• 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.22 no.2
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• pp.227-235
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• 2024

After the permanent shut down of Kori Unit 1, various decommissioning activities will be implemented, including decontamination, segmentation, waste management, and site restoration. During the decommissioning period, waste management is among the most important activities to ensure that the process proceeds smoothly and within the expected timeframe. Furthermore, the radioactive waste generated during the operation should be sent to a disposal facility to complete the decommissioning project. Square and cylindrical concrete re-package drums were generated during the 1980s and 1990s. The square, containing boron concentrates, and cylindrical, containing spent resin, concrete re-package drums have been stored in a radioactive waste storage building. Homogeneous radioactive waste, including boron concentrates, spent resin, and sludge, should be solidified or packaged in high-integrity containers (HICs). This study investigates the sequential segmentation process for the separation of contaminated and non-contaminated regions, the re-packaging process of segmented or crushed cement-solidified boron concentrate, and re-packaging in HICs. The conceptual design evaluates the re-packaging plan for the segmented and crushed cement-solidified waste using HICs, which is acceptable in a disposal facility, and the quantity of generated HICs from the treatment process.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.316-324
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• 2014

In the underground 500 m depth, the high level radioactive waste disposal system is made by boring the tunnel in the base rock and putting the high level waste disposal canister that is the surrounding form with the buffer material. According to the many statistics, it is the tendency that the earthquake increases in the Korean peninsula every year. In case that the earthquake is generated, the disposal canister in the rock mass can be broken due to the shearing force in the underground. Furthermore, a major environmental problems can be caused by the radioactive harmful substances. In this study, the earthquake-proof type buffer material was developed with the protection method safely on the earthquake. The main parameter having an effect on the earthquake-resistant performance was analyzed and the earthquake-proof type buffer material was designed. The shear analysis model was developed and the performance of the earthquake-proof type buffer material was evaluated by using ABAQUS.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.755-760
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• 2019

Compound samples based on the mineral-like magnesium potassium phosphate matrix $MgKPO_4{\times}6H_2O$ were synthesized by solidification of high level waste surrogate. Phase composition and structure of synthesized samples were studied by XRD and SEM methods. Compressive strength of the compounds is $12{\pm}3MPa$. Coefficient of thermal expansion of the samples in the range $250-550^{\circ}C$ is $(11.6{\pm}0.3){\times}10^{-6}1/^{\circ}C$, and coefficient of thermal conductivity in the range $20-500^{\circ}C$ is $0.5W/(m{\times}K)$. Differential leaching rate of elements from the compound, $g/(cm^2{\times}day)$: $Mg-6.7{\times}10^{-6}$, $K-3.0{\times}10^{-4}$, $P-1.2{\times}10^{-4}$, $^{137}Cs-4.6{\times}10^{-7}$; $^{90}Sr-9.6{\times}10^{-7}$; $^{239}Pu-3.7{\times}10^{-9}$, $^{241}Am-9.6{\times}10^{-10}$. Leaching mechanism of radionuclides from the samples at the first 1-2 weeks of the leaching test is determined by dissolution ($^{137}Cs$), wash off ($^{90}Sr$) or diffusion ($^{239}Pu$ and $^{241}Am$) from the compound surface, and when the tests continue to 90-91 days - by surface layer depletion of compound. Since the composition and physico-chemical properties of the compound after irradiation with an electron beam (absorbed dose of 1 MGy) are constant the radiation resistance of compound was established.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.10-28
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• 2023

Long-term shear behavior of the rock discontinuities should be analyzed and its stability should be evaluated to ensure the long-term stability of a high-level radioactive waste disposal repository. The long-term shear behavior of the discontinuities can be modeled with creep and RSF models. The shear creep test, velocity step test, and slide-hold-slide test can be performed to determine their model parameters or analyze the shear behavior by experiments under various conditions. Testing apparatuses for direct shear, triaxial compression, and biaxial shear were mainly used and improved to reproduce the thermo-hydro-mechanical conditions of local bedrock, and it was confirmed that the shear behavior could vary. In order to design a high-level radioactive waste disposal site in Korea, the long-term behavior of rock discontinuities should be investigated in consideration of rock types, thermo-hydro-mechanical conditions, metamorphism, and restoration of shear resistance.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2_spc
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• pp.317-325
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• 2020

