• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.335-344
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• 2014

The safety case program has been prepared for the development of the disposal facility of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste in Korea. For the development of the radioactive waste disposal facility, this program can be applied for the safety demonstration of the facility and for the safety judgment of development step based on the international standards and domestic development environment. Systematic safety approach of this program includes the safety strategies such as optimization, robustness, demonstrability and defense-in-depth principle which are based on the safety principle and objectives. From the quality of assessment basis, safety arguments focused on the uncertainty management and the confidence building can assure the disposal safety during the step-wise safety assessment.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.565-580
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• 2023

In this study, we reviewed and summarized comprehensive roles and importance of natural analogue studies for demonstrating the safety and improving the reliability of the safety for the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. We also investigated domestic and foreign status of natural analogue studies in order to study and substantiate complex and various radionuclide behaviors in subsurface disposal environments. In addition, we investigated and uranium behaviors in groundwater and rock in uranium deposits including domestic uranium deposits in Ogcheon Metamorphic Belt and biogeochemical interactions in geological environments. Although there are many limitations and uncertainties in directly using the information and data for uranium behaviors obtained from uranium deposits in the disposal safety assessment, the information and data can be utilized in the disposal safety assessment and safety case construction both in qualitative and partly quantitative ways.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.142-150
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• 2010

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the radiation safety of CANDU spent fuel disposal system by using MCNPX which was revised in order to improve disposal efficiency. This research analyzed every system components's configuration, dimension and material. Geometric modeling and dose assessment for each system components showed that dose results for inner components had high values, but final disposal system had enough margin for radiation safety.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.265-279
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• 2017

The Gyeongju underground silo type disposal facility, approved for use in December 2014, is in operation for the disposal of low and very low-level radioactive wastes, excluding intermediate-level waste. That is why the existing low-level radioactive waste level has been subdivided and the concentration limit value for intermediate-level waste has been changed in accordance with Nuclear Safety Commission Notice 2014-003. For the safe disposal of intermediate-level wastes, new optimization methodology for calculating the concentration limit of intermediate radioactive level wastes at an underground silo type disposal facility was developed. According to the developed optimization methodology, concentration limits of intermediate-level wastes were derived and the inventory of radioactive nuclides was evaluated. The operation and post closure scenarios were evaluated for the derived radioactive nuclide inventory and the results of all scenarios were confirmed to meet the regulatory limit. However, in case of $^{14}C$, it was confirmed that additional radioactivity limitation through a well scenario was needed in addition to the limit of disposal concentration. It was confirmed that the derived intermediate concentration limit of radioactive waste can be used as the intermediate-level waste concentration limit for the underground disposal facility. For the safe disposal of intermediate-level wastes, KORAD plans to acquire additional data from the radioactive waste generator and manage the cumulative radioactivity of $^{14}C$.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2007

In this paper, structural design requirements and safety evaluation criteria of the spent nuclear fuel disposal canister are studied for deep geological deposition. Since the spent nuclear fuel disposal canister emits high temperature heats and much radiation, its careful treatment is required. For that, a long term(usually 10,000 years) safe repository for the spent nuclear fuel disposal canister should be secured. Usually this repository is expected to locate at a depth of 500m underground. The canister which is designed for the spent nuclear fuel disposal in a deep repository in the crystalline bedrock is a solid structure with cast iron insert, corrosion resistant overpack and lid and bottom, and entails an evenly distributed load of hydrostatic pressure from underground water and high pressure from swelling of bentonite buffer. Hence, the canister must be designed to withstand these high pressure loads. If the canister is not designed for all possible external loads combinations, structural defects such as plastic deformations, cracks, and buckling etc. may occur in the canister during depositing it in the deep repository. Therefore, various structural analyses must be performed to predict these structural problems like plastic deformations, cracks, and buckling. Structural safety evaluation criteria of the canister are studied and defined for the validity of the canister design prior to the structural analysis of the canister. And structural design requirements(variables) which affect the structural safety evaluation criteria should be discussed and defined clearly. Hence this paper presents the structural design requirements(variables) and safety evaluation criteria of the spent nuclear fuel disposal canister.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2010

