• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.301-314
• /
• 2016

Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRSs) are stored temporally in the centralized storage facility of Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) and planned to be disposed in the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal facility in Gyeongju city. In this study, preliminary post-closure safety assessment was performed for DSRSs in order to draw up an optimum disposal plan. Two types of disposal options were considered, i.e. engineered vault type disposal and rock cavern type disposal which were planned to be constructed and operated respectively in LILW disposal facility in Gyeongju city. Assessment end-point was individual effective dose of critical group and calculated by using GoldSim code. In normal scenario, the maximum dose was estimated to be approximately $1{\times}10^{-7}mSv/yr$ for both disposal options. It meant that both options had sufficient safety margin when compared with regulatory limit (0.1 mSv/yr). Otherwise, in well scenario, the maximum dose exceeded regulatory limit of 1 mSv/yr in engineered vault type disposal and the exposure dose was mainly contributed by $^{226}Ra$, $^{210}Pb$ (daughter nuclide of $^{226}Ra$) and $^{237}Np$ (daughter nuclide of $^{241}Am$). For rock cavern type disposal, even though the peak dose satisfied regulatory limit, the exposure doses by $^{14}C$ and $^{237}Np$ were relatively high above 10% of regulatory limit. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude $^{14}C$, $^{226}Ra$ and $^{241}Am$ for two type of disposal options and additional management such as long-term storage and development of disposal container for those radionuclides should be performed before permanent disposal for conservative safety and security.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.267-272
• /
• 2007

Various kinds of RI wastes are discharged from licensed organizations of radioisotopes les such as hospitals and clinic organizations, educational organizations, research institutions, and public organizations. Radioiodines such as $^{125}I\;and\;^{131}I$ are radioisotopes mainly used in nuclear medicine and industry. A method for the determination of radioiodines in RI wastes has been applied to measure low level activity using acid decomposition method and HPGe gamma ray spectrometer. Prior to analysis of real samples, $^{131}I$ reference solution and 10 g of yellow tissue paper was added to flask in mantle and was heated in 100 mL of 0.4 N $K_2Cr_2O_7$ and 100 mL of 9 M $H_2SO_4$, and then distilled after adding 10 mL of 30% $H_2PO_3$ and 1 mL of 30% $H_2O_2$. The condensed iodine by circulator was extracted into $CCl_4$, then back-extracted into the aqueous phase with 10 mL of 5% $K_2SO_2$ solution. Finally, $^{131}I$ was measured at 364.48 keV using HPGe gamma ray spectrometer after precipitation and filtration. Chemical yield of three steps such as acid decomposition process, chemical separation process, and precipitation and filtration process was more han 94% respectively, MDA(Minimum Detectable Activity) of $^{131}I$ at this analytical condition was 0.6 Bq/g.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.245-255
• /
• 2008

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company(KHNP) conducted site investigations for a low and intermediate-level nuclear waste repository in the Gyeong Ju site. The site characterization work constitutes a description of the site, its regional setting and the current state of the geosphere and biosphere. The main objectives of hydogeological investigation aimed to understand the hydrogeological setting and conditions of the site, and to provide the input parameters for safety evaluation. The hydogeological characterization of the site was performed from the results of surface based investigations, i.e geological mapping and analysis, drilling works and hydraulic testing, and geophysical survey and interpretation. The hydro-structural model based on the hydrogeological characterization consists of one-Hydraulic Soil Domain, three-Hydraulic Rock Domains and five-Hydraulic Conductor Domains. The hydrogeological framework and the hydraulic values provided for each hydraulic unit over a relevant scale were used as the baseline for the conceptualization and interpretation of flow modeling. The current hydrogeological characteristics based on the surface based investigation include some uncertainties resulted from the basic assumption of investigation methods and field data. Therefore, the reassessment of hydrostructure model and hydraulic properties based on the field data obtained during the construction is necessitated for a final hydrogeological characterization.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.231-237
• /
• 2017

