• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1540-1554
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• 2023

To use nuclear energy sustainably, spent nuclear fuel, classified as high-level radioactive waste and inevitably discharged after electricity generation by nuclear power plants, must be managed safely and isolated from the human environment. In Korea, the land area is limited and the amount of high-level radioactive waste, including spent nuclear fuels to be disposed, is relatively large. Thus, it is particularly necessary to maximize disposal efficiency. In this study, a high-efficiency deep geological repository concept was developed to enhance disposal efficiency. To this end, design strategies and requirements for a high-efficiency deep geological repository system were established, and engineered barrier modules with a disposal canister for pressurized water reactor (PWR)-type and pressurized heavy water reactor type Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) plants were developed. Thermal and structural stability assessments were conducted for the repository system; it was confirmed that the system was suitable for the established strategies and requirements. In addition, the results of the nuclear safety assessment showed that the radiological safety of the new system met the Korean safety standards for disposal of high-level radioactive waste in terms of radiological dose. To evaluate disposal efficiency in terms of the disposal area, the layout of the developed disposal areas was assessed in terms of thermal limits. The estimated disposal areas were 2.51 km² and 1.82 km² (existing repository system: 4.57 km²) and the excavated host rock volumes were 2.7 Mm³ and 2.0 Mm³ (existing repository system: 4.5 Mm³) for thermal limits of 100 ℃ and 130 ℃, respectively. These results indicated that the area and the excavated volume of the new repository system were reduced by 40-60% compared to the existing repository system. In addition, methods to further improve the efficiency were derived for the disposal area for deep geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The results of this study are expected to be useful in establishing a national high-level radioactive waste management policy, and for the design of a commercial deep geological repository system for spent nuclear fuels.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.663-667
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• 2017

Delayed hydride cracking (DHC) was first observed in pressure tubes in Canadian CANDU reactors. In light water reactors, DHC was not observed until the late 1990s in high-burnup boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel cladding. In recent years, the focus on DHC has resurfaced in light of the increased interest in the cladding integrity during interim conditions. In principle, all spent fuel in the wet pools has sufficient hydrogen content for DHC to operate below $300^{\circ}C$. It is therefore of importance to establish the critical parameters for DHC to operate. This work studies the threshold stress intensity factor ($K_{IH}$) to initiate DHC as a function of temperature in Zry-4 for temperatures between $227^{\circ}C$ and $315^{\circ}C$. The experimental technique used in this study was the pin-loading testing technique. To determine the $K_{IH}$, an unloading method was used where the load was successively reduced in a stepwise manner until no cracking was observed during 24 hours. The results showed that there was moderate temperature behavior at lower temperatures. Around $300^{\circ}C$, there was a sharp increase in $K_{IH}$ indicating the upper temperature limit for DHC. The value for $K_{IH}$ at $227^{\circ}C$ was determined to be $2.6{\pm}0.3MPa$ ${\surd}$m.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.373-384
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• 2006

Spent ion-exchanged resin generated from various purification systems in CANDU reactor was contaminated with high activity of $^{14}C$ radionuclide. This paper describes the results of fundamental study to develop the applicable technology for the treatment of this spent resin. Based on the adsorption capacity of inactive $HCO_3$ ion and other anions on IRN-150 mixed resin, the removal characteristics of $HCO_3$ ion adsorbed on to IRN-150 by various stripping solutions were evaluated. Maximum adsorption amount of the $HCO_3$ ion onto IRN-150 raw resin was about 11 mg-C/g-resin which agrees with the theoretical adsorption amount of this resin. Adsorption affinity of various anions such as $CS,\;CO,\;Na\;NH_4$ was analyzed in single and multi-component systems. From the results of removal characteristics of the $HCO_3$ ion adsorbed on IRN-150 by various stripping solutions, $NH_4H_2PO_4$ stripping solution is more effective than $NaNO_3,\;Na_3PO_3$ solutions for the complete removal of $^{14}C$ radionuclide from the IRN-150 spent resin.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.spc
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• pp.37-50
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• 2020

