt-ankle, belt-knee, moxa stone) or not(gypsum board, anion wallpaper, anion paint), and Geometric Modeling was reflected in Republic of Korea "Residential Living Trend-distributions and Design Guidelines For Common Types of Household.", was designed the Room model($3m{\times}4m{\times}2.8m$, a closed room, conservatively) and the ICRP reference phantom's 3D segmentation and modeling. The end-user's usage time assume that "Development and Application of Korean Exposure Factors." or conservatively 24 hours; in case of unknown. In this study, the results of the effective dose were 0.00003 ~ 0.47636 mSv per year and were confirmed the meaning of necessary for geometric modeling to ICRP reference phantoms through the equivalent dose rate of belt products.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 2003

A study on the electrolytic dissolution of SUS-304 and Inconel-600 specimen was carried out in neutral salt electrolyte to evaluate the applicability of electrochemical decontamination process for recycle or self disposal with authorization of large amount of metallic wastes contaminated with uranium compounds generated by dismantling a retired uranium conversion plant in Korea. Although the best electrolytic dissolution performance for the specimens was observed in a Na2s04 electrolyte, a NaNO$_3$ neutral salt electrolyte, in which about 30% for SUS-304 and the same for Inconel-600 in the weight loss was shown in comparison with that in a Na$_2$SO$_4$ solution, was selected as an electrolyte for the electrochemical decontamination of metallic wastes with the consideration on the surface of system components contacted with nitric acid and the compatibility with lagoon wastes generated during the facility operation. The effects of current density, electrolytic dissolution time, and concentration of NaNO$_3$ on the electrolytic dissolution of the specimens were investigated. On the basis of the results obtained through the basic inactive experiments, electrochemical decontamination tests using the specimens contaminated with uranium compounds such as UO$_2$, AUC (ammonium uranyl carbonate) and ADU (ammonium diuranate) taken from an uranium conversion facility were performed in 1M NaNO$_3$ solution with the current density or In mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$. it was verified that the electrochemical decontamination of the metallic wastes contaminated uranium compounds was quite successful in a NaNO$_3$ neutral salt electrolyte by reducing $\alpha$ and $\beta$ radioactivities below the level of self disposal within 10 minutes regardless of the type of contaminants and the degree of contamination.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2014

The four natural zeolites collected in Pohang and Gyeongju area, Kyungsangbuk-do, Korea, were characterized by XRD, XRF, DTA, TGA, and CEC analysis. The primary species of these zeolite are heulandite, modenite, illite, and illite in Kuryongpo (Ku), Pohang (Po), Yangbuk-A (Ya-A), and Yangbuk-B (Ya-B) samples. The XRF analysis showed that the four zeolites contain Si, Al, Na, K, Mg, Ca, and Fe. Cation exchange capacity of Kuryongpo (Ku) zeolite was the highest compared to other zeolites. The adsorption capacities of Cs and Sr in the four natural zeolites were compared at $25^{\circ}C$. On the basis of adsorption data Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model were confirmed. The equilibrium process was descried well by Langmuir isotherm model. This study shows that Ya-A zeolite is the most efficient for the $Cs^+$ and $Sr^{2+}$ ion adsorption compared to the other natural zeolites.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2018

Terpolymers, which are chemical compounds composed of three different chemical compounds, have rarely been utilized for gas separation membranes. In this study, we demonstrate a simple process to fabricate a composite membrane for $CO_2/N_2$ separation based on a terpolymer synthesized from poly(2-[3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyphenyl] ethylmethacrylate)(PBEM), poly(oxyethylene methacrylate)(POEM), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) via free radical polymerization. A solution of the as-synthesized PBEM-PMMA-POEM was coated onto a microporous polysulfone (PSf) support to form a composite membrane. The successful polymerization and the characteristics and morphology of the membrane were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The gas permeance and $CO_2/N_2$ selectivity of the PBEM-PMMA-POEM terpolymer membrane were measured at $25^{\circ}C$. A maximum $CO_2/N_2$ selectivity of 30.2 was obtained at a $CO_2$ permeance of 57.4 GPU ($1GPU=10^{-6}cm^3$(STP)/($s\;cm^2\;cmHg$)).

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.598-603
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• 2015

In this study, electrochemical properties of pitch-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were investigated by different heat-treatment temperature of the pitch-based ACFs in order to improve the specific capacitance of electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC). The ACFs were prepared by different heat-treatment temperatures of 1050 and $1450^{\circ}C$, after activation with 4 M KOH at $800^{\circ}C$ using stabilized pitch fiber. The specific surface area of prepared ACFs increased from $828m^2/g$ to $987m^2/g$, also the micropore and mesopore volumes of prepared ACFs were increased. These results because pore was produced by desorbing oxygen and hydrogen elements within the ACFs, and pore size was increased by contraction ACFs by heat-treatment process. Because of the porous properties, the specific capacitance was increased from 73 F/g to 119 F/g using cyclic voltammetry with 1 M $H_2SO_4$ at scan rates of 5 mV/s.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.537-543
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• 2019

Alumina(Al₂O₃) is a ceramic material used in industry with a range of particle sizes and characteristics. In this study, a boehmite sol was prepared by a hydrolysis and peptizing process using the Sol-Gel method from aluminum isopropoxide (AIP). γ-Al₂O₃ was prepared by drying and calcining. To prevent particle agglomeration during the manufacturing process, four kinds of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with molecular weights of 9,000~10,000, 31,000~50,000, 89,000~98,000, and 130,000 were added and three concentrations of HNO₃ (0.1, 0.3, 0.5 molar ratio) were added to determine their effects on the particles. The crystal structure, composition, particle size and shape of the prepared γ-Al₂O₃ were confirmed through x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence analyzer (XRF), particle size analyzer (PSA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). As a result, γ-Al₂O₃ with a purity of approximately 98.2% was synthesized, and the particle size decreased and the uniformity increased with increasing ratio of HNO₃ addition and PVA molecular weight. From these results, the particle size can be controlled during the manufacturing process of γ-Al₂O₃ by controlling the addition ratio of PVA and HNO₃.