• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.229-236
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• 2012

$Li_2O$-LiCl 용융염을 이용한 전해환원기술은 사용후핵연료로부터 우라늄 금속을 회수하기 위해 연구되고 있다. 이 전해환원기술에서는 $Li_2O$가 촉매로 이용되기 때문에 그 농도를 유지하는 것은 매우 중요한 운전인자이다. $ZrO_2$는 피복관의 주성분이 Zr이기 때문에 사용후핵연료에 불가피하게 함유되며, 본 연구에서는 $Li_2O$를 촉매로 이용하는 전해환원공정에서 $ZrO_2$의 거동을 살펴보았다. $Li_2O$와 $ZrO_2$의 화학반응과 전해환원공정 중에서의 생성물을 분석한 결과, $Li_2ZrO_3$와 $Li_4ZrO_4$가 주요하게 관찰되었고, 이는 $Li_2O$의 손실을 가져오는 원인이 된다. 즉, $ZrO_2$는 $Li_2O$를 소모하는 역할을 하며, 반응생성물은 전기화학적으로 안정하기 때문에 $Li_2O$의 손실이 불가피하게 된다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.165-172
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• 2018

용융염-액체금속 추출공정에서 형성되는 액적 크기를 추정하는 방안으로 용융염-액체금속 계를 상온에서 유사한 물-수은 계로 대체하여 액적 형성 실험을 노즐의 종류에 따라 수행하여 Scheele-Meister 모델의 적용성을 평가하였다. 실험에서 액적의 크기 측정은 디지털카메라와 이미지분석 소프트웨어를 사용하였으며 노즐은 0.018 cm과 0.025 cm의 구멍 크기를 가지며 수은의 통과 길이가 1.3 cm인 상용 니들과 두께가 0.5 cm이며 0.0148 cm 구멍 2개, 0.0135 cm 구멍 3개, 0.0135 cm 구멍 4개인 것을 제작하여 사용하였다. 각각의 노즐에서 형성된 액적은 노즐 아래 20 cm까지 안정적인 구형을 유지하였다. 액적 크기의 측정치를 Scheele-Meister 모델의 추정치와 비교하였을 때 10% 오차 범위 안에서 일치하였다. 실험 결과는 물-수은 계에서 액적을 안정적으로 형성시키는 노즐에 대해 액적 크기 추정을 위한 Scheele-Meister 모델이 적용될 수 있음을 보였다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.85-93
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• 2005

Isotopes of alkali and alkaline earth metals (AM and AEM) are the main contributors to the heat load and the radiotoxicity of spent fuel (SF) . These components are separated from the SF and dissolved in a molten LiCl in an electrolytic reduction process. A mass transfer model is developed to describe the diffusion behavior of Cs, Sr, and Ba in the SF into the molten salt. The model is an analytical solution of Fick's second law of diffusion for a cylinder which is the shape of a cathode in the electrolytic reduction process. And the model is also applied to depict the concentration profile of the oxygen ion which is produced by the electrolysis of Li$_{2}$O. The regressed diffusion coefficients of the model correlating the experimentally measured data are evaluated to be greater in the order of Ba, Cs, and Sr for the metal ions and the diffusion of the oxygen ion is slower than the metal ions which implies that different mechanisms govern the diffusion of the metal ions and the oxygen ions in a molten LiCl.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.1206-1212
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• 2022

Cold-crucible induction melting (CCIM) technology has been intensively studied as an advanced vitrification process for the immobilization of highly radioactive waste. This technology uses high-frequency induction to melt a glass matrix and waste, while the outer surface of the crucible is water-cooled, resulting in the formation of a frozen glass layer (skull). In this study, for the fabrication of borosilicate glass waste form, CCIM operation test with 60 kg of glass per batch was conducted using surrogate wastes composed of Cs, Sr, and Nd as a representative of highly radioactive nuclides generated during spent nuclear fuel management. A 60 kg-scale glass waste form was successfully fabricated through melting and draining processes using a CCIM system, and its physicochemical properties were analyzed. In particular, to enhance the controllability and reliability of the draining process, an air-cooling drain control method that can control draining through air-cooling near drain holes was developed, and its validity for draining control was verified. The method can offer controllability on various draining processes, such as molten salt or molten metal draining processes, and can be applied to a process requiring high throughput draining.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.97-104
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• 2012

본 연구에서는 $850^{\circ}C$의 $CaCl_2$ 용융염계에서 전해환원공정을 통해 $TiO_2$로부터 금속티타늄을 제조하였다. Ni-$TiO_2$ 조합전극을 환원전극으로 그라파이트를 산화전극으로 사용하였으며, 셀전위를 제어하면서 $TiO_2$의 전해환원 특성을 관찰하였다. XRD 분석을 통해 $TiO_2$가 $CaTiO_3$, $Ti_2O$, $Ti_6O$와 같은 다양한 반응 중간생성물을 거쳐 Ti 스폰지로 환원되는 것이 밝혀졌다. 또한 SEM 분석을 통해 $TiO_2$ 전해환원 반응동안 펠렛의 바깥표면부터 환원반응이 시작되어 펠렛중심으로 진행이 되는 것이 확인되었다. 전해환원 반응도중 환원된 티타늄금속은 초기에는 다공성 스폰지 구조를 보이나 고온에서 반응이 진행됨에 따라 점차 소결에 의해 수축되어 다공성 구조가 사라지는 현상을 보였다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.55-64
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• 2023