The present study researched and analyzed decontamination technology for decommissioning a nuclear power plant. The decision-making technique (EXPERT-CHOICE) was used to evaluate and select the optimal decontamination technology. In principle, this evaluation method is generally performed by a group of experts in the relevant field. The results of the weights were calculated by multiplying the weights with regard to each criterion and evaluation score. The evaluation scores were categorized into 3 ranges (high, medium, and low), and each range was weighted for differentiation. The level of the technology analysis was improved by additionally quantifying the weights with regard to each criterion and subdividing criteria into subcriteria. The basic assumption of the evaluation was that the weight values would decided on in an expert survey and assigned to each criterion. The evaluation criteria followed high weight for the 'High' range. Accordingly, H, M, and L were assigned weights of 10:5:1, respectively. This was based on the EXPERT-CHOICE optimal analysis. The minimum and maximum values were excluded, and the average value was used as the evaluation value for each scenario.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.15 no.3 s.47
• /
• pp.146-153
• /
• 2006

A performance test of the stainless steel based sintered metal filter was conducted on the low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) vitrification process. The applicability of the metal filter was based on the test results as well. The baseline pressure drop of the metal filter was evaluated similar to the ceramic filter. During the test, when the flow rate of off-gas was $110Nm^{3}/h$, the total baseline pressure drop was shown as $92mmH_{2}O$. The total pressure drop was attributed to the filter media and the residual dust layer and the value of each was $25mmH_{2}O\;and\;67mmH_{2}O$ respectively. The SEM-EDS spectrum and micrograph of the metal filter specimen showed, no corrosion and no physical damage both at the skin membrane and at the support layer. And most of the baseline pressure drop was caused by the deposition of dust on the surface of the membrane. In conclusion, even though the filter exposure time was short at the test, the performance of the stainless steel based metal filter was acceptable for the treatment of LILW vitrification process.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2023.05a
• /
• pp.17-17
• /
• 2023

국내의 부지특성 및 감시 관련 규정은 원자력 안전위원회 고시 제2021-16호 제4조(세부지침)와 원자력 안전위원회 고시 제2021-17호 제16조에 의거하고, 국외는 국제원자력기구(IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency)에서 안전기준을 제시하고 있다(IAEA, 2011). 따라서 국내 중·저준위 방사성폐기물 처분시설은 2006년부터 광역 지질을 포함한 부지 지질/지형, 기상, 수문, 수리지질, 인문사회 등을 망라한 조사를 시행하여 부지 현황에 대한 분석 및 안정성 평가를 수행한다. 부지감시의 수문·지구화학 분야에서는 현장 수질 측정 6항목과 실내 분석 26항목을 감시하고 있으나, 본 연구는 이 중 9개 항목(EC, Na, K, Ca, Mg, SiO₂, Cl, SO₄, HCO₃)을 선정하여 분석하였다. 연구 목적은 물시료 분석자료의 주성분-다중선형회귀-군집 분석과 Piper Diagram 분석결과로부터 해수와 담수(지하수)와의 특성분석 및 해수 영향을 분석하는 것이다. 현장 부지내 지하수 7개 관정(GM-1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)과 해수 2개 지점(Sea-1, 2)을 대상으로 통계학적 주성분 분석결과, 대부분의 지하수는2개~4개의 요인으로 구분되고, 해수와의 유사성을 해석하기 위해 확인한 관정은 GM-5, GM-6, GM-1 지점으로 분류되었다. 상기와 같이 해수의 영향을 확인하기 위해 해수 2개 지점과 동일한 군집으로 분류되는 지하수는 GM-5 관정으로 확인되었고, 해안선에서 가까운 GM-5 관정과 같이 유사한 거리에 분포한 지하수 GM-1, 2, 4 관정은 2개 혹은 3개의 최적 군집으로 분류하였을 때도 GM-5와는 다른 특성을 보여주었다. 이는 해안과 인접하더라도 수질은 다른 지질학적 특성(지형, 기상, 단열대 등)에 따라 영향받았음을 지시한다.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.171-178
• /
• 2008

