• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권10호
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• pp.3359-3366
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• 2021

An engineered barrier system (EBS) for the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) is composed of a disposal canister, buffer material, gap-filling material, and backfill material. As the buffer fills the empty space between the disposal canisters and the near-field rock mass, heat energy from the canisters is released to the surrounding buffer material. It is vital that this heat energy is rapidly dissipated to the near-field rock mass, and thus the thermal conductivity of the buffer is a key parameter to consider when evaluating the safety of the overall disposal system. Therefore, to take into consideration the sizeable amount of heat being released from such canisters, this study investigated the thermal conductivity of Korean compacted bentonites and its variation within a temperature range of 25 ℃ to 80-90 ℃. As a result, thermal conductivity increased by 5-20% as the temperature increased. Furthermore, temperature had a greater effect under higher degrees of saturation and a lower impact under higher dry densities. This study also conducted a regression analysis with 147 sets of data to estimate the thermal conductivity of the compacted bentonite considering the initial dry density, water content, and variations in temperature. Furthermore, the Kriging method was adopted to establish an uncertainty metamodel of thermal conductivity to verify the regression model. The R² value of the regression model was 0.925, and the regression model and metamodel showed similar results.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1495-1506
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• 2023

For the safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste using Engineered Barrier Systems (EBS), bentonite buffer is used by its high swelling capability and low hydraulic conductivity. When the bentonite buffer is contacted to heated pore water containing ions by radioactive decay, chemical alterations of minerals such as illitization reaction occur. Illitization of bentonite indicates the alteration of expandable smectite into non-expandable illite, which threatens the stability and integrity of EBS. This study intends to provide a thorough review on the information underlying in the illitization of bentonite, by covering basic clay mineralogy, smectite expansion, mechanisms and observation of illitization, and illitization in EBS. Since understanding of smectite illitization is crucial for securing the safety and integrity of nuclear waste disposal systems using bentonite buffer, this thorough review study is expected to provide essential and concise information for the preventive EBS design.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2003년도 가을 학술논문집
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• pp.636-641
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• 2003

본 연구에서는 처분원가산정과 관련한 원가대상의 비율을 분석하였다. 분석결과에 따르면, 총 원가에서 운영비의 비율이 가장 높은 것으로 나타났다. 처분원가는 원가구성 측면에서 일반적인 제품원가 구조와는 많은 차이가 있다. 제품원가는 직접재료비, 직접노무비, 제조간접비로 구분되는 반면에 처분원가인자는 크게 기술적 인자와 비기술적 인자로 구성된다.

• 지질공학
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.325-333
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• 2004

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.121-133
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• 2014

사용후핵연료를 포함하는 고준위 방사성폐기물을 지질학적 조건이 안정적인 지하 3~5 km의 심도에 처분할 수 있다면 다음과 같은 많은 장점이 있는 것으로 평가되고 있다. 즉, (1)암반 수리전도도가 매우 낮아 지하수가 생태계까지 도달하는데 속도가 현저히 감소되며, (2)상부층 두께로 인하여 생태계와의 이격거리 확보에 유리하고, (3)지하수가 환원상태이므로 핵종의 용해도가 매우 낮을 뿐만 아니라 (4)오랜 연령의 지하수에서는 핵종이 흡착된 콜로이드 생성과 이동이 극히 제한된다는 점이다. 이와 관련하여 심부시추공 처분(Deep Borehole Disposal) 연구는 심층 처분(Deep Geological Disposal) 시스템에 대한 이상적인 처분 대안기술로서 꾸준하게 진행되어 왔다. 본 논문에서는 최근 심부 시추기술이 비약적으로 발전됨에 따라 의미있게 연구가 진행되고 있는 심부시추공 처분시스템을 국내 적용하기 위한 초기 단계로서 해외의 심부시추공 처분시스템 기술개발 사례를 분석하였다. 이를 통하여 심부시추공 처분에 대한 일반적인 개념과 심부시추공 처분시스템 개념을 도출한 연구사례를 국가별로 정리하였다. 이들 분석결과는 향후 심부시추공 처분기술의 국내 적용을 위한 입력자료로서 유용하게 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• 한국시스템다이내믹스연구
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.119-146
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• 2006