In this paper, an overview of the scoping calculation results is provided with respect to criticality and radiation shielding of two KBS-3V type PWR SNF disposal systems and one NWMO-type CANDU SNF disposal system of the improved KAERI reference disposal system for SNFs (KRS⁺). The results confirmed that the calculated effective multiplication factors (k_eff) of each disposal system comply with the design criteria (< 0.95). Based on a sensitivity study, the bounding conditions for criticality assumed a flooded container, actinide-only fuel composition, and a decay time of tens of thousands of years. The necessity of mixed loading for some PWR SNFs with high enrichment and low discharge burnup was identified from the evaluated preliminary possible loading area. Furthermore, the absorbed dose rate in the bentonite region was confirmed to be considerably lower than the design criterion (< 1 Gy·hr^-1). Entire PWR SNFs with various enrichment and discharge burnup can be deposited in the KRS⁺ system without any shielding issues. The container thickness applied to the current KRS⁺ design was clarified as sufficient considering the minimum thickness of the container to satisfy the shielding criterion. In conclusion, the current KRS⁺ design is suitable in terms of nuclear criticality and radiation shielding.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2006

For the first step to develop a reference disposal container of spent fuel to be used in a deep geological repository, this paper examined safe dimensions of the disposal container on the points of nuclear criticality and radiation safety and mechanical structural safety and provided basic information for dimensioning the container and configuration of the container components, and establishing the favorable and safe disposal conditions. When the safety factor for stress due to the external loads (hydrostatic and swelling pressure) is taken as 2.0, the safe diameter of the filler material to provide enough container strength under the assumed external loads is found to be 112cm with 13cm spacing between inner baskets in PWR container. Also the thickness of the thinner section between the fuel basket and the surface of the cast insert is determined to be 150 mm. Regarding these dimensions of the container, the PWR fuel container is sketched to accommodate 4 square assemblies or 297 CANDU fuel 297 bundles (33 circle tubes x 9 stacks). However the top and bottom parts need to be checked again through the detail radiation shielding analysis with respects to the emplacement position and handling processes of the disposal container.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2018

As a rule, geological disposal is considered a safe method for final disposal of high-level radioactive waste. However, some long-lived fission products like $^{99}Tc$ and $^{129}I$ contained in spent nuclear fuel are highly mobile as less sorbing anionic species in the subsurface environment and can mainly cause exposure dose to the ecosystem by emission of beta rays in the hundreds of keV range. Therefore, if these two nuclides can be separated and converted with high efficiency into radioactively unharmful nuclides, this would have a positive effect on disposal safety. One candidate method is to transmute these two nuclides in nuclear reactors into short-lived nuclides or into stable nuclides. For this purpose, it is necessary to evaluate which reactor type is more efficient in burning these two nuclides. In this study, the simulation results of nuclear transmutation of $^{99}Tc$ and $^{129}I$ in light water reactor (PWR), heavy water reactor (CANDU) and fast neutron reactor (SFR, MET-1000) are compared and discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.349-358
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• 1996

The leaching behavior of uranium from unirradiated CANDU UO$_2$ fuel pellet in the spent fuel wet storage and disposal conditions has been investigated. A modified IAEA leach test method was used, and then the extent of leaching was monitored by analysis for uranium in the leachant. The leach test has been performed in various leachants(demineralized water and boric acid solution at pH=6, synthetic granite groundwater) for a long-term period of 5.4 years, and the effect of temperature on the leach rate of uranium has been analyzed. The leach rates of uranium at $25^{\circ}C$ were dependent on the leachants. Over initial 100 days of leach periods, the leach rate in groundwater was the highest in three leachants and no significant differences of leach rates ore observed in the demineralized oater and boric acid solution. But these leach rates in three leachants around 2,000 days at $25^{\circ}C$ appeared to be reached the steady rates in the range of 1~5$\times$10$^{-8}$ g/$\textrm{cm}^2$ day. The leach rate of uranium in groundwater shooed to be independent of the temperature, but those in both demineralized water and boric acid solution increased with temperature. These results show that the leaching behavior of uranium from UO$_2$ fuel in both the demineralized water ann boric acid may be controlled tv the surface oxidative.dissolution reaction of UO$_2$ and the leach rate of uranium in groundwater at room temperature could mainly be controlled by the complex reaction of dissolved uranyl ions with carbonate ions and no variation of leach rate of UO$_2$ in groundwater with temperature may be due to the local deposition of passivating uranyl phases on the surface.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.447-452
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• 1995

