• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2021

Cross-borehole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is an effective groundwater detection tool in geophysical investigations. In this paper, an artificial water injection test was conducted on a small clay sample, where the high-resolution cross-borehole ERT was used to investigate the moisture migration law over time. The moisture migration path can be two-dimensionally imaged based on the relationship between resistivity and saturation. The hydraulic conductivity was estimated, and the magnitude ranged from 10^-11 m/s to 10^-9 m/s according to the comparison between the simulation flow and the saturation distribution inferred from ERT. The results indicate that cross-borehole ERT could help determine the resistivity distribution of small size clay samples. Finally, the cross-borehole ERT technique has been applied to investigate the self-sealing characteristics of clay.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.479-490
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• 2018

The granite melting concept, which was suggested by Gibb's group for the closing of a deep borehole, was experimentally checked for KURT granite. The granite melting experiments were performed in two pressure conditions of atmospheric melting with certain inorganic additives and high pressure melting formed by water vaporization. The results of atmospheric tests showed that KURT granite started to melt at a lower temperature of $1,000^{\circ}C$ with NaOH addition and that needle shaped crystals were formed around partially melted crystals. In high pressure tests, vapor pressure was increased by adding water with maximum pressure of about 400 bars. KURT granite was partially melted at $1,000^{\circ}C$ when vapor pressure was low. However, it was not melted at vapor pressures higher than 200 bars. Therefore, it was determined that high pressure with a small amount of water vapor more effectively decreased the melting point of granite. Meanwhile, high temperature and high pressure vapor caused severe corrosion of the reactor wall.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.491-505
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• 2018

As an alternative to deep geological disposal technology, which is considered as a reference concept, the domestic applicability of deep borehole disposal technology for high level radioactive waste, including spent fuel, has been preliminarily evaluated. Usually, the environment of deep borehole disposal, at a depth of 3 to 5 km, has more stable geological and geo-hydrological conditions. For this purpose, the characteristics of rock distribution in the domestic area were analyzed and drilling and investigation technologies for deep boreholes with large diameter were evaluated. Based on the results of these analyses, design criteria and requirements for the deep borehole disposal system were reviewed, and preliminary reference concept for a deep borehole disposal system, including disposal container and sealing system meeting the criteria and requirements, was developed. Subsequently, various performance assessments, including thermal stability analysis of the system and simulation of the disposal process, were performed in a 3D graphic disposal environment. With these analysis results, the preliminary evaluation of the domestic applicability of the deep borehole disposal system was performed from various points of view. In summary, due to disposal depth and simplicity, the deep borehole disposal system should bring many safety and economic benefits. However, to reduce uncertainty and to obtain the assent of the regulatory authority, an in-situ demonstration of this technology should be carried out. The current results can be used as input to establish a national high-level radioactive waste management policy. In addition, they may be provided as basic information necessary for stakeholders interested in deep borehole disposal technology.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.179-188
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• 2016

Spent fuels from nuclear power plants, as well as high-level radioactive waste from the recycling of spent fuels, should be safely isolated from human environment for an extremely long time. Recently, meaningful studies on the development of deep borehole radioactive waste disposal system in 3-5 km depth have been carried out in USA and some countries in Europe, due to great advance in deep borehole drilling technology. In this paper, domestic deep geoenvironmental characteristics are preliminarily investigated to analyze the applicability of deep borehole disposal technology in Korea. To do this, state-of-the art technologies in USA and some countries in Europe are reviewed, and geological and geothermal data from the deep boreholes for geothermal usage are analyzed. Based on the results on the crystalline rock depth, the geothermal gradient and the spent fuel types generated in Korea, a preliminary deep borehole concept including disposal canister and sealing system, is suggested.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-133
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• 2014

If the spent fuels or the high-level radioactive wastes can be disposed of in the depth of 3~5 km and more stable rock formation, it has several advantages. For example, (1)significant fluid flow through basement rock is prevented, in part, by low permeability, poorly connected transport pathways, and (2)overburden self-sealing. (3)Deep fluids also resist vertical movement because they are density stratified and reducing conditions will sharply limit solubility of most dose-critical radionuclides at the depth. Finally, (4) high ionic strengths of deep fluids will prevent colloidal transport. Therefore, as an alternative disposal concept to the deep geological disposal concept(DGD), very deep borehole disposal(DBD) technology is under consideration in number of countries in terms of its outstanding safety and cost effectiveness. In this paper, for the preliminary applicability analyses of the DBD system for the spent fuels or high level wastes, the DBD concepts which have been developed by some countries according to the rapid advance in the development of drilling technology were reviewed. To do this, the general concept of DBD system was checked and the study cases of foreign countries were described and analyzed. These results will be used as an input for the analyses of applicability for DBD in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2009

Bentonite-based grouting has been usually used for sealing a borehole installed for a closed-loop vertical ground heat exchanger in a geothermal heat pump system (GHP) because of its high swelling potential and low hydraulic conductivity. The bentonite-based grout, however, has relatively lower thermal conductivity than that of ground formation. Accordingly, it is common to add some additives such as silica sand into the bentonite-based grout for enhancing heat transfer. In this study, graphite is adapted to substitute silica sand as an addictive because graphite has very high thermal conductivity. The effect of graphite on the thermal conductivity of bentonite-based grouts has been quantitatively evaluated for seven bentonite grouts from different product sources. In addition, the viscosity of graphite-added bentonite grout was measured to evaluate the field pumpability of the grout.