City of Gyeongju's referendum finally offered the long-waited low-level radioactive waste disposal site in November 2005. Gyeongju's positive decision was due to the various economic rewards and incentives the national government promised to the city. 300 million won for an accepting bonus, 8.5 billion won, annual revenue fro the entry quantity of waste into the city's disposal site, the location of the headquarter building of the Korean Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., and the accelerator research center. All of the above will affect the city's infrastructure and the citizens' economic and cultural lives. Population, land use, economic structure, environment and quality of life will be affected. Some will be very positive, and some will be positive. This research project will see the future of the city and forecast the demographic, economic, physical and environmental changes of the city via computer simulation's system dynamics technique. This kind of simulation will help City of Gyeongju's what to prepare for the future. The population forecasting of the year 2026 will be 289,069 with the waste disposal site, and 279,131 without the waste disposal site in Gyeongju. The waste disposal site and the relocation of the company headquarters and location of the accelerator research center will attract 9,938 individuals more with 511 manufacturing shops and 1944 service jobs. The population increase will bring 3,550 more houses constructed in the city. Land use will also be affected. More land will be developed. However, mad, water plant and waste water plant will not be expanded as much. The city's financial structure will be expanded, due to the increased revenues from the waste disposal site, and property tax revenues from the middle-class employees of the company, and the high-powered scientists and technologists from the accelerator research center. All in an, the future of the city will be brighter after operating the nuclear waste disposal site inside the city.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.185-192
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• 2022

A compacted bentonite buffer is a major component of engineered barrier systems, which are designed for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. In most countries, the target temperature required to maintain safe functioning is below 100℃. If the target temperature of the compacted bentonite buffer can be increased above 100℃, the disposal area can be dramatically reduced. To increase the target temperature of the buffer, it is necessary to investigate its properties at temperatures above 100℃. Although some studies have investigated thermal-hydraulic properties above 100℃, few have evaluated the water suction of compacted bentonite. This study addresses that knowledge gap by evaluating the water suction variation for compacted Korean bentonite in the 25-150℃ range, with initial saturations of 0 and 0.22 under constant saturation conditions. We found that water suction decreased by 5-20% for a temperature increase of 100-150℃.

• 터널과지하공간
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.38-51
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• 2019

Barcelona Basic Model(BBM)은 응력의 변화에 따른 부피변화뿐만 아니라 흡입력의 변화에 따른 팽윤거동을 설명할 수 있으며, 흡입력 변화에 따른 점착력과 선행압밀응력의 변화와 온도변화에 따른 선행압밀응력의 변화를 고려할 수 있다. 따라서, 고준위방사성폐기물 처분시스템에서 공학적방벽재로 고려되고 있는 벤토나이트 완충재의 열-수리-역학적 복합거동을 예측 및 분석하는 것에 많이 활용되고 있다. 그러나 우리나라의 암반 및 지반 공학자들에게 잘 알려져 있지 않기 때문에 BBM을 소개하고자 한다. BBM은 불포화 토질의 역학적 거동을 모사하기 위해 Modified Cam Clay(MCC) 모델을 확장하여 만들어 졌기 때문에 본 고에서는 먼저 MCC 모델을 간략하게 소개하고, 열-탄소성 모델인 BBM을 상세히 소개하였다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.209-218
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• 2012

현재 한국원자력연구원에서는 국내에 축적된 사용후핵연료 문제를 해결하기 위해서 건식재처리공정(pyroprocess)을 개발 중에 있다. 건식재처리 공정에서는 상당량의 고준위 염폐기물이 발생되며, 이는 곧 세라믹 결합제로 고화된다. 고화된 세라믹 폐기물은 안전한 금속 처분용기에 밀폐된 후, 인간생활환경과 격리될 예정이다. 본문에서는 고준위 세라믹폐기물을 처분하기 위한 처분용기의 개발에 관한 전반적인 내용을 다루고 있으며, 특히 처분용기의 설계 요건, 용기의 구성, 용기의 제작, 용기의 부식저항성, 방사선 차폐, 구조적 안전성 등에 대해 논의하고자 한다. 완성된 처분용기는 오랜 기간 동안 방사성 핵종의 누출이 없이 열적, 기계적, 화학적, 생물학적 공격에도 안전한 것을 목적으로 한다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권11호
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• pp.4173-4180
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• 2023

The stability of engineered barriers in high-level radioactive waste disposal systems can be influenced by the decay heat generated by the waste. This study focuses on the thermal analysis of various canister designs to effectively lower the maximum temperature of the engineered barrier. A numerical model was developed and employed to investigate the heat dissipation potential of copper rings placed across the buffer. Various canister designs incorporating copper rings were presented, and numerical analysis was performed to identify the design with the most significant temperature reduction effect. The results confirmed that the temperature of the buffer material was effectively lowered with an increase in the number of copper rings penetrating the buffer. Parametric studies were also conducted to analyze the impact of technical gaps, copper thickness, and collar height on the temperature reduction. The numerical model revealed that the presence of gaps between the components of the engineered barrier significantly increased the buffer temperature. Furthermore, the reduction in buffer temperature varied depending on the location of the gap and collar. The methods proposed in this study for reducing the buffer temperature hold promise for contributing to cost reduction in radioactive waste disposal.