경·중수로 연계 핵연료 주기 (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel in CANDU : DUPIC ) 기술개발의 핵물질 보장조치(Safeguards)는 경수로 사용후 핵연료를 중수로에 재 활용하기 위한 DUPIC 공정에 대한 최적 보장조치 시스템을 구축하여, 국제 원자력 기구(IAEA) 및 국제 원자력 사회에서 핵 투명성확보 및 신뢰도를 향상시키는 것을 기술개발의 목적으로 하고 있다. DUPIC 공정은 고립된 차폐시설내의 고준위 방사선장 하에서 가동되므로 타 시설에 비해 핵 물질 전용 가능성은 희박하지만, 전 공정이 원격제어 되야 하고, 조업조건이 정복해야 하므로 기존의 보장조치 기술보다 더욱 발전된 계량관리시스템, 측정시스템 및 감시시스템 등을 개발하여야 한다. 이를 위해 본 연구에서는 각 항목에 대한 요소 분석 및 각 항목별 향후 연구방향에 대해 분석하였다. DUPIC 공정 전반에 대한 핵물질 계량관리를 위해 물질수지구역 (Material Balance Area : MBA) 및 주요측정 지점 (Key Measurement Point : KMP )을 설정하여 각 측정지점별 측정방법 및 재고검증(Inventory Verification) 방법을 분석하였다. 최적 측정시스템을 개발하기 위해 적용 가능한 비파괴분석 방법들을 분석한 결과, 핵분열성 물질 함량을 정량적으로 측정할 수 있는 수동적 중성자 측정법이 가장 적합하다는 결론을 얻었다. 또한, 감시시스템을 개발하기 위해 전용전략의 주요 요소 및 전용경로 등을 분석하였으며, 핵물질 및 시설에 대한 물리적 방호체제를 DUPIC시설에 적용하기 위하여 물리적 방호에 필요한 방호체제 요소를 분석하여 DUPIC 시설을 위한 가상적인 방호체제를 구축하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.147-157
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• 2004

The production of $^{14}C$ occurs in the Moderator(MOD), Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS), Annulus Gas System(AGS) and Fuel in the CANDU reactor. Among the four systems, The MOD system is the largest contributor to $^{14}C$ production(approximately 94.8%). $^{14}C$ is distributed of $^{14}CO_2$, $H_2^{14}CO_3$, $H^{14}{CO_3}^-$ and $^{14}{CO_3}^{2-}$ species as a function of the pH of water. Of these species, $H_2^{14}CO_3$ and $H^{14}{CO_3}^-$ form are predominant because the pH of MOD system is ＞ 5. In this paper, adsorption-desorption characteristics of bicarbonate ion (${HCO_3}^-$) by IRN 150 resin was investigated. ${HCO_3}^-$ ion existed in neutral condition(app. pH 7)was reacted with ion exchange resin (IRN-150) and saturated with it. Then $NaNO_3$ and $Na_3PO_4$ solutions selected as extraction materials were used to make an investigation into feasibility of ${HCO_3}^-$ extraction from resin saturated with ${HCO_3}^-$. Desorption of $CO^{2+}$ and $Cs^+$ ion by $Na^+$ ion was not occurred, and desorption of ${HCO_3}^-$ ion by ${NO_3}^-$ and ${PO_4}^{3-}$ was occurred slowly. Also, the status of ion exchange which is used in Wolsong NPPs and generation of spent resin yearly were surveyed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.132-145
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• 2001

The purpose and need of the study is to quantify the advantage or disadvantage of the environmental friendliness of the partitioning of nuclear fuel cycle. To this end, a preliminary study on the quantitative effect of the partition on the permanent disposal of spent PWR and CANDU fuel (HLW) was carried out. Before any analysis, the so-called reference radionuclide release scenario from a potential repository embedded into a crystalline rock was developed. Firstly, the feature, event and processes (FEPs) which lead to the release of nuclides from waste disposed of in a repository and the transport to and through the biosphere were identified. Based on the selected FEPs, the ‘Well Scenario’which might be the worst case scenario was set up. For the given scenario, annual individual doses to a local resident exposed to radioactive hazard were estimated and compared to that from direct disposal. Even though partitioning and transmutation could be an ideal solution to reduce the inventory which eventually decreases the release time as well as the peaks in the annual dose and also minimize the repository area through the proper handling of nuclides, it should overcome major disadvantages such as echnical issues on the partitioning and transmutation system, cost, and public acceptance, and environment friendly issues. In this regard, some relevant issues are also discussed to show the direction for further studies.