• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2004

In order to vitrify the W1 waste (ion-exchange resin(IER), zeolite, and dry active waste(DAW)) generated from Korean Nuclear Power Plants, a glass formulation development based on waste compositions and production rates was performed. A aluminoborosilicate glass, AG8W1, was formulated to vitrify the W1 waste in an induction cold crucible melter(CCM). The processability, product performance, and economics of the candidate glass were calculated using a computer code and were measured experimentally in the laboratory and CCM. The glass viscosity and electrical conductivity as the process parameters were in the desired ranges. Start-up and maintaining glass melt of the candidate glass were favorable in the CCM. The product quality of the glass such as chemical durability, phase stability, etc. was satisfactory. The vitrification process using the candidate glass was also evaluated to be operated as economically as possible.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.15 no.3 s.47
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• pp.146-153
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• 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 Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.137-146
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• 2004

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy(LIBS) system is being developed as an in-situ analysis system for the radioactive waste glass in the cold crucible melter. In order to complete the LIBS system, a spectrometer, a detector, and a laser were structured. An ESA 3000 (LLA Instruments GmbH, Germany) including a calibrated Kodak KAF-1001 CCD detector was selected as the spectrometer. A Q-switched Nd-YAG Brilliant(Quantel, France) laser was selected as an energy source. As the first research stage, the excitation temperatures of Fe(I) as a function of the detector's delay intervals(500, 1000, 1500, 2000ns) were evaluated using the Einstein-Boltzmann equation. The optimized excitation temperature of Fe (I) was 7820k at the delay time of 1500㎱ using the 532nm Nd-YAG laser pulse. This LIBS system will be optimized under the real environment vitrification facility in the near future and then used to be in-situ analyzed the glass compositions in the melter qualitatively.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

The rare earth oxide wastes consisting of major 8 nuclides Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd, are generated during the salt waste treatment of PyroGreen process. The final form of the rare earth is generated as the oxide state. In this study, six candidate glasses were developed to evaluate the feasibility for vitrifying the rare earth oxide wastes within the borosilicate glass system. The solubilities of the mixture of the rare earth oxide waste showed less than 25wt% at $1,200^{\circ}C$, less than 30wt% at $1,300^{\circ}C$, respectively. It means that solubility is increased with the temperature increment. The liquidus temperature of the homogeneous glass with 20wt% waste loading was determined as less than $950^{\circ}C$. In more than solubility of rare earth oxides glass, formation of rare earth-oxide-silicate crystal in glass-ceramic occurred as the secondary phase. As their viscosity at melting temperature $1,200{\sim}1,300^{\circ}C$ was less than 100 poise, electrical conductivity was higher than 1 S/cm, 20~25wt% waste loading glasses with good surface homogeneity are judged to have good operability in cold crucible induction melter. Other physicochemical properties of the developed glasses are going to be experimented in the future.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1997.07e
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• pp.1660-1662
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• 1997

High temperature arc plasma technologies are recently being developed in Europe, Japan and United States as one or the treatment schemes of municipal wastes, industrial wastes and vitrification of low level radioactive wastes. An experimental plasma melting furnace, a transferred type plasma torch and 100kW class power supply have been made. Operation of this system and some basic experimental results for solid wastes treatment are reported.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.936-942
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• 2003

In order to develop glass formulations for vitrifying Low-and Intermediate-Level radioactive Wastes (LILW) from nuclear power plants of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Co., Ltd., promising glass formulations were selected based on glass property model predictions for viscosity, electrical conductivity and leach resistance. Laboratory measurements were conducted to verify the model predictions. Based on the results, the models for electrical conductivity, US DOE 7-day Product Consistency Test (PCT) elemental release, and pH of PCT leachate are accurate for the LILW glass formulations. However, the model for viscosity was able to provide only qualitative results. A leachate conductivity test was conducted on several samples to estimate glass leach resistance. Test results from the leachate conductivity test were useful for comparison before PCT elemental release results were available. A glass formulation K11A meets all the KHNP glass property constraints, and use of this glass formulation on the pilot scale is recommended. Glass formulations K12A, K12B, and K12E meet nearly all of the processing constraints and may be suitable for additional testing. Based on the comparison between the measured and predicted glass properties, existing glass property models may be used to assist with the LILW glass formulation development.

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

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.227-234
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• 2006

Two candidate glasses, AG8W1 and DG-2, have been developed for vitrifying the mixture of low activity resin, zeolite and Dry Active Waste(DAW), and DAW solely, respectively. In order to evaluate the chemical durability of the glasses, two different leaching tests, Product Consistency Test(PCT) and Vapor Hydration Test(VHT), have been performed. As the results of PCT performed from 7 to 120 days, the leach rates of B, Na, Si and Li in the glasses were much lower than those of the benchmark glass(SRL-EA). As the result of VHT peformed for 7 days, the leach rates were 2 and $10g/m^2/day$ for AG8W1 and DG-2, respectively, The results of VHT met the regulatory guideline( $<50g/m^2/day$) for the low activity glasses of Hanford in the USA. Consequently, two candidate glasses to be used at a commercial operation in the future showed that their chemical durability is satisfactory according to the results of two leaching tests.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 2016

Waste salt generated from a pyro-processing for the recovery of uranium and transuranic elements has high volatility at vitrification temperature and low compatibility in conventional waste glasses. For this reason, KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) suggested a new method to de-chlorinate waste salt by using an inorganic composite named SAP ($SiO_2-Al_2O_3-P_2O_5$). In this study, the de-chlorination behavior of waste salt and the microstructure of consolidated form were examined by adding $B_2O_3$ and $Fe_2O_3$ to the original SAP composition. De-chlorination behavior of metal chloride waste was slightly changed with given compositions, compared with that of original SAP. In the consolidated forms, the phase separation between Si-rich phase and P-rich phase decreases with the amount of $Al_2O_3$ or $B_2O_3$ as a connecting agent between Si and P-rich phase. The results of PCT (Product Consistency Test) indicated that the leach-resistance of consolidated forms out of reference composition was lowered, even though the leach-resistance was higher than that of EA (Environmental Assessment) glass. From these results, it could be inferred that the change in the content of Al or B in U-SAP affected the microstructure and leach-resistance of consolidated form. Further studies related with correlation between composition and characteristics of wasteform are required for a better understanding.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.97-104
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• 2004

Double-layered polysulfone composite films, containing cerium activated yttrium silicate (CAYS) as a flour, were prepared from double casting of two polymeric solutions, and their morphology and physical strength were superior to those of single-layered composites. The prepared polymeric films consist of a dense bottom layer and a CAYS-holding top layer. The former is made of coagulating the polysulfone and methylene chloride binary solution and works as a supporter to improve the composite's physical strength, while the latter holding the inorganic fluor plays a role as an active site to detect the radioactive contamination. The prepared films revealed two distinguished, but tightly attached, double layers, their attachment being identified by morphology of the interface between two layers. As prepared by water immersion coagulation, the films have highly developed macropores, compared with a dense structure in the film prepared by evaporation. In the radionuclide detection test of the CAYS-impregnated composites, the films have reliable detection capacity at a radionuclide spotting test. The double-layered composites with the dense support layer show a better stability in holding the radionuclides spotted on the surface as well as an improvement in physical strength, compared with the single-layer composites having shortcomings such as being too porous or being brittle.