• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.137-164
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• 2018

The guarantee of the performance of the engineered barriers in a geological repository is very important for the long-term safety of disposal as well as the efficient design of the repository. Therefore, the performance of the engineered barriers under repository condition should be demonstrated by in-situ experiments conducted in an underground research laboratory. This article provides a review of the major in-situ experiments that have been carried out over the past several decades at underground research laboratories around the world to validate the performance of engineered barriers of a repository, as well as their results. In-situ experiments to study the coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical behavior of the engineered barrier system used to simulate the post-closure performance of the repository are analyzed as a priority. In addition, in-situ experiments to investigate the performance of the buffer material under a real repository environment have been reviewed. State-of-the art in-situ validations of the buffer-concrete interaction, and the installation of the buffer, backfill and plug, as well as characterization of the near-field rock and the corrosion of the canister materials are, also performed.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2009

The electrical characteristics of band-gap engineered tunneling barriers consisting of thin $SiO_2$ and $Si_3N_4$ dielectric layers were investigated for nonvolatile memory device applications. The band structure of band-gap engineered tunneling barriers was studied and the effectiveness of these tunneling barriers was compared with the conventional tunneling $SiO_2$ barrier. The band-gap engineered tunneling barriers composed of thin $SiO_2$ and $Si_3N_4$ layers showed a lower operation voltage, faster speed and longer retention time than the conventional $SiO_2$ tunnel barrier. The thickness of each $SiO_2$ and $Si_3N_4$ layer was optimized to improve the performance of non-volatile memory.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2013

Adequate design of engineered barriers, including canister, buffer and backfill, is important for the safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Three-dimensional computer simulations were carried out under different condition to examine the thermal and mechanical behavior of engineered barriers and rock mass. The research looked at five areas of importance, the effect of the swelling pressure, water content of buffer, density of compacted bentonite, emplacement type and the selection of failure criteria. The results highlighted the need to consider tensile stress in the outer shell of a canister due to thermal expansion of the canister and the swelling pressure from the buffer for a more reliable design of an underground repository system. In addition, an adequate failure criterion should be used for the buffer and backfill.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.189-190
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• 2008

The electrical characteristics of band-gap engineered tunneling barriers consisting of thin $SiO_2$ and $Si_3N_4$ dielectric layers were investigated. The band structure of stacked tunneling barriers was studied and the effectiveness of these tunneling barriers was compared with that of the conventional tunneling barrier. The band-gap engineered tunneling barriers show the lower operation voltage, faster speed and longer retention time than the conventional $SiO_2$ tunnel barrier. The thickness of each $SiO_2$ and $Si_3N_4$ layer was optimized to improve the performance of non-volatile memory.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.386-389
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• 2009

The electrical characteristics and annealing effects of tunneling dielectrics stacked with $SiO_2$ and $Si_{3}N_{4}$ were investigated. I-V characteristics of band gap engineered tunneling gate stacks consisted of $Si_{3}N_{4}/SiO_2/Si_{3}N_{4}$ (NON), $SiO_2/Si_{3}N_{4}/SiO_2$ (ONO) dielectrics were evaluated and compared with $SiO_2$ single layer using the MOS (metal-oxide-semiconductor) capacitor structure. The leakage currents of engineered tunneling barriers (ONO, NON stacks) are lower than that of the conventional $SiO_2$ single layer at low electrical field. Meanwhile, the engineered tunneling barriers have larger tunneling current at high electrical field. Furthermore, the increased tunneling current through engineered tunneling barriers related to high speed operation can be achieved by annealing processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.128-129
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• 2008

The annealing effects of $SiO_2/Si_3N_4$ stacked tunneling dielectrics were investigated. I-V characteristics of band gap engineered tunneling gate stacks consisted of $Si_3N_4/SiO_2/Si_3N_4$(NON), $SiO_2/Si_3N_4/SiO_2$(ONO) dielectrics were evaluated and compared with $SiO_2$ single layer using the MOS(Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) capacitor structure. The leakage currents of engineered tunneling barriers (ONO, NON stacks) are lower than that of the conventional $SiO_2$ single layer at low electrical field. Meanwhile, the engineered tunneling barriers have larger tunneling current at high electrical field and improved electrical characteristics by annealing processes than $SiO_2$ layer.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.469-488
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• 2022