There is a gap in our understanding of the behavior of fused and molten fuel salts containing unavoidable contamination, such as those due to fabrication, handling, or storage. Therefore, this work used calorimetry to investigate the change in liquidus temperature of PuCl₃, having an unknown purity and that had been in storage for several decades. Further research was performed by additions of NaCl, making several compositions within the binary system, and summarizing the resulting changes, if any, to the phase diagram. The melting temperature of the PuCl₃ was determined to be 746.5℃, approximately 20℃ lower than literature reported values, most likely due to an excess of Pu metal in the PuCl₃ either due to the presence of metallic plutonium remaining from incomplete chlorination or due to the solubility of Pu in PuCl₃. From the melting temperature, it was determined that the PuCl₃ contained between 5.9 to 6.2mol% Pu metal. Analysis of the NaCl-PuCl₃ samples showed that using the Pu rich PuCl₃ resulted in significant changes to the NaCl-PuCl₃ phase diagram. Most notably an unreported phase transition occurring at approximately 406℃ and a new eutectic composition of 52.7mol% NaCl-38.7mol% PuCl₃-2.5mol% Pu which melted at 449.3℃. Additionally, an increase in the liquidus temperatures was seen for NaCl rich compositions while lower liquidus temperatures were seen for PuCl₃ rich compositions. It can therefore be concluded that changes will occur in the NaCl-PuCl₃ binary system when using PuCl₃ with excess Pu metal. However, melting temperature analysis can provide valuable insight into the composition of the PuCl₃ and therefore the NaCl-PuCl₃ system.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.383-398
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• 2022

The electrochemical behavior was investigated during the electrolysis of nickel oxide in LiCl-Li₂O salt mixture at 650℃ by changing several components. The focus of this work is to improve anode design and shroud design to increase current densities. The tested components were ceramic anode shroud porosity, porosity size, anode geometry, anode material, and metallic porous anode shroud. The goal of these experiments was to optimize and improve the reduction process. The highest contributors to higher current densities were anode shroud porosity and anode geometry.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.1339-1346
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• 2024

Electrorefining in molten salts is used for purifying actinides. Optimizing electrorefining is key to minimizing processing time and radiological waste. One possible way of improving electrorefining efficiency is using an AC superimposed DC waveform. This waveform has demonstrated potential benefits in aqueous solutions but has never been utilized in a molten metal, molten salt application. This work investigates the effects of using an AC superimposed DC waveform on molten bismuth electrorefining in a molten LiCl-KCl-CaCl2 eutectic. Bismuth has been identified as a potential surrogate for plutonium electrorefining and a potential cathode in electrorefining used nuclear fuel (UNF). All electrorefining runs resulted in a high purity cathode ring and high yield with exception of the run using a low-frequency, high-amplitude superimposed AC waveform, which experienced some contamination and a lower yield. The other three AC superimposed DC runs experienced an average yield 6.7 % higher than the average yield of the DC runs. The electrorefining run using the high-frequency, high-amplitude superimposed AC signal had the highest yield. It is recommended in future studies to investigate the statistical variability of electrorefining yield and current efficiency and the impact of AC superimposed DC waveforms on solidified bismuth anodes.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.309-313
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• 2018

Li-Cd 합금을 이용한 환원추출방식을 LiCl-KCl 기반의 drawdown 공정에 적용하게 되면, LiCl-KCl 공융염의 조성이 파괴되므로 공정온도를 높여야 하며, 전해정련 및 전해제련과 같은 공정에 LiCl-KCl 용융염을 재사용할 수 없게 된다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 공융염 조성에 적합한 Li-K-Cd 합금을 제조하였으며, 이를 이용하여 U와 Nd가 포함된 LiCl-KCl 염에 투입하여 용융염 내 $UCl_3$의 제거가 가능한지 평가하였다.

• 한국에너지공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국에너지공학회 1998년도 춘계 학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.235-242
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• 1998

Aiming at one of decisive alternatives for long term aspect of nuclear power concerns, an integral and closed nuclear system, AMBIDEXTER (Advanced Molten-salt Break-even Inherently-safe Dual-mission Experimental and TEst Reactor) concept is under development. The AMBIDEXTER complex essentially comprises two mutually independent loops of the radiation/material transport and the heat/energy conversion, centered at the integrated reactor assembly, which enables one to utilize maximum benefits of nuclear energy under minimum risks of nuclear radiation. And it provides precious radioisotopes and radiation sources from its waste stream. Also the reactor operates at very low level of fission products inventory throughout its lifetime. The nuclear and thermalhydraulic characteristics of the molten TH/$^{233}$ U fuel salt extend the capability of the self-sustaining AMBIDEXTER fuel cycle to enhance resource security and safeguard transparency. The reactor system is consisted of a single component module of the core, heat exchangers and recirculation pumps with neither pipe connections nor active valves in between, which will significantly improve inherent features of nuclear safety. States of the core technologies associated with designing and developing the AMBIDEXTER concept are mostly available in commercialized form and thus demonstration of integral aspects of the concept should be the prime area in future R＆D programs.