The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency plans to expand the storage capacity of radioactive waste by constructing a radioactive waste inspecting building to solve the problem of the lack of inspection space and drum-handling space in the radioactive waste receipt and storage building for the first-stage disposal facility. In this study, the exposure doses of radiation workers that handle new disposal containers for decommissioning waste in the storage areas of the radioactive waste inspecting building were calculated using the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code. The annual collective dose was calculated as a total of 84.8 man-mSv for 304 new disposal containers and an estimated annual 306 working hours for the radiation work. When the 304 new disposal containers (small/medium type) were stored in the storage areas, it was found that 25 radiation workers should be involved in acceptance/disposal inspection, and the estimated exposure dose per worker was calculated as an average annual value of 3.39 mSv. When the radiation workers handle the small containers in high-radiation dose areas, the small containers should be shielded further by increasing the concrete liner thickness to improve the work efficiency and radiation safety of the radiation workers. The results of this study will be useful in establishing the optimal radiation working conditions for radiation workers using the source term and characteristics of decommissioning waste based on actual measurements.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.381-387
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• 2003

Hull arising from the spent PWR fuel elements is classified as a high-level radioactive waste. This report describes the radio-chemical characteristics of the hull -from PWR spent fuel of 32, 000MWd/tU burn-up and 15 years cooling, discharged from Gori Unit I cycled 4 -7-by examination and literature survey. On the basis of the results, a method of degradation to middle and low-level radio active waste was proposed by dry process such as laser or plasma technique with removing the nuclides deposited on the surface of the hull.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.418-425
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• 2015

The Korean government plans to establish large-scale horticultural facilities using reclaimed land to improve the competitiveness of the national agricultural sector at the government level. One of the most significant corresponding problems is the ongoing dependence of these facilities on fossil fuel, whereby constant heating is necessary during the winter season to provide the necessary breeding conditions for greenhouse crops. In particular, high-level energy consumption is incurred from the use of heating-related coverings with large heat-transmission coefficients such as those composed of vinyl and glass. This study investigated the potential applicability of waste-incineration heat for use in large-scale horticultural facilities by evaluating the hot-water temperature, heat loss, and available greenhouse area as functions of the distance between the incineration facility and the greenhouse. In conclusion, waste-incineration heat from a HDPE pipe can heat a horticultural facility of 10 ha if the distance is less than 8 km.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to assess respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure levels in workers who collect and dispose used coal briquette ash (CBA) in sanitation companies that are subcontracted by one medium-sized local government on the collection of municipal household waste (MHW), and to analyze the quartz content in CBA. When the CBA powder that undergone specialized pretreatment in several steps were subjected to mineral identification and quantitative analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was found that quartz represented 18%, and in addition, mullite, and plagioclase were included. For two CBA collectors, samples were collected by the personal sampling evaluation method. After respirable dust was collected in accordance with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 7500 method, the concentration of quartz was analyzed using XRD. Meanwhile, a portable real-time dust monitor (Sidepak AM520, TSI Inc., USA) was also used to observe the dust exposure level for each time zone and job task. The RCS exposure level of one worker was as high as 0.024 mg/㎥, which was the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV) level. The other worker also exhibited a concentration of 0.013 mg/㎥, which was more than half of TLV. The Sidepak results revealed that the work of collecting CBA and loading it onto a vehicle was hardly exposed to the dust of a significant level. It was found, however, that the work of transferring the collected CBA to a container through a conveyor belt was exposed to a very high average respirable dust concentration of 2.238 mg/㎥. The results of this study confirmed that quartz, which is crystalline silica and a carcinogen, is contained in CBA, one of municipal household waste (MHW), in high concentration. It was also confirmed that workers are exposed to high RCS concentrations while transferring collected CBA into a container. Although each local government in South Korea handles CBA in different ways, it is imperative to investigate the CBA exposure level of sanitation workers and improve their working conditions.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.385-392
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• 2023

A solution combustion process for the synthesis of hollandite (BaAl₂Ti₆O₁₆) powders is described. SYNROC (synthetic rock) consists of four main titanate phases: perovskite, zirconolite, hollandite and rutile. Hollandite is one of the crystalline host matrices used for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes because it immobilizes Sr and Lns elements by forming solid solutions. The solution combustion synthesis, which is a self-sustaining oxi-reduction reaction between a nitrate and organic fuel, generates an exothermic reaction and that heat converts the precursors into their corresponding oxide products in air. The process has high energy efficiency, fast heating rates, short reaction times, and high compositional homogeneity. To confirm the combustion synthesis reaction, FT-IR analysis was conducted using glycine with a carboxyl group and an amine as fuel to observe its bonding with metal element in the nitrate. TG-DTA, X-ray diffraction analysis, SEM and EDS were performed to confirm the formed phases and morphology. Powders with an uncontrolled shape were obtained through a general oxide-route process, confirming hollandite powders with micro-sized soft agglomerates consisting of nano-sized primary particles can be prepared using these methods.