Technology for high-level-waste disposal employing a multibarrier concept using engineered and natural barrier in stable bedrock at 300-1,000 m depth is being commercialized as a safe, long-term isolation method for high-level waste, including spent nuclear fuel. Managing heat generated from waste is important for improving disposal efficiency; thus, research on efficient heat management is required. In this study, thermal management methods to maximize disposal efficiency in terms of the disposal area required were developed. They efficiently use the land in an environment, such as Korea, where the land area is small and the amount of waste is large. The thermal effects of engineered barriers and natural barriers in a high-level waste disposal repository were analyzed. The research status of thermal management for the main bedrocks of the repository, such as crystalline, clay, salt, and other rocks, were reviewed. Based on a characteristics analysis of various heat management approaches, the spent nuclear fuel cooling time, buffer bentonite thermal conductivity, and disposal container size were chosen as efficient heat management methods applicable in Korea. For each method, thermal analyses of the disposal repository were performed. Based on the results, the disposal efficiency was evaluated preliminarily. Necessary future research is suggested.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.530-545
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• 2023

As an alternative to conventional management options for a lot of concrete waste from decommissioning of nuclear power plants, a set of scenarios for controlled recycling of decommissioning concrete waste as engineered barriers of a radioactive waste repository was proposed, and a comprehensive safety assessment model and framework covering both pre-and post-closure phases was newly developed. The new methodology was applied to a reference vault-type repository, and the ratios of derived concentration limits to unconditional clearance levels of eighteen radionuclides for controlled recycling were provided for three sets of dose criteria (0.01, 1, and 20 mSv/y for the pre-closure and 0.01 mSv/y for the post-closure phases). It turns out that decommissioning concrete waste whose concentration is much higher than the unconditional clearance level can be recycled even when the dose criterion 0.01 mSv/y is applied. Moreover, a case study on ABWR bio-shield shows that the fraction of recyclable concrete waste increases significantly by increasing the dose criterion for the radiation worker in the pre-closure phase or the duration of storage prior to recycling. The results of this study are expected to contribute to demonstrating the feasibility of controlled recycling of a lot of decommissioning concrete waste within nuclear sectors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.1047-1059
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• 2019

This work describes the development of a numerical module with a multiphysics structure to simulate the thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical behavior of compacted bentonites. First, the conceptual model, based on the state-of-the-art formulation for clay-based engineered barriers in deep geological repositories, is described. Second, the advantages of multiphysics-based modules are highlighted. Then, the guidelines to develop a code using such tools are outlined, presenting an example of implementation. Finally, the simulation of three tests that illustrate the behavior of compacted bentonites assesses the scope of the developed code. The satisfactory results obtained, and the relative simplicity of implementation, show the opportunity of the modeling strategy proposed.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.329-333
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• 2005

To identify the effect of engineered barriers on the leach rate of cesium from spent PWR fuel under a synthetic granitic groundwater, the related leach tests with and without bentonite or metals have been performed up to about 6 years. The leach rates were decreased as a function of leaching time and then became a constant after a certain period. The period in a bare spent fuel was much longer than that with bentonite or metal sheets. The cumulative fraction of cesium released from the spent fuel with bentonite or with copper and stainless steel sheets was steadily increased, but the fraction from bare fuel was rapidly and then sluggishly increased. However, the values deducted its gap inventory from the cumulative fraction of cesium released from the bare fuel was almost very close to the others. These suggest that the initial release of cesium from bare fuel might be dependant on its gap inventory and the effect of engineered barriers on the long-term leach rate of cesium would be insignificant but the rate with engineered barriers could be reduced in the initial transient period due to their retardation effect. And the long-term leach rate of cesium from spent fuel in a repository would be approached to a constant rate of $2\times10^{-2}g/m^2-day$.