CANDU spent fuel is to be disposed of at repository finally rather than recycled because of its low fissile nuclide concentration. But the difficult situation of finding a repository site can not help introducing a interim storage in the short term. It is required to find an optimum timing of geological disposal of CANDU spent fuels related to the interim storage operation period. The major factors for determining the disposal starting time are considered as safety, economics, and public acceptance. Safety factor is compared in terms of the decay heat and non-proliferation. Economics factor is compared from the point of the operation cost, and public acceptance factor is reviewed from the point of retrievability and inter-generation ethics. This paper recommended the best solution for the disposal starting time by analyzing the above factors. It is concluded that the optimum timing for the CANDU spent fuel disposal is around 2041 and that the sooner disposal time, the better from the point of technical and safety aspects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05b
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• pp.447-452
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• 1998

우리나라에서도 고준위폐기물 처분시설의 장기안전성 확보를 위한 기초연구가 시작되고 있어 안전성 기준에 대한 논의가 필요한 시점이다. 여기서는 고준위폐기물 처분시설의 안전성 기준에 대한 국제기관들의 권고하는 기준들을 조사하고, 현재 여러 나라에서 제안되거나 개정중에 있는 기준들을 비교 분석하였다. 안전성기준에서의 큰 차이점은 유도기준의 필요성(현재 미국만의 유도기준을 사용), ALARA 적용문제, 종합적 위험도 적용방법론의 문제, 위험도 수준등에서 나타나고 있으며, 특히 미래 상황의 불확실성 때문에 현재 및 개 국가에서 제시하고 있는 안전성평가기간 (10,000면)은 계속 논란이 일 것으로 보인다. 미래 예측이 어느 정도 가능한 최소한의 기간(수천년 혹은 만년)까지는 위험도를 기준으로, 그리고 그 이후는 지표로의 누출율을 기준으로 정하는 것도 바람직한 대안이 될 것으로 생각된다. 또한 안전성기준은 설계자로 하여금 대안분석을 통한 최적화를 방해하는 구체적인 유포기준보다는 융통성을 어느 정도 부여하는 방향으로 설정되는 것이 바람직한 것으로 사료된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.346-346
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• 2004

차세대관리 종합공정(ACP)은 사용후핵연료의 안전하고 효율적인 관리를 위하여 제시된 건식처리공정으로 이 공정을 이용하여 사용후핵연료를 금속으로 전환하고, 고발열성 핵종(Cs, Sr)을 효율적으로 제거하여 사용후핵연료의 부피, 발열량 및 방사선의 세기를 최대 1/4까지 감소시키고, 처분용기의 소요량과 처분장의 소요면적을 1/2 이상으로 축소함으로서 처분 안전성과 경제성을 높일 수 있는 장점으로 인해 연구개발 중에 있으며, 현재 기초연구가 완료되어 실증시험 수행을 위한 상세 계획이 확정되었다.(중략)

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2004

For total system performance of a potential radwaste repository, a hypothetical site is assumed with feasible boundary conditions. Assuming a coastal repository, the sensitivity of the depth and the location of a repository along with the distance to a joint on groundwater transport pathways is studied. Results from Connectflow analysis could be used as input of the MASCOT-t the probabilistic safety assessment code.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.133-141
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• 2012

The impacts influenced on the performance and safety of a repository are classified as units of Features, Events, and Processes (FEP), for the total system performance assessment (TSPA) related to the permanent disposal of HLW. The importance is evaluated in consideration of the frequency, consequence, regulation, suitability of a specific site, etc. and then these are grouped as a similar FEP. A scenario describing the migration of radionuclide from the repository to the biosphere is derived from understanding the interaction among these groups. KAERI has developed the KAERI FEP lists by review and collation of the foreign studies. The KAERI FEP list has been reviewed by several Korean experts. The five major scenarios describing possible future evolutions of the geological disposal system have been developed by RES and PID methods. Also the CYPRUS which is a KAERI integrated database management system for the total system performance assessment (TSPA) related to the permanent disposal of HLW has been developed and the results of the FEP and scenario development have been uploaded in this system.