Metal filter elements were newly introduced to the high temperature filter(HTF) system in the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste vitrification plant. In order to evaluate the performance of various metal materials as filter media, elements made of AISI 316L, AISI 904L, and Inconel 600 were included to the test set of filter elements. At the visual inspection to the elements performed after completion of each test, a few dark spots were observed on the surface of some elements. Especially they were found much more at the AISI 316L elements than others. To check the dark spots are the corrosion phenomena or not, two kinds of analyses were performed to the tested filter elements. Firstly, the surfaces or the cross sections of filter specimens cut out from both normal area and dark spot area of elements were analyzed by SEM/EDS. The results showed that the dark spots were not evidences of corrosion but the deposition of sodium, sulfur and silica compounds volatilized from waste or molten glass. Secondly, the ring tensile strength were analyzed for the ring-shape filter specimens cut out from each kind of element. The result obtained from the strength tested showed no evidence of corrosion as well. Conclusionally, depending on the two kinds of analysis, no evidences of corrosion were found at the tested metal filter elements. But the dark spots formed on the surface could reduce the effective filtering area and increase the overall pressure drop of HTF system. Thus, continuous heating inside filter housing up to dew point will be required normally. And a few long-period test should be followed for the exact evaluation of corrosion of the metal filter elements.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.38 no.9
• /
• pp.839-845
• /
• 2001

In order to vitrify the Ion-Exchange Resin(IER), Dry Active Waste(DAW), and borate concentrate generated from the commercial nuclear facilities, the glass formulation study based on the their compositions was performed. Two glasses named as RG-1 and DG-1 were formulated as the candidate glasses for the vitrification of hte IER and DAW, respectively. A glass named as MG-1 was also formulated as a candidate glass for the vitrification of the mixed wastes containing the IER, DAW, and borate concentrate. The process parameters, product qualities, and economics were evaluated for the candidate glasses and confirmed experimentally for the some properties. The glass viscosity and electrical conductivity as the process parameters were in the desired ranges. the product qualities such as glass density, chemical durability, phase stability, etc. were satisfactory. In case of vitrifying the wastes using our developed glass formulation study, the volume reduction factors for the IER, DAW and mixed wastes were evaluated as 21, 89 and 75, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.54-62
• /
• 1994

The hydraulic properties of domestic natural clay/crushed rock mixture suggested as a candidate backfill material for the low and intermediate level waste repository were investigated. The dry density-water content relationship was studied to define an optimum water content that gives a maximum attainable dry density at constant compaction pressure. The hydraulic conductivities of clay/crushed rock mixture as a function of clay content were also measured. As the clay content decreased, the maximum attainable dry density increased and the optimum water content became more distinct. However the attainable density is not significantly sensitive to water content. The hydraulic conductivities of the mixture increased from 5 $\times$ 10$^{-12}$ m/s to 7 $\times$ 10$^{-10}$ m/s with clay content decreasing from 100 wt.% to 25 wt.% at dry density of 1.2 Mg/㎥. In case of dry density of 1.5 Mg/㎥, they maintain the lower values of 5 $\times$ 10$^{-12}$ m/s even at 25 wt.% clay content. The concept of effective clay dry density was suggested to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of the mixture. It was shown that the effective clay dry density concept can explain welt the hydraulic conductivities of the mixtures with various dry density and crushed rock content.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.489-500
• /
• 2017

It is not rare that pseudotachylite, dark colored rock with glassy texture, is recognizable in deep core samples drilled up to 900 m from the surface. Pseudotachylite with widths varying few to 20 cm is sharply contacted or interlayered with the host rocks composed of Jurassic granite and Precambrian amphibolite gneiss, showing moderately ductile deformation or slight folding. Pseudotachylite occurring at varying depths in the deep drill core are slightly different in texture and thickness. There is evidence of fault gouge at shallower depths, although brittle deformation is pervasive in most drill cores and pseudotachylite is identified at random depth intervals. Under scanning electron microscope (SEM), it is evident that the surface of pseudotachylite is characterized by a smooth, glassy matrix even at micrometer scale and there is little residual fragments in the glass matrix except microcrystals of quartz with embayed shape. Such textural evidence strongly supports the idea that the pseudotachylite was generated through the friction melting related to strong seismic events. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) quantitative analysis, it consists of primary minerals such as quartz, feldspars, biotite, amphibole and secondary minerals including clay minerals, calcite and glassy materials. Such mineralogical features of fractured materials including pseudotachylite indicate that the fractured zone might form at low temperatures possibly below $300^{\circ}C$, which implies that the seismic activity related to the formation of pseudotachylite took place at shallow depths, possibly at most 10 km. Identification and characterization of pseudotachylite provide insight into a better understanding of the paleoseismic activity of deep grounds and fundamental information on the stability of candidate disposal sites for high-level radioactive waste.